Mesa College’s Vocal Ensemble received a chance of a lifetime as they performed in front of Dr. Gary McKercher, music director of the San Diego Master Chorale.

The second annual Community College Invitational Choral Festival welcomed the seasoned choir director to critique the performances of participating schools. Palomar, Grossmont, Mesa, and MiraCosta colleges all attended.

The event took place in MiraCosta’s new concert hall, which opened this year in January. Dr. Arlie Langager, conductor of MiraCosta’s Masterworks and Chamber Chorales, proudly rejoiced at another chance to use the new space.

“The concert hall has been officially christened for our event today, however we are still in the process of testing the acoustics the new walls provide,” said Langager.

The walls Langager referred to consist of angled, tall wooden panels strategically placed to reflect sound waves. A thick velvet curtain can be pulled across the top level of panels to help soften the noise.

Low ends, resonance, and high ends, all the different aspects of sound were inspirations for the modern design. With all the hype circulating around the room, the audience was eager to see the hall’s sound-enhancing features at work.

Mesa College took the stage after being introduced as a “younger group of singers.” Their first song “Te Quiero” was preceded by a passionately read English translation recited by Patricia Reyes, a Mesa College student.

“My biggest concern was connecting with the text,” said Reyes. “It’s a very romantic song.”

The vocal ensemble’s powerful sound compensated for their smaller size. A strong group dynamic combined with Reyes’ heartwarming Spanish solo resulted in bursting applause.

McKercher focused on Karlyn Moore’s powerful solo in “Wade in the Water.” He complimented her voice but corrected her stage presence; a critique also given to the whole ensemble.

Richard Chagnon, director of Mesa’s vocal ensemble, was grateful for the advice his students received.

“The best critique we got was on our stage presence,” said Chagnon. “Students have to let their personalities shine through.”

Mesa College’s unique group dynamic and execution earned McKercher’s praise. The ensemble sang a fast-paced rendition of a published advertisement entitled “Auction Cries” while grasping opened newspapers.

This refreshing adaptation proved that choral music is not all church hymns, but rather a harmonic, emotional way of expressing anything simple or abstract.

When Grossmont’s conductor, Dr. Randall Tweed, took the stage, he introduced his first song “Rorate Caeli Desuper” by acknowledging its abstract, transcendent quality.

“This song contains both the physical and metaphysical aspects of music,” said Tweed. “We hope our performance inspires both.”

MiraCosta was the final performance and expectations were high. The large chamber chorale harmonized beautifully. After the serene, soft conclusion of “Amor de Mí Alma,” McKercher took the stage and complimented the home choir on their vocalism. Their weakness, he felt, was the overwhelming presence of alto singers.

Nothing slipped past the ears of McKercher. The director of the San Diego Master Chorale fine tuned every note and emphasized the importance of enunciating words. Choral music’s hypnotic harmonies reach their full potential when they clearly tell a story.

“Make every phrase have a destiny,” said McKercher. “And be careful when singing the word ‘flock’.”