THE BELHAVEN COLLEGE CHOIR, "MISSA FESTIVA" DANCE TROUP, JOSHUA NOOTE,
AND THE CAST OF "PIRATES OF PENZANCE" AT THE BELHAVEN CENTER FOR THE
ARTS, NOVEMBER 25, 2002

   This was open house for the Belhaven Center for the Arts, a facility
recently acquired from Riverside Independent Methodist Church. The
former sanctuary was the setting; the program opened with "The Heavens
Are Telling" (from Haydn's "The Creation") with the Belhaven College
Concert Choir and organist Roy Stillwell, directed by Christopher Shelt.
Blend and balance were very good, and while the women's voices outnumbered
the men's by 2:1, if I closed my eyes the voices seemed equal. The choir
did seem a bit remote, and I wondered if a reflecting panel might be in
order. Overall, the acoustics were excellent; the walls were brick and
the ceiling (40-50' high) appeared hard. Future improvements were
summarized in the intermission and did include a shell. After the Haydn,
the choir sang John Leavitt's Mass, and the Belhaven Dance Troupe did
a very effective interpretation of it. Pianist Joshua Noote then played
Ginastera's "Danza del Gaucho Matrero" from 'Danzas Argentinas' with
great energy. Finally the cast of "Pirates of Penzance" performed
selections from the operetta. I greatly enjoyed the program, and was
impressed by the physical plant. With an acoustic shell, and with standard
concert seats (replacing pews) this hall will seat 800. With a suitable
pipe organ it could become a favorite concert venue. Congratulations
to Belhaven College and to Director Christopher Shelt!

                                                  - Glenn A. Gentry