CELEBRATE WITH SINGING:
25
TH ANNIVERSARY
THE KAREN S. AND GEORGE D. LEVY EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH PROGRAM
WINTER 2011 IN THIS ISSUE: Winter VAP Concerts Recap Upcoming VAP Concerts Vocal Quartet Student Profiles VAP News
Above: Artistic Director Harry Christophers posing with members of Youth Chorus before they caroled in Symphony Hall.
HANDEL AND HAYDN SOCIETY
Below: Members of Young Women’s Chorus carol in Symphony Hall.
INSPIRING KIDS TO SING, LEARN, AND SMILE FOR 25 YEARS Established in 1815, the Handel and Haydn Society is America’s oldest continuously performing arts organization, with a history of innovation. The Karen S. and George D. Levy Educational Outreach Program is an example of such innovation and is now in its 25th year of offering handson music education and unique learning opportunities to nearly 10,000 youths each year in Greater Boston and beyond.
With three main initiatives the program teaches and inspires countless youth: The Vocal Apprenticeship Program (VAP), in which students learn music theory, sing in choirs, and perform alongside Society musicians; The Vocal Quartet’s free in-school visits, during which the Society’s professional singers relay music history to youngsters in an educational and humorous way; Collaborative Youth Concerts, in which choirs from different Massachusetts schools team up to present performances in their communities with Society musicians. The Handel and Haydn Society strives to provide quality learning opportunities as part of its mission.
HEAR VAP IN ACTION:
YOUTH CHORUS AT LORD & TAYLOR
WINTER CONCERTS RECAP! Youth Chorus gave the Boston premiere of a newly commissioned song, Share the Joy by Francisco Nunez and Jim Papoulis, and also sang season favorites as part of a 45-choir effort at Lord & Taylor stores in nine states on November 15.
YOUNG WOMEN’S CHORUS AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Young Women’s Chorus (YWC) members Alverina Berube, Susan Dudka, Lynea German, Gia Greene, Anna Lee Hirschi, Diana Hughes, Kelsey Giovannacci, Bailey Lee, Reed McConnell, Marian Michaels, Jessica Pavlik, Emily Sumner, Lum-Bih Tashi, and Zoe Weisskoff rehearsed and performed a Stravinsky cantata under the direction of John Harbison. The cantata was part of a Winsor Music Series program (Peggy Pearson, Artistic Director) on November 22 at the Class of ’59 Chapel, Harvard Business School and November 27 (with a Bach cantata chorus) at Follen Church, Lexington. Boston Musical Intelligencer concluded their November 28 review with “the Young Women’s Chorus soared at every moment where needed.”
VAP CAROLERS AT SYMPHONY HALL
Conductors Lisa Graham, Joseph Stillitano, and Heather Tryon led VAP ensembles in seasonal song before Messiah performances. Many thanks to Christine Duncan (’00 Achtmeyer, ’04 Maze Award) who volunteered to answer inquiries at each concert. Artistic Director Harry Christophers took time out to hear and speak with each chorus at Symphony Hall and Boston Latin School. Young Women’s Chorus (Dec. 3) included Heather Bildman, Lyndsey Charette, Christiana D’Amore, Erica DaRosa, Alie Fisher, Hannah Frith, Cristina Gallo, Gia Greene, Katherine Gross, Emma Henderson, Anna Lee Hirschi, Annina Hsieh, Diana Hughes, Bailey Lee, Shannon Lydon, Julia Maggiacomo, Samantha Martin, Marian Michaels, Ola Olukorede, Monica Ramirez, Sydney Smith, and Rachel Steinberg. Young Men’s Chorus (Dec. 4) featured Isaac Ardon, Brian Caulfield, Ty CuipyloWatkins, Benjamin Drebing, Joseph Fanning, Samuel Feinstein, Dawson Frasier, Michael Gattozzi, John Geary, Adrian Haber, Adam Harding, Christopher Kelleher, Stephenson Lee, Aaron Lindenberg, Shawn Onessimo, Emory Paine, Adam Singer-Berk, and Asa Sutton. Matthew Guerrieri provided accompaniment on accordion. Youth Chorus (Dec. 5) included Isabelle Bears, Jaimee Boag, Olivia Bogan, Kayla Caulfield, Nicholas Corneilson, Jessica DeJoie, Elizabeth DiFraia, Shai Dinnar, Mary Donovan, Michaells Fana, Sara Feinstein, Tessira German, Naomi Goodheart, Francesca Hsieh, Amy Lipman, Hailey Makechnie, Frederick and Thomas Moseley, Dami Oluwadara, Lindsey Patterson, Chadam Pires, Thomas Sasdi, Mardochee Sylvestre, Michaela Waldrop, Ryan Whittier, and Athena Zhang.
