Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Obit.
A little over a week ago, Sharon Lee Kelley passed away. I sang with her in Cappella Clausura, and she has also sung with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, Handel & Haydn, the New World Chorale and Chorus pro Musica at various times, just to name a few. She was a total delight as a colleague - sarcastic, witty, funny, and also kind and twinkly, and also incredibly knowledgeable and a great musician. It has been tough to really come to terms with, not only because this season is so demanding but also because a beloved member of my church choir suffered a bad fall, and is in the hospital in "critical but stable" condiction, and I am incredibly anxious about her. But I know that at the next Cappella Clausura rehearsal I go to, it will probably hit me quite hard. RIP to a great Boston musician.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Caroling mob
Just a quick note to say that the fifth annual Boston Merry Christmas Caroling Mob is Sunday (probably today, depending on when you are reading this) from 4-6 pm starting at the Stony Brook stop on the Orange line. The group's director, Joel Sindelar, is interviewed in this article from the Globe about Christmas caroling. So if you are not coming to Cappella Clausura's Cohasset concert (which you should, if just for the alliteration) then you might want to check it out!
Friday, December 19, 2008
Calling all singer-martial-artists!
Below is a portion of an e-mail I got recently from Juventas, a new music group in Boston. The crazy-awesome portion is highlighted.
Juventas New Music Ensemble seeks singers in all voice parts for a double-bill of world premiere chamber operas by young composers Matthew Vest and Erin Huelskamp. Performances will be May 7-10 in Boston, MA. Scheduled auditions will be held on January 10 and 11 from 1-6pm at the Boston Conservatory. Callbacks will be held Monday, January 12 from 6-10pm.
The Hourglass by Matthew Vest: The Holocaust as relayed through one man’s fateful letter. Score includes aleotoric and spatial elements, and overlays both sung and spoken text. Production to include multi-media elements.
A new Kung Fu Opera by Erin Huelskamp: Based on a traditional Chinese folk story and inspired by classic Kung movies. Roles will include fight scenes! (Callbacks will have a movement portion.)
I have never really seriously considered trying to be an opera singer - there are other kinds of singing that I think my voice is better suited to - but man, if anything was going to tempt me to go for it, this sure would! Who knew that ten years of taekwondo could ever intersect with my musical career?
No, no, I mustn't! Repeating to self: You are already over-committed. You are already over-committed. You are already over-committed.
Juventas New Music Ensemble seeks singers in all voice parts for a double-bill of world premiere chamber operas by young composers Matthew Vest and Erin Huelskamp. Performances will be May 7-10 in Boston, MA. Scheduled auditions will be held on January 10 and 11 from 1-6pm at the Boston Conservatory. Callbacks will be held Monday, January 12 from 6-10pm.
The Hourglass by Matthew Vest: The Holocaust as relayed through one man’s fateful letter. Score includes aleotoric and spatial elements, and overlays both sung and spoken text. Production to include multi-media elements.
A new Kung Fu Opera by Erin Huelskamp: Based on a traditional Chinese folk story and inspired by classic Kung movies. Roles will include fight scenes! (Callbacks will have a movement portion.)
No, no, I mustn't! Repeating to self: You are already over-committed. You are already over-committed. You are already over-committed.
Update to Weekend Concert Calendar
It is a fairly safe bet that any concert tonight is cancelled.
Not that you need someone to tell you this, I know. You, Gentle Reader, are absolutely possessed of enough common sense to call and check with the group's manager or what-have-you before you would dream of tramping out to a concert tonight. This PSA is for all those other readers. You know, those people. Not you. Absolutely not.
Stay snug, everyone!
Not that you need someone to tell you this, I know. You, Gentle Reader, are absolutely possessed of enough common sense to call and check with the group's manager or what-have-you before you would dream of tramping out to a concert tonight. This PSA is for all those other readers. You know, those people. Not you. Absolutely not.
Stay snug, everyone!
Weekend Concert Calendar, 12/18/08
[Note: So, I started this entry in the afternoon, and then I went to choir practice off in Cohasset, and I just got home and it's bloody-o'clock, so I'm not going to finish. That means this is a sadly incomplete list of what's going on this weekend; I apologize! Around Christmas time these Thursday entries take hours.]
Aaand...the Christmas choral season continues!
Spotlight this weekend is on Cappella Clausura, which will be performing near you no matter where you live. There is a great article about them today in the Boston Globe. They will be presenting "Gloria: A Christmas Pagaent" complete with dancers from Creationdance, costumes, and giant puppets, in Newton on Friday; in Bedford on Saturday afternoon; in Marblehead on Saturday evening; and in Cohasset on Sunday afternoon. The Sunday afternoon performance in Cohasset is at my church, so of course I am especially invested in gathering a big crowd for them. Details are below under the respective dates, and can also be found here.
Friday:
At 7:30 pm, the Wakefield First Parish Congregational Church presents their annual Messiah sing. This will be at 1 Church St, Wakefield, MA. More information is here.
At 8:00 pm, Cappella Clausura will present "Gloria: A Christmas Pagaent" at the First Unitarian Society in Newton. This will be at 1326 Washington St, West Newton. More information is here.
At 8:00 pm, Chorus pro Musica, under the direction of guest conductor Betsy Burleigh, will present Benjamin Britten’s Ceremony of Carols together with Conrad Susa’s Carols and Lullabies: Christmas in the Southwest. This will be at Old South Church, 645 Boylston St, Copley Sq., Boston.
At 8:00 pm, Masterworks Chorale presents their annual Messiah Sings under the direction of Steven Karidoyanes. This will be at Cary Hall, 1605 Mass. Avenue, Lexington, MA. More information is here. This will be repeated on Saturday.
At 8:00 pm, Musicians of the Old Post Road present "Christmas in Baroque Europe." This will be at Emmanuel Church, 15 Newbury Street, Boston. This concert will be repeated on Saturday in Worcester.
