Saturday December 21, 2013 River Run Centre 8 pm

Transcription

1 Gerald Neufeld conductor Agnes Zsigovics soprano Daniel Cabena countertenor Bud Roach tenor Daniel Lichti bass Musica Viva Orchestra on period instruments Saturday December 21, 2013 River Run Centre 8 pm concert sponsor government sponsors

2 Program GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL ( ) MESSIAH Part I Sinfony Comfort ye my people... Tenor recitative Ev ry valley shall be exalted....tenor aria And the glory of the Lord... Chorus Thus saith the Lord.... Bass recitative But who may abide the day of his coming?.... Alto aria And He shall purify the sons of Levi.... Chorus Behold, a virgin shall conceive.... Alto recitative O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion.... Alto aria and chorus For behold, darkness shall cover the earth.... Bass recitative The people that walked in darkness.... Bass aria For unto us a child is born... Chorus Pifa (Pastoral Symphony) There were shepherds abiding in the field.... Soprano recitative And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them.... Soprano recitative And the angel said unto them.... Soprano recitative And suddenly there was with the angel... Soprano recitative Glory to God.... Chorus Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion... Soprano aria Then shall the eyes of the blind....alto recitative He shall feed his flock.... Alto & soprano aria His yoke is easy, and his burden is light.... Chorus Intermisson Part II Behold the Lamb of God... Chorus He was despised... Alto aria Surely He hath borne our griefs... Chorus And with his stripes we are healed... Chorus All we, like sheep, have gone astray... Chorus All they that see him laugh him to scorn... Tenor recitative He trusted in God.... Chorus Page 2

3 Program cont d Thy rebuke hath broken His heart.... Tenor recitative Behold and see if there be any sorrow... Tenor aria He was cut off out of the land of the living... Tenor recitative But Thou didst not leave his soul in hell... Tenor aria Lift up your heads, O ye gates.... Chorus Unto which of the angels said he any time... Tenor recitative Let all the angels of God worship him.... Chorus The Lord gave the word... Chorus How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace.... Soprano aria Their sound is gone out into all lands.... Chorus Why do the nations so furiously rage together?... Bass aria Let us break their bonds asunder... Chorus He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn.... Tenor recitative Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron.... Tenor aria Hallelujah Chorus Part III I know that my redeemer liveth.... Soprano aria Since by man came death... Chorus Behold, I tell you a mystery.... Bass recitative The trumpet shall sound.... Bass aria Worthy is the Lamb that was slain.... Chorus Amen.... Chorus Musica Viva Orchestra Violin 1 Rona Goldensher Allene Chomyn George Willms Violin 2 Valerie Sylvester Catherine Hewson Elena Spanu Viola Anthony Rapoport Mary McGeer Cello Mary-Katherine Finch Laura Jones Contrabass Jeffrey Stokes Trumpet Shawn Spicer Paul Sanvidotti Timpani John Brownell Organ Christopher Dawes Page 3

