Dr. Monte Atkinson has been on staff at Colorado Mesa University longer than any other professor. He applied for the very first choral director position at Mesa College in 1985 — his first choir was composed of 10 members — and has led the music department to success ever since. After 33 years as the school’s head choral director, he will retire after this semester, leaving behind a legacy of musical tradition at CMU.
Atkinson will wrap up his teaching career with a two-night concert on May 4 and 5 in Robinson Theatre at Moss Performing Arts Center, which will feature both university and community choir members, alumni musicians, an orchestra and soloists. The performance will open with “Stabat Mater,” a 65-minute masterwork by Karl Jenkins for choir, orchestra and alto soloist.
“The reason why I chose this piece is because I wanted my final work to say goodbye to this wonderful job that I’ve had for so many years with students and friends, and point toward the future as well.”
“Something old and something forward-looking, all in one,” Atkinson said.
The masterwork will combine the CMU Vocal Arts Ensemble, CMU Men’s Choir, CMU Women’s Choir and the Western Colorado Chorale. While the combined choirs make for a massive sound and diverse voice, space for rehearsals quickly became an issue. The choir rehearsed in Moss Performing Arts Center’s instrumental rehearsal room, which was the only space big enough to fit the large group.
“If we didn’t have Room 0506, I don’t know where we would rehearse,” Atkinson said. “Luckily CMU has a big space like that.”
The choirs will continue to have evening rehearsals to prepare for the concert. With multiple languages and musical themes involved, the masterwork is a challenge for choir members, who will sing the entire piece without a break during the performances.
“It’s forced the kids to really develop their ears, to sing better in different languages and sing better in different styles. It’s forced them to be able to sing hard for an hour. I’ve had a number of students tell me that […] they’ve grown as a singer, with vocal stamina, with strength and musical understanding,” Atkinson said.
“Stabat Mater” describes the crucifiction of Jesus Christ, told from the perspective of Mary. However, Atkinson said the song is more about a person’s journey from intense grief to the victory of finding peace.
“The piece is about our individual survival of wrenching loss,” Atkinson said. “We can be victorious in our struggles in life. This piece epitomizes all that.”
He recalls choir members weeping while rehearsing the piece, proving the music evokes an intense emotional reaction in both audience members and performers alike.
“There were a lot of tears during rehearsal because the music is so emotional,” Atkinson said. “That was not the goal I had when I chose this work, but it’s been the journey we’ve had all semester. I’ve never had a semester with students emotionally experiencing so much through the music, because of the music.”
For both college and community choir members, the masterwork posed unique challenges and helped them grow, both in their musicianship and in character.
“I hope it helps them understand what excellent art is, and to be hungry for it and to really want to do the work it takes to achieve great things,” Atkinson said.
Atkinson hopes the emotional music will also move the audience during the concerts.
“I hope that it lets us know that other people suffer great heartbreak, too. That our tears and trembling don’t have to be in silence,” Atkinson said. “The healing that comes from the last three movements… I want people to be changed and healed through this incredible journey with the music.”
He hopes that by the time performers and audience members return home from the performance, they will be different as a result of the “deep and enriching experience” of the concert.
“I’m trying to bring peace to the students, peace to the audience and peace to all of us.”
In addition to “Stabat Mater,” the concerts will also feature “Down by the Riverside” arranged by John Rutter and “Dona Nobis Pacem” by Ola Gjeilo. Atkinson says he hopes the pieces will help the audience come down from the emotional journey of “Stabat Mater” and leave the performance on a high note.
Seventy-eight alumni choir members will also join the performance for the final two pieces, comprised of anyone who has sung in a CMU choir since 1985. After spending the day at a potluck and taking tours of the CMU campus, the alumni choir will gather in the aisles of Robinson Theatre to perform at the end of Atkinson’s concerts.
“They’ll come in after the big work is over and stand in the aisles. We’ll have surround sound for the audience,” Atkinson said.
It took Atkinson 10 years to decide on the final piece for his concert, and he hopes adding on the other two pieces at the end of the performance will lift the spirits of both performers and audience members.
“It’s the most beautiful goodbye song for me to my choirs, for my choirs to me and to the audience,” Atkinson said. “We can then go home and treasure the evening and treasure the years together. I hope the audience loves music even more because of this concert.”
In addition to reminiscing 33 years of music, Atkinson hopes the performance will instill a love for the performing arts in audience members, especially those who have little experience attending music performances.
“The arts are given to us to help us feel emotion and to understand the human heart. The arts exist to express the human heart,” Atkinson said. “Experiencing something of this deep expression is important. To be a well-rounded and happier person is to be enriched by experiencing the arts.”
After his extensive career at CMU, Atkinson wants to leave his students with a legacy that will encourage them to continue to sing for the rest of their lives.
“I hope to leave behind a thriving, excellent choral program with continued tradition, vision, love of singing, open-mindedness to a new director and a great passion for music,” Atkinson said.
Atkinson looks back on his incredible experience at CMU and says he will continue to stay involved in the music department after retirement. He has already made plans to help teach the Women’s Choir next year.
“I’d like to say what a great privilege it’s been to be a member of the faculty here. I would’ve never imagined the joy I’ve treasured for working with so many great colleagues and countless great students throughout the years,” Atkinson said.
“I count myself very blessed to have had the luck of landing at Mesa.”
Dr. Atkinson’s final concerts will take place in Robinson Theatre at 7:30 p.m. on May 4 and 5.
