Category: From The Risers

Rediscovering a Mountain Top

4/15/2016

by Betsy Clement

The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay Holiday Concert, Dr. James K. Bass, conductor - Tampa Theatre, December, 2015

I was wondering if it would be possible for the sum of any evening to equal the amazing meal we had just finished at a local Tampa restaurant, but if anything could, it would be The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay in its holiday offering on December 14, 2015. As we took the two remaining seats in the Tampa Theatre's center section, I had no idea that dinner would be only the first course in a magical journey spun by an old friend, which just happened to be the area's premiere choral organization.

Perusing the program, I noticed that several of the pieces were settings I had performed before. I had been a member of The Master Chorale more than a decade earlier and recalled my participation in many of the group's holiday concerts. These were numbers that were among my favorites, and I was delighted that they would be heard again this evening.

Although I never admitted it, I think I missed being a part of the Chorale, but that may have been partial motivation for purchasing the tickets in the first place. A “practical” career had upstaged my commitment to making beautiful music, but, I reasoned, so much the better that I was here as an audience member. I could fully appreciate the group's ability to skillfully render these pieces, and listen to them without the distractions of performing. As it turned out, I was unprepared for the emotional impact this perspective would bring.

Dr. Bass took the podium. The lights dimmed, the baton raised. A single solo soprano voice began to float the first verse of “Once in Royal David's City,” as if she were the angel herself announcing the birth of the Holy One. The choir joined her for the second verse, cherubim complementing seraphim. I closed my eyes at the beauty of the sound and let it wash over me. It was clear this would be no ordinary performance as the music immersed its listeners in a vision of heaven opening to let light into our dim, ordinary little world.

Each cherished song the group sang was a precious gift unwrapped for this special season. Each left a bittersweet ache as it invoked memories of Christmases past with family and loved ones. I had goosebumps, and that would have been enough for me, until their performance of the piece that holds a special place in my heart – the one where words fail to explain what it does to your soul when you hear it.

I held my breath. As the opening chords were sung, the theatre faded away and in its place I was in England at Kings College Chapel, the soft lights illuminating immense buttresses, jewel-toned stained glass and sixty-foot fan-vaulted ceilings. Rows of ancient pews marched away into the vast expanse of the cathedral nave. It was the perfect setting and these were the perfect voices for Morten Lauridsen's O Magnum Mysterium.

I was in the Master Chorale in 1996 when the group sang the European premiere of this piece. Since then, we have all talked about how it was one of those mountain top experiences that was so powerful it has stayed with us ever since. Even twenty years later, that extraordinary moment is still one of the benchmarks against which I measure so many other things I have done. It could only have been described as magic – a tour de force that left no dry eyes in the Cambridge chapel that night, including those of the singers, and sent the members of the London Bach Choir, who were with us for a joint performance of the Berlioz Requiem, scrambling to see where they could get their own copies of the Lauridsen's spectacularly beautiful music.

The immediate performance was a compelling invocation of that other time and place so long ago and so far away, but how delicious it was to live it again in this new iteration. The music swelled with the sweetest of discords, resolved and then built again, soaring pure highs and soft, murmuring lows. I could feel tears filling my eyes, reprising the exquisite joy that only such consummate beauty can rip from the heart. It would not be enough to say I was moved. Those musical wings were transporting me to heaven again, if only for a tiny fraction of time.

I reached for my husband's hand. He gave me a kleenex. He was there, too.

We were sorry to see the concert end – while satisfied, still wanting more. For me, it was a little like finishing the best book I had ever read, then wondering if the next one could possibly measure up. I might be able to find it, but where?

As we filed out of the theatre, there was a table near the entrance where Kara Dwyer was selling Master Chorale recordings. We stopped to peruse the merchandise and chat. Some of the singers were standing nearby, a few of whom we knew from our time with the Chorale many years ago. It was pleasant to reconnect with those friends as Kara learned we were former members.

“We're doing the Brahms Requiem in March,” Kara told me. “Why don't you come sing with us?” The invitation was unexpected and caught my interest. She didn't know I had sung the Brahms in past performances with the Chorale.

