The Well-Tempered Ear
Classical music: Choral conductor Albert Pinsonneault is leaving Edgewood College and Madison for a new job at Northwestern University.
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By Jacob Stockinger
Last week, it was a critically acclaimed performance of music by Gian Carlo Menotti by the Madison Chamber Choir.
At the end of this month, it is two performances of a concert by the Madison Choral Project with guest conductor Dale Warland.
Now both appear to be farewell concerts to Albert Pinsonneault (below), a professor at Edgewood College who is the choral director of Madison Chamber Choir and the Madison Choral Project as well as assistant choral director for the Madison Symphony Orchestra’s chorus.
Pinsonneault (below) has been named Associate Director of Choral Organizations at the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University, near Chicago. He will take up his new post this fall.
Here is his how Pinsonneault posted the move on Facebook:
“I am so excited to announce that I will be joining the faculty of the Bienen School of Music as Associate Director of Choral Organizations at Northwestern University next fall!
I could not be more honored to work alongside Donald Nally NU, and the amazing student-musicians in the Northwestern University Choirs.”
And here is the official press release from the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University:
“The Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University announces the appointment of Dr. Albert Pinsonneault (PEN-son-oh) as Associate Director of Choral Organizations.
“Dr. Pinsonneault will join the faculty Fall 2015, conducting Northwestern’s University Singers and teaching choral literature at the graduate level, part-time. He will also assist in various musical activities of the expanding choral program at the Bienen School of Music, working closely with Director of Choral Organizations Dr. Donald Nally.
“Dr. Pinsonneault is founder and artistic director of the professional chamber choir Madison Choral Project, as well as assistant conductor of the Madison Symphony Chorus. From 2009 to 2015 he served as Associate Professor of Music at Edgewood College. A native of St. Paul, Minnesota, he attended St. Olaf College and the University of Minnesota before completing his doctoral study at the College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) of the University of Cincinnati.
“Dr. Pinsonneault’s scholarship focuses on choral blend and intonation, the physical/kinesthetic act of conducting and the music of F. Melius Christiansen. His book, “Choral Intonation Exercises,” is published by Graphite Publishing.”
The Ear offers hearty Congratulations to Albert Pinsonneault, who has proven a tireless and gifted advocate for choral music. Madison’s loss is his gain and Northwestern University’s gain.
I am sure he will appreciate it if you leave word for Pinsonneault about his work in the COMMENTS column of this blog
Tags: Arts, Bienen School of Music, Chamber music, choral music, Classical music, Early music, Edgewood College, Jacob Stockinger, Johann Sebastian Bach, Madison Chamber Choir, Madison Choral Project, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Minnesota, Music, Northwestern University, Saint Paul, St. Olaf College, St. Paul, United States, University of Cincinnati, University of Minnesota, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, vocal music, YouTube
Classical music: J.S. Bach turns 330 on Saturday. At noon in Grace Episcopal Church, the Madison Bach Musicians mark the event with a FREE concert of baroque music. On SATURDAY night at 8 the Wisconsin Brass Quintet plays a FREE concert in Mills Hall. And on Sunday afternoon, Madison native pianist Kathryn Ananda-Owens performs a Mozart concerto at St. Olaf College, and the performance will be streamed live.
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By Jacob Stockinger
Three items deserve attention today.
J.S. BACH TURNS 330 ON SATURDAY
This Saturday is the 330th birthday of composer Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750). That means you can expect to hear a lot of Bach played on Wisconsin Public Radio and streamed by other radio stations and music institutions from around the country and world.
To mark the occasion, the program “Grace Presents” – which takes place at Grace Episcopal Church, 116 West Washington Avenue, on the Capitol Square – is presenting a FREE concert by the early music group the Madison Bach Musicians from noon to 1 p.m.
Explains MBM founder and director Trevor Stephenson: “Madison Bach Musicians (MBM) was formed to foster a love of music and to provide education about great music within the community. MBM is dedicated to presenting the music of Bach-as well as works by other great composers of the Baroque, Renaissance and Classical periods — to both the general public and to educational institutions through performances, lectures, and workshops.