4 Guest Artists Soprano AGNES ZSIGOVICS made her Carnegie Hall debut at Weill Recital Hall in May Her singing has been reviewed as stylish (The New York Times, 2011), hauntingly beautiful, creamy, velvety, bell-like (The Morning Call, 2010) and serene, floating and sumptuous leaving the listener spellbound (The Record, 2011). A recording artist for numerous labels, she tours internationally, appearing with leading choirs and orchestras in the United States, Europe and South America. She debuted with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in Bach s St. John Passion under the direction of Maestro Helmuth Rilling in 2007 and appears on the Juno-nominated Sony album, The Voice of Bach. Some highlights of her season included performances of Bach s B minor Mass with the Washington Bach Consort, Vivaldi s In Furore Iustissimae Irae with the Bethlehem Bach Festival, Bach s Magnificat with I Musici de Montréal and the Studio de musique ancienne de Montréal, Handel s Coronation Anthems with the Theatre of Early Music, Couperin s Leçon de Ténèbres with the Toronto Masque Theatre and a concert of Bach Cantatas BWV 4 & 78, singing one per part alongside Daniel Taylor, Daniel Lichti and Jacques Olivier Chartier. She is featured on the Theatre of Early Music s newest album under the Analekta label that is due for release in early Ms. Zsigovics is currently completing a Doctorate of Musical Arts at the University of Toronto. DANIEL CABENA holds an Honours Bachelor of Music from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Doctorate of Music from l Université de Montréal. He has also taken part in numerous workshops and academies, including the Centre for Opera Studies in Italy, l Académie Internationale de Musique de Comminges, l Académie Baroque Européenne d Ambronay, and the Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme, for which he was assisted by the Canadian Aldeburgh Foundation. Thanks to the generous support of the Canada Council for the Arts, Mr. Cabena completed a Master in Specialized Early Music Performance in June 2012 at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, where he studied with Gerd Türk. That same year he was the recipient of the Virginia Parker Prize, and he is a past recipient of the Bernard Diamant Prize, both from the Canada Council for the Arts. He was also the third prize winner of the 2011 Baroque Singing Competition of Froville, France. Mr. Cabena has taken part in broadcasts for CBC/ Radio-Canada, National Public Radio in the United States, Schweizer Radio in Switzerland, SWR 2 in Germany, and for France Musique in France. He appears on recordings on the Analekta, ATMA, Chestnut Hall, Dorian, Deutsche-Grammophon, Naxos and URSH labels. His engagements this season include appearances in Switzerland, France, Austria, Germany, Iceland and Canada. Neil Wilson President phone fax neilw@redcarservice.com Page 4

5 Described by the Toronto Star as a must-hear lyric tenor, BUD ROACH has become a fixture on the Toronto early music scene, performing frequently with the Toronto Consort, the Musicians in Ordinary, the Aradia Ensemble (with whom he has recorded for Naxos) and others. A member of the Elmer Iseler Singers from 2004 to 2012, he was a regular soloist with the ensemble. In 2008 Mr. Roach founded the ensemble Capella Intima, specialising in small vocal ensemble works of the early 17th century. He has also focussed his efforts on reviving the somewhat lost art of the self-accompanied singer, performing on both the baroque guitar and theorbo. Recent and upcoming engagements include Messiah with the London Fanshawe Symphonic Chorus, Bach s St. John Passion with the Canadian Bach Festival, a series of Fringe Concerts at the 2013 Boston Early Music Festival, programmes of Noel Coward and Cole Porter with the Talisker Players, and performances at Ottawa s Chamberfest and the Canadian Music Centre. With Capella Intima he presented the Canadian premiere of his new edition of Luigi Rossi s oratorio, Giuseppe. Capella Intima will also collaborate with the Toronto Continuo Collective in February to perform at the COC s Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre. The Boston-based recording label Musica Omnia released Mr. Roach s first solo CD, Sospiro, and his second recording, arias by Giovanni Felice Sances, will be released later this season. Mr. Roach completed his musical training as an oboist at the University of Western Ontario and Yale University, and held positions in orchestras in both Canada and the United States. Since his operatic debut at the 1974 Stratford Festival, DANIEL LICHTI has established himself as one of Canada s finest bass-baritones, performing with many of North America s finest orchestras (both modern and baroque) and with most of its choral organizations. He has achieved renown at major Bach and summer Festivals, performed oratorio and opera internationally, gained acclaim as a recitalist and recording artist, and taken the stage with many of Canada s leading opera companies. In 2014 he will celebrate 40 years of singing for audiences around the world, and ongoing critical commentary indicates that his artistry continues to inspire admiration for the beauty, warmth and richness of his voice, and respect for the dignity and sincerity in his interpretations. Mr. Lichti, Associate Professor of Voice for the Faculty of Music at Wilfrid Laurier University since 1998, has just returned from a sabbatical during which he performed Schubert s epic Winterreise in Paris, Vienna, and Lyon. This season, in addition to appearances with the Guelph Chamber Choir, he will sing Bach with K-W s Grand Philharmonic choir on Good Friday, and return to the Baldwin-Wallace Bach Festival in Cleveland, the Bethlehem Bach Festival (PA) and the Shenandoah Bach Festival in Harrisonburg, Virginia. UNIVERSITY SQUARE PHARMACY (519) GORDON STREET (KORTRIGHT ROAD) Page 5