As fortune would have it, I had recently retired from my office career, so there were no work commitments that would get in the way of a commute from my home in Dunedin to rehearsals at USF, or the extra time off for performance weeks that I could never get. On my bucket list was a vow to sing more, or more accurately, resume singing. Kara handed me information about auditions. I told her I would think about it.

As I left the theatre, I had that sense of peace that comes from knowing I had been in the right place at the right time. I think I found my book, and am writing its first chapter.

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From the Risers: At last…at last!

2/2/2016

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by Brian Hathaway

Let me begin my latest post with a story. Every year since I joined The Master Chorale in 2007, there is a singer survey at the end of the concert season where we answer a series of demographic questions and offer our opinion about the season just past. One of my favorite questions is: “What orchestral and choral work would you like to perform with The Master Chorale?” For the past five years I have given the same answer: “The Brahms German Requiem”. At last that wish is coming true, for we will be offering Brahms' "A German Requiem" in concert with The Florida Orchestra on the weekend of March 11-13, 2016.

Although I had many of Brahms works in my listening collection, they focused more on his orchestral works. Fortunately, many years ago I had a church choir director who challenged us musically and he introduced me to “How Lovely is Thy Dwelling Place.” Being fairly new to choral singing, I found the piece a bit of a challenge, but I loved the sound of it, and shortly thereafter added the German Requiem to my listening library.

Brahms, a Protestant from northern Germany, chose a text different from the Requiem Masses that adhere to traditional Roman Catholic liturgical texts. Instead, he chose biblical texts from the Beatitudes in the opening section and selected other texts from both the Old and New Testaments to offer a message of comfort for the living. When we look at a contemporary requiem written primarily as a performance piece, Verdi’s Requiem, the contrast becomes apparent when a word frequency analysis is done. In Verdi’s work, the top five words are: deliver, grant, eternal, holy, and death. In Brahms’ requiem, the top five words are: joy, console, behold, soul, and thee. A further analysis of the top 50 words brings out the message of comfort that Brahms wished to convey.

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As we move through our musical journey to prepare for the performance of this work, there are some interesting elements that can promise an exceptionally memorable musical event.

The first is the Florida Orchestra and its new Music Director, Michael Francis. His love of choral music became apparent last year when we performed the Faure Requiem with the Orchestra. Maestro Francis chose a more intimate orchestral score that made the choral portion of the score more apparent. He also took additional steps to improve the acoustics at Mahaffey Theater to enhance the sound of the chorus more in that venue. This fall, he chose The Bells by Rachmaninoff, a very difficult and infrequently performed choral work which we sang in Russian. His enthusiasm for the Chorale was apparent through the rehearsals and performances, solidifying our artistic collaboration that began with the Faure Requiem.

Second, The Master Chorale has a long and storied history with the Brahms Requiem. From 1986 to 1997, the Master Chorale performed the Brahms Requiem five times. One of those performances in 1996 was with choral giant Robert Shaw at the podium. Now, almost 20 years later, The Master Chorale will again present this wonderful work.

Third, our Music Director, Dr. Bass, wrote his Doctoral Thesis on Johannes Brahms, so we have at our podium every week one whose encyclopedic understanding of Brahms can only help us put our music into context with the message Brahms intended to deliver.

Finally, in 2012, Dr. Bass was Chorus Master for a recording of the Brahms Requiem by Seraphic Fire and the Professional Choral Institute leading to a GRAMMY nomination for this recording. In listening to that recording, I can see how Dr. Bass is applying the approach that made that recording fresh, innovative and memorable to our preparatory work.

With all these elements of success, it is up to us on the risers to apply our best efforts to make these performances memorable. I for one, am extremely excited to be a part of these performances, for at last, my wish is coming true!

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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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From the Risers: Carpe Diem!

10/2/2015

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by Brian Hathaway

Yes, Carpe Diem, which means seize the day! Quite a few years ago, Robin Williams played teacher John Keating in a movie called the Dead Poets Society, where he challenged his students to seize the day, that is, to channel their passion to an endeavor that is memorable and life changing.

