12:00 PM
Clark Hall Room 206, 11130 Bellflower Road
Members of the Case Western Reserve University community are invited to join the Baker-Nord Center for the Humanities for a faculty work-in-progress lecture on Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. in Clark Hall, Room 206.
Christopher Clark, lecturer and director of choirs in the Department of Music, will present “Science is Real: A Case Study of the London Humanist Choir."
An informal lunch will be provided. Registration requested.
About the Talk
Showing his surprise at the level of religiosity in community choral societies, British freelance writer Tony Walter wrote in The Musical Times, “Christianity is acceptable in choral music, from patronage through composing to performing to listening, like in no other art form.” Unlike the multitudes of religiously affiliated choral ensembles that exist around the world, there are only a handful of choirs that are specifically designated as non-religious or humanist. The London Humanist Choir, a non-auditioned community choir with a mission of performing non-religious choral music in the greater London area. Chris Clark, lecturer in the music department and Director of Choirs at CWRU, spent time in rehearsal, in conversation, and at the pub with the non-religious singers of the ensemble. In this presentation, Clark will detail his findings on the motivations of the musicians and the life meanings they derive from their participation. The logistical and musical operations of the ensemble could point a way forward in an increasingly secular world.