6 Program Notes Handel s Connection with Child Welfare Foundlings, abandoned infants, were a common feature of life in the eighteenth century. England was far behind other European countries in catering to their welfare through the provision of charitable foundations. The Foundling Hospital was established in London by Royal Charter in 1739, after a long struggle, by Captain Thomas Coram. Coram had been appalled by the discarded and dying children in the streets of London, and his scheme for a Hospital for the Maintenance and Education of Exposed and Deserted Young Children, to provide a refuge for foundlings, was the first of its kind in England. The unique environment of the Foundling Hospital, which had been designed from the outset not only as a children s home, but as a place of polite assembly, meant that it quickly became one of the most fashionable places to visit during the reign of George II. Handel s first appearance in the Committee minutes of the Foundling Hospital, on 4th of May 1749, records that he attended to offer a fundraising performance to benefit the building of the chapel. The concert took place three weeks after Handel s offer to the Committee, and was a great success. It was attended by the Prince and Princess of Wales, attracted a full house and raised over 350. It included the Music for the Royal Fireworks and a Peace Anthem, both first performed in April that year, and extracts from Solomon which had been a new oratorio that season. The final work in the concert was the Foundling Hospital Anthem, which Handel created largely from existing material with words from the Scriptures. The interest aroused by the 1749 concert clearly needed to be followed up, and Handel came to produce Messiah on the first occasion for the Hospital not for the opening of the Chapel, but for the opening of the organ which he had presented to the Chapel. The first performance of Messiah at the Hospital on 1 May 1750 was successful embarrassingly so for the organizers. The Sub-committee had worked out the arrangements for the performance thoroughly enough, but more people presented themselves than the Chapel could hold. A repeat performance was held on 15 May, advertised with assurances that the Hospital would correctly calculate the capacity of the Chapel this time. Again a substantial audience turned out, and the performances taken together brought the Hospital nearly 1,000 after expenses had been paid. Between the two performances Handel was elected a Governor of the Hospital (an honour that he had declined the year before) without having to pay the customary 50 donation. The Chapel provided the perfect venue for performing Messiah, a work which had been thought by many to be unsuitable for concert performance because of its subject, but which became acceptable when performed in a chapel for the benefit of the charity. Messiah was performed under Handel s direction on an annual basis for the Hospital s benefit until his death. It is estimated that within a decade Handel had generated revenue of 10,000. The Messiah became closely associated with the Foundling Hospital, and in his will the composer directed that a score and parts of the oratorio be given to the Hospital, to enable performances to continue after his death. The annual fundraising concerts took place under various managements at the Hospital for a further twenty years, and the oratorio is now firmly associated in the UK with charitable performances around the country. Notes by Carolyn Tait-Guest Baby Things, discarded items Photo exhibit by Tracey Emin Foundling Hospital, London, U.K. Tel Victoria Road N. Guelph, ON Page 6