At 8:00 pm, the Boston Gay Men's Chorus will present "Stars: A Holiday Celebration." At NEC's Jordan Hall, 30 Gainsborough St., Boston. This concert will be repeated on Saturday and Sunday.
At 8:00 pm, the Boston Boy Choir will present Britten's Ceremony of Carols, along with music by Biery, Marier, Rutter, and Victoria. This will be at St. Paul Church, Bow and Arrow Streets, Cambridge. This concert will be repeated on Sunday at 3:00 pm.
Saturday:
At 2:00 pm, Cappella Clausura will present "Gloria: A Christmas Pagaent" at First Parish in Bedford. This will be at 75 The Great Road, Bedford, On the Common. More information is here.
At 8:00 pm, Cappella Clausura will present "Gloria: A Christmas Pagaent" at St. Andrew's Church in Marblehead. This will be at 135 Lafayette St, Marblehead, MA. More information is here.
At 8:00 pm, Blue Heron will present "A French and Franco-Flemish Christmas, 1200/1500." This will be at First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden Street, Cambridge.
At 8:00 pm, the Back Bay Chorale, under the direction of Scott Allen Jarrett, will present "An 18th-Century Christmas." This will be at Faneuil Hall, 1 Faneuil Hall Market Pl., Boston.
At 8:00 pm, Masterworks Chorale presents their annual Messiah Sings under the direction of Steven Karidoyanes. This will be at Cary Hall, 1605 Mass. Avenue, Lexington, MA. More information is here.
At 8:00 pm, Musicians of the Old Post Road present "Christmas in Baroque Europe." This will be at Trinity Lutheran Church, 73 Lancaster Street, Worcester.
At 8:00 pm, the Boston Gay Men's Chorus will present "Stars: A Holiday Celebration." At NEC's Jordan Hall, 30 Gainsborough St., Boston. This concert will be repeated on Sunday.
Sunday:
At 1:30 pm, the Friends of the Performing Arts in Concord (FOPAC) present a Messiah sing under the direction of Alan Yost. This will be at 51 Walden, Concord, MA. More information is here.
At 3:00 pm, the Handel and Haydn Society, under the direction of John Finney, present a festive program of Bach's Christmas music. The concert will include Cantata 191, "Gloria in excelsis Deo"; Cantata 151, "Süßer Trost, mein Jesus kömmt"; and the Magnificat. This will be at NEC's Jordan Hall, 30 Gainsborough Street, Boston.
At 3:00 pm, the Back Bay Chorale, under the direction of Scott Allen Jarrett, will present "An 18th-Century Christmas." This will be at Marsh Chapel, 733 Commonwealth Ave., Boston.
At 3:00 pm, the Boston Boy Choir will present Britten's Ceremony of Carols, along with music by Biery, Marier, Rutter, and Victoria. This will be at St. Paul Church, Bow and Arrow Streets, Cambridge.
At 3:00 pm, the Nashoba Valley Chorale presents its first annual Messiah Sing under the direction of Anne Watson Born. This will be at the Congregational Church of Littleton, MA, 330 King St, Littleton, MA. More information is here.
At 4:00 pm, Cappella Clausura will present "Gloria: A Christmas Pagaent" at First Parish Cohasset. This will be at 23 North Main St, Cohasset. More information is here.
At 5:00 pm, the Harvard Unitarian Church (that's Harvard, MA the town, not the university) will host its 43rd annual Messiah sing under the direction of Ted Johnson. This will be at the Harvard Unitarian Universalist Church, on the common of Harvard, MA. More information and directions are here.
At 7:30 pm, there will be a Belmont Open Sings read-through of Messiah (parts 1, 2, and bits of 3) under the direction of Mary Beekman. This will be at the Payson Park Church, 365 Belmont Street, Belmont, MA. More information is here.
At 8:00 pm, the Boston Gay Men's Chorus will present "Stars: A Holiday Celebration." At NEC's Jordan Hall, 30 Gainsborough St., Boston.
Aaand...the Christmas choral season continues!
Spotlight this weekend is on Cappella Clausura, which will be performing near you no matter where you live. There is a great article about them today in the Boston Globe. They will be presenting "Gloria: A Christmas Pagaent" complete with dancers from Creationdance, costumes, and giant puppets, in Newton on Friday; in Bedford on Saturday afternoon; in Marblehead on Saturday evening; and in Cohasset on Sunday afternoon. The Sunday afternoon performance in Cohasset is at my church, so of course I am especially invested in gathering a big crowd for them. Details are below under the respective dates, and can also be found here.
Friday:
At 7:30 pm, the Wakefield First Parish Congregational Church presents their annual Messiah sing. This will be at 1 Church St, Wakefield, MA. More information is here.
At 8:00 pm, Cappella Clausura will present "Gloria: A Christmas Pagaent" at the First Unitarian Society in Newton. This will be at 1326 Washington St, West Newton. More information is here.
At 8:00 pm, Chorus pro Musica, under the direction of guest conductor Betsy Burleigh, will present Benjamin Britten’s Ceremony of Carols together with Conrad Susa’s Carols and Lullabies: Christmas in the Southwest. This will be at Old South Church, 645 Boylston St, Copley Sq., Boston.
At 8:00 pm, Masterworks Chorale presents their annual Messiah Sings under the direction of Steven Karidoyanes. This will be at Cary Hall, 1605 Mass. Avenue, Lexington, MA. More information is here. This will be repeated on Saturday.
At 8:00 pm, Musicians of the Old Post Road present "Christmas in Baroque Europe." This will be at Emmanuel Church, 15 Newbury Street, Boston. This concert will be repeated on Saturday in Worcester.
At 8:00 pm, the Boston Gay Men's Chorus will present "Stars: A Holiday Celebration." At NEC's Jordan Hall, 30 Gainsborough St., Boston. This concert will be repeated on Saturday and Sunday.
At 8:00 pm, the Boston Boy Choir will present Britten's Ceremony of Carols, along with music by Biery, Marier, Rutter, and Victoria. This will be at St. Paul Church, Bow and Arrow Streets, Cambridge. This concert will be repeated on Sunday at 3:00 pm.