UPCOMING CONCERTS
4th Annual Young Men’s Choral Festival Saturday, February 19 at 5pm Boston Latin School Admission is free
Voices of the Stage Family Show Wednesday, February 23 at 1pm Boston Children’s Museum Free with museum admission
CONGRATULATIONS:
YOUNG MEN’S CHORUS AT MMEA CONFERENCE
Young Men’s Chorus, directed by Joseph Stillitano, has been selected to perform at the 2011 Massachusetts Music Educators Association (All-State) Conference on Friday, March 25, 2011 at the World Trade Center, Boston. Only three choirs from the entire state were selected to perform this year during the concert hours.
KAREN S. AND GEORGE D. LEVY EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH PROGRAM
CONGRATULATIONS:
HANDEL AND HAYDN SOCIETY
WHAT’S AN ORATORIO? VOCAL QUARTET “The performance connected to music standards, humor was presented throughout the show, students were engaged and attentive at all times, and the excerpts were of great quality. For the majority of students, outstanding performances such as this could be a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
UPCOMING QUARTET APPEARANCES
February 10 Franciscan Hospital Kennedy Day School, 10am Boston Latin Youth Concert, 8pm February 23 Children’s Museum Family Performance, 1pm
–Lowell Music Educator Karrie Cham-Lam, after the Oratorio show visited over 300 7th and 8th graders at Daley Middle School
Congratulations to Vocal Quartet Alumni members Joe Dan Harper (tenor) and Anne Kissel Harper (pianist), founders of the Florestan Recital Project. Their CD release of The Complete Songs of Daniel Pinkham, volume one has been named one of the "5 Best American Contemporary Classical Albums of 2010" by National
Public Radio. Florestan’s partnership with Boston’s WordSong Forum continues in March with a performance at the Goethe Institute, featuring the settings of Wallace Stevens’s poem Disillusionment at Ten O’Clock by composers Howie Frazin, Felicia Sandler, Tom Schnauber, and Nicholas Vines. Florestan is currently in
residence at SUNY Fredonia (where the Harpers are faculty members) as part of the ETHOS NewSound 11 festival. In August, Florestan will announce a new collaboration with the Maine State Ballet, in which Schumann’s Dichterliebe will be performed alongside dancing of original choreography.
ALUMNI NEWS CURRENT VAP NEWS Evangelyna Etienne (’08 Achtmeyer Award) played the role of “The Witch” in Into the Woods by Sondheim this November. Upcoming roles include Ruth in Pirates of Penzance in January and Phèdre in Hippolyte et Aricie in March; all productions at Gordon College. She was a mezzo soprano soloist at “A Candlelight Christmas” at First Baptist Church of Arlington. Evangelyna has received a scholarship to attend the Salzburg Institute of Gordon College and study at the Stiftung Mozarteum under Dr. Stan Ford. Congratulations to Kelly Graeber (‘00 Maze Award) and her husband Justin on the birth of their son Joel in November. Alex Linder (’07 YWC) is currently in Los Angeles completing a semesterlong internship. She works in the talent management department at New Wave Entertainment directly under the president and manager of Dane Cook. She will return to Stonehill College in January and graduate in the spring with a Bachelors of Science in Business Management. Andrew Milne (’10 YMC), attends Fredonia State University in New York and performed in the Fredonia College Choir, with the Western New York Chamber Orchestra, in Buffalo on October 30 and in King Concert Hall at Fredonia State on October 31, singing Mozart’s Requiem. On December 8, he appeared with the Fredonia College Choir performing the Bach Cantata-St. Paul Messiah with guest artists. Deborah Pierre (’08 Achtmeyer Award), a junior at Berklee College of Music, has been selected to sing in a vocal ensemble to appear with Bobby McFerrin at the Berklee Performance Center in February. Elliot Rosen (’10 YMC, Soloists) is currently studying voice with Mignon Dunn at Manhattan School of Music. He traveled with Joan Dornemann (head of coaching at the Metropolitan Opera) and conductor Paul Nadler to Montreal this past summer to take part in the prestigious International Vocal Arts Institute.
