The evening of Saturday, Feb. 15, crowds of Williamsburg’s students, residents and families ducked out of the pouring rain into the warmly lit Concert Hall of the Music Arts Center. The occasion? Boutetourt Chamber Singers’ – affectionately dubbed “Bots” – annual Gala.
Themed “Enemies to Lovers,” the concert’s program featured duets, trios and even quintets of famous Broadway tunes. Songs ranged from “Love is An Open Door” (“Frozen”) and “Dear Theodosia” (“Hamilton”) to “Agony” (“Into the Woods”) and “Come What May” (“Moulin Rouge”).
As the lights dimmed, the choir filed across the stage and, in an unexpected twist, all 23 singers turned their backs to the audience. When the accompanying pianist played the first chords, the entire ensemble snapped their heads around and launched into an elaborately choreographed performance of “The Riddle” (“The Scarlet Pimpernel”).
Dean Waters ’25 has been coming to nearly every Boutetourt Chamber Singers performance since he was a sophomore.
“For one concert a year, Bots not only sings – they dance as well,” Waters said. “It’s always so colorful and bright; it’s true art.”
Leslie Ipock ’26, one of the evening’s soloists, agreed that the Gala was one of her favourite concerts of the year, pointing to the intricate staging, choreographed dancing and different genre of music.
“I don’t get to do this kind of stuff often,” Ipock said, “Usually, we do a lot of chamber music, often a capella.”
Ipock, who sang “A Little Priest” (“Sweeney Todd”) and “For Good” (“Wicked” ), has been in Bots since the beginning of her time at the College of William and Mary.
“I joined as soon as I could. It’s hands down the best thing that could’ve happened to me freshman year,” Ipock said.
Through Bots, Ipock has made many close friends, including Erica White, who she sang “For Good” with. During the performance, both wore long dresses – Ipock’s a dark green and White’s a light pink – perfectly coordinated to their roles of Elphaba and Glinda, although Ipock swore it was a coincidence.
This year’s gala was particularly special, explained Ipock. Although the Gala is a fundraising event for choral tours every year, this will be the first summer since the pandemic that Boutetourt Chamber Singers will tour internationally.
“All of us are really excited, since we didn’t get to go,” Ipock said.
In October, Bots will also be celebrating its 50th anniversary since its founding in 1974 by professor emeritus of Music Frank T. Lendrim.
The second half of the show featured the only a capella performance of the night, a quartet of The Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows.” This was followed by a jazz performance by Harris Simon and the Student Jazz Combo, featuring instructor and director Simon on the piano as well as three student musicians on the trombone, bass and drums. As he sat down, Simon adjusted the microphone in front of his face and the crowd shifted in their seats. He assured the audience he wouldn’t sing, and instead pulled out a harmonica, an instrument for which he is equally famed as the piano.
The interlude was well received by the audience. After the concert, Ashiya Lawrence ’27 expressed how much she had enjoyed the music.
“The concert was very, very good. Especially the part where it diverged into a jazz performance,” Lawrence said.
The common audience opinion of the concert seemed to be positive. Waters expressed that Bots’ performances are always a delight.
“The Botetourt Chamber Singers is perhaps the best vocal choir or ensemble that William and Mary has. Each singer in the ensemble, what they sing, it turns into gold,” Waters said.
The finale began as the overture had: with the ensemble’s backs to the audience. One by one, the singers turned around and began to sing “People” (“Funny Girl”). After their bows, seniors Natalie Basham ’25 and Alice Pancake ’25, who had introduced each song throughout the night, handed bouquets to the accompanists and the jazz musicians, as well as to the Boutetourt Chamber Singers’ conductor, associate professor of music Jamie C. Bartlett. They reminded the audience to keep an eye out for the upcoming 50th anniversary CD, and to follow Bots choral performances through their upcoming tour to Northern Virginia and Lancaster, Pa. The Bots’ Spring Concert, should you wish to attend, will be held April 13.
