English & Music Vespers

"Ever With Thee," taken from the hymn "Be Thou My Vision," is the theme of this year's annual vesper program sponsored by the Departments of English and Music. The service will take place Friday, Feb. 21, at 7:30 p.m. in the Howard Performing Arts Center. For more than ten years the two departments have collaborated on a Friday evening worship service consisting primarily of poetry and music, all performed by current students.

"Our aim is to offer a worship service that uses some of the elements of a traditional evensong service," says Beverly Matiko, associate professor of English and Communication, and one of the service's planners. "Charles Reid, associate professor of music, and I aim to create a program that offers an atmosphere especially conducive to reflection and meditation. I like to think of it as a 'be still and know' type of service," Matiko explains.

This year's service will include congregational inspirational poetry by such writers as Denise Levertov and Lucy Shaw, the music of Barber, Haydn, Scarlatti, Tchaikovsky and others, along with a capella congregational singing and unison reading.

All are welcome to attend, and co-curricular credit is available for students.