Saturday:
At 2:00 pm, Cappella Clausura will present "Gloria: A Christmas Pagaent" at First Parish in Bedford. This will be at 75 The Great Road, Bedford, On the Common. More information is here.
At 8:00 pm, Cappella Clausura will present "Gloria: A Christmas Pagaent" at St. Andrew's Church in Marblehead. This will be at 135 Lafayette St, Marblehead, MA. More information is here.
At 8:00 pm, Blue Heron will present "A French and Franco-Flemish Christmas, 1200/1500." This will be at First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden Street, Cambridge.
At 8:00 pm, the Back Bay Chorale, under the direction of Scott Allen Jarrett, will present "An 18th-Century Christmas." This will be at Faneuil Hall, 1 Faneuil Hall Market Pl., Boston.
At 8:00 pm, Masterworks Chorale presents their annual Messiah Sings under the direction of Steven Karidoyanes. This will be at Cary Hall, 1605 Mass. Avenue, Lexington, MA. More information is here.
At 8:00 pm, Musicians of the Old Post Road present "Christmas in Baroque Europe." This will be at Trinity Lutheran Church, 73 Lancaster Street, Worcester.
At 8:00 pm, the Boston Gay Men's Chorus will present "Stars: A Holiday Celebration." At NEC's Jordan Hall, 30 Gainsborough St., Boston. This concert will be repeated on Sunday.
Sunday:
At 1:30 pm, the Friends of the Performing Arts in Concord (FOPAC) present a Messiah sing under the direction of Alan Yost. This will be at 51 Walden, Concord, MA. More information is here.
At 3:00 pm, the Handel and Haydn Society, under the direction of John Finney, present a festive program of Bach's Christmas music. The concert will include Cantata 191, "Gloria in excelsis Deo"; Cantata 151, "Süßer Trost, mein Jesus kömmt"; and the Magnificat. This will be at NEC's Jordan Hall, 30 Gainsborough Street, Boston.
At 3:00 pm, the Back Bay Chorale, under the direction of Scott Allen Jarrett, will present "An 18th-Century Christmas." This will be at Marsh Chapel, 733 Commonwealth Ave., Boston.
At 3:00 pm, the Boston Boy Choir will present Britten's Ceremony of Carols, along with music by Biery, Marier, Rutter, and Victoria. This will be at St. Paul Church, Bow and Arrow Streets, Cambridge.
At 3:00 pm, the Nashoba Valley Chorale presents its first annual Messiah Sing under the direction of Anne Watson Born. This will be at the Congregational Church of Littleton, MA, 330 King St, Littleton, MA. More information is here.
At 4:00 pm, Cappella Clausura will present "Gloria: A Christmas Pagaent" at First Parish Cohasset. This will be at 23 North Main St, Cohasset. More information is here.
At 5:00 pm, the Harvard Unitarian Church (that's Harvard, MA the town, not the university) will host its 43rd annual Messiah sing under the direction of Ted Johnson. This will be at the Harvard Unitarian Universalist Church, on the common of Harvard, MA. More information and directions are here.
At 7:30 pm, there will be a Belmont Open Sings read-through of Messiah (parts 1, 2, and bits of 3) under the direction of Mary Beekman. This will be at the Payson Park Church, 365 Belmont Street, Belmont, MA. More information is here.
At 8:00 pm, the Boston Gay Men's Chorus will present "Stars: A Holiday Celebration." At NEC's Jordan Hall, 30 Gainsborough St., Boston.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Monday links
It's funny video week! Have a funny video!
The Weather Report, set to Anglican Chant. Hat tip to Osbert.
Have another funny video! I really wish I could see more clearly what the nun on the end is doing.
Nuns Hallelujah Chorus. Hat tip to MH, one of my two church accompanists.
The Weather Report, set to Anglican Chant. Hat tip to Osbert.
Have another funny video! I really wish I could see more clearly what the nun on the end is doing.
Nuns Hallelujah Chorus. Hat tip to MH, one of my two church accompanists.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Weekend Concert Calendar, 12/11/08
So, I apologize for falling down on the job for the past few weeks; sadly, I missed telling you about some good concerts last week. But never fear, it's December, so there are always more!
First off, Anthology is presenting our second (and final) Christmas concert Friday! That's probably today, depending on when you are reading this. We will be concentrating on Christmas music of America, although there will also be the occasional side trip to England, France and Spain for some familiar beloved carols, and some new gems. With Christmas music ranging from early American shape-note tunes to George Gershwin, from medieval chant to jazz standards, we will have all the variety you could wish for. 8:00 pm, Dec. 12, 2008 at Third Life Studios, 33 Union Square, Somerville, MA (in the heart of Union Square.) Really. That's the address. I promise. Admission will be $15 for adults and $5 for children.
Aaaand...here's what the rest of our fair choral city will be up to! EVERYONE is singing this weekend. It's quite a list, so the entries will be a bit more brisk than usual - click on any group's name to learn more about their program.
Friday:
At 8:00 pm, Anthology will present a FANTASTIC Christmas concert! 8:00 pm, Dec. 12, 2008 at Third Life Studios, 33 Union Square, Somerville, MA (in the heart of Union Square.) Please come!
At 8:00 pm, the Boston Cecilia and Exsultemus will present a joint Christmas concert called "Christmas in England: Ancient & Modern." This will be at the Church of the Advent, 30
Brimmer St., Boston (in the heart of Beacon Hill.) They will be repeating this concert on Sunday.
At 7:30 pm, Boston Baroque will perform Handel's Messiah. At NEC's Jordan Hall, 30 Gainsborough St., Boston, MA. They will be repeating this performance on Saturday.
At 7:30 pm, the Reading Community Singers will present their holiday concert. At Old South Methodist Church, 6 Salem St., Reading, MA. They will be repeating this concert Saturday afternoon.
