The word kaleidoscope comes from the Greek for examining (skopeō) a beautiful (kalós) shape (eîdos). You will be able to do that and revel in beautiful sounds when the choral ensemble KC VITAS presents KALEIDOSCOPE Sept. 26 and 28 and Oct. 2 and 5 at the Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium at Union Station. 

“Expect the unexpected,” said Jackson Thomas, founder and artistic director of KC VITAS. “We did a concert at the planetarium last year called Look Up, and it was galactic themed and we went through the stars. This time, we’ll be traveling to the stars a little bit, but what's really unique about Kaleidoscope is that each piece has been paired with a Kansas City-based artist, and they will be creating projections that will take us everywhere, including, for one of the pieces, at the bottom of a fish tank. You will always be truly immersed in something.”

The Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium is, frankly one of Kansas City’s most under-appreciated cultural gems. With its 5,015 square foot screen — the largest in Kansas City — 5.1 surround sound and dual-4K laser projection, the planetarium is equipped to give audiences a fully immersive experience. And that is exactly what KC VITAS has planned.

Thomas, who has already collaborated with the planetarium and was even married there, has been learning about its capabilities and how it can help him provide the ultimate artistic experience.

“Patrick Hess, the director of the Planetarium, is very artistic and has been great to work with,” “We go back and forth on working things through the dome, but we are also relying quite a bit on our artists to do that, as well, so that they can be creative.”

Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium

Thomas, originally from Carrollton, Missouri, has a doctorate in choral conducting and teaches at the University of Central Missouri. He also directs the Northland Community Choir in Parkville. Thomas is obviously passionate about choral music. When he founded KC VITAS 15 years ago, he wanted the ensemble to focus on newly composed choral works. (The name of the group is an acronym for Vibrating Internal Thyroarytenoids, which are essentially your vocal folds.) As a composer himself, Thomas understands the struggles composers face to get their works performed, especially by a choir of KC VITAS excellence. One imagines these gifted composers are grateful for such an opportunity.

“I am much more grateful than maybe they are because I get to be the one that brings their works to life,” Thomas said. “I consider that a huge responsibility and honor that to be part of that piece's life.”

For Kaleidoscope, Thomas has crafted a program that will take the audience on an amazing trip. The choir will not be visible, only the projected art.

“It will be dark and it will be movie theater style seating,” Thomas said.”You will have an experience in 360 degrees in a myriad of different locations. Once the program starts, we will go transition to transition, and we'll see you at the very end.”

Thomas has carefully chosen the works to accompany the projected images.

“Creating a program that tells a story all the way through is paramount to how I pick music,” Jackson said. “We actually put out a call for scores, so we have four or five pieces that were chosen from those. The three pieces that take up a good amount of minutes on the program are from this call for scores: I Will Be Earth by Peter Dayton, beginning, beginning! by Isaac Lovdahl and On Giving by Gracie Caggiano. Peter Dayton is a Maryland-based composer, and I Will Be Earth is a really jaunty and fun piece.”

After Caggiano’s piece, KC VITAS gets experimental.

“Kingyo Obsessions by Chatori Shimizu is one of the pieces that were given several years ago” Thomas said. “Shimizu is from Taipei, and he actually composed the piece and sent it to us multiple times, but we just didn't have the right place for it.

Now, Thomas says, they do. 

“We're doing everything from  tonal music to avant-garde, and this is one of the pieces that is avant-garde,” Thomas said. “I think it's fantastic. Kingyo is the Japanese word for goldfish, and it’s going to take us to the bottom of a fish tank. It is an a cappella piece for four mouths. There's no traditional singing, so we're using extended techniques. They're literally pops. The mouth pops at different pitches. He provides a lot of instructions on how to do it. There's some room for flexibility, but then really specific instructions on how to hold your mouth, when you make pops to make a higher versus lower sound.”

Score for Kingyo Obsession by Chatori Shimizu

The program will stay cutting edge for the next work, Psithaura by Jaco Wong.

“This is a really interesting piece that we actually performed back in 2018,” Thomas said. “It's about 13-minutes long and it’s on the avant-garde side, too. It was premiered as an installation, and the incredible thing is that Evan Tedlock, who is a professor at the KC Arts Institute, has been really helpful with projections, which we’ll be doing for the pieces, including this one. He was the main artist when Psithaura was premiered with the composer, Jaco Wong.“

The following work, and the swallow, is by Caroline Shaw, who has won the Pulitzer Prize and several Grammys. 

“The text from Psalm 84,” Thomas said. “It’s a  really beautiful, minimalist piece and a solemn experience that I think that everybody is going to enjoy.

Shift and Bound, the two works that follow, are by Chicago composer Ayanna Woods.

“They are absolutely incredible,” Thomas said. “We have text written by the composer for both of those pieces. And they are really poignant. I think they will be quite thought-provoking when you listen to them and hear how she honors her family’s experience of slavery and the atrocities that were committed, as well as the erasure that is now being attempted. I think it will really resonate with a lot of people.”

The concert will end with a vocal jazz piece called Finding Your Home by Millicent B James. 

“It’s a very positive message and that you will find your home based on where you create community and provide safe places for everyone else,” Thomas said. 

Isaac Lovdahl

Peter Dayton

Gracie Caggiano

Jaco Wong

Chatori Shimizu

The choir will not be visible throughout the entire concert. In fact, Thomas says he will have to conduct from the light from his iPad. 

“It is truly an immersive experience,” he said. “We will move around because the room is a perfect circle. There are a couple of moments where we will be actually surrounding the audience. That's why we will sit down and talk to you at the very end. We don’t want to break the magic.”

From beginning to end, Kaleidoscope promises to delight with every musical and visual selection.

Although you can’t bring the experience of the Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium home, you’ll soon be able to hear the unique and soaring sound of KC VITAS on your stereo or your headphones. In October, the ensemble is releasing its first album. There will be a limited number of CDs, but it will be available on all streaming platforms. Follow KC VITAS for more information about that exciting release.