7 How You Can Help The Heart Gallery So, when you don t have the privilege of having a family youth ask Who is going to buy my birthday cake this year? Who is going to remember me? Delia, Former Youth in Care Family & Children s Services in partnership with The Adoption Council of Canada have launched a pilot project, The Heart Gallery, to find forever families for children and youth living in foster care and group care. The Heart Gallery uses the power of photography by taking pictures of waiting children and youth (with their permission and involvement) to capture their individuality and dignity. The pictures are then displayed in the Heart Gallery to raise public awareness about the children who need to find forever homes and to obtain support to meet those needs. For this evening s performance, the Heart Gallery is on display in the Canada Company Hall. To date the Gallery has been exhibited across the City of Guelph at The Cooperators, City Hall, One Stone Road, Guelph Hydro, the Guelph Youth Music Centre, Linamar and the Guelph YMCA-YWCA. For more information on hosting the exhibit or on adoption contact: Darren Sinnaeve ext Currently at Family & Children s Services, there are more than 100 children and youth in need of a permanent family. Tomorrow s Messiah Sing-A-Long Donations are being accepted in lieu of tickets for tomorrow s performance of Messiah Sing-A-Long. All donations will go to support Family & Children s Services Children First Fund which provides financial assistance to much needed programs not currently funded through the Ministry of Children and Youth Services. Youth (17 21) in foster care need to be living independently far sooner than the average Ontario youth (In Ontario 51% of young adults reside at home). For many youth in foster care this is not an option. EDUCATION SUPPORT PROGRAM assists our fostered youth with post secondary tuition to the school of their choice or tools and supplies associated with their program. Examples include: Course tuition Costly program textbooks Scrubs for nursing program Instruments for dental hygienist program Specific computer & software for technical design program Knives for culinary arts program Tools for an apprenticeship ENRICHMENT PROGRAM We encourage the children and youth in our care to hold a dream for their future and to reach for it. The Enrichment Program can provide access to inspiring opportunities and skill building experiences which are outside the Ministry s funding mandate. Examples include: Entrance fees to a competitive, qualifying event (National Track & Field Team) Athletic equipment for team participation (skate sharpening, cleat replacement) Upgraded musical instrument (violin) Gallery entrance fees (art, photographic, museum) Participation in skills based workshop or fair (science or computer) For ALL your snow and ice management needs Snow Plowing Shoveling Blowing Sanding and Salting Loader Work and Removal THINK TOTAL GARDENING SERVICES LTD serving Guelph for 26 years jaw@leafminer.com Page 7

8 Upcoming Page 8

9 Of Note Give a gift of beautiful music All proceeds support the Guelph Chamber Choir Recordings ON SALE tonight! Only $10 each or 3 for $25 Please consider a donation... Your donation will support the Guelph Chamber Choir s efforts to present you and our community with inspired choral music to stir the human spirit. You will receive a tax receipt, acknowledgment in the concert programs and our sincere thanks for your contribution toward making this season a wonderful success. Please make your cheque payable to: Guelph Chamber Choir Box 513, Guelph, Ontario N1H 6K9 Charitable Registration # RR0001 Donation Levels: Student Friend... $5 and up Friend... $50 and up Patron... $100 and up Chorister s Circle... $250 and up President s Circle... $500 and up Conductor s Circle... $1000 and up Name:... Address:... City:...Postal Code: Total Amount of Donation:... Anonymity Requested: Please note that donations can now be made online safely and securely via CanadaHelps.org Page 9 Student Friend... $5 and up Friend... $50 and up

