P.O. Box 390278
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139-0022
www.cambridgechorus.org
![[Notes from Handel Messiah manuscript]](../pics/CCC/music.gif)
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P.O. Box 390278 Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139-0022 www.cambridgechorus.org |
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| September, 2005 |
Time to renew existing Chorus friendships and make new ones. The first rehearsal of our fall 2005 season is Monday, September 12, at 6:30pm at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church, 239 Harvard Street, Cambridge. Learn more about plans for the year and begin preparing for our spring 2006 world premiere of Psalm, the new work we commissioned from Luis Bacalov.
Please note that parking is not permitted in the St. Bartholomew's parking lot to the right of the front of the church. You are welcome to park in the lot belonging to St. Mary's of the Annunciation (across the street). The lot is located at 134 Norfolk Street. Thanks to Father Barr for generously allowing Chorus members to park at St. Mary's.
"Who could ask for anything more...", that could quite easily be the theme song for us this year! It seems that maestro Bacalov's health has improved and he has finished the first two of the Four Psalms. I expect the vocal parts any day now!
Plans for the premiere of our commission are moving forward. Everyone is invited to our first meeting to plan for the premiere and to learn about and sign-up for some of the many tasks that will be associated with this project. Save the date Saturday Sept. 17. More information to follow, check website.
The other principal work on the May 21st program is a Missa Brevis of W A Mozart. This next year (2006) is the 250th anniversary of the birth of dear Wolfgang (1756-1791) how very lucky we all are! So, in celebration of this brilliant, crazy, genius we will study his Missa K. 275 in B flat.
What is a Missa Brevis? Good question. There were two types of Mass celebrated in Mozart's time: Missa Solemnis, for high Festival days, Christmas, Easter, etc. and Missa Brevis, for Sunday's without association with religious festivity. Both works would have used the "ordinary" or daily text: Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Santus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei. The Missa Solemnis would be of a more expansive nature, longer with a bigger orchestra, while the Missa Brevis would be quite short and generally used just strings for the orchestration.
K. 275 (composed in 1777) is the last of eight Missa Brevi that Mozart wrote. It is my favorite of the group and I am sure we will all find it challenging and full of many musical delights. Happy Birthday "Wolfy". I look forward to seeing all of you soon at our first rehearsal!
Please join us!
Except where noted all rehearsals will begin at 6:30pm at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church, 239 Harvard Street, Cambridge.
| FIRST REHEARSAL | Monday, Sept. 12, 6:30pm. Come sing! |
| MON. REHEARSALS | Sept 12, 19, 26, Oct. 10, 17 |
| SAT. REHEARSAL | Oct. 1, 10am-3pm, Cochran Chapel, Phillips Academy, Andover, MA |
| PERFORMANCE | Monday Oct. 24 at 7:30pm at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church |
The Chorus will present the world premiere of this new work
on Sunday, May 21, 2006 in Sanders Theatre at Harvard
University. The work draws its text from the biblical Psalms of
David and is set in four languages, English, Spanish, Latin and
Hebrew.
Academy Award winning composer Luis Bacalov (composer of Misa Tango) continues to make progress on Psalm, commissioned by the Chorus last year. He has completed two movements and expects to finish the remaining two movements by the end of September.
We're glad to report that the concert will take place on the
weekend before the Memorial Day holiday weekend so that
everyone will have an opportunity to participate in this exciting
premiere (free from potential conflict with traditional plans for that
holiday weekend!).
Fundraising for the commission and concert expenses associated with Psalm has made good progress. We are approximately 2/3 of the way toward our goal of $30,000, having raised approximately $20,000 of the funds needed. Additional contributions to the Bacalov Fund are always welcome (and needed).
Music Director William Thomas led the Chorus in another ambitious, theatrically staged spring concert at MIT's Kresge Auditorium. The Exodus Project - a journey to freedom through music and dance combined singers, orchestra, narration, dancers, costumes, sets, and lights to tell the Exodus story.
Music for the program was drawn from Part I of Handel's Israel in Egypt, Negro Spirituals, Gospel, and Jewish traditional music. Featured soloists included Jean Danton, soprano; Krista River, mezzo-soprano; Renese King, soprano, and Klezmer clarinetist Michael Winograd. Chorus members Mary Keith, Burt Unger, Dan Malis Jim Hickey and Phil Budne also had opportunities to solo.
