BRADFORD, Pa. – The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Vocal Arts Ensemble will perform a selection of gospel music in concert at noon April 2 in the Harriett B. Wick Chapel. 

The concert is free and open to the public. 

“The gospel theme actually happened by accident,” said Regina Gabriel, director and instructor of music at Pitt-Bradford. “Many of my singers wanted to do solos this semester, so I looked for pieces that would give them that opportunity.” 

She also wanted to take advantage of the instrumental skills of students in the group. 

“I chose two of the pieces: ‘Set Me as a Seal,’ which has a part for French Horn played by Eliver Russo (an interdisciplinary arts major from Easton) and ‘Nearer My God to Thee.’ My students chose the rest of the program. Most of the pieces happen to be gospel pieces, and that is a good thing. It is important that my students know this important genre of American music. Gospel is standard repertoire for choral groups.” 

Other selections are “Ha-la-lelujah,” with Caleb Dougherty, a broadcast communications major from Lewis Run, on guitar, Gerrit Randall-Klouw, a social studies education 7-12 major from Bradford, on Irish drum, and Brianna Coder, a business management major from Bradford, on tin whistle/flute; “Death Came A-Knockin’,” with solos by Abby Kaspick, a biology major from Tyrone, Talia Magno, a psychology major from New Galilee, and Sean Luce, a writing major from Bradford; “God Will Give Orders/Sweet Child,” with solo by Lex Roberts, an accounting major from Bradford, cello by Anna Killingbeck, a chemistry and forensic science student from Chaffee, N.Y., and African drum by Randall-Klouw; “Yonder Come Day,” with solo by Dougherty and tambourine by Hannah Krug, a pre-physical therapy student from Rouseville; “The Parting Glass,” and “Lord, If I got My Ticket, Can I Ride?” with solos by Coder and Randall-Klouw. 

Other members of the ensemble are Alexia Catalone, an international affairs major from Weedville; Sapphire Nichols, an environmental studies major from Roulette; Diane Null, an interdisciplinary arts major from Bradford; Austin Reese, an English and history-political science major from Bradford; Ethan Strother, a computer information systems and technology student from Hughesville; Erin Wales, an interdisciplinary arts major from Binghamton, N.Y., and Wentian Yu, an undeclared student from Changzhou, China.