As I think of our young people today, they still have that chance to find their passion and fulfill it in a positive, meaningful and memorable fashion. Our teachers have the opportunity to bring those passions into focus as they help young men and women develop physically, intellectually and emotionally. For our teaching professionals, this presents both an opportunity and a challenge in our media-saturated environment.

This is where the 2015 USF Festival of Voices comes in. On September 25-26, over 300 students from 26 high schools gathered with their music teachers at the USF School of Music for two days of music study, rehearsal, master classes, and concert preparation. Sharing the event with them were 93 singers from the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay and 54 singers from the USF Chamber Singers and the USF Collegiate Singers.

Arriving on Friday morning, the students received the music for their assigned ensembles; The Festival Women’s Chorus, directed by Dr. Beth Gibbs of Florida Southern College, and the Festival Mixed Chorus, directed by Dr. James K. Bass of the USF School of Music and The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay. In only 31 hours they would be presenting this music in the Festival of Voices Finale Concert in the USF School of Music Concert Hall.

This was the first time the event was held completely within the confines of the USF School of Music. While there were logistical challenges in getting everything to run as scheduled, keeping the Festival at the School of Music avoided losing precious preparation time trying to relocate everyone to a different concert venue, as had been done in the past.

There is also the benefit of fully utilizing the state of the art facilities at the School of Music, with acoustically tuned rehearsal, recital and concert halls and a Steinway piano in every room. These factors combined to offer huge benefits for the students. After all, the students are what this is all about. Ordinarily, high school students only get an opportunity to participate in an event like this if selected for All-County or All-State Honor Choruses. Festival of Voices reaches out to a wider population of students to experience preparing and performing artistically challenging music side by side with experienced singers from USF and The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay. This kind of partnership adds another important dimension to the Festival experience.

It is this kind of environment that yielded one memorable moment from our rehearsals. Dr. Jim Heck stood up and told the students that, at 85 years young, he had been singing all his life, and that he would continue to sing until his vocal cords no longer allowed him to do it. Speaking of their mutual love of singing, Jim remarked that “You will never lose this”. What a joyous statement of affirmation for his passion and love of music!

From my perspective as a Master Chorale singer, I look forward to this event every year. The chance to work with young people energizes me, and their sense of musicality always leaves a lasting impression on me. One of the changes to the Festival this year was involvement of the USF and Master Chorale singers at more rehearsals, giving us an opportunity to integrate ourselves more completely into the ensembles. By “sharing the journey”, so to speak, the ensembles benefit which only serves to bring the music to a higher artistic level.

I have been participating in the FOV ever since I joined the Master Chorale in 2007, and this is the best Festival I have been a part of. In an event of this magnitude, the contributions of the staff and volunteers who put this together cannot be overstated. When I stood on the risers with all those talented and dedicated young people, making memorable music to an appreciative audience, I was thankful to be able to contribute in some small way of making our world a little better. As Dr. Bass said to the audience on Saturday, “Think of how much better our world would be if there were more people in it like these”.

I absolutely agree…..Carpe Diem!!

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From The Risers: Slyshish (Listen)!

9/21/2015

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By Brian Hathaway

During my first blog post of the 2014-2015 season I used the metaphor of reconnecting with an old flame when rehearsing Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana. Because I had sung the work several times before, it was familiar territory and I felt comfortable reconnecting with Carmina.

We recently began rehearsals for the 2015-2016 season and the experience was a departure from last year. As Monty Python would say, “And now for something completely different!” Last year, a large percentage of the Chorale membership like me, had sung Carmina Burana before, making the learning curve a little less challenging.

This year, we began the season rehearsing Sergei Rachmaninoff’s The Bells, a choral symphony. When Dr. Bass asked how many singers had performed the work before, only one hand out of 160 went up. This was new territory for just about all of us. The concert series on November 6th through 8th will be the premiere of this piece by both The Master Chorale and The Florida Orchestra.