Carolyn "Midge" Brecher and Jennifer Schoonover choreographed the dancers who were once again wonderfully costumed by Henry Shaffer. Sets were created by Jim Peters' with help from Grace Peters (no relation) and Leon Cantor and featured a pair of Egyptian columns and a magnificently colorful "Phoenix" that hung over the stage. Jane Whitehead wrote the script that was narrated by local writer and radio personality Tony Kahn, and Patricia Dance spoke as the voice of God. Stage lighting was provided by E-33, the MIT student-run lighting services group.
One of the high points of the concert was the Gospel number O Mary Don't You Weep sung by Boston Gospel diva, Renese King, who was accompanied by the Chorus and an instrumental ensemble consisting of Donnell Patterson and two students from the Roland Hayes School of Music. Liturgical dancers from St. Paul AME Church, Cambridge, swooped and swayed their way through the aisles in flowing colorful robes to bring additional intimacy and excitement to the performance"
The Chorus is grateful for the use of MIT's Kresge Auditorium to stage such a large production and offers special thanks Paul Paravano and Jennifer Manikam of the MIT Office of Community Affairs for their help making this possible.
Last but not least, many, many thanks are due veteran Chorus concert producer, Donna Killoran, who gave up her opportunity to sing this concert in order to have time to produce it and manage the dynamic duo of associate producers, Mary Keith and Jim Hickey.
The Board of Directors met on June 10 to elect officers for the coming year and fill the vacancy created by the "retirement" of long-time Board member Audrey Ince. Audrey has served continuously on the Board since the Chorus was first organized. She has probably sung more performances of Messiah than any other Chorus member. The Board expressed its appreciation for her many years of service and is grateful that she will continue to serve on the Planning Committee. Jim Hickey was elected to fill her place.
Board of Directors- Phil Budne, Florence Grant, Jim Hickey, Lois Josimovich, Mary Keith, Rena Leib, Rick Nelson, David Pap, Penny Peters, Paul Raila, Janet Rustow, Edith Walker, Kathy Williams.
Chorus Officers - President, Paul Raila; Vice-president, Kathy Williams; Clerk, Janet Rustow; Treasurer, Edith Walker.
Executive Committee- Penny Peters, Paul Raila, Janet Rustow, William Thomas.
Planning Committee - Merri Ansara, Jayne Cantor, Susan Dowds, Toni Fitch, Gaby Friedler, Audrey Ince, Donna Killoran, Ken McElheny, Larry Philbrick, Sam Pilato, Isabel Tellez, Nancy Townsend, William Thomas.
At the first rehearsal, a sheet describing how the Chorus runs will be available at the sign-in table.To become more involved, contact Paul Raila. To join the Planning Committee, attend a Board meeting, or receive copies of the minutes, please contact Janet Rustow. All are welcome to attend Board meetings!
Thanks to tenor Phil Budne, the Chorus now has a working email "bulletin board" for members to share announcements with each other that fall outside the realm of official Chorus business but are of potential interest to other members(other musical events, opportunities, jobs, apartments, etc.).
The list is a "closed" list (only subscribers can post, to prevent spam) and email addresses will not be published. Subscribers are permitted to post an announcement that will be sent to the list of other subscribers. Good email etiquette dictates that postings should be reasonably of interest to Chorus members.This list is not intended as a forum for discussions, so please, no "rants", "flames", or debates (political or otherwise!). This list operates on an "opt-in" basis, so in order to send or receive postings you have to first subscribe to the list.
To subscribe to the list, send a request to
cccbb-subscribe@ultimate.com.If you would prefer to receive a single
daily message consisting of a digest (compilation) of all the messages
from the preceding day instead of individual messages, send your
request instead to cccbb-digest-subscribe(at)ultimate.com. If you have
difficulty subscribing, please contact phil(at)ultimate.com
Don't get left out! Be sure to "opt-in" and subscribe today (just think of what you could be missing!)
Please join us in late October to rehearse and perform almost all of Handel's Messiah.
Except where noted all rehearsals will begin at 6:30pm at St. Paul AME Church, 35 Bishop Allen Drive, Cambridge (at intersection of Columbia St.).
| FIRST REHEARSAL | Monday, Oct. 31, 6:30pm. Come sing! |
| MON. REHEARSALS | Nov. 7, 14, 21, 28, Dec. 5 |
| SAT. REHEARSAL | Nov. 19, 10am-3pm, Cochran Chapel, Phillips Academy, Andover, MA |
| DRESS. REHEARSAL | Dec. 5, 6:30pm, Cochran Chapel, Phillips Academy, Andover, MA |
| YOUVILLE HOSP. | Dec. 10. 1:00pm, Youville Hospital, Cambridge |
| PERFORMANCE | Sunday, Dec. 11 at 3pm at MIT Kresge Auditorium |