“Bach’s music was chosen as a focal point because of its outstanding beauty, variety and profundity, and because it speaks with urgency to modern audiences.
In pursuit of the greatest clarity of musical texture, MBM performs primarily on period instruments, using historically informed performance practices, and the ensemble sizes are typical of those used by Bach himself. MBM provides a unique forum for experienced professional and exceptionally talented young professional musicians to work together in an exciting period performance style.”
Grace Presents is a FREE monthly concert series that takes place in the historic Grace Church on Madison’s Capitol Square. The series features a diverse range of music, everything from classical and folk to jazz and bluegrass.
Members of the Madison Bach Musicians (below) include: Kangwon Kim, baroque violin; Martha Vallon, viola da gamba and baroque cello; Chelsea Morris, soprano; and Trevor Stephenson, harpsichord.
Here is the program for Saturday’s concert:
Sonata No. 4 in D major from Sonatae unarum fidium by Johann Heinrich Schmelzer (below, 1623-1680)
Sonata in G Major, BWV 1027, by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Adagio; Allegro ma non tanto; Andante; Allegro moderato
Prelude & Fugue in E-flat minor, from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I by Johann Sebastian Bach
Violin Sonata in F major, HWV 370, by George Frideric Handel (below, 1685-1759)
Adagio; Allegro; Largo; Allegro
Recitative and Aria from “Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid” BWV 58, by Johann Sebastian Bach. (You can hear the beautiful music in a YouTube video at the bottom.)
Aria from “Gott, wie dein Name, so ist auch dein Ruhm” BWV 171, by J.S. Bach
The harpsichord (below) to be played in Saturday’s concert was made by area instrument builder Norman Sheppard in 2009 and is modeled on a circa 1720 German double-manual instrument by Michael Mietke of Berlin, one that Bach bought and used.
PLEASE NOTE: Madison Bach Musicians will repeat the FREE concert on this Sunday, March 22, at 3 p.m. in the West Middleton Lutheran Church, 3763 Pioneer Road in Verona.
WISCONSIN BRASS QUINTET PERFORMS SATURDAY NIGHT
The Wisconsin Brass Quintet (below, in a photo by Megan Aley) performs a FREE concert SATURDAY night at 8 p.m. in Mills Hall — NOT tonight as incorrectly first stated here.
The program includes music by William Mathias, James Stephenson, Anders Hillborg and Malcolm Arnold.
Here is a link to background about the members of the faculty ensemble that was founded in 1972 at the UW-Madison School of Music:
http://www.music.wisc.edu/events/wisconsin-brass-quintet-faculty-recital/
Here is link to the program:
http://www.music.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/2015-0321-WBQ.pdf
ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON, MADISON-BORN PIANIST KATHRYN ANANDA-OWENS STREAMS MOZART’S D-MINOR PIANO CONCERTO WITH HER OWN CADENZAS
The following news has come to the attention of The Ear: Pianist Kathryn Ananda-Owens (below), is a graduate of James Madison Memorial High School on Madison’s far west side and the first winner of Wisconsin Public Radio’s Neale-Silva Young Artists Competition. She was promoted to full professor at St. Olaf College in February.
On this Sunday at 3:30 p.m., with the St. Olaf Orchestra, she will perform the dark, dramatic and lovely Piano Concerto in D Minor, K. 466, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (below) — with her own cadenzas. (The concert will be live-streamed. St. Olaf officials say to tune in 10 minutes ahead).
For anyone who might be interested, here is the link to the streaming part of the website, and scroll to March 22:
http://www.stolaf.edu/multimedia/streams/upcoming.cfm?category=concerts
By way of background, the Mozart piano concerto cadenzas were the study of Ananda-Owens’ doctoral dissertation and lecture recital at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore that is attached to Johns Hopkins University.
