NEW CLASSIC SINGERS Lee R. Kesselman, Music Director William Buhr, Accompanist 30th Concert Season
2011-2012
9/11: Ten Years & Beyond Sunday, Sep. 11, 3 pm at Harris Theater for Music & Dance, Chicago Psalms & Spirituals Saturday, Nov. 5, 8 pm at St. Petronille Church, Glen Ellyn Sunday, Nov. 13, 3 pm at St Francis Xavier Catholic Church, La Grange World Carol Sunday, Dec. 11, 4 pm, McAninch Arts Center, Glen Ellyn KADOSH: A(nother) Celebration of Jewish Music Saturday, March 3, 8 pm at Christ the King Catholic Church, Lombard The New Classics Radio Hour Saturday, May 5, 8 pm McAninch Arts Center, Glen Ellyn New Classic Singers 425 Bonnie Brae Rd. Hinsdale, IL 60521 www.newclassicsingers.org 630.654.9717 Ticket office for McAninch Arts Center concerts: (630) 942-4000 www.AtTheMac.org
New Classic Singers celebrates its 30th season in residence at College of DuPage. Members include conductors, educators, and soloists from throughout the Chicago metropolitan area. The Singers have been praised for their imaginative programs and performing excellence. New Classic Singers has performed three times for conventions of the American Choral Directors Association and frequently commissions and performs new works. NCS has performed with the Kronos Quartet, Fulcrum Point New Music Ensemble & Nexus Percussion Ensemble and has recorded new issues for Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers. New Classic Singers 1
M U S I C D I R E C TO R B I O G R A P H Y
Founder and Music Director, Lee Kesselman, has been Director of Choral Activities at College of DuPage since 1981. Conductor, pianist, teacher and award-winning composer, in New Classic Singers he has created an ensemble from his love for the vocal art and interest in a wide variety of literature. A member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers and recipient of 18 consecutive ASCAP awards. Mr. Kesselman’s compositions have been published by Boosey & Hawkes, Roger Dean Music Co., Colla Voce and Kesselman Press. He co-founded the Choral Music Experience Institute for Choral Teacher Education with Doreen Rao and has served on its faculty since 1986. He is in frequent demand as a guest conductor, lecturer and clinician and as a composer-inresidence throughout the United States and abroad. Kesselman is well-known as a composer of vocal works, including opera, music for chorus, and solo songs. Large works include the operas THE BREMEN TOWN MUSICIANS and THE EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES, LOVE PHASES for baritone voice and piano, NIGHTS IN ARMOR for mixed chorus, SHONA MASS for voices and African percussion, and INFINITY IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND, a symphony for treble chorus and orchestra. His works for children’s choirs have brought him national attention and he has been commissioned to write for children’s choirs, middle school, junior school, high school, college, community, church, and professional ensembles.
AC C O M PA N I S T B I O G R A P H Y
Enjoying a national reputation as an accompanist, chamber musician, adjudicator and clinician, work as a collaborative pianist has taken William Buhr to performing engagements in over thirty countries on six continents. Buhr has served on the accompanying staff of the Chicago Symphony Chorus at the invitation of founder/director Margaret Hillis, and has accompanied James Levine, Michael Tilson Thomas, Yo-Yo Ma, June Anderson, Berndt Weikl and others at the Ravinia Festival. He has also worked with Stephen Sondheim, Patti 2 New Classic Singers
AC C O M PA N I S T B I O G R A P H Y ( c o n t .)
LuPone, Audra McDonald and Michael Cerveris in the Ravinia Festival productions of Sunday In The Park With George and Anyone Can Whistle. Holding degrees from the University of Illinois and DePaul University, Mr. Buhr has appeared in many international festivals as well as numerous national and regional conventions of major musical and educational organizations. Mr. Buhr has served on the faculty of the Choral Music Experience Institute for Choral Teacher Education with Doreen Rao since its inception in 1986, and has played for the national touring companies of numerous Broadway musicals including Showboat, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, and The Phantom of the Opera. He has served as the Associate Director and accompanist of the New Classic Singers since 1986, and has enjoyed an association with Anima - Young Singers of Greater Chicago (formerly the Glen Ellyn Children’s Chorus) since 1984.
