Texarkana Entertainment Blog

About this time next week the Texarkana Regional Chorale will be preparing to head out to one of the most revered venues for live music: Carnegie Hall in New York City. The Texarkana Regional Chorale, along with the Shreveport Chorale and Texarkana College Choir, perform there Sunday, June 6, and Monday, June 7, with that first concert a chance for the TRC and company to perform solo on stage, said conductor and music director Marc-André Bougie. I interviewed him about this special honor and that story will be in Friday’s Gazette. Also, the Texarkana Regional Chorale performs their Carnegie Hall music lineup right here in town for a free preview show at the Texakana College Humanities Building music hall. You can catch that show (get there early because seating is limited) at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

- Aaron Brand

The Texarkana Regional Chorale performs at a Black History Month celebration concert in this photo submitted by the TRC. They'll play Carnegie Hall soon and, before they go, give a free preview concert here in Texarkana.

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Apparently, Texarkana loves its Franz Joseph Haydn. People turned out in droves Sunday to see the Texarkana Regional Chorale  & Orchestra, along with the Texarkana College Choir and Shreveport Chorale, perform a selection of choruses from Haydn’s “The Creation.”

Personally, I’m not a massive Haydn fan though I do appreciate the elegance and form in his compositions. I’m more of a Ravel, Mozart, and Chopin fan myself. But these choruses were quite enjoyable and stately. There must be plenty of folks in Texarkana who appreciate Haydn and the outstanding work from the Texarkana Regional Chorale. The Sugar Hill United Methodist Church was absolutely packed and the audience was enthusiastic with its applause.

Kudos to Marc-André Bougie, conductor, and soloists Candace Taylor, Carol McReynolds, Ryan McDonald, and Steven McDonald, along with the rest of the performers for an excellent afternoon of music.

- Aaron Brand

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You probably couldn’t get much farther apart on the musical spectrum than Pail and Franz Joseph Haydn, but they’re part of what’s on tap this weekend for live music in Texarkana. Each in their own way represents some of what’s best about the music available here in T-Town. Free classical music and a $5 show from a fun live band are pretty enticing.

Pail, the bluesy/punky rock outfit with a truly downhome independent spirit, comes to town Friday to play a 9 p.m. gig at Fat Jack’s Oyster & Sports Bar. Cover charge is $5. Prescott, Ark.-based Pail have been workhorses on the Arkansas music scene for many years now, and much of their success, says lead singer and guitarist Trey Johnson, is that they grow with each other, not against each other. They’ll certainly share songs Friday from their latest album, “From Where We Stand,” a nine-song CD they put out themselves earlier this year. They’re just getting back in the live music groove after taking a few months off; they recently played MusicFest in El Dorado, Ark. Their single “Raynlee” has a video filmed right here in Texarkana by Over the Edge Studios. Check out their new music at the Pail MySpace page.

Then on Sunday it’s something completely different: Austrian composer Haydn’s choruses from his celebrated oratorio, “The Creation.” The Texarkana Regional Chorale and Orchestra team with the Texarkana College Choir and Shreveport Chorale to present this concert at 4 p.m. at Sugar Hill United Methodist Church, 1621 Sugar Hill Road. Soloists should be familiar to anyone who’s been enjoying classical music in recent years here in Texarkana: soprano Candace Taylor, mezzo-soprano Carol McReynolds, tenor Ryan McDonald, and baritone Steven McDonald. Admission? Absolutely free. And if you attend you’ll get to partake of a free chili dinner as well. Tasty.

Check out Friday’s Accent page in the Gazette for interviews with Johnson and conductor Marc-André Bougie.

- Aaron Brand

Submitted photos:

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The Lonoke Baptist Church Choir, Texarkana Symphony Orchestra, and Texarkana Regional Chorale joined forces for a Black History Month concert Sunday evening. They performed some traditional compositions from African-American composers at Lonoke Baptist Church. Down below, conductor Marc-Andre Bougie bows to the audience and musicians stand at the end of the show. 

- Aaron Brand

Staff photo by Megumi Rooze:

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