Mozart wrote cadenzas for some, but not all, of his 27 piano concertos. No one else has analyzed the topic in-depth, and she is more than halfway through turning her dissertation into a book, thanks to a sabbatical during academic year 2012-13. She annually lectures at the Juilliard School (and occasionally at some other places, including internationally) on this topic.
Tags: Anders Hillborg, Arts, Bach, Baltimore, Baroque, bluegrass, brass, cadenza, Cello, Chamber music, choral music, Classical, Classical music, concerto, Early music, folk, George Frideric Handel, Handel, harpsichord, hirn, Historically informed performance, historically informed performance practices, Horn, Jacob Stockinger, James Stephenson, Jazz, Johann Sebastian Bach, Johns Hopkins University, Juilliard School, Madison, Madison Bach Musicians, Malcolm Arnold, Music, Orchestra, Peabody Conservatory of Music, Piano concerto, Renaissance, Schmelzer, Sonata, St. Olaf College, Tempo, Trevor Stephenson, Trombone, Trumpet, viola da gamba, Violin, vocal music, William Mathias, Wisconsin Brass Quintet, wisconsin public radio, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, YouTube
Classical music: Native daughter and St. Olaf College pianist Kathryn Ananda-Owens returns to Madison for FREE recital of Mozart, Debussy and Justin Merritt on this Friday at noon at the First Unitarian Society.
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By Jacob Stockinger
When I first met Kathryn Ananda-Owens (below), I was a journalist reporting on education and she was a promising student at Memorial High School where she had just won a prestigious national science award and competition.
But she was also a very gifted young pianist, and music proved to be the profession she ended up pursuing. Indeed, she became the winner of the first annual Neale-Silva Young Artists Competition held in 1993 by Wisconsin Public Radio.
Kathy studied at Oberlin College and then the Peabody Conservatory of Music at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. For many years now, she has been a professor of piano at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, which is renowned for its music department and especially its choral music.
She has toured in Asia and Europe, has perform solo recitals chamber music and concertos with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and the St. Olaf Orchestra. She has performed at Lincoln Center in New York City and has made several Compact Disc recordings.
Here is a link to a biographical sketch:
http://wp.stolaf.edu/music/people/kathryn-ananda-owens/
Kathy returns to Madison periodically, but not always to play in public. But she will perform this Friday at the FREE Noon Musicale held weekly in the Landmark Auditorium (below top and bottom) of the historic First Unitarian Society of Madison Meeting House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and built at 900 University Bay Drive, from 12:15 to 1 p.m.
Her program is a terrific combination of the old classics and new music.
Kathy will play Mozart’s dramatic Sonata in C Minor K. 457 and two of Debussy’s “Estampes” (Prints): “Pagodes” (Pagodas, played by David Cabassi during the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in a popular YouTube video at that bottom) and “Jardins Sous la Pluie” (Gardens in the Rain.)
In addition she will perform a contemporary work that was written for her: “Album Leaves” by Justin Merritt (below), who has been in residence at St. Olaf College.
Tags: Arts, Asia, Baltimore, Classical music, Claude Debussy, Compact Disc, David Cabassi, Debussy, Estampes, Europe, First Unitarian Society of Madison, Frank Lloyd Wright, Garden, Gardens in the Rain, Jacob Stockinger, Johns Hopkins University, Justin Merritt, LIncoln Center, Madison, Minnesota, Mozart, New York City, Orchestra, Pagodas, Peabody Conservatory of Music, Piano, rain, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, St. Olaf College, St. Olaf Orchestra, Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, wisconsin public radio, YouTube
Classical music Q&A: The FREE Friday Noon Musicales start again this week at the First Unitarian Society of Madison. FUS music director Dan Broner discusses how the programs come together. Plus, the UW Chamber Orchestra performs a FREE concert of Schumann, Haydn and Wagner on Tuesday night.
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REMINDER: The UW Chamber Orchestra (below) performs a FREE concert tomorrow, on Tuesday night, Oct. 1, at 7:30 p.m in Mills Hall. The program, under conductor James Smith, features Robert Schumann’s “Overture, Scherzo and Finale,” Franz Joseph Haydn’s Symphony No. 88 and Richard Wagner‘s “Siegfried Idyll.”