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F R O M T H E M U S I C D I R E C TO R
Welcome to our 30th season! World Carol! Imagine the entire world singing carols in all of its voices and languages. Singing of joy, of Jesus’ birth, of the gatherings of families and communities, of the promise of Peace. And as they sing, we imagine the nature of their lives and cultures around the globe. Today’s concert gives us only a small picture of the wealth of music which celebrates this season around the world. Our carols are drawn from the far corners of our round planet. We sing in native languages and in English. We sing well-known carols from Europe. We sing carols which imitate bells from Germany, Korea, Australia and Quebec. We sing light from the Southern Hemisphere and darkness from Iceland. There seem to be as many ways to sing the joys of the season as there are places. We hope you enjoy our international carol delights. And we extend to you our wishes for a joyful, heartfelt and peaceful holiday season and new year. This is the second of four main concerts on this year’s New Classic Singers’ season. Join us for future concerts as we explore the rich world of Jewish choral music in March, and our own New Classics Radio Hour in May. We promise you a wonderful variety of great music, beautifully sung and uniquely matched. In short, we look forward to sharing another great season of music with you! Thanks for being a part of our audience. As always, we sing for you. Sincerely, Lee R. Kesselman Founder and Music Director New Classic Singers
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PROGR A M
World Carol Sunday, Dec. 11, 4 pm McAninch Arts Center, Glen Ellyn (The audience is requested to kindly hold applause until each section break.) I From the New World ¡Llega la Navidad! (Dominican Republic) . . . . . . . . . . . . Ramón Diaz arr. Juan Tony Guzmán “Joy! It is Christmas Day! Little Jesus brings to us, gives to us the gift of Peace. Let us sing and shout Hosanna and His blessings we’ll receive. … Come rejoice in Bethlehem, born a child, the Saviour. Honour to His reign!” The Huron Carol (Canada). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Arr. Eleanor Daley Our Master, Lord Jesus (Quebec). . . . . . . . . . . Arr. Gilbert Patenaude II Europe North Kling Glöckchen (Germany). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Arr. James Fritschel “Ring, bells, klingelingeling!” Immanúel oss í nátt (Iceland). . . . . . . . . . . . þorkell Sigurbjörnsson “Emmanuel, to us this night is born the child He gave us. Filling our hearts with joy and light, clothed as man to save us. … “ Dedziet skalu, pūtiet guni (Latvia) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Arr. Selga Mence “Bring us fire, bring us light, let God into your heart! Riding onward, over the hillside, God is come. Riding onward, clothed in silver, over the hillside, God is come.” Wassail Song (England) . . . . . . . . . . . . Arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams
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P R O G R A M ( c o n t .)
III Europe South Whence is that Goodly Fragrance? (France) . . . . . . Arr. John Rutter Ena noč polna veselja (Slovenia). . . . . . . . . . . Arr. Maksimiljan Feguš “On a starlit night in winter, full of hope and full of joy, when the virgin bore the infant, blessed Jesus, heavenly boy. She became God’s blessed mother, so we say one to another: Come, rejoice and sing together, celebrate his holy birth.” Gesu Bambino (Italy) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pietro Yon “O come let us adore Him!” Fum, Fum, Fum (Catalonia). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Arr. Alice Parker IV Far East Jajang, jajang, Ahgi Yesu (Korea). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hyun Chul Lee Southern Cross (Australia) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stephen Leek V Out of Africa Susa ninna (South Africa). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Peter Louis Van Dijk Amuworo ayi out nwa (Nigeria) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christian Onyeji “ For unto us now a child is born. Unto us a Son is given. The mighty God, Prince of Peace, Father everlasting!” VI Homecoming Feliz Navidad (Puerto Rico) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . José Feliciano Arr. Paul Langford Christmas Time Is Here (USA). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lee Mendelson & Vince Guaraldi Arr. Steve Zegree The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (USA). . . . . . . . . . Eddie Pola & George Wyle Arr. Jerry Rubino
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N C S 2 010 - 2 011
NCS 2011-2012 Lee R. Kesselman, Director Bill Buhr, Accompanist Soprano Jennifer Berman . . . . . . . . Westchester Elise B. Calhoon. . . . . . . . . . . Naperville Mona Jethmalani . . Glendale Heights Beth Majerszky. . . . . . . . . . .New Lenox Madeline Morris . . . . . . . . . . . Deerfield Karen Owen . . . . . . . . . . . . . Warrenville Jennifer Reusz . . . . . . . Downers Grove Susan Van Ordstrand. . . . . . . . . . . Elgin Sadie Wynne . . . . . . . . . . . Bolingbrook Alto Marcia Ecker. . . . . . . South Barrington Pam Eiten. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wheaton Jean Follett. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hinsdale Mele Howland. . . . . . . Downers Grove Maureen Lyons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Darien Arlayne Pekofske. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Darien Gabriela Sevilla . . . . . . . . . . . Naperville Dottie Williames . . . . . . . . Sugar Grove
Tenor Sean Doty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Burr Ridge Andrew Johnson. . . . . Downers Grove Dennis Schafer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joliet Larry Stephens. . . . . . . . . . . . . Plainfield John Whittington. . . . Downers Grove Jim Yarbrough. . . . . . . . . . . . . Elmhurst Bass Ben Adair. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Woodridge William Buhr. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Villa Park Jack Dare. . . . . . . . . . . . Downers Grove Paul Drennan . . . . . . Glendale Heights Daniel Saathoff . . . . . . . . . Warrenville Dave Saunders. . . . . . . . . . . Woodridge David Scott. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Naperville Doug Thompson. . . . . . . . . . . . Hinsdale
It’s always the perfect time of year to buy
NEW CLASSIC SINGERS’ FAMILY CHRISTMAS ALBUM CD. Our CD is available at the Arts Center Ticket Office, at all of our concerts, and on our website.
