HeinzHeinz ChapelChapel ChoirChoir AlumniAlumni NewsletterNewsletter

Greetings from the University of ! Summer 2016 Early last fall, the Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge spent time in Pittsburgh during their US tour. The Choir’s director is Stephen Layton, who is also the conductor of professional choir Polyphony, music director of the , and artistic director/principal conductor of the City of London Sinfonia. In 2011, Gramophone Magazine ranked both Polyphony and the Trinity College Choir among the top 5 choirs in the world; I have been an admirer of Mr. Layton’s work with these and other Tour 2017 choral ensembles for many years. I was thrilled to join other conductors and master singers from the area in a choral workshop with Mr. Layton to experience his remarkable musicianship and rehearsal technique firsthand. In the days that followed, some members of HCC joined me in attending Evensong and a non-liturgical concert sung by the Trinity College Choir, both of which were exceptional and inspiring. Tuesday, May 02 – When I met Mr. Layton at a reception following the choral workshop, he graciously agreed to my proposal of a similar clinic for the Heinz Chapel Sunday, May 14 Choir if we should venture to the UK during our 2017 international tour. performances: It has been a great pleasure to devise this tour with the Baldwin family of Charter Travel, who have constructed customized tours of the British clinic/workshop with Stephen Layton Isles for American choirs for 30 years. The students and I are excited for (London) the musical experiences of our 2016-17 academic year, which will Kingsdown Methodist Church (Ealing) culminate in a “farewell tour performance” on May 01 and our departure Bethesda Methodist Church the following day. We’re continually grateful for your support, which (Gloucestershire) provides the singers with these extraordinary opportunities. We hope that Bristol Cathedral members of our extended HCC family will join us both digitally and Durham Cathedral physically for this adventure – if you’re interested in traveling with us, St. Giles Cathedral (Edinburgh) please contact me via phone or email by September 30 for more details! Finally, I’m pleased to introduce three rising seniors – Emma, Courtney, visits include: and Shannon – who have written the essays on the following pages that Windsor Castle; Tower of London; simultaneous reflect on recent experiences and anticipate those to come. City of London (bus & walking tours); We hope to see you all again soon! Cambridge; Kings College Chapel, Cambridge; Oxford; Stratford-Upon- Avon; Bristol (bus tour); Chatsworth House, Derbyshire (Peak District); Susan Rice / Music Department / 128 Music Building / Pittsburgh, PA 15260 York; Durham; Edinburgh; Edinburgh [email protected] / 412.624.4508 Castle