By Jacob Stockinger
Madison has so much fine free music to offer listeners, especially at the University of Wisconsin School of Music through the Faculty Concert Series and various student groups.
But one of the most enjoyable events is also one of the most low-profile.
I am speaking about the weekly Friday Noon Musicales (below) that take place in the Landmark Auditorium of the First Unitarian Society’s historic Meeting House, near University Hospital, at 900 University Bay Drive off, just University Avenue on the city’s near west side.
It is not surprising that the Friday Musicales exist because the Unitarians in Madison — which has the highest concentration of Unitarians in the U.S. — always place a major emphasis on music, as did its famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. (An excerpt from an All-Mozart Sunday is in a YouTube video at the bottom.)
You can bring lunch, drink coffee or tea, or, as I do, eat before and take along a small dessert.
But so often the midday music concert is itself the dessert, the real treat. Imagine the fun of hearing live music for a daytime break. It is like a parenthesis, a time-out or an oasis in the day. Often I have walked into the concert with less enthusiasm and energy than I left with. The music recharges me and provides a spark to get through the rest of the day.
The setting and presentation are informal. But I have found the audiences very appreciative and generally quiet and well-behaved, though sometimes the knitters and readers, especially if they are in the front rows, strike me as rude and disrespectful to the performers.
I have heard singers and solo pianists, string trios and string quartets, all kinds of soloists and ensembles and music.
The Musicale series starts again this week, this Friday Oct. 4. So The Ear asked the First Unitarian Society’s music director Dan Broner to provide some background.
The many-talented Broner (below) not only plans the concerts and performers, he also plays the pianist himself as an accompanist in many of the concerts.
Here is Dan Broner’s email Q&A with The Ear:
How long have the Free Friday Noon musicales been held? Are they expensive to put on and how are they funded?
They have been held since 1987. They are an outreach program to the community and funded by the First Unitarian Society’s operating budget. The costs are that portion of my salary for administering and performing in the series, plus piano tuning and minimal utility expenses.
The musicians donate their services, and the 45-minute concerts (they run 12:15 to 1 p.m.) are free and open to the public.
How successful have they been? What is the typical attendance and how it is trended in recent years? Do certain kinds of concerts (instrument, voice, program, performer) attract a bigger or smaller audience?
The Musicales attract listeners of all ages, but are particularly attractive to seniors, and workers who can attend during their lunch break.
They regularly attract between 50 and 75, numbers, which have been consistent for the past 11 years of my tenure.
Attendance would most likely be higher if it we had more parking. But we share the lot with the Meeting House Nursery School, which limits availability.
Generally instrumental performances attract a larger audience, and more well-known artists will generate a larger crowd as well.
What do you hear from the public as a reaction to the concerts?
Almost every week I will receive favorable comments from attendees who enjoy the Musicales. Some have stated that they are their favorite musical events.
The Musicales are scheduled between October and May and many folks have said that they are eager for the season to begin.
How do you line up artists and programs? Do they come to you or you come to them?
Many artists contact me. They are attracted by the historic Frank Lloyd Wright landmark venue (below): the architecture, acoustics and the fully restored 1889 Steinway Model A grand piano.
Often they are students and teachers from the University of Wisconsin School of Music and other area universities who would like a trial run of recitals they are preparing.
Every summer I send out an email to every artist who has performed in the series and many elect to perform again.
Are there special programs you would like to point out for the current season?
There are many intriguing musicales this season, but a few do stand out for me personally. I’m eager to hear the young Madison pianist Garrick Olsen (below top), who is playing on Dec. 6. I always enjoy hearing the fine violinist, Kangwon Kim (below middle), and I look forward to collaborating with her on the Johannes Brahms’ Sonata in G for Violin and PIano on Friday, Jan. 10.
