The hum of the Symphony Orchestra’s strings harmonized with the crescendo of the Oratorio Chorus’ voices Wednesday night at the Musical Arts Center for an opera titled “Mainstage in Concert: The Ordering of Moses.”
Before showcasing Robert Nathaniel Dett’s 1937 reimagining of Moses’ biblical scripture, folklore and Exodus narrative, the Symphony Orchestra began the concert by welcoming violinist Cham In Yoon as a soloist.
Yoon is a student within the Jacobs School of Music studying violin performance.
She obtained the role as soloist for the Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor's piece “Concerto in G minor for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 80” (1912) by winning the Coleridge-Taylor Violin Concerto Competition, which was hosted March 29 at Ford-Crawford Hall. The goal of the competition was to win a solo spot on a performance with the Symphony Orchestra.
The flowy concerto lasted about 30 minutes, with conductor Jake Taniguchi stopping between each of the three movements to turn his page. The three movements, titled “Allegro maestoso,” “Andante semplice – Andantino" and “Allegro molto – Moderato,” featured Yoon as violin soloist throughout, leading the orchestra behind her as she stood at the front of the stage.
Vianne Turner, a freshman violinist, said the Symphony Orchestra got the music about three weeks ago after the winner of the concerto competition was announced. Yet, many violinists in the orchestra already fluently knew the piece.
“I think it was really interesting because a lot of the violinists in the orchestra have also competed in the competition, so they all knew the first part really well,” Turner said.
As Yoon led the orchestra to the end of the ensemble, a 15-minute intermission dwelled with the dim house lights of the MAC brightening. During the intermission, members of the ensembles began rearranging chairs, making room for the Oratorio Chorus, an ensemble of multifaceted Jacobs students coming together to learn more about singing, even if they aren’t majoring in choral performance, to settle into the risers at the back of the stage and four opera soloists to sit at the front.
With a flick of conductor Betsy Burleigh’s wrist, the 15-movement opera began with a quiet prelude from the orchestra, serenely setting the scene to begin the next movement, “All Israel’s Children.” Within this movement, baritone soloist Benhur Mosazghi began his role as The Word with an interpolation of “Go Down, Moses,” initiating a call-and-response between him and the Oratorio Chorus behind him.
Alto student Gabriela Villamil sang in the Oratorio Chorus and said the group began preparing for the concert directly after spring break in late March.
Villamil said harmonies in “The Ordering of Moses” are unique, emulating different styles of singing and music other than opera.
“I think that what really stands out to me is the fact that we’re playing a piece that has a lot of things that are not from the classical style,” Villamil said. “So, there’s also, like, kind of this mixture with the jazz world.”
Slowly, as the harmonies from the chorus and orchestra began to emanate an angelic tone, the third movement, “O Lord, Behold My Affliction,” introduces alto soloist Ronnita Miller as The Voice of Israel. Miller’s character lamented as she reflected the Israelites’ fight for freedom, almost as if it was a prayer.
As the opera continued, soprano soloist Ambriehl Ivy was introduced as Miriam and tenor soloist Freddie Ballentine took the stage as Moses, singing duets navigating the orders God gives to Moses. Through this navigation, the opera ends with Moses praising Jehovah in “Sing Ye to Jehovah/He is King of Kings.”
Ballentine said he was invited to play the role of Moses while he had a week off between two contracts in New York City. Arriving Monday for this performance, he had one rehearsal with the pianist and conductor, a rehearsal with only the orchestra then a final rehearsal with the full chorus and orchestra.
Seeing a small glimpse into the students’ adaptability and collaboration with the other three operatic artists, Ballentine said he was impressed by the work done in his small amount of time at IU.
“They play beautifully for a student orchestra and a student chorus,” Ballentine said. “It’s when you have the full soundscape of an orchestra and the chorus behind you, it kind of just helps you to allow your own sound to soar, and I felt that today.”
The last performance for the 2025-26 season in the MAC will be a Jazz Celebration at 7:30 p.m. May 2. The celebration will feature Jacobs faculty, students and two alumni: bassist John Clayton and drummer Jeff Hamilton.
Tickets for the Jazz Celebration are available at varied prices and discounted at $12 for students.
