Rutter! ends our season in style.

2010-05-21T21:40:00.000-04:00

May, 2010
Sunday, May 16 we ended the season in amazing style! Combined with the fabulous voices of the First Congregational Church of Corning's choir and a mighty chamber orchestra, we performed John Rutter's 'Requiem' and other favorites to a full house. Now it's time to reflect on a wonderful season of great music well sung and soon to begin putting together the 2010-2011 season. Special thanks to all who sang and played throughout the season. It was a great, great year!

2009-2010 Season

2010-03-15T15:30:00.001-04:00

March, 2010
The current season's first performance is now in the history books! A good crowd and somewhat fresh snowfall greeted the 'O magnum mysterium' concert. Ss. Peter and Paul's church was beautiful to see and to hear; the perfect venue for a cappella singing in general and for Renaissance motets and a mass in particular!
To see the program notes from the concert click here. A hearty congratulations and thanks to all the singers for a glorious beginning to the 2009-2010 season and an excellent beginning to the Advent/Christas holiday season!
We all had a great time with 'JS Bach and the Ladies' as we kicked of the 2010 Festival of Women in the Arts. Our second program this season with snow in the air and on the ground! The First Presbyterian Church was very cozy and filled with glorious music including a very exciting performance by Jacob Carpenter, this years Young Performance Competition winner.
To see the program notes from 'JS Bach and the Ladies' please click here. Bravo to all the singers and orchestra members and a special thanks to the ladies of Zonta for providing such a fabulous reaception!
Rehearsals for "John Rutter!" have begun. We are rehearsing Sundays, 6:00 - 8:30 pm at the First Presbyterian Church of Elmira on West Clinton Street. Please come join us!
As we approach the half-way point in our 'Rutter!' rehearsals it is wonderful to report that the sections are all full! With the fine voices of the Congregational Church choir joining us for the May performance, the choir will be about 65 voices strong! John Rutter's music will be getting a bit more showing as we have been invited by the ARTS of the Southern Finger Lakes to perform at their annual meeting at the end of April. We also are working out the details to perform at the June 5th 'Relay for Life' in Horseheads. More details to follow!

September, 2009
The preparation for the Advent/Christmas concert has officially begun! We have dusted off the pipes, refreshed our memories about proper posture and breathing including the twin-watermelon-under-the-arm trick. If you wonder what that's all about, you'll just have to come to the next rehearsal!
Even though we are still very early in the preparations we are already making some pretty serious music. Yesterday's rehearsal included some excellent interpretations of the vocal lines in Victoria's motet version of 'O magnum mysterium'. The singers are already working hard preparing for the first performance in December.
If you would like to join us to sing, we are still accepting new singers through the end of September. You can email director Will Wickham at wwickham@stny.rr.com for more information. If all you need is to hear some amazing a cappella renditions of renaissance choral music, save the date: December 6, 2009, 3 pm.
See you then!

August, 2009

The 2009-2010 season planning is nearing completion on the eve of our first rehearsal. Programming is complete for the season. Our Advent/Christmas program is built around the old traditional tune and words of 'O magnum mysterium'. The hymn is a favorite in many Christian holiday traditions and there are many extant settings by medieval and renaissance composers. We have chosen a motet setting of the text by William Byrd along with a motet and related mass setting by Tomas Luis de Victoria. Also included in the first half of the program are seasonal motets by Hassler and A. Scarlati.

The second half of our December program is centered around more modern settings inspired by and borrowing text from the renaissance masters. We will have settings of texts by William Walton, Zoltan Kodaly and Benjamin Brittain and even one by yours truly, Will Wickham. Our concert will also feature the traditional sing-along carols that our December audiences enjoy so much.

Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Elmira will be the venue for this all-a cappella program. We are looking forward to seeing you on Sunday, December 6, at 3:00 pm.

July, 2009

As the hazy dog-days of summer float by in an endless stream of Mango Margaritas, we are hard at work preparing for the 2009-2010 season of the Cantata Singers! We enjoyed a fine '08-'09 season that heard us performing not only some "jazzed-up" Bach as well as music by PDQ (the least son-of-Bach), but also included the New York State premier of Carol Barnett's 'The World Beloved: A Bluegrass Mass' complete with local folk musicians. A grand standing ovation followed our rendition of Barnett's piece proving both the power of the music and tahe fine voice of the choir and accompanying ensemble.

While we won't be performing any bluegrass or jazz in our upcoming season, we are planning a great season, three full concerts, of music. For complete details please click on the Next Season link under the Events tab above.

In preparation for our season, rehearsals will begin at 4:00 pm on Sunday, September 13 at the First Presbyterian Church on West Clinton Street in Elmira (rehearsals will be 6 pm - 8:30 pm beginning January 3, 2010). If you are interested in singing with us you can email me at patchwick@mac.com for more information or you can join us at that first rehearsal.

Welcome and Huzzah!

2009-03-18T13:59:00.008-04:00

Huzzah! Today marks the first chance for sharing thoughts and ideas related to music and all the arts in and around the Chemung River Valley of New York State! The Cantata Singers are always looking for new ways to connect with our audiences as well as creative ways to help folks in our corner of the world find new opportunities to experience the arts.

The Festival of Women in the Arts has certainly provided a strong step in that direction. March 2009 marked the 2nd incarnation of the festival that brings together visual and print artists, photographers, musicians and actors, quilters and sculptors to celebrate the role that women play in the arts in general and in our region in particular. For more information about the Festival and particular events involved please check out www.cantatasingers.com for details.

My official purpose today is to welcome readers and contributors to this new community forum and what we hope to be a lively discussion around the arts in this area. All are welcome to contribute with either a comment directly about a posting or by contributing a post. To contribute a post please send the posting text as an email (or as a word file attached to an email) to us at cantatasingers@ymail.com with "blog post" in the subject line.

Happy reading and writing!