The fine Chicago area virtuoso pianist Mark Valenti will be performing at the Musicales for the first time on Jan. 31. Madison native pianist Kathy Ananda-Owens, from the St. Olaf College music faculty, plays on Feb. 7 and the Black Marigold Woodwind Quintet (below bottom), which is always fun, performs on March 14.
Is there anything else you would like or add or say?
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this unique series. We welcome new listeners and musicians interested in performing.
Please join us for the first Musicale on this Friday, October 4, at 12:15 p.m. Violist Shannon Farley (below), with guitarist Christopher Allen and pianist Greg Punswick, will be performing music of J.S. Bach, Franz Schubert, Robert Schumann and Cesar Franck.
Tags: Cesar Franck, Concert, First Unitarian Society of Madison, Frank Lloyd Wright, Franz Joseph Haydn, Franz Schubert, Friday, J.S. Bach, Johannes Brahms, Madison, Madison Wisconsin, Piano, Richard Wagner, Robert Schumann, Siegfried Idyll, St. Olaf College, symphony, Unitarianism, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Viola, Violin, Wisconsin, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, YouTube
Classical music: NEWS FLASH — Here are the winners of the Madison Early Music Festival’s first annual Handel Aria Competition. The Madison Symphony Orchestra bestows awards on several of its outstanding musician members.
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NEWS FLASH: On Monday night, the first FREE annual Handel Aria Competition was held in Mills Hall as part of the 14th annual Madison Early Music Festival. I will blog about the contest more on Wednesday. But here are the results as decided by the three judges (guest singers soprano Ellen Hargis and tenor William Hudson, plus local music critic and UW Emeritus Profess of Medieval History John W. Barker) and also by the audience. There were eight contestants (below top) and all acquitted themselves very well. First Prize went to mezzo-soprano Elisa Sutherland (third from the right); Second Prize went to soprano Alison Wahl (far left); and Third Prize went to soprano Winnie Nieh (second from the right) who also took home the Audience Prize. (An early version of this mistakenly reversed the second-place and third-place winners. I apologize for the error.)
The festival continues tonight with a pre-concert lecture at 6:30 p.m. in Room L-160 of the Elvehjem Building of the nearby Chazen Museum of Art with a concert at 7:30 p.m. in Mills Hall by The Dark Horse consort (below) joined by UW baritone Paul Rowe and soprano Cheryl Bensman Rowe, who are co-artistic directors of the festival. For more information, visit: http://continuingstudies.wisc.edu/lsa/memf/
By Jacob Stockinger
We read, see and hear a lot about the turmoil that many American symphony orchestras are unfortunate;y going through right now – especially labor strife, growing debt and attendance problems.
So positive word about the internal affairs of a specific orchestra is all the more welcome. It is refreshing to hear news about the musicians as well as the maestro.
In that spirit, the Madison Symphony Orchestra last month recognized some of its own outstanding musician members, both paid and volunteer, for their contributions to the ensemble. Some or even all of them will no doubt be performing at the Madison Opera’s 12th annual FREE “Opera in the Park” (below) this Saturday night at 8 p.m. (Sunday is the rain date) in Garner Park on Madison’s far west side.
Here is a link to information about that event, from dates and times to performers and the program and even to arrangements and rules for sitting outdoors in the park and eating:
http://www.madisonopera.org/performances-2012-2013/park/
And here is a link to the Madison Symphony Orchestra and its next season, which will marks music director John DeMain’s 20th year with the MSO. You can also find biographies of the players, including those who are honored below:
Here is the MSO press release:
Madison Symphony Orchestra Recognizes Local Musicians
Local musicians received prestigious awards from the Madison Symphony Orchestra’s (MSO) Board of Directors at its June meeting in recognition of their musical contributions.
Margaret Rupp Cooper Award
The Margaret Rupp Cooper Award is presented in honor of the Symphony’s original harpist, who performed in the first concert in 1926 through the 50th anniversary season. The award is presented annually to two orchestra members based upon years of service, commitment to the orchestra, and musicianship. This year’s awardees were Stephanie Jutt, MSO principal flute, and Bill Muir, MSO fourth horn.