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O U R T H A N K S TO T H E F O L L OW I N G S U P P O R T E R S
McAninch Arts Center, College of DuPage WFMT-FM 98.7 Michael Aikins Mr. & Mrs. Dean Brandt John D. Breen Mary Burkhardt Allan & Gina Carter Niall Casserly Robert F. Dailey Jack & Laura Dare Robert & Jaclyn Doty Paul Drennen Marcia Ecker Barbara & John Ekholm Pamela & Keith Eiten Follet Corporation Dennis Schafer/ Franciscan Friars Barbara Geis Joanna & Jack Goral Georgia K. Hamilton
Harris Bank of Hinsdale Mele Howland & Timothy Krauskopf Cynthia & Andrew Johnson Leah & Andrew Kamm Susan Kempfer Lee Kesselman James & Lynn Kessen Durema & Robert Kohl Maureen Lyons Beth Majerszky Mark Materna Marilyn McCormick Linda Motz Drs. Donald & Mary Ellen Newsom Phillip O’Donnell Karen Webb Owen Pat & Allen Pedersen Arlayne & Robert Pekofske Jean Pratt
Sigma Alpha Iota, LaGrange Alumni Chapter David & Janice Saunders Susan Schroeder David H. Shaftman Florence Slavick James & Linda Smedinghoff Paul Srivatka Larry Stephens Lorraine H. Taylor Doug Thompson & Jean Follett Richard Traut James Tucker & Neil Lucchese Susan Van Ordstrand & James Kempfer Donald G. & Helen Westlake John & Laura Whittington Dottie Williames Ann Field Williams James & Jean Yarbrough
Coming in March: KADOSH: A(nother) CELEBRATION OF JEWISH MUSIC Saturday, March 3, 2012, 8 pm Settings of Kadosh, Kiddush, & Kaddish and a Klezmer dessert! Plus the premiere of Lee Kesselman’s Kaddish for My Father. Christ the King Catholic Church, 1501 S Main St, Lombard
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Downers Grove Choral Society 53rd Season, 2011-2012 introducing Dr. Amy G. Weller, Artistic Director
Joyeux NoĂŤl
Sunday, November 20, 2011 at 3:00 pm Faith Church, 59th & Fairview, Downers Grove Saint-SaĂŤns Christmas Oratorio, Finzi In Terra Pax, and other seasonal works.
Rossini, Petite Messe Solennelle Saturday, February 25, 2012 at 7:30 pm Saint Cletus Church, LaGrange Sunday, February 26, 2012 at 3:00 pm Wentz Concert Hall, Naperville
Festival of Psalms
Sunday, April 29, 2012 at 3:00 pm Tivoli Theatre, Downers Grove Featuring Hailstork I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes (Chicago premiere) & Mendelssohn Psalm 42.
For tickets and information, please visit www.dgcs.org or call 630.515.0030.
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FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear Friends From the minute you hear your first Christmas carol—a timeframe that is now creeping into early November—you know “’tis the season to be jolly.” For all of us, singer and non-singer alike, we associate the holidays with music, particularly the joyous cooperative venture that is known as choral music. Each of us eagerly anticipates the songs and choral experiences we love best. I suspect that your favorite carols will not be part of this afternoon’s program, although there may be one or two familiar songs. I hope that you will still be willing to take this aroundthe-world journey with us. These wonderful settings of the Christmas story may well hold a new favorite for you. At New Classic Singers we are unapologetic about our love of new repertoire, new melodies, interesting harmonies and terrific texts. Whether it’s a jazz setting of something we’ve known since childhood or a completely new carol from Nigeria, there is always much to be learned. Music can transport us in so many ways. Over the past 30 years our holiday concert has provided many wonderful experiences. Although we no longer have a visit from Santa, the spirit of Christmas continues to shine as we transport you from Australia to Iceland. Please remember New Classic Singers in your year-end giving. You can help make it possible for us to have a 31st season! With Joy and Harmony we sing for you. Jean A. Follett President
William Buhr’s performance today is generously underwritten by
BMO/Harris Bank New Classic Singers 11
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