Category: Ensemble Singers

Seeds of song for the next generation

2/27/2017

We are thrilled to share with you that our volunteer Ensemble Singers have presented eleven wonderful interactive educational performances, led by Deah McReynolds, for over 665 2nd-5th graders in six Hillsborough and Pinellas County Elementary schools this season. Nothing compares to seeing the amazed face of a very young person when they realize that they can sing and add beauty to our world no matter what they choose to do in life and no matter where they go.

"...there was a perfect balance of performance, entertainment, engagement, and education – a difficult balance to pull off!" - David Tagliarini, Pinellas County Performing Arts Staff Developer

Our Youth Initiative is a music education program serving elementary students primarily in Title 1 schools in our community. The program offers a unique, hands-on approach to music education and choral performance free to the students.

"Having five young kids of my own, I know the importance of musical interaction in a child's life. Music brightens their eyes and sparks an inner excitement in their minds. It's magical. I see the value in this program and I am honored to help make it a reality for our community's youth." - Donald E. Phillips, Managing Director, Phillips Development and Realty.

We are thrilled to receive a major gift from Phillips Development and Realty to support our Youth Initiative. We are very excited because this important sponsorship provides funding for our upcoming “Going to the Show” day-time concert. This concert is designed just for students and will feature The Master Chorale Ensemble Singers led by Deah McReynolds and world-renowned conductor Doreen Rao. The concert will be presented in the morning on Wednesday, March 1st at the Palladium Theatre in St. Petersburg and elementary students from all over Pinellas County are invited to attend for free. The performance will include “guided tours” of each piece, and students will even have the chance to sing along with the artists. A similar performance is in the planning stages for Hillsborough County students later this fall.

This special 1-hour concert experience will feature performances by the Master Chorale Ensemble Singers and Lumina Youth Choirs led by Deah McReynolds and special guest Doreen Rao.

This concert is graciously sponsored by Phillips Development and Realty, Inc., with support from Casper's Company, Publix Super Markets, the City of St. Petersburg, the City of Tampa, the Arts Council of Hillsborough County and the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners, and sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

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From the Risers: Friendly, Flexible, Fast (and Fun!): Part Deux (or is it Zwei?)

9/15/2016

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by Brian Hathaway

I wrote in a blog a couple of years ago about our motto, “Friendly, Flexible, Fast, and Fun.” In my humble opinion, this motto is an excellent characterization of what makes the Master Chorale a unique and valued contributor to the Tampa Bay music scene. This year we will be challenged to put that motto to work! Allow me to explain.

At the end of the 2015-2016 season our Music and Artistic Director, Dr. James K. Bass, announced that he accepted a position as Director of Choral Studies at UCLA. Speaking personally, I had the honor of working with Dr. Bass for his entire tenure with The Master Chorale. I learned volumes from him, and I will miss his steady hand guiding us as we prepare each concert program. It has been an enriching experience for all of us in the Chorale.

Our hard working Master Chorale staff and board lined up a series of guest conductors to take us through our preparations at our rehearsal and administrative home at the USF School of Music. Up first is the opening concert of the Florida Orchestra 2016-2017 season on September 30th, October 1st and 2nd featuring Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and Poulenc’s Gloria conducted by Michael Francis. Here is where the “fast” part of our motto comes in…we have only seven weeks to prepare this program. Although we have many veteran singers who have performed the Beethoven, there only a few singers who have performed the Poulenc Gloria.

Fortunately, we have two seasoned Directors to lead us in our preparation. First Dr. Bass returned to us for three rehearsals. It was like “old home week” having him at the podium. Brett Karlin, who was our Assistant Conductor for three years is now the Artistic Director of the Master Chorale of South Florida, and he offered to lead us in the other rehearsals. Brett helped Dr. Bass prepare us for a concert in Miami with the Cleveland Orchestra and the Master Chorale of South Florida featuring Beethoven’s 9th Symphony in March of 2013. Talk about a slam-dunk.