The choral symphony is scored for tenor, soprano and baritone soloists in addition to the orchestra and chorus. It is comprised of four movements; “The Silver Sleigh Bells,” “The Mellow Wedding Bells,” “The Loud Alarm Bells” and “The Mournful Iron Bells.” Rachmaninoff remarked that like many Russians the tolling of bells had a special meaning to him: “All my life I have taken pleasure in the differing moods and music of gladly chiming and mournfully tolling bells. This love for bells is inherent in every Russian.” Rachmaninoff also noted that The Bells was one of his favorite compositions.

I find it interesting that the text of The Bells is taken from a poem by Edgar Allen Poe. In 1913, when Rachmaninoff composed the work in Russian, he used a translation by Konstantin Balmont, who took some liberties with Poe’s text, essentially rewriting many parts of the poem’s four stanzas. The effect is that the lyrics take on a darker tone than Poe’s original, adding several references to death or oblivion where none existed earlier.

The music reflects a darker tone also. Rachmaninoff employed the theme of the “Dies Irae” throughout the work, and also borrowed from the adagio lementoso of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 ("Pathetique") in movement four.

I had not heard The Bells before, so I purchased a recording to accompany my score study. For us in the Chorale, the “heavy lifting” occurs in the third movement where the choir sings without any soloists and must blend with the orchestra at some of the loudest moments in the piece. In addition, the score is sung in Russian, so learning the proper pronunciation and articulation of the text is critical to getting the musical message across. I am confident that by the time concert week rolls around, I will have spent enough time with the score that it will become an old friend, even though we just met in August.

Our premiere performance of The Bells with The Florida Orchestra is paired with another great Russian composition, Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition as orchestrated by Ravel, so it will be a great concert to attend and “slyshish”!

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PERFORMANCES:

Fri, Nov 6, 2015 at 8:00 PM
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Sat, Nov 7, 2015 at 8:00 PM
St. Petersburg - Mahaffey Theater

Sun, Nov 8, 2015 at 7:30 PM
Clearwater - Ruth Eckerd Hall

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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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From the Risers: Friendly, Flexible, Fast (and Fun!)

3/3/2015

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By Brian Hathaway

The Master Chorale is well known in the Tampa Bay Area for making beautiful choral music with the Florida Orchestra. Whether it be well-known choral “war horses” like Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony or Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” or less familiar works like Schoenberg’s “Friede auf Erden” or Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “Dona Nobis Pacem,” we reach out to a large audience to provide memorable musical experiences that hopefully leave them wanting to hear more.

There is another side of The Master Chorale that is somewhat less well known. Outreach events are part of The Master Chorale’s mission too. These are events where we reach out to the community to provide music for special events. Usually, the size of the ensemble is smaller as well as the size of the audience. These events are tailored to meet a certain need, such as Christmas music at seasonal events or parties. Outreach is a very important component of our mission because it allows us to connect on a more personal level with a more flexible program.

I was allowed an opportunity to participate in such an outreach event three weeks ago. This one was a little different, though. The Master Chorale provided 28 singers to perform at a management conference for a major corporation at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Naples. What is amazing to me is how quickly the event came together. This story says it all when it comes to our motto: “Friendly, flexible, fast, and fun.

The Master Chorale was contacted by Jim Papoulis about the time we were preparing to perform Faure’s Requiem with the Florida Orchestra with an unusual request….could we put together a choir of about 30 singers to perform the finale of Beethoven’s Ninth with an orchestra on Wednesday, February 11th in Naples? Of course, about the last thing we need during concert week is a short notice request to assemble singers for an extra performance….a travel performance to boot!

However, Jim Papoulis is a major force in the contemporary music world. Some of the projects he has completed include writing a composition for President Obama’s inauguration in 2009, an orchestral ballet work for the Alvin Ailey Dance Troupe, and acting as composer and Music Director for a PBS special about Martin Luther King, Jr. He has worked with music notables such as Shania Twain, Maroon V and Aretha Franklin, as well as the London Philharmonic and the Moscow Philharmonic. Now he wanted to work with us! It was too good an opportunity to pass up, but the timing was very short; get singers to volunteer during concert week, rehearse with Sofia Papoulis on Tuesday evening, then travel and perform in Naples with Jim Papoulis and the orchestra on Wednesday. Whew…this was going to happen FAST!

