Blinn choir to offer laughs with free April Fool's Day concert

'An Afternoon of Comedic Entertainment' includes a song performed in 'cat'

March 23, 2023

Blinn College District students will present a lighthearted concert in honor of April Fool’s Day on Saturday, April 1.

Voice students of Dr. Daniel Johnson, Voice and Choir Professor, will perform “An Afternoon of Comedic Entertainment” at a 2 p.m. concert Saturday, April 1, in Finke Recital Hall in the Schmidt Building, 800 College Avenue. Pamela Connolly will be the accompanying pianist.

Complimentary tickets are available at www.blinn.edu/boxoffice. The performance also will be streamed live on the Blinn College Music Department YouTube Channel.

The idea for a comedic opera was planted in Johnson’s mind several years ago during his doctoral studies.

In 2016 at the University of Utah opera workshop, Johnson performed a concert of comedic operatic and musical theatre scenes and ensembles, culminating in a performance of the spoof oratorio “The Seasonings.”

“It was so much fun that I always wanted to perform another one,” he said.

“The Seasonings” was written by musical satirist Peter Schickele under the pseudonym P.D.Q. Bach (a fictitious son of composer Johann Sebastian Bach created by Schickele).

Johnson and four students last spring sang selections from legitimate oratorios from the original concert for the first act, then performed the spoof oratorio as a surprise second act.

“The students had so much fun with it that they all asked to do an entire recital dedicated to comedic literature,” Johnson said. “The selections vary widely, although the preponderance of the works are from the 20 ^th century. All will be sung in English to enhance the audience’s understanding, with the exception of one song sung entirely in ‘cat.’ We will examine relationships, funny moments with children, animals, and even some dark humor.”

Blinn’s Music Department offers small classes, one-on-one attention, practical learning, and accessible faculty so that students are actively engaged in a superior learning environment. Students can pursue an Associate of Arts Degree in Music that provides a solid foundation in the creative and technical aspects of music, including music theory, history, composition, and performance. For more information, visit www.blinn.edu/music.