Now for the “flexible” part. Getting used to a conductors’ style and teaching methods is something every choir singer is familiar with. Now try doing that with eight different conductors in one season.

Dr. Joseph Holt will be leading the Chorale in preparation for our three “Making Spirits Bright” holiday concerts on December 2, 3, and 4, 2016. Our performance on December 2 at the First Presbyterian Church in St. Petersburg will be recorded and then broadcast on WSMR later in December, the performance on December 3 will be hosted by the historic Tampa Theatre, and the performance on December 4 will be at a new venue for the Chorale in Clearwater, the Northbay Community Church on McMullin Booth Road. The concert will also feature our Ensemble Singers conducted by Deah McReynolds and the premiere of a new and unpublished Christmas Carol from our National Christmas Carol Composition Contest conducted by our Assistant Conductor, Kevin Trapasso.

Back in 2010, Dr. Holt was Interim Director of The Master Chorale, preparing us for Mendelssohn’s Elijah with The Florida Orchestra and directing us in a “Salute to Broadway” concert series in 2010. Both concert series were resounding successes. Dr. Holt is also Music Director of Gloria Musicae in Sarasota. Formerly the principal accompanist for the U.S. Army Chorus, he has performed for presidents and dignitaries from all over the world.

While the full Chorale is preparing for Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, Poulenc's Gloria, and "Making Spirits Bright," the Master Chorale Ensemble Singers, led by Deah McReynolds (Artistic Director of Lumina Youth Choirs) will also be busy outside of the Chorale's usual schedule rehearsing and planning for the Chorale's new in-school Education/Outreach program in Hillsborough Pinellas Counties set to reach over 1,000 students. The Ensemble Singers will also perform on the Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses concert with The Florida Orchestra on December 16, 2016.

For Durufle’s Requiem, Dr. Holt will be helping us with early preparation for the concert series scheduled for February 17, 18, and 19, 2017 with The Florida Orchestra conducted by Michael Francis. He will be joined in this effort by Dr. Timothy Peter. Dr. Peter is Director of Choral Activities at Stetson University. He is a native of Minnesota, received his undergraduate degree from Luther College and completed his doctorate of musical arts degree at the University of Arizona. Before coming to Stetson University, he was professor of music at Luther College and served as the head of the music department. He has prepared choirs and orchestras for performances at Carnegie Hall in Manhattan, Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis, Orchestra Hall and Rockefeller Chapel in Chicago, the Georgia Dome in Atlanta and many other locations. He has conducted in Germany, Namibia, Oman, South Africa and South Korea.

Following the Durufle concert series in February, we will move quickly into preparing for Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection Symphony" only one month later on March 17, 18, and 19, 2017 (remember “fast”?). To me the "Resurrection Symphony" is like Beethoven’s 9th on steroids. The Master Chorale last sang this on the spring of 2009. The emotional impact of the lyrics coupled with the music is unforgettable and I remember struggling with parts that just brought me to tears as I sang it.

For this concert series, Dr. Doreen Rao will be preparing us. She brings a wealth of experience preparing symphonic choirs for the Chicago Symphony, the St. Louis Symphony, and the Buffalo Philharmonic. She was recently the Music Director of the Chicago Chamber Choir and currently directs the Buffalo Master Chorale. Dr. Rao worked with The Master Chorale during our 2016 Summer Sing. Recognized as one of the world's leading experts on young choirs, Doreen Rao founded the American Choral Directors Association's National Committee on Children's Choirs and inspired the children's choir movement in America.

On April 23, 2017, we will “take it on the road” for a performance of Verdi’s Requiem with Gloria Musicae and the Sarasota Orchestra in the Sarasota Opera House. Dr. Joseph Holt will lead us through preparation and conduct the performance. The Verdi Requiem is just a blast to sing! The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay last performed this work with The Florida Orchestra in the spring of 2009. There is nothing like a road trip to add a sense of “fun” to our musical offering.

