The Texarkana Regional Chorale held a performance in the port cochere of the St. Michael’s Imaging center Tuesday September 3, 2017. The concert titled “Al Fresco” – An open-air concert was directed by music director Marc-Andre Bougie and accompanied by Mary Scott Goode.
The choir, made up of students of Texarkana College as well as several community members performed several classical pieces from several different genres. It is a concept they have had in the works for a few years, they had been looking for the right location and reasonable conditions.
“We want to expose the patrons to a variety of different styles of choral music,” said Bougie.
Bougie has been the music director and conductor at Texarkana College 14 years, since the fall of 2004. This year he will be taking a group of over 125 choral member to perform at Carnegie hall in New York City in April. The Choir will include Texarkana College Students, Texarkana Regional Chorale, student from Liberty Eylau High school, students from Veritas Academy, as well as singers from Tyler, Houston, and South Texas.
Throughout the season the group will have a total of 5 other performances to help them find their sound and teach them to work together as a group.
“You know what they say, Carnegie hall is practice, practice, practice, so we are going to keep going until we get there,” said Bougie.
In November they will have a Patriotic concert at Texarkana College. During Christmas time they will be performing with the Texarkana Symphony. In February they will be hosting a Mardi Gras evening. The week before leaving for Carnegie Hall they will have a sendoff performance at the Imaging Center.
“We are in the business of changing lives through music, and I fully believe that,” said Bougie.