We met Sophia Papoulis at USF for rehearsal on Tuesday evening. Raymund Ocampo (one of two Master Chorale Assistant Conductors) and Robert Winslow (Master Chorale Principal Accompanist) were there to prepare us before she arrived. Fortunately, many of us had sung Beethoven’s Ninth before, so this wasn't entirely new territory, but there were some unusual edits to the music that we needed to adapt to and it had to be a seamless performance with the orchestra and a sound track. After rehearsing for about an hour, Sophia arrived and we continued our rehearsal under her direction. It was critical that we get the musical balance right and we went through several arrangements of the singers to arrive at the best vocal balance. We made Sophia feel welcome as we gave our best effort to the task at hand. She remarked how welcome she felt and how FRIENDLY we all were. She also commented on our professionalism, noting that every time she looked at us, we were looking back at her. It must be that all that advice from Dr. Bass, Raymund Ocampo, and Chris Hathaway (one of two Master Chorale Assistant Conductors) was paying dividends!

After rehearsing until 10 PM, we had to hustle to our homes and pack what we needed for the trip. Departure was at 7:15 AM sharp in order to meet our 10 AM rehearsal time in Naples. We arrived somewhat bleary eyed before 7 AM, coffee cups in hand and boarded the bus. What amazed me was that, in spite of the standard rush hour frustration that comes from trying to get to anywhere in Tampa, everyone was at the bus on time! This group was not only fast and friendly, but FLEXIBLE too! We were off to Naples.

After arriving at the Ritz-Carlton, Sophia greeted us and led us to the rooms where we would change into our concert clothing and then rehearse with the orchestra. After a few vocal warm-ups, we gathered with the orchestra and rehearsed the music. The challenge during rehearsal was that, even though the orchestra and choir were the size of chamber ensembles, we would perform with a sound track that would give the assembled audience the sound of a full symphony orchestra and symphonic choir. Singing with a sound track is always a challenge because it is totally unforgiving. You have to stay with the track’s tempo or you are a goner. After several run-throughs with the track, we made our way to the ballroom where the management conference was under way.

Oh, I forgot to mention something…our appearance was to be a surprise at the conclusion of the conference as the CEO made his final remarks! The only way to get there was through a labyrinth of passageways that took us through kitchens, storage areas and a back stage space where we had to stay hidden until we came out into the ballroom on cue. The CEO made his speech, first accompanied by a single violin, and then the curtain pulled back and the entire orchestra was revealed on a hidden stage, the sounds of Beethoven’s Ninth rising to the assembled throng. We then entered and sang “Freude, schoner Gotterfunken Tochter aus Elysium….” The audience was on their feet as we sang. Now during my professional career, I have been to many management conferences defined by the number and quality (or lack thereof) of PowerPoint presentations about a variety of arcane topics, but this was different! To end a management conference with Beethoven’s “All Menschen werden Bruder” theme…now that was something different! It was fun to be a part of it. With my Master Chorale brothers and sisters, we made our way back to our rehearsal rooms for a quick lunch and back on the bus to Tampa.

While we were eating our lunches, including what I consider to be the largest and heaviest chocolate chip cookie I had ever seen, Sophia came back to talk with us one final time. In her remarks, she thanked us for our hard work and flexibility, but most of all she enjoyed working with us because we were just FUN to be around. She remarked that she would just love to hang with us some more.

Maybe with the doors this outreach event opened for The Master Chorale, she may just get that opportunity. If she does, she will see more evidence that we are FRIENDLY, FLEXIBLE, FAST and FUN.

By the way, on that bus ride back to Tampa, I made like the “cookie monster” and ate that monster cookie. It was sooooo good!

Rehearsing with Sophia Papoulis at USF

Choir waiting in the wings

Orchestra waiting in the wings

Quick walk-through while the conference attendees are distracted

In place behind the curtains - waiting for our cue

LUNCH - with amazing chocolate chip cookies...

