Celebrating the beauty of baroque

trevor.kenney — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 16:22:48 +0000

An exquisite evening of music that promises to warm the soul wraps up the Faculty Artists and Friends season, Mar. 17 at 8 p.m. in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall. La Virtuosissima Cantatrice: Songs by Italian Baroque Women, features special guest ensemble Cecilia's Circle, highlighting the beauty of baroque chamber music by prolific women composers.

Comprised of four exceptional musicians, Dr. Vivian Montgomery (harpsichord), Dr. Julie Andrijeski (baroque violin), Ann Marie Morgan (viola da gamba) and U of L music faculty
Dr. Janet Youngdahl, Cecilia's Circle has performed its music throughout the United States and Canada. Since its inception in 1991, the group has been committed to bringing new life to the long-buried brilliance of many women composers.

Cecilia's Circle came together when the members were doing graduate studies, and has continued for the past 20 years. All four musicians continue to teach, and have busy independent performance careers.

Montgomery, who holds numerous awards from international early keyboard competitions, and received a Solo Recitalist Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, teaches harpsichord and historical performance practice at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. Andrijeski serves on the historical performance faculties of both the Peabody Conservatory and Case Western Reserve ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, while Morgan is on the Early Music Faculties of the Peabody Conservatory of Music and the Interlochen Center for the Arts. A member of the U of L music faculty, Youngdahl is the director of the U of L Singers.

The Mar. 17 concert highlights the outstanding talents of two Italian women composers, Barbara Strozzi and Isabella Leonarda.

"They were both prolific, expert composers; Strozzi existed in the secular world as an unmarried woman with children, and Leonarda, a respected nun and leader of her own convent," says Youngdahl. "Listeners will be surprised by the passion and virtuosity of the works by these composers. Although they developed in very different realms, they both managed to bring significant ardor and drama to their works."

During their week-long residency at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Cecilia's Circle will also perform as part of the Music at Noon concert series, Tuesday, Mar. 15 at 12:15 pm in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, present a lecture in a music history class and work with music students.

Reserve tickets to La Virtuosissima Cantatrice at the U of L Box Office or by calling 403-329-2616. Tickets are priced at $15 for regular admission and $10 for students and seniors.

For a look at the February issue of the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Langager sparks a Choral celebration

trevor.kenney — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 16:18:39 +0000

It's not often Lethbridge experiences a collaboration of our community's strongest choirs in one concert, but on Mar. 5 at 7:30 p.m. at Southminster United Church, Vox Musica, LCI Chamber Choir and the U of L Singers join together for Awake My Soul and Sing: A Choral Celebration.

The concert caps off an intensive week of workshops and rehearsals with guest conductor, Dr. Graeme Langager, director of choral activities at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of British Columbia School of Music. The weeklong workshops, co-ordinated by the Vox Musica Choral Society, provide an opportunity for the choirs to share expertise.

"Our mandate is to promote choral music in southern Alberta and we believe providing opportunity for these activities outside our fixed rehearsal schedule benefits our choir, as well as the other choirs participating in the workshops," says Carolyn Speakman, Vox Musica Choral Society president.

Langager's visit includes spending 4-5 hours with each choir during their regular rehearsals.

"Dr. Langager was a student at LCI and sang with Frank Gnandt's choir in high school," says Speakman. "After spending several years in the United States, he's returned to Canada and is now part of the Canadian choral scene."

Langager received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and the Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from California State ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Long Beach. He has taught throughout the United States, including stops in California, Ohio, North Carolina and Arkansas, and at the high school, college and university levels. A sought after clinician and guest conductor, he is also an active composer and arranger.

Langager's choirs have performed throughout Europe and the United States including such prestigious venues as St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, Stefansdom in Vienna, Notre Dame in Paris, St. Nicholas in Prague and St. Stephen's in Budapest.

"The concert promises a varied program that showcases the strengths and talents of each choir," says Speakman.

Tickets to this rare evening of choral masterpieces are available at Long and McQuade (323 – 8th St. S.) for $15 regular and $10 for students and seniors. Tickets are also available at the door on the night of the concert.

For look at the February issue of the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

UNews - ��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ of Cincinnati

Celebrating the beauty of baroque

Related Topics

Langager sparks a Choral celebration

Related Topics

UNews - ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Cincinnati