At 8:00 pm, the Boston Conservatory will present an evening of new chamber music. Featured works will be by faculty member Rudolf Rojahn and Igor Iwanek. Among the works will be a world premiere of a piece for women's vocal ensemble. At Seully Hall, The Boston Conservatory, 8 The Fenway, Boston.
At 8:00 pm, Chorus North Shore will present a Christmas concert, including Bach's Magnificat. At St Richard’s Church, 90 Forest St., Danvers, MA. They will be repeating this concert on Saturday.
At 8:00 pm, the Boston Camerata will present "The Brotherhood of the Star: A Hispanic Christmas 1300-1700." At Follen Church, 755 Massachusetts Ave, Lexington. They will be repeating this concert on Saturday and Sunday.
At 8:00 pm, Stämbandet will be performing the music of Christmas and the Winter Solstice in Scandinavia. At The Westford Museum, 2-4 Boston Road, Westford, MA. They will be repeating this concert on Sunday.
Saturday:
At 10:30 am and also at 2:00 pm, the Boston Children's Chorus will join the Back Bay Ringers for a free holiday concert in Faneuil Hall, Boston. Fanueil Hall is at...well, come on people. You know where Fanueil Hall is. Just get off the T at Government Center.
At 2:00 pm, the Reading Community Singers will present their holiday concert. At Old South Methodist Church, 6 Salem St., Reading, MA.
At 3:00 pm, the Cambridge Community Chorus will present their holiday concert. At Kresge Auditorium, MIT, 84 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA.
At 4:00 pm and also at 8:00 pm, the Concord Chorus will present a holiday concert titled "Et incarnatus est." This will be at the Middlesex School Memorial Chapel, 1400 Lowell Rd, Concord, MA.
At 7:30 pm, Boston Baroque will perform Handel's Messiah. At NEC's Jordan Hall, 30 Gainsborough St., Boston, MA.
At 8:00 pm, the Cambridge Chamber Singers will present "A Time for Peace: Music and Poetry of the Season." This will be at Lindsey Chapel in Emmanuel Church, 15 Newbury St., Boston. They will be repeating this concert on Sunday.
At 8:00 pm, the Halalisa Singers will present "Raisins and Honey: Sweet Songs of Celebration." This will be at First Parish Lexington, 7 Harrington Rd, Lexington (right on the town green.) They will be repeating this concert on Sunday.
At 8:00 pm, Musica Sacra will present "A Boy is Born! The Christmas Story told in the Choral Music of Europe." Among other pieces, you will hear Schönberg's "Friede auf Erden" and Arvo Pärt's "Magnificat." This will be at First Church Congregational, 11 Garden St., Cambridge. And if you go, I will see you there!
At 8:00 pm, the Unicorn Singers and the Broad Cove Chorale will present "O Wondrous Night: The Nativity in Word and Song." This will be at the House of Prayer in Hingham, which I think is at 916 Main St, Hingham, MA. This concert will be repeated on Sunday at my church in Cohasset! These concerts benefit the Wellspring Multiservice Center in Hull.
At 8:00 pm, the Newburyport Choral Society & Orchestra will present selections from Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle, along with music of the season. At the Belleville Congregational Church, 300 High St, Newburyport, MA.
At 8:00 pm, the Boston Camerata will present "The Brotherhood of the Star: A Hispanic Christmas 1300-1700." At First Church in Boston, 66 Marlborough St, Boston. They will be repeating this concert on Sunday.
At 8:00 pm, the Oriana Consort will present “Miracles of Winter: Choral music for Advent, Christmas, and Hanukkah.” Youth Pro Musica will also be featured on this concert. At First Lutheran Church, 299 Berkeley Street, Boston.
At 8:00 pm, Chorus North Shore will present a Christmas concert, including Bach's Magnificat. At Our Lady of Hope Church, Linebrook Rd., Ipswich, MA.
At 8:00 pm, In Choro Novo will present "Celestial Celebration." At Marsh Chapel at Boston University, 735 Commonwealth Ave., Boston.
Sunday:
At 3:00 pm, the Boston Cecilia and Exsultemus will present a joint Christmas concert called "Christmas in England: Ancient & Modern." This will be at All Saints Parish, 1773 Beacon St., Brookline. Two fantastic groups on one concert!
At 1:00 pm, the Arlington Street Church will host its second annual Carol Sing! At the Hunnewell Chapel, 351 Boyleston St, Boston.
At 2:00 pm, the Boston Gay Men's Chorus will present "Stars: A Holiday Celebration." At NEC's Jordan Hall, 30 Gainsborough St., Boston, MA.
At 2:30 pm, the Midcoast Symphony of Maine presents a Messiah sing-along. This will be at Orion Performing Arts Center, 66 Republic Ave., Topsham, ME. More information is here.
At 2:30 pm, the Newburyport Choral Society & Orchestra will present selections from Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle, along with music of the season. At the Belleville Congregational Church, 300 High St, Newburyport, MA.
At 3:00 pm, the Halalisa Singers will present "Raisins and Honey: Sweet Songs of Celebration." This will be at First Parish Sudbury, 327 Concord Rd, Sudbury, MA.
At 3:00 pm, the Boston Boy Choir and St. Paul Men's Schola will present Britten's Ceremony of Carols. At 29 Mount Auburn St., Cambridge, MA.
At 3:00 pm, the Trinity Church Choirs will present Handel's Messiah. At Trinity Church in Copley Square, 206 Clarendon St., Boston, MA.
At 3:00 pm, the Highland Glee Club will present a winter concert featuring various seasonal music. At the War Memorial Auditorium, Newton City Hall, 1000 Commonwealth Avenue, Newton.
At 3:00 pm, the Boston Camerata will present "The Brotherhood of the Star: A Hispanic Christmas 1300-1700." At First Church in Boston, 66 Marlborough St, Boston.
At 3:00 pm, the Paul Madore Chorale will present a holiday concert, joined by the choirs of Regis College and St. Anne Church. At St. Anne Church, 290 Jefferson Ave., Salem, MA.