10 Program Our People Guelph Chamber Choir Sopranos Sheila Dietrich Anna Dolsen Laura Harp Jane Houlding Beverly Krzmarcik Marg McKenzie-Leighton Patricia Ramos Ward Sally Stelter Tammy tewinkel Felicia Urbanski Alison Vicary Altos Lynn Beath Janice Coles Carolynne Davy Godin Joanne Gonsalves Megan Hodge Nancy Jackson Naomi Matsui Laurie McDonald Susanne Schmidt-McQuillan Kayla Schnarr Karen Slatkovsky Tenors Naoki Chiba Chris Fischer Lanny Fleming Ken Frey Brad Halls Harold Jackson Lawrence Sugden Peter Thompson Basses Ken Carey Ian Dickieson Mark Haslett Brian Janzen Andrew McLaren Neil McLaren Ken McRory Graham Nancekivell Matthias Schmidt James A. Walke We are Gerald Neufeld Conductor Alison MacNeill Accompanist The Guelph Chamber Choir was founded in 1980 to foster the development and appreciation of choral music in Guelph and the surrounding area. Consisting of highly talented but mostly amateur singers from a wide range of occupations, the choir is proudly presenting its 34th season this year with five concerts. Its repertoire ranges from Renaissance masters to newly commissioned works, from classical styles to Broadway and vocal jazz, and from masterworks for choir and orchestra to choral gems for unaccompanied voices. In addition to its regular series of concerts, the GCC has performed in numerous festivals, including the Llangollen International Eisteddfod in Wales (3rd place winner in the Mixed Choir Category), Toronto International Choral Festival, Guelph Spring Festival, Elora Festival, and festivals in Salzburg, Austria, and the Czech Republic. Exciting collaborations include working with Dancetheatre David Earle, professional choirs, regional choirs, community choirs, and orchestras such as the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony and Orchestra London. Some of our most engaging concerts have been accompanied by period instrument specialists from Toronto and southern Ontario. The GCC has performed in England, Wales, Ireland, Austria, the Czech Republic, Holland, Germany, Sweden and Denmark, has been broadcast on CBC Radio, and has won prizes in the CBC National Competition for Amateur Choirs. Recordings include Noel, On Christmas Night; Songs of the New World; Good Cheare: Christmas Celebrations Old and New (with the Oliver Whitehead Jazz Ensemble), Christmas in the Royal City, and Remember. Gerald Neufeld has been conductor of the Guelph Chamber Choir since its founding. He holds the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Iowa and is presently a professor in the Don Wright Faculty of Music, Western University, where he conducts choirs and teaches choral conducting. Previously, he taught in the music department of the University of Guelph and conducted the University of Guelph choir with which he toured in Britain and Europe on two occasions. Under his direction, the Guelph Chamber Choir, the University of Guelph choir, the Faculty of Music Singers, and the Thames Scholars from Western University all won prizes in the CBC National Competition for Amateur Choirs. Gerald Neufeld is a previous winner of the Leslie Bell competition for choral conductors. He has served on juries for the Canadian recording industry s Juno Awards, the Leslie Bell Competition and the Guelph Spring Festival national vocal competition. He is active as a choral clinician, festival adjudicator, and lecturer on topics of special interest in the choral field. Alison MacNeill has been accompanist for the Guelph Chamber Choir for twenty-five seasons. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Guelph and is the Director of Music Ministry at Harcourt Memorial United Church as well as an independent music teacher and adjudicator, accompanist and chamber musician. Board of Directors President Secretary Treasurer Members at Large Administration Marketing Concert Promotions Page 10 Ken Carey Dorothy Fisher Brad Halls Lew Abbott, Barbara Friend, Bob Housser, Ann Murray Patricia Eton-Neufeld Ken McRory Brenda Lewis an active, working Board and we have opportunities to serve. If you are interested, please contact Ken Carey at (519)