Two Views from the Road ~ Domestic Tour 2016 HCC capped off a fabulous 2015-16 with a As a first year member of the Heinz three-day tour to the Chapel Choir, our recent trip to the Philadelphia and Philadelphia/ D.C. area was certainly an Washington D.C. areas adventure I’ll never forget. The tour itself was in early May. While our wonderful for several reasons: singing, good time was short, we food, great bonding. However, my favorite packed in lots of music, part of the experience was undoubtedly the sightseeing, and good concerts we gave. We performed at both times, and greatly Ardmore Presbyterian Church and National enjoyed the camaraderie City Christian Church in Philly and D.C. that touring brings. We respectively. took part in a number of amazing opportunities, one of which Both churches were beautiful and provided involved visiting local high schools. Our first stop in the great settings for our concerts away from our Philadelphia area was Haverford High School, the high school chapel. It is always wonderful as a singer to of one of our current members, Hugh Huang. We were experience how different spaces react to sound excited to get the chance to hear two of Haverford High and both venues offered a different School's phenomenal choirs, under the direction of Ms. atmosphere for doing so. After our concert Marsha Core. It was great to see so much talent shine through came to a close, we welcomed any Heinz in these choirs. I can confidently say we were all really Chapel Choir alumni to sing Brother James’s impressed with how well the students took to the director's Air with us. This portion of each tour concert cues, along with how attentive they were overall. It was really was quite honestly one of the most moving nice to get the chance to meet and talk with these students things I have ever seen. Singers of all ages about music and college and answer any other questions they joined us and it was delightful to see their had about Pitt and HCC. enthusiasm toward singing with a choir many In the D.C. area, we visited Walter Johnson High School, of them the high school of another current HCC member, Margot consider to Cohen, and heard two of their choral groups under the be like direction of Ms. Kelly Butler. We first heard a group family. I called The Madrigals, composed of around 30 students. think it Their Advanced Choir also performed for us. Both allowed treated us to a great set of songs. We were very us all impressed with how engaged these students were in the to music. The students also had some great questions for us reflect about life at Pitt, which we were really excited to answer. on just Perhaps we were chatting with some future HCC members! how At both schools, we sang a short set of pieces, so the important the students heard what HCC sounded like and how we tradition we are continuing is to so many embodied the different pieces. Dr. Rice also led a small people. workshop where all of the HCC and high school choral The memories formed during this tour members warmed up together. It was nice to get to stand as a only aid in building the excitement we all have big group and sing as one group of musicians. The high school for next year’s tour to the United Kingdom. I, students were also able to get a feel for how HCC warms up in personally, have always been an Anglophile so rehearsal and how rehearsals are often run. We all agreed it being able to perform in some of the most felt a little strange for all of us to be back singing in the high spectacular venues in the UK next year is a school setting, but getting to share our music with younger dream come true. I don’t want to give away all students was such a rewarding experience. the fun, but the list may include Durham In May of 2017, HCC will be embarking on our Cathedral (the filming site for Harry Potter) international tour to England and Scotland. (Check our tour and Southwark Cathedral (home to one of preview video on YouTube!) On Day 2 of our tour, we will England’s most unique Shakespeare have the incredible honor of singing a 60-minute workshop memorials). Beyond the interesting facts, with Mr. Stephen Layton of Trinity College, Cambridge. (See however, lies the knowledge that some of the Dr. Rice’s article on page 1 for more details!) Mr. Layton is an world’s most famous choirs originate in the amazing musician, conductor, and teacher. Since the areas we will be traveling to. It will be a workshop is early in our tour, we will be able to apply privilege in and of itself to be involved, if only everything we learn in our workshop with him to the rest of for a few hours, in the history of some of our tour. We are so thrilled about this incredible opportunity England and Scotland’s most iconic churches and excited to share our experience with you in the future. and cathedrals. Emma Laurash is a senior from Cranbury, NJ pursuing a major in Courtney Benson (above, center front) is a senior from Communication Sciences & Disorders, a minor in Music, and a certificate Butler, PA, majoring in Chemistry with minors in in American Sign Language. Emma was elected to serve as HCC Music and Legal Studies. She will serve as HCC President in 2016-17 and will continue as Soprano 2 section leader. Vice President and Alto 1 section leader in 2016-17. Keeping up with HCC! If you're looking to stay up to date with all the goings- on of the Heinz Chapel Choir, there are plenty of ways to remain informed. The first place to start is, of course, our website. We’re thrilled to roll out our new and improved website in the upcoming months! It’s the number one place to find our yearly schedule, information about auditions and membership, and so much more. Visit www.hcc.pitt.edu after Sept. 2 to see what our webmaster, Tenor Ben Muscato, has cooked up for the new design and content! For live updates on what the choir is up to, head on over to our Facebook page. There, you'll find pictures from rehearsal, choir member birthday announcements, and other news. Even better? You can post right to our Facebook page. Did you see a performance and love it? Send us a note - the whole choir will see it. There's no better way to stay connected to our network of alumni, family, and followers! We also have an Instagram (@heinzchapelchoir) and a Twitter account (@PittHCC). Now we even have a YouTube channel with videos from our concerts. If you miss a concert--or want to hear a favorite song again after hearing it live––check out Pitt-HCC on YouTube. As always, expect to hear plenty about our annual winter concert series. If you can't make it to the Chapel this year or if you want the opportunity to hear us in the comfort of your own home, WQED will broadcast one of our December concerts live and will rebroadcast on Christmas Day. This year is extra special for us. We'll be taking our music abroad on an international tour to England and Scotland! Don't worry, you can still stay up to date with everything we do: we now have an official tour blog (hcctours.wordpress.com)! Our members loved writing about our domestic tour to Philly and DC, which you can read all about. We'll be re-launching the tour site and supplying you with plenty more blog posts about our travels and adventures in May 2017! Of course, the very best way to stay in touch with the choir is in person. Take a look at our upcoming concert schedule and be sure to mark your calendars. We hope you will follow us on our journey over this next school year, from Heinz Chapel to Edinburgh. It's looking to be our best year yet, and we want you to be with us every step of the way! Shannon Pender (pictured top right) is a senior from S. Easton, MA, majoring in Fiction Writing with minors in Children’s Lit and Public & Professional Writing. Shannon was elected to pioneer the office of PR Chair in 2016-17.

Heinz Chapel Choir 2016-17 Performance Calendar Sunday, 09 October Pitt Choirs Showcase First Baptist Church, Pittsburgh 7:00 pm featuring the Pitt Men’s Glee Club, Women’s Choral Ensemble, & Heinz Chapel Choir Holiday Concert Series* Saturday, 03 December Sunday, 04 December Friday, 09 December Sunday, 11 December 8:00 pm 3:00 pm 8:00 pm 3:00 pm *Tickets will be sold beginning Thursday, October 13, 2016 Sunday, 19 February Chamber Choir Festival Heinz Memorial Chapel 3:30 pm participating high school choirs TBA Sunday, 02 April Sunday Worship Service Calvary Episcopal Church 11:00 am 315 Shady Ave., Pittsburgh Friday, 21 April Joan Chambers Concert Series Campana Chapel 8:00 pm – Greensburg Campus 150 Finoli Dr.,Greensburg Sunday, 23 April Spring Concert Heinz Memorial Chapel 3:00 pm Monday, 01 May Tour Farewell Concert Location TBA (Western PA) May 02-14 International Tour – England & Scotland for details, see box on page 1

Welcoming HCC alums back to the Chapel to close the spring concert with “Brother James.”

HCC Spring 2016

Enjoying a reception with Pitt alumni after the concert at Ardmore Presbyterian Church.

Singing “Brother James’s Air” with HCC alums at National City Christian Church in Washington, D.C.