Dougherty’s fall concerts began in full force on October 14, offering the fruit of months of practice of both the Choir and Orchestra.

The audience was definitely excited and supportive as they erupted into applause as the lights dimmed. As the lights came back on, they were greeted with a group of professionally spaced students, with names cheered throughout the audience. The show started off with the distinct tone of the Women’s Ensemble; with each song they performed, the talent and dedication were clearly displayed.

The Treble Clef had to put a lot of effort into sounding different from the Women’s Ensemble, and it clearly showed. The Latin song “Gaudeamus Hodie” was performed with such diversity of emotion despite being lyrically repetitive.  The highlight of their performance, and easily one of the best in the whole show, was their rendition of “Taylor the Latte Boy”. In an extreme contrast to their first two serious songs, the Treble Clef group performed a humorous yet musically stunning experience. Soloists Ann Warque and Natalie Rubio Licht brought the experience to life, garnering large amounts of well-deserved applause for their exceptional performances.

The Concert Choir had a drastically different feel due to their immense number. With 90 members, the Concert Choir has the most members among the entire program. This was truly reflected through their songs, as “Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal” and “Omnia Sol”; both held a larger sense of scale than any other number of the night. They utilized the diversity of their roster quite well, as their songs each had distinct parts for each set of voices.

What was truly a display of coordination was their rendition of The Muppets’ “Life’s a Happy Song”, transforming the meaning of the duet performed in the 2009 movie into a motivational piece. The light choreography was a pleasure to watch, as the group’s gestures and movements highlighted the playful nature of the song.

Last up for the different choir  groups was the Chamber Singers, a group consisting of the select few among concert choir. It was clear that this group had a much more concentrated spectrum of talent. Without instrumental accompaniment, the Chamber Singers utilized their voices to put forth an enjoyable, but short, a capella performance. The soloists that performed were greatly talented, especially in “The Dock of the Bay”,  where each member performed brilliantly. Despite having numerous soloists, not a single member dropped their upbeat and cheerful snapping and supporting parts.

Last but not least was the Chamber Orchestra, the only instrumental-based performance of the night. “Antique Dances and Airs” offered an extreme diversity of moods from happy cheerfulness to a somber, more depressing tone within a matter of minutes. Each instrument shined through, and the astounding synchronization of each violin’s bow was entertaining to experience, both visually and through their sound. The guest performers that accompanied them for “Symphony in C Major” complemented them beautifully, and were a worthy addition to the songs.

Overall, the concert witnessed a great turnout, with performances well received and every seat filled.