TiCKETS & INFO

The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay with The Florida Orchestra

Michael Francis, Music Director of The Florida Orchestra

Principal Chorus

Brett Karlin, guest conductor

James K. Bass, guest conductor

Joseph Holt, guest conductor

Tim Peter, guest conductor

Doreen Rao, guest conductor

Deah McReynolds, Master Chorale Ensemble Singers conductor

TICKETS & INFO

Yes, our flexibility will be tested as we transition between directors, but the real opportunity is to be prepared by extremely talented and experienced musicians who will maintain the high standards that Dr. Bass led us to achieve.

One of the joys that I have experienced with the Master Chorale is how “friendly” and welcoming we are to all those who come through our doors. I have heard numerous comments from guest artists, clinicians and directors that we have a warm, welcoming and friendly demeanor that makes the work they need to accomplish with us so much more “fun” to do.

That is the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay….Friendly, Flexible, Fast and Fun! We will live our motto to the fullest during the 2016-2017 season.

Principal Chorus

Artist-in-Residence at the School of Music

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From the Risers: An Historical Conjunction

12/1/2015

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by Brian Hathaway

Those who follow astronomy understand that a conjunction occurs when several heavenly bodies appear to occupy the same space in the sky. When a conjunction appears, it creates a memorable display in the sky that people stop and ponder.

This year, as The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay prepares its Holiday Concert, there will be an historical conjunction of a different nature. The Tampa Theatre, a Tampa icon since 1926 and rated by CNN as one of the 15 most historic theatres in the world, will play host to The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay, a significant artistic presence since 1979 with a long and storied history of advancing the art of choral music in the Tampa Bay area.

The upcoming Holiday Concert on Monday, December 14th at The Tampa Theatre will feature a variety of musical offerings that will rekindle the spirit of Christmas in the hearts of our audience.

One work that resonates in my own memory of Christmas is “Once in Royal David’s City”, arranged by Sir David Willcocks. For many years, I would spend the day on Christmas Eve wrapping presents. At 10:00 AM, I would tune in to National Public Radio to hear the service of Nine Lessons and Carols, broadcast live from the chapel at Kings College in Cambridge England. The opening hymn every year is this song, with the first verse sung by a boy treble, the second verse sung by the choir and the third verse sung by all attending. Sir David Willcocks did much to popularize this festival when he was Director of the Choir at King’s College from 1957 to 1974.

Sir David Willcocks also had a personal connection with The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay. In 1992, Sir David conducted The Master Chorale and the London Bach Choir in a joint performance at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg. In 1996, The Master Chorale again performed with the London Bach Choir under Sir David’s baton at the King’s College Chapel in Cambridge England.

Another work that we will be performing is “O Magnum Mysterium” by Morten Lauridsen. Written in 1994 as part of a collaboration between Mr. Lauridsen and the Los Angeles Master Chorale under the baton of Paul Salamunovich, this acapella work is one of my favorites, in part due to the sublime beauty of the music, but also because of the powerful message in the Latin text, translated in part: “O great mystery and wonderful sacrament, that animals should see the new-born Lord lying in a manger!” Commenting on the work at its premiere, Mr. Salamunovich commented that the timeless beauty of this work rivals that of Tomas Luis de Victoria, whose setting has been popular for several centuries. In the 21 years since its premiere, Lauridsen’s setting has become one of the world most popular choral works.

The concert will conclude with a setting of “Deep Peace” by Greg Knauf. This benediction is taken from Gaelic runes going back to antiquity and offers a blessing to take with us as we leave. Our Director, Dr. James K. Bass has included this work in every Holiday Concert that he has directed. The concluding verse includes the text “May the Lord of peace give you peace forever. Deep peace to you.”

There is so much more that I could write about regarding the music in this upcoming concert, but my mere words can do little to magnify the beauty of the music that will be presented. The best advice I can offer is to purchase tickets, attend the Holiday Concert and drink in the wonderful music that will be presented in this historic venue.

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Tampa Theatre

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A Gift to Tampa Theatre and the Community

11/20/2015

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The Master Chorale is pleased to donate this performance to the Tampa Theatre as a gift to the Theatre and Community. Ticket purchases will go to cover the Theatre's production costs.

