For Jeffrey Carter, associate professor of music and director of the Ball State University Singers, change is key.
Rushing to Tuesday night's rehearsal of the University Singers Spectacular, music in hand, Carter handed the band the finalized arrangement for the opening overture. Even with numerous rehearsals this past year, Carter has made several last-minute musical and choreographical changes, he said.
"With a group like this, you can't sit still; we're always looking forward to the next big thing," Carter said.
On Friday and Saturday, the 43rd annual Ball State University Singers Spectacular will showcase 30 Ball State students' vocal and dancing abilities in a variety of acts, ranging from slow ballads about faith to humorous, faster-paced songs about boys and their mothers.
Spectators from previous years will notice a more technologically enhanced performance as the show incorporates the Catalyst Pro V4, a new media server that will allow for high-quality backdrops of moving images. Other changes from past years include a stronger narrative that ties the songs together, more humor, faster transitions and a greater variety of song choices, Carter said.
Seniors Justin Rentschler, Nick Caine and AJ Hunter are show veterans; all three are performing for their fourth consecutive year.
Having experienced the show's evolution during his time as a cast member and now as company manager, Hunter said that the audience will be able to notice and appreciate the transformation the Spectacular has undergone.
"The show format itself is completely different," he said. "We were asked to be different from one another onstage, to think, 'What is the song about, and how do we fit in?'"
Students can relate to the show's topics of relationships, empowerment, faith, love and hope because of the cast's influence, Rentschler said.
"The students have had more input into what goes into the show as a whole," he said.
Despite recent alterations to the show, many of the traditions set forth when the University Singers were established have been kept intact. Carter, who is entering his seventh year as director, felt compelled to keep what had been successful, he said.
"I walked into this group getting ready for their 37th year," he said. "I feel a loyalty to our alumni to carry forward the tradition while keeping the group fresh."
Members of the University Singers began preparations almost a year ago, and after six hours of rehearsal a week for several months and many revisions, the University Singers have reached their end goal, the Spectacular, Carter said.
"There's this misconception that it's an extracurricular," he said. "They enroll for credit and get grades for the work they do."
The University Singers were named Indiana's Official Goodwill Ambassadors in 1972 by then-governor Birch Bayh, Carter said. The title was bestowed upon the group after it performed at the inauguration ceremonies of two presidents, he said.
This international emphasis can be found at very few colleges in the United States because it doesn't really exist at the university level, Carter said.
"I think because we combine music, dancing and dramatic and comedic storytelling, it allows us to connect with and around the world in a way that a band or an orchestra wouldn't necessarily be able to do," Carter said.
Possible future endeavors for the University Singers include performing at Carnegie Hall and touring Brazil, which would happen within the next year or so, Carter said.
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