YOUNG MEN’S CHORUS, YOUNG WOMEN’S CHORUS AND SOLOISTS NEWS Michael Buckhout performed at the Rogers Center at Merrimack College on January 21-23 in the musical Into the Woods with the group Act Andover. Zachary Burrage-Goodwin has been accepted to the 2011 AllEastern Convention Chorus to be held in Baltimore March 31-April 3. Susan Dudka was one of eight vocalists from Nashua North High School who sang under the direction of Tim Janis with “The American Christmas Carol” Honors Choir at Carnegie Hall on December 2. Ciaran Foley performed the lead role of Jean in Ionesco’s Rhinoceros at Boston Latin School December 3-4. Katie Hopkins played Fabiana Azziza Cunningham in the play The Last Days of Judas Iscariot at St. John’s Preparatory School in Danvers November 27-28 and December 4-5.
Samantha Martin appeared on MyTV New England on November 21 on Debra Crosby’s Talent Quest TV Show and received a standing ovation. She was also the opening act for Debra Crosby’s Holiday Show, which aired on Channel 18 on December 4. Joshua Paro was one of 3 soloists to present an excerpt of the “Hallelujah” chorus during Lynn Classical High School’s Veterans Day program. He performed the opening portion.
SENIOR DISTRICT FESTIVAL NEWS
Congratulations to the following students accepted to Massachusetts Senior District Festival Choruses for January: Zachary Burrage-Goodwin*, Ty Cuipylo-Watkins*, Ciaran Foley, Michael Gattozzi, Katherine Gross, Reed McConnell* (Eastern); Isaac Ardon, Michael Buckhout*, Natasha Doherty, Gia Greene*, Katie Hopkins*, Emory Paine*, Lucy Page* (Northeastern); Christopher Kelleher and Kareem Robinson (Southeastern). Alison Fisher* was accepted on violin (Central) and Bailey Lee* on viola (Northeastern) for Orchestra. In New Hampshire, Susan Dudka* was accepted (Chorus), as well as Samantha Wagner* on flute (Band). * All-State recommendation
please join harry christophers and the handel and haydn society at
Honoring esteemed soprano and legendary educator Phyllis Curtin in celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Karen S. and George D. Levy Educational Outreach Program
Saturday, February 12, 2011 at 6:30pm Mandarin Oriental, Boston Cocktails, dinner, dancing • Live and silent auctions Musical entertainment by our young singers To purchase tickets or make a donation please contact Emily Yoder at 617 262 1815 or eyoder@handelandhaydn.org.
KAREN S. AND GEORGE D. LEVY EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH PROGRAM
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
HANDEL AND HAYDN SOCIETY
STUDENT PROFILE:
GIA GREENE
SOPRANO, YOUNG WOMEN’S CHORUS
“I love how we learn pieces in a wide variety of different styles because it helps me be a more versatile singer and gain perspective on the music of different cultures and time periods.” Why I like to sing: I love to sing because with every new piece I learn, I feel like I am able to immerse myself in a completely new world. I become a character based on the story that the music tells, and I give that character a voice. I feel that this aspect of singing is unique and beautiful in its own right, and it inspires me to share my cast of characters with others through performance, to give people the chance to experience and interpret the stories that music tells. Favorite VAP moment: A few years ago, we were about to start our set at a concert at Sanders Theatre
HEY STUDENTS! Want to be featured in an upcoming student profile? Email rbaker@handelandhaydn.org a photo and your answers to the following: Student name VAP chorus Voice type Favorite thing about VAP Why I like to sing What I like about learning music Favorite VAP moment When I’m not singing I like to Students will be featured in Education Newsletters and at www.handelandhaydn.org.
when, all of a sudden, the organ stopped working. We were without an organ for quite a long time, but Dr. Graham kept the audience busy by cracking jokes! At the time, the situation was looking pretty dire for the concert, but Dr. Graham turned it around with her positive attitude and sense of humor. What I like about learning music: I love to learn music because I take great pleasure in learning how to sing a piece, only to observe how the piece and its specific stylings evolve over time as I become more closely acquainted with it. This learning process helps me gain
an immense amount of appreciation for various composers and styles of music, which ultimately helps me become a more knowledgeable singer and musician in general. When I’m not singing: I am a huge film buff, so watching new movies is a weekly occurrence for me! I love reading, writing songs and poetry, and exploring around Greater Boston with my friends.
