“Gossip is fun, when the chickens are clucking,” is a phrase steeped in, to use a fashionable term, ‘randomness.’ Maybe it is the tangible by-product of living in a post-modern world; we hesitate to find the reasons behind certain perceived oddities, and dismiss them as ‘random.’

The peculiar sentence is from a chanson called “Il est bel et bon” by Pierre Passereau, a renaissance composer. The university was introduced to his works and other renaissance pieces by the 2006 Summer Workshop Vocal Ensemble led by Yara Abu Er Rubb, Ziad Nehme, and advised by Paul Meers. Presented by the Fine Arts and Art History Department at AUB, and the Zaki Nassif Music Program, the concert took place on October 4, 2006 at 8:30 pm in Assembly Hall.

The ensemble is composed of ten singers, which, in comparison to a choir, allows much more room for the expression of individuality and fun. Their first piece, “Belle Qui Tient Ma Vie,“ commenced at the threshold of the former chapel then finished on stage. The procession of crisp, warm voices stroked every corner of the hall and introduced the audience to the ensemble’s delicate phrasing and grasp of the harmonies. When Paul Meers later introduced the music, he warned us that we were going to take a “giant step backwards in time,” where the music was like “nothing you’ve ever heard and only to be sung by highly elite choral singers.”

He was right. The next songs in the program sounded alien due to the unconventional harmonies, repetition of syllables, and flowing undercurrents. Clement Janequin’s “Le Chant des Oyseaux” was alive with special effects to recreate birdcalls: sheer 16th century fun.

The daring of the student ensemble should be commended, as their line-up was not composed of the typical crowd-pleasers. The concert was intimate, exciting, and educational; the fact that it was a student production displaying so much professionalism has the potential to inspire others to do the same.

To the Vocal Ensemble:
1. Find a name.
2. Continue to be as random as possible, challenging us to look for the meaning behind the music you sing.