OBU choirs to preview Carnegie Hall work during ‘Sound, Soul and Spirit’ concert in Norman

March 4, 2026

Oklahoma Baptist University choirs will present a preview of a major work they will perform at Carnegie Hall in May 2026 during “Sound, Soul and Spirit: An Evening with Dan Forrest” on Saturday, March 28, in Norman.

The concert will begin at 6 p.m. at First Baptist Church Norman. Admission is free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations are required.

The program features the music of composer Dan Forrest and is designed to highlight the connection between sound, soul and spirit. The concert will include a fully orchestrated performance of Forrest’s “Te Deum,” select movements from his “Requiem for the Living” and several hymn arrangements. Participating ensembles include Oklahoma Baptist University choirs, the First Baptist Church Norman Choir and Orchestra, the OBU Community Chorale and Sine Nomine Choral Arts Society.

Dr. Joshua Chism, associate professor of music for choral and vocal music, and the Rev. Chad E. Smith of First Baptist Church Norman will share conducting duties throughout the performance, jointly leading the combined mass choir and orchestra while each conducts portions of the program.

For OBU students, the March 28 performance serves as a key milestone as they prepare repertoire that also will be performed at Carnegie Hall in May 2026. Presenting the work first to a local audience provides an opportunity to share the music with the community that supports the university’s choral program.

Chism said performing the work locally is an act of gratitude toward that community, adding that sharing the music at home helps ground the performance in communal support before taking it to a national stage.

The collaboration began when First Baptist Church Norman, which had previously made plans to bring Forrest to the area, invited OBU choirs to partner in a joint performance featuring the composer. The timing proved especially meaningful as OBU ensembles were already preparing Forrest’s “Te Deum” for their upcoming Carnegie Hall appearance. The partnership allows both organizations to combine forces for a performance of significant scale, benefiting from the strength and size of the combined choirs and orchestra.

The composer will also spend time on OBU’s campus March 27 leading master classes for OBU choirs, composition students and community members. Forrest will play an integral role in the final stages of concert preparation leading up to the March 28 performance.

Chism said preparing a work of this scale has required discipline and vulnerability from students and has strengthened them as a unified ensemble. The journey toward Carnegie Hall, he said, has fostered both personal and professional growth.

Partnerships with churches such as First Baptist Church Norman are foundational to the OBU music experience, Chism said. He noted that such collaborations provide students with performance opportunities in premier venues before diverse audiences.

First Baptist Church Norman’s invitation to collaborate on the concert also comes as Raley Chapel remains under renovation as part of OBU’s Shape the Future campaign. With the university’s primary performance venue temporarily unavailable, the partnership provides an ideal space for a large-scale, fully orchestrated work. The OBU choral department is rehearsing and performing in borrowed spaces during the chapel’s renewal.

For listeners, Chism said the concert offers a firsthand look at the unified “OBU sound” the choirs will carry to Carnegie Hall. He encouraged audience members to listen for dynamic sensitivity and textural clarity developed through months of rehearsal.

The event highlights OBU’s commitment to academic excellence and meaningful community engagement. Through challenging repertoire and collaboration with local partners and churches, students gain valuable performance experience as they prepare to represent the university on a national stage.

To be part of OBU’s Shape the Future campaign, visit okbu.edu/giving/shape-the-future.