By: Liz Slocum ~Staff Writer~

The Xavier UniversityEdgecliff Vocal Ensemble (EVE) teamed up with the St. Peter in Chains Cathedral Choir and the Cincinnati Camerata on Feb. 15 to perform at the St. Peter in Chains Cathedral downtown. The concert consisted of sacred music by early composers such as William Byrd, Giacomo Carissimi, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina and Thomas Weelkes.

The cathedral’s own choir began the concert with Byrd’s “Haec Dies,” the words of which translate to, “This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Alleluia.” Following the Cathedral Choir, EVE performed three of its own pieces, all in Latin as well, before giving way to the Cincinnati Camerata, which sang four pieces in Latin and one in English. The three choirs wrapped up the performance with a combined performance of “Ave Verum Corpus” by Byrd.

For their final individual piece, the EVE sang the final chorus from Carissimi’s “Historia di Jephte.” Those who saw Sunday’s concert and wish to hear the complete oratorio should plan on seeing the EVE again in the spring. “We’re doing the whole thing in April,” Dr. Tom Merrill said. Merrill, who is the director of EVE and the head of the Department of Music and Theatre says the group has a full schedule ahead of it from now until May.

“This is the first of three concerts we have this semester,” Merrill said. “It’s been pretty busy for us.”

Xavier EVE will be performing at the “Winter Music Festival: Winter Choral Collage” on Feb. 24 at Bellarmine Chapel and the Bach Festival on March 24 at Christ Church Cathedral, plus a performance of Mozart’s Requiem on April 26 at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption. Visit xavier.edu/music for more information.