Our educational programming is 90% subsidized and is sustained by the generosity of corporate sponsors, foundations, government entities, and individual donors. Please consider making a tax-deductable gift; it is an investment in our youth and Boston’s arts community. Thank you for your support. For corporate sponsorship opportunities contact: Trevor Pollack tpollack@handelandhaydn.org 617 262 1815 x116
For individual giving contact: Emily Yoder eyoder@handelandhaydn.org 617 262 1815 x117
CONTRIBUTORS INSTITUTIONS
INDIVIDUALS
Abbot & Dorothy H. Stevens Foundation Amelia Peabody Foundation Analog Devices, Inc. Bessie Pappas Charitable Foundation The Boston Conservatory Brockton Cultural Council Cambridge Arts Council Charles and Sara Goldberg Charitable Trust Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc. Clipper Ship Foundation David Greenewalt Charitable Trust Deborah Munroe Noonan Memorial Fund, Bank of America, Trustee Esther B. Kahn Charitable Foundation Harold Whitworth Pierce Charitable Trust Kingsbury Road Charitable Foundation Lawrence Cultural Council The Ludcke Foundation Lynn Cultural Council Massachusetts Cultural Council Medford Arts Council National Endowment for the Arts National Endowment for the Arts Recovery Act The New England Conservatory Extension Division The Parthenon Group Sacerdote & Co., Inc. Schrafft Charitable Trust Stearns Charitable Trust The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company Virginia Wellington Cabot Foundation
Janet Adachi & James Gado Carol Airasian Mark & Maura Amrich Rafael & Ana Ardon Ann & Michael Barone Ann Barysh Joseph Basile & Sheelah Sweeny in memory of Barbara Maze Arthur E. Carter in memory of Barbara Maze Cynthia & Daniel Caulfield Annette & Majid Charmchi Anne & David Chiriboga Valerie Edith Cowart in honor of Susan Dudka & Thomas Radzick Nancie & Paul DeJoie Eugene & Julie Despres Dan & Joanne Dudka Christine J. Duncan Lucinda Ellert Dorothy Fabian in honor of Andy Napoletano Paul Gallo & Diana Collazo-Gallo The Gattozzi Family Richard & Beverly Geyer Roger & Val Govaert Beth Graham Don Haber & Connie Houck Andrew Hammond Adele Hoffman in memory of Barbara Maze Angela Irving in memory of Barbara Maze Cynthia Kanik Linda Law Michael Lawler
Karen S. & George D. Levy Winifred I. Li & William P. Oliver in memory of Barbara Maze Ann Marie Lindquist & Robert Weisskoff in honor of Robin Baker & Lisa Graham Alex & Julia Lipman Carol & James Lydon Peter G. Manson & Peter A. Durfee in memory of Barbara Maze Eric Mesh Beth P. Milham in memory of Barbara Maze Mary & Sherif Nada in memory of Barbara Maze Greg Netland & Kim Holliday Nancy Nizel Maureen & Doug Olsen Elizabeth & David Page Andrew & Patricia Peterson Loumona Petroff in memory of Barbara Maze Francesca & Michael Pfrommer Alan D. Rothstein in memory of Barbara Maze Robert & Rosmarie Scully Susan & Andrew Spence Claire Spinner Ashley & Willis Stinson Richard F. Vidale in memory of Barbara Maze Kathleen & Walter Weld in memory of Barbara Maze Three Anonymous Donors One Anonymous Donors in memory of Barbara Maze
KAREN S. AND GEORGE D. LEVY EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH PROGRAM
YOUR SUPPORT MAKES A DIFFERENCE
HANDEL AND HAYDN SOCIETY:
UPCOMING CONCERTS
Handel’s Israel in Egypt February 18 & 20, 2011 Symphony Hall Harry Christophers, conductor Beethoven’s Fifth March 18 & 20, 2011 Symphony Hall Richard Egarr, conductor and fortepiano Harry’s Vocal Voyage April 1–3, 2011 Saint Cecilia Church and Harvard Memorial Church Harry Christophers, conductor
STANDING THE TEST OF TIME — 2015 BICENTENNIAL A principal leader of Boston’s arts community since 1815, the Handel and Haydn Society is gearing up for its bicentennial in 2015. As part of the celebration, each new season will incorporate works that are significant to the Society’s history as well as those never before played.
Mozart’s Requiem April 29 & May 1, 2011 Symphony Hall Harry Christophers, conductor The Bach Experience May 12 & 15, 2011 Harvard Memorial Church Mary Greer, conductor
The 2010–2011 Season includes Handel’s vivid tour de force Israel in Egypt, a Boston premiere by the Society in 1859, as well as the Society debut of Telemann’s Viola Concerto featuring principal violist David Miller. See the whole season at www.handelandhaydn.org.
Handel and Haydn Society Horticultural Hall 300 Massachuetts Avenue Boston, MA 02115 617 262 1815 617 266 4217 (fax) www.handelandhaydn.org
Connect with the Society: facebook.com/handelandhaydn twitter.com/handelandhaydn youtube.com/handelandhaydn
Photos: Kyle T. Hemingway and Bill McCormack
Watch online: Education Program videos are available online at www.handelandhaydn.org in the Media Center section.