At 3:00 pm, the Memorial Congregational Church of Sudbury presents its 35th annual Messiah Sing under the direction of Dr. Marjorie Ness. This will be at the Memorial Congregational Church, 26 Concord Rd, Sudbury, MA. More information is here.
At 3:00 pm, the Arlington-Belmont Chorale and Arlington Philharmonic Orchestra will present Handel's Messiah. At First Parish Arlington, 630 Mass Ave., Arlington, MA.
At 3:30 pm, the Assabet Valley Mastersingers present their annual Messiah sing under the direction of Dr. Robert Eaton. This will be at the Evangelical Congregational Church of Westborough, 8 Church St, Westborough, MA. More information is here.
At 4:00 pm, the student choirs at Solomon Schechter Day School will be “Celebrating Miracles” when they perform at a special concert with the Zamir Chorale of Boston. At the Solomon Schechter Day School, 125 Wells Ave, Newton, MA.
At 4:00 pm, Stämbandet will be performing the music of Christmas and the Winter Solstice in Scandinavia. At Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 24 Berwick Street, Norwood, MA.
At 4:00 pm, the Unicorn Singers and the Broad Cove Chorale will present "O Wondrous Night: The Nativity in Word and Song." This will be at First Parish Cohasset, 23 North Main St., Cohasset, MA. This concert, as well as their concert the night before, will benefit the Wellspring Multiservice Center in Hull.
At 4:00 pm, the Master Singers of Lexington will present a Mozart concert to celebrate the chorus's 40th anniversary season. This will be at First Parish Lexington, 7 Harrington Rd, Lexington (right on the town green.)
At 4:00 pm, the Braintree Choral Society will present their holiday concert, featuring selections from Mendelssohn's Saint Paul. At the Thayer Academy Performing Arts Center, 745 Washington St., Braintree, MA.
At 5:00 pm, the choirs of Old North Church will present Part I of Handel's Messiah. At Old North Church, 193 Salem St., Boston, MA.
At 7:00 pm, the Cambridge Chamber Singers will present "A Time for Peace: Music and Poetry of the Season." At St. John's Episcopal Church,74 Pleasant St., Arlington, MA.
At 7:00 pm, the Congregational Church of West Medford presents a Messiah sing-along. This will be at the Congregational Church of West Medford, UCC, 400 High St. (Rte. 60), Medford, MA. More information is here; the church's website is here.
At 7:30 pm, the Quincy Choral Society will present "Music for a Festive Season." At Sacred Heart Church, Hancock Street, N. Quincy, MA.
First off, Anthology is presenting our second (and final) Christmas concert Friday! That's probably today, depending on when you are reading this. We will be concentrating on Christmas music of America, although there will also be the occasional side trip to England, France and Spain for some familiar beloved carols, and some new gems. With Christmas music ranging from early American shape-note tunes to George Gershwin, from medieval chant to jazz standards, we will have all the variety you could wish for. 8:00 pm, Dec. 12, 2008 at Third Life Studios, 33 Union Square, Somerville, MA (in the heart of Union Square.) Really. That's the address. I promise. Admission will be $15 for adults and $5 for children.
Aaaand...here's what the rest of our fair choral city will be up to! EVERYONE is singing this weekend. It's quite a list, so the entries will be a bit more brisk than usual - click on any group's name to learn more about their program.
Friday:
At 8:00 pm, Anthology will present a FANTASTIC Christmas concert! 8:00 pm, Dec. 12, 2008 at Third Life Studios, 33 Union Square, Somerville, MA (in the heart of Union Square.) Please come!
At 8:00 pm, the Boston Cecilia and Exsultemus will present a joint Christmas concert called "Christmas in England: Ancient & Modern." This will be at the Church of the Advent, 30
Brimmer St., Boston (in the heart of Beacon Hill.) They will be repeating this concert on Sunday.
At 7:30 pm, Boston Baroque will perform Handel's Messiah. At NEC's Jordan Hall, 30 Gainsborough St., Boston, MA. They will be repeating this performance on Saturday.
At 7:30 pm, the Quincy Choral Society will present "Music for a Festive Season." At Sacred Heart Church, Hancock Street, N. Quincy, MA. They will be repeating this concert on Sunday.
At 7:30 pm, the Reading Community Singers will present their holiday concert. At Old South Methodist Church, 6 Salem St., Reading, MA. They will be repeating this concert Saturday afternoon.
At 8:00 pm, the Boston Conservatory will present an evening of new chamber music. Featured works will be by faculty member Rudolf Rojahn and Igor Iwanek. Among the works will be a world premiere of a piece for women's vocal ensemble. At Seully Hall, The Boston Conservatory, 8 The Fenway, Boston.
At 8:00 pm, Chorus North Shore will present a Christmas concert, including Bach's Magnificat. At St Richard’s Church, 90 Forest St., Danvers, MA. They will be repeating this concert on Saturday.
At 8:00 pm, the Boston Camerata will present "The Brotherhood of the Star: A Hispanic Christmas 1300-1700." At Follen Church, 755 Massachusetts Ave, Lexington. They will be repeating this concert on Saturday and Sunday.
At 8:00 pm, Stämbandet will be performing the music of Christmas and the Winter Solstice in Scandinavia. At The Westford Museum, 2-4 Boston Road, Westford, MA. They will be repeating this concert on Sunday.
Saturday:
At 10:30 am and also at 2:00 pm, the Boston Children's Chorus will join the Back Bay Ringers for a free holiday concert in Faneuil Hall, Boston. Fanueil Hall is at...well, come on people. You know where Fanueil Hall is. Just get off the T at Government Center.
At 2:00 pm, the Reading Community Singers will present their holiday concert. At Old South Methodist Church, 6 Salem St., Reading, MA.
At 3:00 pm, the Cambridge Community Chorus will present their holiday concert. At Kresge Auditorium, MIT, 84 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA.