Stephanie Jutt (below) is an accomplished international flute performer, recording artist, and educator. She is currently on the faculty of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and co-produces the Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society summer music festival each summer in which she performs. Jutt has received numerous awards and is a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music.
In addition to fourth horn duties with the MSO, Bill Muir is also a member of the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and Artemis Horn Quartet. He earned his bachelor’s degree in music education from St. Olaf College and a master of music degree in horn performance from the UW-Madison.
Marie Spec Award
The Marie Spec Award honors the Symphony’s long-time first violinist, who also played in the first performance in 1926. The award consists of a fund that provides both the concertmaster and Madison Symphony Chorus accompanist with an annual bonus. MSO Concertmaster violinist Naha Greenholtz and Chorus Accompanist pianist Dan Lyons received this year’s award.
Naha Greenholtz (below) has now completed her second season as concertmaster with the MSO. A graduate of Juilliard and winner of the prestigious Concertmaster Academy Fellowship at Cleveland State University, she has held numerous concertmaster positions and has participated in music festivals as both a performer and music director.
A Chicago native, Dan Lyons (below) holds performance degrees from DePaul University and a doctoral performance degree from University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he studied with Howard Karp. He has performed solo, concerto and chamber recitals throughout the Midwest. In addition to serving as the accompanist and chorus manager for Madison Symphony Chorus, he maintains a private teaching studio and continues to accompany throughout the Madison area.
Ann Stanke Award
The Ann Stanke Award is presented in honor of the former Madison Symphony Chorus accompanist and manager for her years of excellent service. This year’s award was presented to chorus member Bennette Harris.
Bennette Harris (below) has been singing with the Madison Symphony Chorus for five years, along with his wife, Susan, and daughter, Emily. Bennette retired from UW-Whitewater in 2011 after 29 years on the faculty in the mathematical and computer sciences department. He is currently working as a UNIX engineer with EPIC in Verona.
The MSO will mark its 88th concert season in 2013-2014 by celebrating the 20th anniversary of John DeMain (below) as music director. The Madison Symphony Orchestra engages a wide range of audiences in classical music through a full season of concerts with established and emerging soloists of international renown, an organ concert series, and diverse educational and community outreach activities.
Find more information at www.madisonsymphony.org
Tags: Chazen Museum of Art, Cleveland State University, DePaul University, George Frideric Handel, John DeMain, Madison, Madison Opera, Madison Symphony Orchestra, New England Conservatory, Orchestra, St. Olaf College, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra
Classical music Q&A: Edgewood College conductor Albert Pinssonneault discusses The Madison Choral Project, a new professional vocal group, makes its debut this Saturday night with a program celebrating Spring.
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By Jacob Stockinger
The Madison Choral Project (below) – a new vocal group on the Isthmus -– will give its inaugural concert this Saturday night, May 18, at 7 p.m. in the Luther Memorial Church, 1021 University Avenue, in Madison.
The debut concert, entitled “Celestial Spring,” will celebrate the season- with sets on the return of color, nature and love. For details about specific works and composers, see below.
Tickets are free. Those who are able are encouraged to leave a suggested donation of $15 each.
For more information including how to audition for the vocal group, contact The Madison Choral Project, 901 High Street, Madison, Wisconsin, 53715 or visit www.themcp.org, Albert Pinssonneault, the founder and director of the choir, who teaches choral conducting at Edgewood College in Madison, recently gave an email Q&A to The Ear:
Can you briefly describe how and why the Madison Choral Project came about?
Many pieces came together to make the Madison Choral Project happen, like spokes on a wheel.
First were the incredible voices in Madison, interested in ensemble singing.
Additionally, there was the huge support for choral music in town, dating from the era of Robert Fountain (below, in 1979) at the UW-Madison to today with many extremely fine choruses and UW ensembles performing.
I had a passion to bring together a core of the finest singers for a single “project,” and with a lot of help I was able to raise and secure funding, find venues, audition singers, and a new entity was born: The Madison Choral Project.