Sophia Papoulis, Choir Director, and Kara Dwyer, Director of Operations for The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay

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From the Risers: “An explosive expression of humanity”

12/1/2014

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By Brian Hathaway

CARMINA BURANA November 14, 2014 at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts Carol Morsani Hall - The Florida Orchestra, The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay, and the Tampa Bay Children's Chorus

As I was considering how to start my latest blog post, I came to the word humanity, because making music is part of what makes us human. Billy Joel stated “I think music itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity. It’s something we are all touched by.” Making music is something that defines our humanity and probably first occurred as humans sought to recreate sounds that they heard. John Koopman, in a 1999 article noted that “The voice is presumed to be the original musical instrument, and there is no human culture, no matter how remote or isolated, that does not sing.”

The Master Chorale recently completed singing in four concert presentations of Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” with the Florida Orchestra, USF Chamber Singers, and the Tampa Bay Children’s Chorus. With over 200 singers on the risers, we collaborated with the Florida Orchestra to present one of the most frequently performed choral works in the repertoire. While many of the works we perform are sacred in origin, Carmina Burana most certainly is not. Rather, it celebrates our humanity as we sing about love, desire, eating, drinking, and the arrival of springtime.

The concerts were a huge success and we received standing ovations and multiple curtain calls after each of the four concerts. Many Chorale members recounted their own stories regarding the experience of their friends or family members who attended. I was most interested in those who had never attended a live performance of Carmina Burana. One member of the Chorale encountered a young woman who was moved to tears upon seeing this performed for the first time. I had a friend who sings in my church choir come to the Friday performance who recounted to me that she was blown away by the performance.

In processing the concert experience, many Chorale members shared their impressions on social media. A common thread through the conversation was one of unbridled gratitude, thankful that we were a part of this effort. The realization that we were joining together with others to create art that was much more than the sum of its parts was both exhilarating and humbling at the same time. I heard or read this sentiment over and over again as I connected with my colleagues. This mass of humanity on stage created a truly memorable experience for those who came to see and hear us.

What amazes me is that we are at our best when we are most decidedly human, where we step out of our day to day existence to create something noble and uplifting. Out of that creation we are able to leave an indelible impression on people; one that I hope will encourage them to return to hear us again and bring a friend to share the experience.

That is why we are here. That is why we sing.

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From the risers: We’re Gonna Have a BABY!!!

11/3/2014

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by Brian Hathaway

OK, what do I mean by talking about a baby on the Master Chorale blog site? Well, first, I got your attention didn't I? That is the most important part of any written communication…get the attention of the reader! Second, the comment about having a baby directly relates to the topic I really want to talk about. Do I still have your attention? Then let us begin.

Every year, The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay hosts the annual Christmas Carol Composition Competition, where composers are invited to offer a new Christmas choral work. The work must be “an original unpublished composition with no prior public performances”. This fits perfectly with the Master Chorale’s mission: “The Master Chorale is committed to advancing the art of choral music by performing great works of the past, commissioning and performing new literature and sharing the joy and power of choral music with new and existing audiences and singers.” What it means for us as singers is that we get to perform at least one newly commissioned work every year, and get to participate in a world premiere performance. The Christmas Carol Composition Contest winner is premiered during the Holiday Pops concert series with the Florida Orchestra. This year, the Master Chorale will premiere “The Christmas Rose” composed by Ms. Dale Trumbore.

Being part of premiering a new composition is similar to what happens when a couple has a baby, where an entirely new creation comes into the world. A totally unique individual arrives following months of anticipation and brings unbounded joy and celebration. When we first receive a newly commissioned work, we are part of a gestation period that first began as the composition is created in the composer’s head, committed to paper and refined to ensure the right musical structure is conceived and built. Once the composition is finalized, the Master Chorale receives it and we begin the process of converting the music on the pages into a memorable combination of melody and harmony, phrasing, articulation and dynamics for our audiences to hear and enjoy.

The next part of the gestation process occurs as we rehearse the piece and prepare it for performance. Over several weeks of rehearsals we refine the music to present what the composer intended when he or she composed the music. The collaborative process continues as our Artistic Director Dr. Bass guides us in interpreting the wishes of the composer. Since commissions are new works, the composer and Dr. Bass may have several conversations about how to best present the music in its final form.