At 4:00 pm and also at 8:00 pm, the Concord Chorus will present a holiday concert titled "Et incarnatus est." This will be at the Middlesex School Memorial Chapel, 1400 Lowell Rd, Concord, MA.
At 7:30 pm, Boston Baroque will perform Handel's Messiah. At NEC's Jordan Hall, 30 Gainsborough St., Boston, MA.
At 8:00 pm, the Cambridge Chamber Singers will present "A Time for Peace: Music and Poetry of the Season." This will be at Lindsey Chapel in Emmanuel Church, 15 Newbury St., Boston. They will be repeating this concert on Sunday.
At 8:00 pm, the Halalisa Singers will present "Raisins and Honey: Sweet Songs of Celebration." This will be at First Parish Lexington, 7 Harrington Rd, Lexington (right on the town green.) They will be repeating this concert on Sunday.
At 8:00 pm, Musica Sacra will present "A Boy is Born! The Christmas Story told in the Choral Music of Europe." Among other pieces, you will hear Schönberg's "Friede auf Erden" and Arvo Pärt's "Magnificat." This will be at First Church Congregational, 11 Garden St., Cambridge. And if you go, I will see you there!
At 8:00 pm, the Unicorn Singers and the Broad Cove Chorale will present "O Wondrous Night: The Nativity in Word and Song." This will be at the House of Prayer in Hingham, which I think is at 916 Main St, Hingham, MA. This concert will be repeated on Sunday at my church in Cohasset! These concerts benefit the Wellspring Multiservice Center in Hull.
At 8:00 pm, the Newburyport Choral Society & Orchestra will present selections from Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle, along with music of the season. At the Belleville Congregational Church, 300 High St, Newburyport, MA.
At 8:00 pm, the Boston Camerata will present "The Brotherhood of the Star: A Hispanic Christmas 1300-1700." At First Church in Boston, 66 Marlborough St, Boston. They will be repeating this concert on Sunday.
At 8:00 pm, the Oriana Consort will present “Miracles of Winter: Choral music for Advent, Christmas, and Hanukkah.” Youth Pro Musica will also be featured on this concert. At First Lutheran Church, 299 Berkeley Street, Boston.
At 8:00 pm, Chorus North Shore will present a Christmas concert, including Bach's Magnificat. At Our Lady of Hope Church, Linebrook Rd., Ipswich, MA.
At 8:00 pm, In Choro Novo will present "Celestial Celebration." At Marsh Chapel at Boston University, 735 Commonwealth Ave., Boston.
Sunday:
At 3:00 pm, the Boston Cecilia and Exsultemus will present a joint Christmas concert called "Christmas in England: Ancient & Modern." This will be at All Saints Parish, 1773 Beacon St., Brookline. Two fantastic groups on one concert!
At 1:00 pm, the Arlington Street Church will host its second annual Carol Sing! At the Hunnewell Chapel, 351 Boyleston St, Boston.
At 2:00 pm, the Boston Gay Men's Chorus will present "Stars: A Holiday Celebration." At NEC's Jordan Hall, 30 Gainsborough St., Boston, MA.
At 2:30 pm, the Midcoast Symphony of Maine presents a Messiah sing-along. This will be at Orion Performing Arts Center, 66 Republic Ave., Topsham, ME. More information is here.
At 2:30 pm, the Newburyport Choral Society & Orchestra will present selections from Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle, along with music of the season. At the Belleville Congregational Church, 300 High St, Newburyport, MA.
At 3:00 pm, the Halalisa Singers will present "Raisins and Honey: Sweet Songs of Celebration." This will be at First Parish Sudbury, 327 Concord Rd, Sudbury, MA.
At 3:00 pm, the Boston Boy Choir and St. Paul Men's Schola will present Britten's Ceremony of Carols. At 29 Mount Auburn St., Cambridge, MA.
At 3:00 pm, the Trinity Church Choirs will present Handel's Messiah. At Trinity Church in Copley Square, 206 Clarendon St., Boston, MA.
At 3:00 pm, the Highland Glee Club will present a winter concert featuring various seasonal music. At the War Memorial Auditorium, Newton City Hall, 1000 Commonwealth Avenue, Newton.
At 3:00 pm, the Boston Camerata will present "The Brotherhood of the Star: A Hispanic Christmas 1300-1700." At First Church in Boston, 66 Marlborough St, Boston.
At 3:00 pm, the Paul Madore Chorale will present a holiday concert, joined by the choirs of Regis College and St. Anne Church. At St. Anne Church, 290 Jefferson Ave., Salem, MA.
At 3:00 pm, the Memorial Congregational Church of Sudbury presents its 35th annual Messiah Sing under the direction of Dr. Marjorie Ness. This will be at the Memorial Congregational Church, 26 Concord Rd, Sudbury, MA. More information is here.
At 3:00 pm, the Arlington-Belmont Chorale and Arlington Philharmonic Orchestra will present Handel's Messiah. At First Parish Arlington, 630 Mass Ave., Arlington, MA.
At 3:30 pm, the Assabet Valley Mastersingers present their annual Messiah sing under the direction of Dr. Robert Eaton. This will be at the Evangelical Congregational Church of Westborough, 8 Church St, Westborough, MA. More information is here.
At 4:00 pm, the student choirs at Solomon Schechter Day School will be “Celebrating Miracles” when they perform at a special concert with the Zamir Chorale of Boston. At the Solomon Schechter Day School, 125 Wells Ave, Newton, MA.
At 4:00 pm, Stämbandet will be performing the music of Christmas and the Winter Solstice in Scandinavia. At Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 24 Berwick Street, Norwood, MA.
At 4:00 pm, the Unicorn Singers and the Broad Cove Chorale will present "O Wondrous Night: The Nativity in Word and Song." This will be at First Parish Cohasset, 23 North Main St., Cohasset, MA. This concert, as well as their concert the night before, will benefit the Wellspring Multiservice Center in Hull.
