In their final concert this year, the ISU Symphony Orchestra is joining forces with several ISU vocal ensembles – the Iowa State Singers, the Iowa Statesmen, Cantamus and Lyrica. The program also features Laurence Burkhalter, professor emeritus of music, as a violin soloist.

Both James Rodde, director of the Singers and the Statesmen, and Mark Laycock, director of the ISU Symphony Orchestra, will direct the program.

Burkhalter, a 20-year member of the ISU music department will begin the performance with “PoŠme” by Ernest Chausson, “Rosamunde Overture” by Franz Schubert, and Camille Saint-Salns’ “Marche Militaire Fran‡aise.”

Burkhalter, until his retirement from teaching in 1986, had taught university symphony orchestra, conducting and viola, and also helped form what became the Ames Piano Quartet until 1998.

He has served as concertmaster for the Central Iowa Symphony, which Laycock conducts, since 1997.

After the intermission, the ISU Symphony Orchestra will take the stage, as well as the Iowa State Singers, the Iowa Statesmen and Cantamus. With 70 orchestra members and close to 200 singers, the combined group under the direction of Rodde will perform Leonard Bernstein’s “Chichester Psalms,” a combination of six Psalms from the Bible sung in Hebrew.

“Chichester Psalms” is divided up into three movements. The first movement includes parts of Psalm 100, whose first lines are “Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!” Rodde called the movement was “very upbeat and boisterous.”

The second movement features contrast between the men and women singers. Rodde said that the women sing Psalm 23 “The Lord is my shepherd” in long, drawn out notes, while underneath, the men sing portions of Psalm 2 “Why do the nations rage?” as an “undercurrent” in very short notes to contrast the women.

Laycock said that the second movement features “an extensive soprano solo with a gorgeous melody.”

The third movement starts out very upbeat with Psalm 133, Laycock said, but ends very quietly and peacefully.

“I think Bernstein was making a statement with the way he ended this piece,” Laycock added. “It was written in the 1960s, and with all the turbulence during the time, and during the song, I think he was making an important statement about peace with the ending.”

After “Chichester Psalms,” Laycock takes the stand as conductor and the Lyrica, composed of 80 women will take the stage in addition to the 70 orchestra members and 200 singers already there. The combined groups will perform “Polovtsian Dance” by Alexander Borodin.

The piece is an excerpt from his opera “Prince Igor,” and the melodies are best known from the popular song “Stranger in Paradise.”

Rodde described the piece as being “very upbeat,” and said that the melodies are very recognizable.

“People will say, hey, I know that,” he said.

Laycock added that it is a “romp,” and that it is fast and a lot of fun.

The ISU Symphony Orchestra will perform in Stephens Auditorium at 7:30 tonight. Tickets are $4 for adults and $2 for students and 18 and under. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster and at the door.