With every new commission, we invite the composer to be present at our first performance. Sometimes the composer may arrive early enough to hear us rehearsing the piece. This encounter between the composer and the Chorale may be the first time the composer has heard the music put to voice. The results are dramatic and emotional. On the several occasions that I have had to pleasure to witness, the composer is often moved to tears or overcome with joy, much as new parents may be when they see their new baby for the first time.

Once the rehearsal cycle is complete, we move on to performance week, when we introduce the music to the audience for the first time. Here the audience gets to participate in this new birth as they share the honor of being part of a world premiere event, witnessing the beauty of a composition that tells the Christmas story in a new way. As a singer, participating in premiering a new composition is one of the most gratifying aspects of being a part of the Master Chorale. The Christmas Carol Composition Competition is especially significant to me because the birth of a new choral work occurs during the season where Christians celebrate the birth of the Christ child. To the universe of beautiful Christmas carols, we have added one more. What a joy it is to be a part of this!

The Florida Orchestra’s “Home for the Holidays” concerts on December 12th-14th will be the place of celebration as we introduce “The Christmas Rose” for the first time ever. Please plan on being at this blessed event.

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From the Risers: Thinking of You...

9/4/2014

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By Brian Hathaway

We had an awesome Master Chorale rehearsal Tuesday evening! We began the process of turning those notes in the score into music. One hundred sixty voices strong, we rehearsed several choruses. Section by section, we dissected the music, focusing on the intonation, phrasing, articulation and dynamics required to convert spots on a page into a memorable performance.

Being in a choir, we address a component of the music that many of our orchestral colleagues may not give a lot of thought to...the words. Choir singers, must give careful consideration to them. Failure to devote the proper amount of attention can lead to a sound that is unintelligible to the audience. The words also give meaning to the music and we use them to convey the poetry and drama that resides in the text.

Since the words convey a message, I use my score study time to understand precisely what I am singing about. With “Carmina Burana”, this is great fun, as the texts reveal a lot of “interesting” thoughts. Written by the Goliards, traveling scholars who were clerics, the earthy and ribald poems reveal facets of life in the 12th and 13th centuries, the time long past that comes alive once again for us.

The chorus entitled “Were diu Werlt alle min” is a good example. The translation reads in part: “Were all the world mine from the sea to the Rhine…I would starve myself of it to have the Queen of England lying in my arms!” What?? This Goliard probably wrote these words after having a few too many flagons of mead! Instead of coveting the buxom maid delivering those flagons to his table, he decides that he would rather have the Queen of England as his paramour! Indeed!!

Then, I gave this a second thought. Some of the Goliards did travel throughout Europe, so perhaps he would have encountered the Queen, but which Queen? Andreas Capellanus, a 12th century French Chaplain mentioned in his book that there was one Queen who maintained what was known as “The Court of Love” at her castle in Poitiers from 1168 to 1173. She lived from 1137 to 1204. She was very well-educated; spoke multiple languages, and studied math, history, astronomy, and music.

Renowned for her beauty, Bernard de Ventadour, a noted troubadour, called her "gracious, lovely, the embodiment of charm". She was married to two kings, the first being King Louis VII of France. The marriage was later annulled because she bore him no sons. She then married King Henry II of England. With Henry II she had nine children, including three English Kings. She was even rumored to have had an affair with Geoffrey Plantagenet, Henry’s father prior to their marriage. Geoffrey, the story goes, warned Henry to stay away from this woman, whom he viewed as dangerous. She was by all accounts the most famous, beautiful and powerful woman in all of Europe.

Now this is someone I can picture as I sing this chorus! Can you imagine the conceit of this poet as he fantasizes being with the most famous woman in all of Europe? Now here is somebody with real ambition, a sense of vision, if you will. Hey I can relate to this poet! As I sing this chorus, I will think of only you, Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine!

“Were all the world mine from the sea to the Rhine…I would starve myself of it to have the Queen of England lying in my arms!” “Hey!!”