The Well-Tempered Ear
Classical music: The Oakwood Chamber Players celebrate the holidays this weekend with two performances of seasonal music
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By Jacob Stockinger
This weekend the Oakwood Chamber Players (below) continue their 2018-2019 season series “Vignettes” with a holiday concert on this Saturday night, Nov. 24, at 7 p.m. and Sunday afternoon, Nov. 25, at 2 p.m.
On the program is a range of musical styles and a charming story set for chamber ensemble and narrator.
The cheery holiday-themed program will include familiar seasonal music, treasured classical composers, entertaining arrangements, and some delightful musical storytelling.
Both concerts will be held at the Oakwood Center for Arts and Education, 6209 Mineral Point Road, on Madison’s far west side near West Towne Mall.
Tickets can be purchased with cash or personal checks at the door: the cost is $25 for general admission, $20 for seniors, and $5 for students. For more information, go to: www.oakwoodchamberplayers.com or call (608) 230-4316.
The program includes music from two beloved classical composers: “Joseph, dearest, Joseph mine” from “Geistliches Wiegenlied” by Johannes Brahms; and Suite of Christmas Songs, Op. 72, by Felix Mendelssohn.
In 1927, “The Adoration of the Magi” (below) by Renaissance painter Sandro Botticelli, who did many scenes of that subject, inspired Italian composer Ottorino Respighi to create an evocative composition that weaves traditional carols into his musical response to the famous painting. This version has been arranged for chamber ensemble of flute, harp and cello. (You can hear the orchestral version in the YouTube video at the bottom.)
The group will be joined by special guest artist baritone Robert “Bobby” Goderich, who has appeared with the Madison Opera and the Four Seasons Theatre. He will sing an upbeat version of the traditional Welsh Gower Wassail as well as performing Silent Night set for the intimate combination of voice, clarinet and harp.
Central to the program, Goderich (below) will narrate Sweep Dreams, an enchanting tale about a lonely man who falls in love with an enchanted broom that dances in the moonlight.
The story by the late and prize-winning author Nancy Willard (below top) was set to music by the late and renowned American choral composer Stephen Paulus (below bottom), who lived in Minneapolis and created the piece while he was composer-in-residence for the Minnesota Orchestra.
Additional works on the concert are “A Winter’s Night” by American composer Kevin McKee (below) for flugelhorn and harp, Australian composer Percy Grainger’s warm-hearted setting of “Sussex Mummers’ Carol,” and two sunny woodwind quintet settings of beloved holiday songs.
The Oakwood Chamber Players will be joined by a significant array of guest artists: Margaret Mackenzie, harp; Wes Luke, violin; Ariel Garcia, viola; Brad Townsend, bass; Jennifer Morgan, oboe; John Aley trumpet and flugelhorn; Robert “Bobby” Goderich, singer/narrator; Nicholas Bonacio, percussion; and Carrie Backman, conductor.
Regular members, who play with the Madison Symphony Orchestra, the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and other local groups, include: Maggie Darby Townsend, cello; Marilyn Chohaney, flute; Nancy Mackenzie, clarinet; Anne Aley, horn; and Amanda Szczys, bassoon.
This is the second of five concerts in the Oakwood Chamber Players’ 2018-2019 season series entitled Vignettes. Remaining concerts will take place in 2019 on Jan. 12 and 13; March 2 and 3; and May 18 and 19.
The Oakwood Chamber Players are a group of Madison-area professional musicians who have rehearsed and performed at Oakwood Village for over 30 years.
The Oakwood Chamber Players are a professional music ensemble proudly supported by Oakwood Lutheran Senior Ministries and the Oakwood Foundation.
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Classical music: The Oakwood Chamber Players announces its 30th anniversary season –- and gives up performing at the UW-Madison Arboretum.
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By Jacob Stockinger
This coming season the Oakwood Chamber Players (below) turns 30.
The group, which features talented players and seasoned professionals — who also play with the Madison Symphony Orchestra, the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music — in repertoire that is often neglected or unknown or new, will mark the occasion by reprising works from past concerts. Think of it as a season of Golden Oldies.
The real news to The Ear is that the group will no longer play one of its two weekend performances at the Visitor Center (below) in the Arboretum.
Here is how one spokesperson explained it: “While we really appreciated the environment at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum, as well as the exposure to a different audience, the decision to hold both concerts at Oakwood was a financial one — as these things too often unfortunately are.
“There are space and piano rental fees at the Arboretum that we don’t incur at Oakwood that were making the concerts cost-prohibitive to hold there, and our audience size was not adequately offsetting these expenses.”
Here is an introduction plus a list of the 30th anniversary season programs:
Reprise!
Looking Back Over 30 Years
Looking back over 30 years of music making, the Oakwood Chamber Players remember great performances of unique and much-loved works of art. We also honor the fun and richness we’ve shared with our musician friends; some who have been with us for a single concert or a few years and others who have shared the stage with us for three decades.
And of course our trip down memory lane would not be complete without thoughts of all the terrific audiences who have honored us with their support and applause.
And so we come to this season, one of looking back, still with anticipation of what is to come! We hope you will join us on the journey!”
Concerts are Saturday nights at 7 p.m. and Sunday afternoons at 1:30 p.m. All 2014-15 concerts will be held at the Oakwood Center for Arts and Education, 6209 Mineral Point Road, Madison, WI 53705
Ticket prices are: Senior Single — $15/concert; Senior Series – $65/season; Adult Single – $20/concert; Adult Series – $85/season; Student Single – $5/concert.
For more information, visit: http://www.oakwoodchamberplayers.com
September 13 and 14, 2014 — REWORK!
Johannes Brahms (below top): Sonatas for Clarinet/Piano and Viola/Piano
Ferdinand Ries (below bottom): Quartet for flute, violin, viola and cello
(Brahms Sonatas … one which the composer reworked from clarinet to viola)
November 28 and 30, 2014 — REMIX!
“Christmas Lights” Memories: Various selections from our long history of Christmas Lights performances (originally performed November, 1994)
NOTE: The dates and times for the November concerts are: Friday, November 28, 2014 at 1 p.m.; and Sunday, November 30, 2014 at 1:30 p.m.
January 17 and 18, 2015 — RECAPITULATE!
Bedrich Smetana (below top): Trio for violin, cello and piano, Op. 15 in g minor (originally performed May, 2004)
Leos Janacek (below bottom): “Mladi” (Youth) for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn and bass clarinet (originally performed July, 1989/May 2004)
Adolf Schreiner: “Immer Kleiner” for clarinet and piano (originally performed May, 2006)
March 14/15, 2015 — REPLAY!
Claude Debussy (below top): Sonata for flute, viola and harp (originally performed November, 1990)
Ottorino Respighi (below bottom): “Ancient Airs and Dances” (originally performed January, 2005, and heard in a YouTube video at the bottom)
May 23/24, 2015 — REISSUE!
Aaron Copland (below top): “Appalachian Spring” for 13 instruments; (originally performed November, 1989)
Carl Nielsen (below bottom): “Serenato in Vano” for clarinet, horn, bassoon cello and bass (originally performed June, 1993/May, 2009)
Tags: Aaron Copland, Arts, Chamber music, Christmas, Classical music, Claude Debussy, Debussy, Jacob Stockinger, Janacek, Johannes Brahms, Madison, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Madison Wisconsin, Music, Oakwood, Oakwood Chamber Player, Oakwood Chamber Players, Orchestra, Ottorino Respighi, Piano, Respighi, Schreiner, Smetana, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, UW-Madison School of Music, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, YouTube
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