`BETELEHEMU' CAUSES AUDIENCES TO STIR

An unpublished African carol that has sparked unconventional audience response will be performed March 22 during a concert by the Southeast Missouri State University Choir.

The free concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Academic Auditorium. The carol, called "Betelehemu," will be the finale.

In addition to the University Choir's performance of Betelehemu, the choir also will perform several other songs. The University of Central Arkansas Choir, which is on a spring tour, also will perform.

Choir director John Egbert said audiences respond to "Betelehemu" in a way he has never seen before.

Egbert said: "Everyone seems overwhelmed by the music. I've never seen a piece of music have this effect on people. The reaction is like nothing else I've ever seen.

"People jump to their feet at the end. They shout and cheer. People don't normally do that at choral concerts."

Southeast's choir is one of just three choirs performing "Betelehemu" in the United States. The song is a Christmas carol from Nigeria.

Egbert said the choir performed the piece in November at Academic Auditorium to an audience of between 800 and 900 people.

"When it was over, people jumped to their feet and were screaming and cheering," Egbert said.

"Even students in my music-appreciation class, who were required to attend the concert, wrote that they had never seen anything like this," he said.

The choir also performed "Betelehemu" at the State Music Convention at Lake of The Ozarks. "We had the same reaction, and these were music educators and professionals.

"This is my 21st year of teaching," Egbert said. "My parents have been to a number of concerts, but after seeing our performance of this, my mother said this was the most fantastic thing she had ever seen."

"Betelehemu" is also performed by Morehouse College Choir and Oklahoma City University Choir.

In October, Barrington Brooks, a member of the Morehouse College Choir, conducted a clinic at Southeast to teach the song.

"He gave the students one sheet with just the words printed on it. The words are in Nigerian."

He taught the entire, five-minute piece section by section without giving the choir music to follow.

In addition to the music, the piece includes solo performances, eight percussion instruments, hand claps and movements by the choir.

"It just keeps building and building," Egbert said.

Said Egbert: "Once in a while you come across a piece of music you want in your repertoire for an entire year. Sometimes you come across a piece of music you want in your repertoire forever. This is one we want forever."