To ur N o t e s PERFORMING ARTS NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD 1999-2000 Highlights Houston Churches Explore their Heritages Shorter College Chorale Thrill Audiences From the Vatican to the Vltava, the Choir of William and Mary Embark on a Choral Journey Alaska Children Down Under on their Third ACFEA Tour Mozart in the Czech Republic Zamir Chorale of Boston Journey Back to their Musical Roots Hawai’i Breezes through Europe The Pacific Northwest Greets San Diego Children Houston Children’s Chorus in front of St Mark’s Basilica, Venice Monteverdi in Italy and Croatia COLUMBUS Continuing a tradi- CHORALIERS The San Jose The St Louis Women’s Chorale tion of excellence State University Make their Mark at Llangollen DISCOVERS dating back to TRAVEL TO Choraliers, directed EUROPE 1953, the Colum- IFCM by Charlene University of Rochester bus Symphony SYMPOSIUM Archibeque, trav- Chamber Orchestra Enjoy the Youth Orchestra (Ohio) embarked on eled from Rome to Road Less Traveled their first ever European concert tour. Rotterdam on their seventh ACFEA tour. Focusing on Central Europe, the orches- Along the way, a wide variety of experi- Begin your tour at tra experienced cities steeped in the ences was offered to the 49 members of roots, history and tradition of Western the group, in keeping with Dr www.acfea.com music. Under the direction of Peter Archibeque’s view that a tour must be Stafford Wilson, the orchestra visited fulfilling not only musically but also cul- Munich, Salzburg, Vienna, Prague, turally and educationally. Dresden and Eisenach in a tour packed The final focus of the tour was a with musical, four-night stay in Rotterdam, where they cultural joined the IFCM’s World Symposium on and social Choral Music. They participated in Dr opportunities. Archibeque’s workshops, and gave sev- The focus eral concerts during their stay. They also of this tour was took part in the somewhat unusual Fast performance, Singing Competition … For the rest of and perform their time at the World Symposium, they they did, with a attended other events and rubbed el- total of five bows with many of the leading lights in Columbus Symphony Youth Orchestra in Germany concerts and a professional recording the choral world, including two other session in a 13-day tour. The concerts groups on ACFEA tours: the California – continued on page 2, see Columbus – continued on page 8, see Choraliers LOCATIONS Barcelona Berlin Canberra London Moscow New York Paris Prague San Francisco Seattle St Petersburg Venice 1 HOUSTON St John the Divine First Presbyterian Church – Columbus, continued from page 1 One of the largest The Chancel Choir of Houston’s varied in nature and setting, and each CHURCHES Episcopal churches First Presbyterian Church had an all-Scot- was part of an established series. The EXPLORE in the USA, St John land itinerary for their 1999 tour. Led by orchestra performed a joint concert in the THEIR the Divine sent its music director Ara Carapetyan and pastor Unterhaching Cultural Centre in Munich choir across the Asa Hunt, nearly 90 people participated with the Münchener Jungendorchester, HERITAGES Atlantic to explore in the mission trip to Edinburgh, Aber- plus solo concerts in Attergauhalle its heritage in En- deen, Oban and Glasgow. As the word (Salzburg area) as part of the concert gland and Scotland. The choir built a ‘mission’ implies, this was much more series, in the enclosed courtyard of the musical bridge between the old and new than a concert tour. Great efforts had Schloss Hotel Weikersdorf (Vienna area) worlds with its ability to infuse the clarity been made in advance to contact the as part of the Rose Festival, and in the of English singing with the warmth and local churches, and the Chancel Choir Schloss Pillnitz Gardens (Dresden) as part enthusiasm of Texas. was thereby able to become a part of of the Elbhang Festival. The orchestra The focus of the tour was sharing local life, albeit for only a day or so. wrapped up their performances with a through music and day of music workshops and a concert in cultural exchange, and Eisenach, birthplace of Johann Sebastian this goal was achieved Bach, with the music students from the by performances in Luther Gymnasium. small communities and Other highlights included tours of parishes in addition to the Munich Opera House and the major venues. Under Mozarteum, an excursion to the direction of John Zentralfriedhof to visit the graves of Gearhart, the choir Beethoven, Brahms, Gluck, Schubert, performed a lunchtime Strauss and Wolf, a professional record- recital at Stirling Castle ing session in Prague, and a dinner cruise Chapel, evening con- on the River Vltava. They also were given certs in Callander Kirk a mayoral reception in Dresden, where (Callander), Ossett homestays were provided by the students Parish Church of the Heinrich Schütz Conservatoire (Wakefield), Argyle