Choral Tribute to Nature Features “Cloudburst”

The Inland Master Chorale presented “Aspects of Nature,” on May 16 and 17 at the First United Methodist Church, 1 East Olive Avenue in Redlands. The featured work was “Cloudburst,” written by acclaimed contemporary composer Eric Whitacre when he was just 22 years old. The text, in Spanish, is by Nobel Prize winner Octavio Paz. Accompaniment by piano, hand bells, assorted percussion and finger-snaps gave the effect of a passing thunderstorm. Soloists for “Cloudburst” were bass Michael Hicks and soprano Susan Meinders. Other selections included Haydn’s The Storm, Brahms’ Wondrous Cool, Thou Woodland Quiet, Z. Randall Stroope’s The Pasture, and Frank Ticheli’s Earth Song. Carly Simon’s Grammy and Oscar-winning Let the River Run was from the movie “Working Girl.” A West Indies piece, Turn the World Around, was written by Harry Belafonte and Robert Freedman. The 60-member chorale, under the direction of Roger Duffer and Melva Morrison, is completing its 35th anniversary season.