An outstanding choir, the University of Miami Chorale sings great pieces from the modern choral repertoire. Included are pieces by such composers as Morten Lauridsen, Eric Whitacre and Rene Clausen. The dramatically moving suite 'I Never Saw Another Butterfly,' by Joel Hardyk is based on poems written by children imprisoned in Terezin and is for unaccompanied treble voices with oboe solo. The choir is led by Jo-Michael Scheibe and Robert Gower, piano.

This is a lovely program by the University of Miami Chorale. Led by Jo-Michael Scheibe the choir explores sacred and secular love. The program begins with O vos omnes by Victoria and an Ave Maria by Steven Edwards. Scheibe puts a spin on the Mass. In an Eclectic Missa Brevis he pairs two movements from Byrd's Mass for Four Voices with two movements from the Messe by Frank Martin. Some interesting pieces are the five Hebrew love songs by Eric Whitacre. They are set to poetry by Hila Plitman and accompanied by string quartet. This CD is a nice mixture of styles and is well sung.

This CD begins with a 3-part, eclectic, dramatic, rich-in-special-effects all-instrumental piece by Eric Whitacre, the 'Ghost Train Trilogy,' about a supernatural machine that roars through the western US, played by the Rutgers Wind Ensemble. Following that is 'GAWD$ILLA EATS LAS VEGAS,' a piece Whitacre wanted to write that was 'really out there,' that includes amazing, all-instrumental dramatic West Side Story and Gershwin samples. A sweet piece by the Rutgers Wind Ensemble follows, 'Rak Hahatchala,' featuring soprano Hila Plitmann. Then we have the University of Miami Chorale perform Whitacre's beautiful 'little tree,' (accompanied) with text by e.e. cummings, and two lovely Whitacre pieces by the BYU Singers, 'Water Night' and 'Cloudburst,' both with text by Octavio Paz. These last two a cappella pieces are difficult, eclectic, soaring and lovely. Eric Whitacre is a surprising composer who takes many chances in his work, which is why listening to 'The Music of Eric Whitacre' never fails to delight and challenge us.