Entertainment

Zeitgeist a ‘smashing hit’

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By Melisa Peebles “Excellent. No, awesome” was how sophomore Tim Swope explained his feelings about the performance held March 12 in the Everest-Rohrer Chapel/Fine Arts Center. The show “Zeitgeist” featured two musical groups, The Collegians and Voices of Triumph. The groups combined their unique sounds into a show that students viewed not only as “very happy,” and “lively,” but also as “a smashing hit.” “I liked everything,” said sophomore Glory Chang. “The song Honey Pie was my favorite. The soloist was really good; I like the jazzy style of it.” Others liked the dramatic flair the performers added to the evening. “Chuck Zook [junior] was hilarious, especially his expressions,” said sophomore Nathan Hickox. The technical aspect didn’t go unnoticed either. “I was really impressed with how the lighting was coordinated with the beat of the music,” said junior Katie Steenbeke. Few students, however – including those involved in each respective group – seemed to know the meaning behind the name of this event. Zeitgeist is a German word meaning the Spirit of the Times. The Collegians, Bethel’s show ensemble, is directed by Jill Hostetler and performs various styles of songs throughout Michiana. Robert Ham directs Voices of Triumph, Bethel’s a cappella group, which also performs a wide selection of musical genres. Each group has been working separately since August on their respective songs, and came together only one week before the show to fuse a cohesive concert. One very distinct difference between The Collegians and Voices of Triumph was the amount of movement each put into the performance of each song. Karen Pajor served as choreographer for The Collegians and planned the dance steps which accompanied each piece they performed. Voices of Triumph employed the use of movement in a different way, as the members changed formation for nearly each song. Members say this helps them find the place that allows their voices to blend best, depending on the dynamics of the song.
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