At 4:00 pm, the Master Singers of Lexington will present a Mozart concert to celebrate the chorus's 40th anniversary season. This will be at First Parish Lexington, 7 Harrington Rd, Lexington (right on the town green.)
At 4:00 pm, the Braintree Choral Society will present their holiday concert, featuring selections from Mendelssohn's Saint Paul. At the Thayer Academy Performing Arts Center, 745 Washington St., Braintree, MA.
At 5:00 pm, the choirs of Old North Church will present Part I of Handel's Messiah. At Old North Church, 193 Salem St., Boston, MA.
At 7:00 pm, the Cambridge Chamber Singers will present "A Time for Peace: Music and Poetry of the Season." At St. John's Episcopal Church,74 Pleasant St., Arlington, MA.
At 7:00 pm, the Congregational Church of West Medford presents a Messiah sing-along. This will be at the Congregational Church of West Medford, UCC, 400 High St. (Rte. 60), Medford, MA. More information is here; the church's website is here.
At 7:30 pm, the Quincy Choral Society will present "Music for a Festive Season." At Sacred Heart Church, Hancock Street, N. Quincy, MA.
And finally (phew! is anybody still reading this?) on Monday, the Arlington-Belmont Chamber Chorus will present "A Not-Quite-Winter Concert" at 8:00 pm. At Payson Park Congregational, 365 Belmont St., Belmont, MA.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Messiah sings!
Here it is, the annual list of Messiah sings in the Boston area! Please leave information about any others in the comments, and as I find out about others, I will add them to the post.
Thursday, December 11 at 8:00 pm (that's either tomorrow or today, depending on when you read this), Harvard's Dunster House presents their 37th annual Messiah sing-along featuring the Mozart Society Orchestra. This will be at Dunster House Dining Hall, 8 Cowperthwaite Street, Cambridge, MA. Admission is free, and scores are provided! For more information, email dmusic@hcs.harvard.edu.
Sunday, December 14 at 2:30 pm, the Midcoast Symphony of Maine presents a Messiah sing-along. This will be at Orion Performing Arts Center, 66 Republic Ave., Topsham, ME. More information is here.
Sunday, December 14 at 3:00 pm, the Memorial Congregational Church of Sudbury presents its 35th annual Messiah Sing under the direction of Dr. Marjorie Ness. This will be at the Memorial Congregational Church, 26 Concord Rd, Sudbury, MA. More information is here.
Sunday, December 14 at 3:30 pm, the Assabet Valley Mastersingers present their annual Messiah sing under the direction of Dr. Robert Eaton. This will be at the Evangelical Congregational Church of Westborough, 8 Church St, Westborough, MA. More information is here.
Sunday, December 14 at 7:00 pm, the Congregational Church of West Medford presents a Messiah sing-along. This will be at the Congregational Church of West Medford, UCC, 400 High St. (Rte. 60), Medford, MA. More information is here; the church's website is here.
Wednesday, December 17 from 12:15 pm to 1:15 pm, the Cathedral Church of St. Paul will hold its annual Messiah Sing-Along at the Cathedral under the direction of Edward Broms. This will be at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, 138 Tremont Street, Boston, MA. More information is here.
Friday, December 19 at 7:30 pm, the Wakefield First Parish Congregational Church presents their annual Messiah sing. This will be at 1 Church St, Wakefield, MA. More information is here.
Friday, December 19 and Saturday, December 20 at 8:00 pm, Masterworks Chorale presents their annual Messiah Sings under the direction of Steven Karidoyanes. This will be at Cary Hall, 1605 Mass. Avenue, Lexington, MA. More information is here.
Sunday, December 21 at 1:30 pm, the Friends of the Performing Arts in Concord (FOPAC) present a Messiah sing under the direction of Alan Yost. This will be at 51 Walden, Concord, MA. More information is here.
Sunday, December 21 at 3:00 pm, the Nashoba Valley Chorale presents its first annual Messiah Sing under the direction of Anne Watson Born. This will be at the Congregational Church of Littleton, MA, 330 King St, Littleton, MA. More information is here.
Sunday, December 21 at 5:00 pm, the Harvard Unitarian Church (that's Harvard, MA the town, not the university) will host its 43rd annual Messiah sing under the direction of Ted Johnson. This will be at the Harvard Unitarian Universalist Church, on the common of Harvard, MA. More information and directions are here.
Sunday, December 21 at 7:30 pm, there will be a Belmont Open Sings read-through of Messiah (parts 1, 2, and bits of 3) under the direction of Mary Beekman. This will be at the Payson Park Church, 365 Belmont Street, Belmont, MA. More information is here.
And if you just want to hear the Messiah, many groups will oblige you, the most respected of which include Boston Baroque and the Handel & Haydn Society.
Thursday, December 11 at 8:00 pm (that's either tomorrow or today, depending on when you read this), Harvard's Dunster House presents their 37th annual Messiah sing-along featuring the Mozart Society Orchestra. This will be at Dunster House Dining Hall, 8 Cowperthwaite Street, Cambridge, MA. Admission is free, and scores are provided! For more information, email dmusic@hcs.harvard.edu.
Sunday, December 14 at 2:30 pm, the Midcoast Symphony of Maine presents a Messiah sing-along. This will be at Orion Performing Arts Center, 66 Republic Ave., Topsham, ME. More information is here.
Sunday, December 14 at 3:00 pm, the Memorial Congregational Church of Sudbury presents its 35th annual Messiah Sing under the direction of Dr. Marjorie Ness. This will be at the Memorial Congregational Church, 26 Concord Rd, Sudbury, MA. More information is here.
Sunday, December 14 at 3:30 pm, the Assabet Valley Mastersingers present their annual Messiah sing under the direction of Dr. Robert Eaton. This will be at the Evangelical Congregational Church of Westborough, 8 Church St, Westborough, MA. More information is here.
Sunday, December 14 at 7:00 pm, the Congregational Church of West Medford presents a Messiah sing-along. This will be at the Congregational Church of West Medford, UCC, 400 High St. (Rte. 60), Medford, MA. More information is here; the church's website is here.