coordinated through sister city contacts. Morley Church (Bristol) The repertoire, carefully selected by and St Margaret’s Mr Wilson, focused on American compos- Church (West Hoathly), ers, including Bernstein, Diamond, Barber, followed by a service Gershwin and Copland. The orchestra participation there the featured renowned violinist, Mr Gregory next morning. Musical Fulkerson, who toured with the group. highlights of the tour According to Mr Wilson, “The included a workshop Chancel Choir of Houston’s First Presbyterian Church in Lockerbie, Scotland venues we used were all supportive of session with Andrew our artistic level and needs. The audi- Carter at the Palace of the Archbishop of The names of two cities on the itiner- ences were very enthusiastic... For our York, and the choir’s singing of Evensong ary evoke especially poignant memories: first such venture, I feel that this event at St Paul’s Cathedral in London. Further- Dunblane, scene of a terrible school shoot- was an amazing success, and we are ing the mission of cultural exchange, the ing; and Lockerbie, where 10 years earlier a most grateful to ACFEA for their guid- choir members were billeted in Wakefield Pan Am aircraft crashed, killing many villag- ance. We look forward to similar collabo- by the Wakefield Festival Chorus, in ers as well as those on the flight. The group rations in the future. As I told the kids on Bristol by the members of the Argyle went to both places to offer their support Sunday night in Eisenach, we have writ- Morley United Reformed Church, and in and respect, with a tragic resonance added ten a new and most important chapter in West Hoathly by the parishioners of St to the Dunblane visit in the aftermath of the the history of our orchestra.” Margaret’s Church. Columbine High School incident. In addition to the performances, the They sang services in Dunblane choir enjoyed sightseeing in Stirling, York, Cathedral and St Mary’s Cathedral, Bath, Oxford and London as well as the Glasgow, and had time for private wor- “You are the finest tour opportunity to visit the Selkirk Glass Factory ship in Iona Abbey. They gave concerts in consultants we have ever and Warwick Castle, and to attend Choral St Andrews, Dunfermline, Edinburgh (St used. Your staff was always Evensong at Westminster Abbey. The tour Giles Cathedral), Aberdeen and positive and patient. Overall, was celebrated with a farewell dinner cruise Lockerbie, and attended a reception in this was the best overseas on the River Thames. their honor given by the Grampian-Hous- tour we have taken.” In the words of John Gearhart, “I ton association. Combining all this with a have received good reports from choristers comprehensive sightseeing schedule Steve Roddy and spouses. I felt our goals to sing in created a tour full of wonderful experi- Director smaller parishes and in major venues were ences, demonstrating how much can be Houston Children’s Chorus totally and successfully accomplished. The St achieved by concentrating on a relatively Paul’s experience was thrilling. We are eager small area and minimizing travel times. to discuss our next tour.” 2 SHORTER On May 10, Spanish composer Javier 1999, the Busto. ACFEA had arranged COLLEGE Shorter College for Señor Busto to stay with CHORALE Chorale (Rome, them for two days doing THRILLS GA) and director workshops, which culmi- Dr John nated in a concert during AUDIENCES Ratledge de- which Dr Ratledge relin- parted Atlanta’s quished his baton to his Hartsfield International Airport. This, their guest. Dr Ratledge says, “My second tour with ACFEA, would take favorite city was Zaragoza, them to Spain and France while pairing and I will have to return them with several host ensembles in a there. I now rank it with challenging program featuring Brahms’ Prague and Salzburg as my Requiem and Alto Rhapsody and Orff’s top three cities …” Carmina Burana. Staying two nights in Shorter College Chorale performing at Teatro Fortuny in Reus, Spain On their first stop in Madrid, the Barcelona afforded the 80-voice chorus (plus 20 friends and group the chance to per- family) enjoyed three days of sightseeing form in the neighboring city of Reus, and leisure time as well as a spectacular which boasts a spectacular gem of a “I wish I had known about concert of the Brahms pieces in the fa- theatre called the Teatro Fortuny. Here you guys years ago. You are mous Basilica at El Escorial, accompanied they joined with two pianists and percus- a first class operation - we by the Orquesta Academica de Madrid. sion to present Orff’s Carmina Burana. had the best tour I have been As on his first ACFEA tour, Dr Ratledge The theatre management was so thrilled involved with.” took time to rehearse with the orchestra with the performance that it has asked and chorus twice before the perfor- ACFEA to bring more of the same for John Lamkin mance, ensuring that they were exquis- next year.