11 Our Thanks We would like to thank our supporters who made valuable financial contributions to the Guelph Chamber Choir. Conductor s Circle ($1,000 & up) Urve & Lewis Abbott Mary Lou & Doug Brock Naoki & Christina Chiba Nancy & Harold Jackson Patricia Eton-Neufeld & Gerald Neufeld Ken McRory Harry & Mary-Jane Oussoren Spaenaur Susan & Gerald Stephenson Anonymous President s Circle ($500 & up) James Ford & Brenda Coomber Eleanor Davidson Brad & Heather Halls Mark Haslett & Jane Houlding Sandy & Ann Middleton Sally & Gil Stelter Susan & Peter Thompson Anonymous Chorister s Circle ($250 & up) Lynn & David Beath Alice & Ken Carey Barbara Friend Derek Hall Sarah Lowe Adrian Levytsky & Karen Slatkovsky Marilyn Robinson Murray Dr. Stephen Somerton Dr. P. Spadafora Jonathan Spaetzel Ruth Tatham Bruce L. Taylor Felicia Urbanski & Larry Squire Margaret Wade Anonymous Patrons ($100 & up) Adventus Research Inc. Carol Allison Dr. Kate Anderson Dr. Robert Bailey Frank & Janet Brewster Barbara Buttars Deanna Bouris Carson Reid Homes Ltd. Dr. Jennifer Caspers Dr. Larry Chapman Mikio & Kyoko Chiba Gary & Wynne Christie Marvin Cohen: Arctic Experience Gallery Anne Connolly William & Muriel Cox Terence Crowley Dave Davidson & Alison Vicary Dr. Shah & Donnita Deen Mary Dinsdale Dr. Scott Elliott Ken & Suzanne Embree Dr. Robert Enns Ben & Norma Fear Dr. Richard Fedorak Fergus Medical Centre Gastro Barkun Inc. Dr. Robert Goldsmith Joanne Grodzinski Groundhog Contractors Ltd. Dr. Michael Gould William C. Hamilton Laura Harp Gordon Harris Cas & JoAnne Herold Dr. James Hewak Megan Hodge Rhoda Holz Dr. David & Rosemary Hood Dr. Donald Huband Dr. F. Incitti D.R. Johnson Financial Services Inc. Ken & Isobel King Dr. Dan Kottachchi Yarko Levytsky Ron & Mel MacDonald Mike Manera Dr. Norman Marcon Laurie & Terry McDonald Warren & Margaret McKenzie-Leighton Sheila & Neil McLaren Miller Thomson LLP John Milne Anne & John Monkhouse Michel Moreau Dr. T. Morris David & Ann Murray Linda Neufeld Buhr Norm Passi Dr. Natasha Pereira-Hong Harold & Marilyn Quinn Patricia Ramos Ward Dr. Dan Reilly Dr. Deborah Robinson Carl & Yvonne Rosenquist J. Douglas Sanderson David & Marie Smith Nancy & John Steele Tammy tewinkel Dr Tom Tobin Greta Unternahrer Lane & Sya Van Geest Pieter & Anne Wyminga Several Anonymous Donors Friends ($50 & up) Douglas Auld John & Rochelle Barnum Judith Bell Michelle Bott Joan Bowland Julie Chiba Branson Dr. Deborah Cook Please consider a donation, by completing the form on page 9 or online using CanadaHelps.org Page 11 David & Carol Ann Douglas G Jean Elliott Dr. Alex Ferguson Dr. Alan Finlayson Tony Foster Dr. Robert Gaiardo Shirley Gale Dr. Sean Gartner Dr. Richard Gergovich Lillian Gohn Donna Gorjup Robin Gow Sharon Hamilton Sarah Hayter Wendy Hickey Dr. G. & Phyllis Hollinger Charles Hudson Chris Hutter Dr. S. Hutton John & Clara Janzen Joy Killen Jacqui Kowal George Lange Dr. Jonathan Love Dr. Barry Lumb Gerard Luyckx Blair & Elizabeth MacNeill Sarah Mainguy Patricia Martin Dr. Andrew Maykut Douglas & Anna McCalla Dr. Peter McPhedran Dr. Charles Minett Dr. Paul Moayyedi Dr. S.H. Moodley Dr. David & Sonja Morgan Cynthia Moseley Sharon Nancekivell Dr. Robert Norrie Henry Orr Dr. Dean Raso Dr. Dan & Heather Sadowski Frances Schwenger Gabriel Scullion Susan Sinclair Dr. Ranjit & Elspeth Singh Marianna Slatkovsky Marion Steele Surrey Street Prescriptions Inc. 21 Surrey St. Holdings Inc. Luciano & Susan Toich: Royal Lepage Dr. Michelle Turner Dr. Amanda Wagler Janet Wardlaw T.K. Warley Ann Wilson William Winegard Vida Winegarden Anne & Wayne Wright Several Anonymous Donors

12 Community Support Guelph Chamber Choir Grants gratefully received from P.O. Box 513, Guelph, ON N1H 6K9 Phone Website HEARTFELT THANKS TO OUR COMMUNITY SPONSORS: Concert Sponsors Box Office Phone (519) On-line Hours Mon-Sat 11am-6pm Administration (519) Accessibility River Run Centre is proud to be completely accessible for patrons and performers with special needs. Wheelchair locations are available in both halls. Please inform the Box Office when purchasing tickets. Infrared headsets for the hearing impaired are available at the Coat Check prior to the performances. Soloist sponsors Theatre Etiquette So that everyone can enjoy the performance, and in consideration of the artist, please note that latecomers will be seated at a suitable break; beepers and cellular phones and watch alarms must be muted; and the use of recording devices or taking of photos is prohibited. THE MACTAGGART TEAM Scents In consideration of those who have allergies, please refrain from using perfume or cologne. Children We welcome children, but please remember that everyone must have a ticket, regardless of age. In consideration of the audience, and for safety, babies will not be admitted to the performance. Corporate Friends (under $500) Edinburgh Optometry Clinic Bob Housser Photography Steele Bros. (Guelph, 1986) Ltd. Promotional Partner Page 12