ARTISTIC DIRECTOR PREVIEWS 2007-2008 SEASON

With 2006-2007 successfully behind us, we allow ourselves to briefly bask in the after-glow of our most consistent performance season, and then move quickly to complete plans for what will be an exciting step forward artistically for the Chorale!

‘BRIDGES’ is the theme that ties together our three-concert subscription series. In an attempt to counter the negatives that consume so much of the world, we’ll attempt to show how music can be ‘bridges’ of understanding, as we celebrate the things common to all peoples everywhere!

We begin with a contract performance with Lancaster Festival.  This year, the Chorale is pleased to be one of the invited guests to join the Festival Orchestra for a 20^th year ‘homecoming’ concert, scheduled for Saturday, July 20, at the outdoor amphitheatre at Ohio University-Lancaster.

Our subscription series, now in a remarkable twenty-second year, continues the tradition of ushering in the Christmas season to Lancaster and Fairfield County.  ‘REPEAT THE SOUNDING JOY’…a global Christmas…will fill St. Mary of the Assumption with glorious sounds of the season on Sunday, November 25, 2007, at 4:00PM.  A stunning treatment of Es ist ein Ros entsprungen (Lo, How a Rose) by Swedish composer, Jan Sandstrom, highlights this international celebration; two certain audience favorites will be,  A Christmas Lullaby by British Columbia’s top composer, Stephen Chatman, and  the exciting  La Peregrinacion (The Pilgrimage) by Argentinean, Ariel Ramirez. Polish composer,  Jozef Swider, returns to our programming with Cantate Domino. Lancaster-Fairfield Youth Choir and Lancaster Chorale Brass contribute their talents during the concert and join forces with the Chorale in a spectacular conclusion to the afternoon.

The season continues with the Chorale joining Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra and Maestro, Timothy Russell for several performances.  The Chorale will form a core of singers, as the audience joins in the traditional Messiah Sing-Along, on Friday, December 14 at the Upper Arlington Lutheran Church. On both Saturday, December 15 and Sunday, December 16, the Chorale is featured in A Festive Holiday – Music of the Great Masters, a program of classics for orchestra and chorus, by Bach, Berlioz, Handel, Rutter and Vivaldi …an outstanding presentation of classic Christmas repertoire at the beautiful Southern Theatre in Columbus!

Our second subscription concert, ‘CHORAL CULTURES’, is set for Sunday, February 24 at St. Mary of the Assumption, and showcases both music of contemporary European composers, and some of the greatest names in music!  Featured will be a unique work, Son of God Mass, by James Whitbourn; written for choir, organ and soprano saxophone, this memorable work is certain to be a highlight of the season, as it’s haunting, lyric melodies are unforgettable!   Joining us will be Michael Cox (Saxophone) and Robert Wisniewski (Organ), in a rare performance of this work, premiered in Cambridge (UK).  Following additional selections by Macmillan and Golovanof, the second half of the program concludes with the return of Chorale MasterChoir, a select group of voices from throughout our community, joining with the Chorale to perform excerpts from classics by Mozart, Brahms and Vivaldi…a stunning finale to this very special afternoon!

Although difficult, we may have saved the best for last!  On Sunday, May 4, the Chorale moves to a new venue, Faith Memorial Church, on W. Fair Avenue, (and a new time, 3:00 PM!) to present, ‘ONE WORLD – ONE SONG!’.  The culmination of our ‘Bridges’ theme, this ambitious program groups music in segments celebrating events and experiences common to all peoples, and features the best-known and most beloved music from the four corners of the globe!    ‘Songs for Love’… ‘Songs for Morning and Evening’… ‘Songs of Celebration and Festivity’…each segment showcases music of different cultures celebrating the same events!  The concluding segment, ‘Songs of our Children’, backed by visual projections, is a moving tribute to children, the world’s hope for the future.  ‘One World – One Song!’...helping us discover yet again, that music is truly the universal language! 

Once again, our Board, staff and singers have worked diligently to bring the very finest of the choral art to Lancaster; we thank you for your help and support, and hope to see you at the concerts!