Wednesday, December 17 from 12:15 pm to 1:15 pm, the Cathedral Church of St. Paul will hold its annual Messiah Sing-Along at the Cathedral under the direction of Edward Broms. This will be at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, 138 Tremont Street, Boston, MA. More information is here.
Friday, December 19 at 7:30 pm, the Wakefield First Parish Congregational Church presents their annual Messiah sing. This will be at 1 Church St, Wakefield, MA. More information is here.
Friday, December 19 and Saturday, December 20 at 8:00 pm, Masterworks Chorale presents their annual Messiah Sings under the direction of Steven Karidoyanes. This will be at Cary Hall, 1605 Mass. Avenue, Lexington, MA. More information is here.
Sunday, December 21 at 1:30 pm, the Friends of the Performing Arts in Concord (FOPAC) present a Messiah sing under the direction of Alan Yost. This will be at 51 Walden, Concord, MA. More information is here.
Sunday, December 21 at 3:00 pm, the Nashoba Valley Chorale presents its first annual Messiah Sing under the direction of Anne Watson Born. This will be at the Congregational Church of Littleton, MA, 330 King St, Littleton, MA. More information is here.
Sunday, December 21 at 5:00 pm, the Harvard Unitarian Church (that's Harvard, MA the town, not the university) will host its 43rd annual Messiah sing under the direction of Ted Johnson. This will be at the Harvard Unitarian Universalist Church, on the common of Harvard, MA. More information and directions are here.
Sunday, December 21 at 7:30 pm, there will be a Belmont Open Sings read-through of Messiah (parts 1, 2, and bits of 3) under the direction of Mary Beekman. This will be at the Payson Park Church, 365 Belmont Street, Belmont, MA. More information is here.
And if you just want to hear the Messiah, many groups will oblige you, the most respected of which include Boston Baroque and the Handel & Haydn Society.
Monday, December 08, 2008
Monday links
Jeremy Eichler of the Boston Globe has some thoughts on "the missing maestro" of the BSO (which I mentioned previously.) He is more charitable than myself.
Also, have two funny videos!
The Muppets do Carmen.
Prop 8, The Musical! This is priceless. You must watch. And it has tons of awesome super-famous actors in it! Margaret Cho! Alison Janney! Jack Black! And my favorite, Neil Patrick Harris as "A Very Smart Fellow"!
Also, have two funny videos!
The Muppets do Carmen.
Prop 8, The Musical! This is priceless. You must watch. And it has tons of awesome super-famous actors in it! Margaret Cho! Alison Janney! Jack Black! And my favorite, Neil Patrick Harris as "A Very Smart Fellow"!
Thursday, December 04, 2008
Weekend Concert Calendar, 12/4/08
There is so much good music going on this weekend, but I am suffering from a nasty cold, and am unfortunately feeling a bit too wan to tell you about all of it. Instead, you can click here.
However, there is one EXTREMELY important concert coming up tomorrow, Friday, that you definitely must go see...and that is my quartet Anthology! Here are the details:
This Friday Anthology is presenting our first ever Christmas concert! We will be concentrating on Christmas music of America, although there will also be the occasional side trip to England, France and Spain for some familiar beloved carols, and some new gems. With Christmas music ranging from early American shape-note tunes to George Gershwin, from medieval chant to jazz standards, you won't want to miss this concert! This concert will be at 8:00 pm on Friday, Dec. 5, 2008 at First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden St., Cambridge, MA (in the heart of Harvard Square). Admission will be $15 for adults and $5 for children.
However, there is one EXTREMELY important concert coming up tomorrow, Friday, that you definitely must go see...and that is my quartet Anthology! Here are the details:
This Friday Anthology is presenting our first ever Christmas concert! We will be concentrating on Christmas music of America, although there will also be the occasional side trip to England, France and Spain for some familiar beloved carols, and some new gems. With Christmas music ranging from early American shape-note tunes to George Gershwin, from medieval chant to jazz standards, you won't want to miss this concert! This concert will be at 8:00 pm on Friday, Dec. 5, 2008 at First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden St., Cambridge, MA (in the heart of Harvard Square). Admission will be $15 for adults and $5 for children.
Monday, December 01, 2008
Monday links
First of all, Anthology is performing TONIGHT at the Arlington Street Church as part of a benefit for World AIDS Day. There's a small note about it in the Boston Globe here.
We will be singing the world premiere of Heaven's Birds: Lament and Song, a new cantata by Steven Serpa written for our group and for this concert. Award-winning poet Jeffery Beam has collaborated with Serpa on the text for this cantata, expressing both words of loss and words of comfort. Also on the program is the Boston premiere of Translucence, a mesmerizing song cycle by British composer Donna McKevitt. This song cycle was hailed by The Times of London as "a new work of unpretentious honesty that captures the mood of the moment." Tickets are $20, and can be purchased at the door. All proceeds from this performance will benefit the AIDS Action Committee. The Arlington Street Church is located at 351 Boylston St, Boston, MA.
In other news, This American Life had a great show a week ago about Music Lessons! I only heard the David Sedaris segment, but it was pretty funny.
We will be singing the world premiere of Heaven's Birds: Lament and Song, a new cantata by Steven Serpa written for our group and for this concert. Award-winning poet Jeffery Beam has collaborated with Serpa on the text for this cantata, expressing both words of loss and words of comfort. Also on the program is the Boston premiere of Translucence, a mesmerizing song cycle by British composer Donna McKevitt. This song cycle was hailed by The Times of London as "a new work of unpretentious honesty that captures the mood of the moment." Tickets are $20, and can be purchased at the door. All proceeds from this performance will benefit the AIDS Action Committee. The Arlington Street Church is located at 351 Boylston St, Boston, MA.
In other news, This American Life had a great show a week ago about Music Lessons! I only heard the David Sedaris segment, but it was pretty funny.
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