Join The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay and the Master Chorale Ensemble Singers, directed by Dr. James K. Bass, for a festive evening of holiday choral music at the beautiful and historic Tampa Theatre in downtown Tampa.

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From the Risers: Making My Spirit Soar

4/27/2015

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by Brian Hathaway

Normally, my “From the Risers” blog entries have been about my experience as a singer in The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay. Often, while standing on those risers, my thoughts go to wondering what we sound like. Countering the joy of singing with The Master Chorale is my wish to hear our ensemble as a member of the audience. It is a wish I must hold in abeyance as I rely on the feedback of others in the audience regarding our sound.

This year, The Master Chorale has created a new ensemble, The Master Chorale Ensemble Singers. Made up of 44 singers who are members of The Master Chorale, the Ensemble Singers are a concept whose time has come. The intent is to offer up a smaller ensemble to further present The Master Chorale brand with a goal of supporting our mission “….sharing the joy and power of choral music with new and existing audiences and singers”. The Ensemble Singers are particularly well suited to this part of our mission. A smaller ensemble expands the number of venues that The Master Chorale sound can fill while demonstrating choral works that are more suited to a smaller ensemble compared to a full symphonic chorus. There are also opportunities to expand the Chorale’s outreach to the community. When new audiences hear the special beauty that choral singing offers, they may be attracted to other performances, such as the ones we perform with The Florida Orchestra or our Master Chorale self-produced concerts.

Master Chorale Ensemble Singers at the First Presbyterian Church, St. Petersburg - Friday, April 24, 2015

Master Chorale Ensemble Singers at the Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church, Tampa - Sunday, April 26, 2015

This past weekend, I attended one of the Ensemble Singers’ inaugural concerts. Titled “Let Your Spirit Soar," the concert offered a wide range of choral selections ranging from Thomas Tallis and William Byrd in the Elizabethan age to modern choral composers such as Eric Whitacre and Jake Runestad. The common thread through it all was a sense of beauty defined by excellence in execution. For once I had the opportunity to sit in the audience and drink in this incredible music performed by my Master Chorale colleagues and friends under the baton of Dr. James K. Bass, accompanied by Robert Winslow on the piano and organ. To say I was uplifted would be an understatement! I heard many personal favorites such as Tallis’ “If Ye Love Me” and “Lux Arumque” by Eric Whitacre. I also heard works that were new to me. One of them just took my breath away, an arrangement of “Bright Morning Stars” by Shawn Kirchner that I will count as one of my favorite works from this point onward. To me the afternoon defined the expression of “time well spent," and it seemed like the hour just flew by. To top it all off, the Ensemble Singers offered an encore, singing “Sure On This Shining Night” by the dean of American choral composers, Morten Lauridsen.

If you would like to hear The Master Chorale Ensemble Singers, I invite you to attend one of The Florida Orchestra concert presentations of “The Planets” on May 1-3. The women of The Master Chorale will be performing with the orchestra as part of the Neptune segment. A special treat will be the opportunity to hear the Ensemble Singers in a pre-concert one hour before the Orchestra concert. Come one hour early and you will be able to “Let Your Spirit Soar." Trust me, you will find it to be “time well spent”!

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Seeds of song for the next generation

From the Risers: Friendly, Flexible, Fast (and Fun!): Part Deux (or is it Zwei?)

From the Risers: An Historical Conjunction

A Gift to Tampa Theatre and the Community

From the Risers: Making My Spirit Soar

The Master Chorale Beat

Categories

Archives

Seeds of song for the next generation

From the Risers: Friendly, Flexible, Fast (and Fun!): Part Deux (or is it Zwei?)

From the Risers: An Historical Conjunction

A Gift to Tampa Theatre and the Community

From the Risers: Making My Spirit Soar﻿

﻿﻿The Master Chorale Beat

Categories

Archives

From the Risers: Making My Spirit Soar

The Master Chorale Beat