Why is another choral group needed or wanted in Madison? Briefly, how do you expect it to be different from other local groups?
The Madison Choral Project is unique in Madison, in that it is a fully professional chamber choir of 16 voices. We hope to offer a highly refined and expressive chamber choral sound, singing both new unique repertoire, and treasured favorites.
As this very talented group comes together to present one project at a time, we feel we can tailor our concerts to the needs and tastes of our musical community. We are so excited to contribute our small part to the outstanding musical landscape of Dane County.
Can you briefly introduce us to your career in choral singing and directing, to your professional and personal commitment to it?
I’ve always loved making music with others, and I love people, and I love text, and expression. I grew up in Minnesota and wanted to move away to a conservatory for college, yet some inexplicable gut feeling drew me to attend St. Olaf College (in Northfield, Minnesota), where I found a choral music experience that was the nexus of all the things I loved.
In the years following St. Olaf I lived in St. Paul and completed a Master’s degree in choral conducting at the University of Minnesota, where under the excellent tutelage of Kathy Saltzman Romey I had the opportunity to work closely with the German conductor Helmuth Rilling (below top) and the American vocal conductor Dale Warland (below bottom).
Applying broadly to doctoral programs, I was extremely fortunate to receive a kind offer from the College Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati, where I was able to work with several wonderful professional conductors, including Earl Rivers, Richard Westenburg, Richard Sparks and Donald Nally. I completed my doctorate in choral conducting and music theory from CCM in 2009, and got a dream job: Full-time employment at a wonderful liberal arts college in Madison — Edgewood College (below, he is conducting the Chamber Singers at Edgewood College).
Can you comment on the upcoming premiere program and specific works on it?
The idea behind “A Celestial Spring” came not only from the title work by F. Melius Christiansen (below), but also from the season of spring and its promise of rebirth and newness, fitting for the inaugural concert of a new ensemble.
Our first set of German Romantic composers seeks to capture the comforting return of lush green in nature, echoed in wondrous rich harmonies.
The very first work, “Abendlied” (Evening Song) by Joseph Rheinberger (below bottom) invites the audience to “Bide with us,” an entreaty both to for the duration of the concert and for our life as a new ensemble.
The second set, “The Celestial Season,” focuses on the season of spring itself, beginning with rays of sunshine (“I Am the Great Sun” by Jussi Chydenius) and ending in sunset (“The Sun Has Gone Down” by Leland Sateren). In between are two movements of F. Melius Christiansen’s “Celestial Spring” (at bottom in a YouTube video), a work composed completely without text. Christiansen (below) sought to capture the sounds of the season with an orchestra of voices, and later gave the finished score to his colleague Oscar Overby to “fill in” with text.
The third set of music, “The Call of Summer,” explores transitions into a wondrous hereafter, in settings by the great English composers Charles Hubert Parry (below top) and Ralph Vaughan Williams (below bottom). This set addresses the end of spring, and alludes as well to the idea of death as a gateway into an everlasting summer.
Our fourth set traces the evolution of romantic love through texts depicting five tableau scenes. In “O Mistress Mine” by Matthew Harris (below top), the protagonist is struck with attraction from a distance. “The Devon Maid” by Dominick Argento (below bottom) represents first contact and flirtation, in this case by an aggressive suitor. “Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day” by Nils Lindberg represents the honeymoon of intense passion, while “It Was a Lover and His Lass” (Parry) recounts many merry days of coupled frolicking. “Rest” (Vaughan Williams) is a tender goodbye, to that loved one now deceased.
Is there more you would like to add or say?
Thank you so much, Jake, for the opportunity to share our efforts on The Well-Tempered Ear!
Tags: albert pinssonneault, Celestial Season, Choir, Dale Warland, Dominick Argento, Donald Nally, Edgewood College, F. Melius Christiansen, Helmut Rilling, Hubert Parry, Jacob Stockinger, Josef Rheinberger, Lutheran, Madison, Madison Choral Project, Matthew Harris, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Richard Westenburg, St. Olaf College, University of Wisconsin–Madison
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