In Tune blog

The Crucible goes to Chicago & Greenville

The Crucible continues to make its way to stages across the country. This month, the Pulizter Prize-winning opera based on the Arthur Miller classic novel took to stages in Chicago, Illinois and Greenville, South Carolina.

Glow Lyric Theatre, Greenville, SC: July 13-28
Christian Elser, Executive Director
Jenna Tamisiea, Artistic Director
For a complete list of the cast, click here.

Chicago Summer Opera, Chicago, IL, July 14 & 16
Kaley Smith, Stage Director
Codrut Bisran, Conductor
For a complete list of the cast, click here.

The story is Arthur Miller’s impassioned parable of witchcraft and intrigue in colonial Salem; a story of good and evil, in which bigoted men and women used the cry of “witch” to destroy those they hated or envied. The town of Salem has been seized by a wave of hysteria. The slave, Tituba, is accused by the wily and pretty Abigail, who uses the situation to destroy the community. When the witch trial begins under the administration of the terrifying zealot, Judge Danforth, Abigail accuses Elizabeth, the wife of John Proctor, of witchcraft. Abigail hopes thereby to get Elizabeth out of the way and regain John’s affection. John remains loyal to his wife, however, even admitting in court to his adultery with Abigail in order to expose her fraud. He is not believed, however, and is himself arrested and, along with Tituba and other innocents, condemned to the gallows. In a blaze of courage at the opera’s end, John refuses to sign the false confession that would free him.

Duration: ~2 hours

Telos Trio performs commissioned work by Gwyneth Walker – Equality Now!

The Telos Trio hosted a concert titled “Equality Now: Celebrating the New York State Centennial of Women’s Suffrage” in Seneca Falls, NY. The highlight of the concert was Gwyneth Walker‘s Equality Now!, commissioned and premiered by the ensemble. The lively work is a celebration of the first Women’s Rights Convention held in Seneca Falls in 1848. The six-movement work includes readings from suffragists’ writings and the Declaration of Sentiments that was written for the Seneca Falls convention. The concert musically traced the history of the women’s suffrage movement from its inception in 1840 at the World Anti-Slavery Convention to 1917 when women voted for the first time in New York State.

The Telos Trio is known for synthesizing elements from diverse sources into creative, interdisciplinary programs. The group pulls inspiration from spiritual sources and practices and draw poetry, art, and storytelling into concerts showcasing a diversity of musical styles. The members of the trio teach at the Hochstein School of Music and Dance in Rochester, NY.

University Interscholastic League adds works from E. C. Schirmer & Galaxy Music

Two works from the E. C. Schirmer Catalog were added to the University Interscholastic League (UIL) Prescribed Music List.

The Music Program of the UIL is designed to support and enrich the teaching of music as an integral component of the public school curriculum in the state of Texas. Each year approximately one half million middle school, junior high and high school students reap the benefits of participation in the ten UIL music events.

New Additions:

Hushaby by Ellen Gilson Voth, GMC #1.3380

SATB Chorus (divisi) unaccompanied

“This arrangement presents the challenge of singing a familiar lullaby with freshness and a tender sound quality that is well supported. Take great care in the opening to energize the E natural pedal point. The middle section (mm. 22–52) is intended to be dream-like, with cascading images of horses that are moving quickly then gradually slowing their pace. The ritardando is built in; singers should focus on being absolutely rhythmic with the 8th-note pulse. The last page is the place to be luxurious with time, and to enjoy the final hum fading into silence.” -Ellen Gilson Voth

Alleluia (Orchestra Version) by Randall Thompson, arr. Randol Alan Bass, ECS #8393

String Orchestra and optional Suspended Cymbal

This arrangement by Randol Bass of the seminal unaccompanied choral work Alleluia by Randall Thompson (Catalog No. 1786) was commissioned by the publisher in honor of the 75th anniversary year of its publication. Complete performance set includes: 1 score, strings 6-5-4-3-2.

For more information about these products and other music from E. C. Schirmer and Galaxy Music, visit www.ecspublishing.com.

Grant Park Music Festival & Fawzi Haimor – Kareem Roustom Premiere

Conductor Fawzi Haimor led the Grant Park Orchestra in a tour-de-force program featuring Haydn’s final symphony, London, Hindemith’s Symphonic Metamorphosis, and the Midwest premiere of Syrian-born composer Kareem Roustom‘s Ramal. The concert is scheduled for July 12, 2017.

Fawzi Haimor recently completed his tenure as Resident Conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and is set to begin a new role as Music Director Designate of Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen in September 2017. During his time in PIttsburgh, Haimor served as a cover to Manfred Honeck, Leonard Slatkin, Gianandrea Noseda, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, and yan Pascal Tortelier.

The Grant Park Orchestra was formed in 1944 when the Chicago Park District assembled a single resident orchestra under the direction of Principal Conductor Nikolai Malko to perform at the Grant Park Music Festival (which began in 1935 and featured a series of visiting orchestras). Since then, other prestigious conductors have held the position, including Irwin Hoffman, Leonard Slatkin, David Zinman, Zdnek Macal and Hugh Wolff. In 2000, Carlos Kalmar was named the Festival’s Principal Conductor.

Today, the Grant Park Orchestra draws its musicians from different orchestras and musical institutions throughout the United States. Each summer, all of the orchestra members gather in Millennium Park for a ten-week long season consisting of intensive rehearsals and performances. During the year, the musicians can be found across the country performing with major orchestras, teaching at numerous universities and appearing frequently in concert stages across the country. Some organizations represented by Grant Park Orchestra musicians include the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Metropolitan Opera, the Buffalo, Colorado, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Milwaukee, New Mexico, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Richmond, San Antonio, Seattle, and Utah Symphonies. The Grant Park Orchestra was nominated for a Grammy award in 2004 for its recording entitled Robert Kurka: Symphonic Works.

Source: Haydn London Symphony | 2017 Season | The Grant Park Music Festival

David Conte – Composer-in-residence at Caritas International Composer’s Competition

The renowned Caritas Chamber Choir invited David Conte to serve as composer-in-residence and adjudicator for the 2017 International Young Composer Competition. The final concert took place July 9, 2017 at the Canterbury Cathedral in England.

This inaugural competition is presented by Music Director Benedict Preece and the Caritas Chamber Choir. Young composers from the UK and abroad were invited to write a new choral composition based on
Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. Sarah Cattley (b. 1995) of Cambridge won for her work for choir and piano. Caritas Chamber Choir will make a professional recording of the piece later in the year.

The primary objectives of this competition are to raise the profile of young composers of new choral music, attract interest and motivate young composers both in the UK and abroad. A further objective is to promote the ancient City of Canterbury: not only its famed connection with Chaucer, but also its long, rich, history of choral music.

competition1 — Competition winner, Sarah Cattley, with (left to right) Peter Bajetta, David Conte, Benedict Preece, Lewis Edmunds and Sam Ritter

David Conte – world premieres of American Death Ballads

David Conte‘s award-winning American Death Ballads received its European premiere, performed for the first time ever, with voice and orchestra. (June 30, 2017, London). The piece later received its French premiere in its original version for voice and piano. (July 4, 2017, Paris)

Performers for each venue:
London House, London, England:
Goodensemble
Michael Poll, Conductor
Brian Thorsett, tenor

Schola Cantorum, Paris, France:
Brian Thorsett, tenor
Richard Masters, piano

American Death Ballads was composed especially for tenor Brian Thorsett. David Conte and Thorsett have been frequent collaborators since 2011. Thorsett premiered American Death Ballads at the San Francisco Conservatory, November 1, 2015, with pianist John Churchwell, and at the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Conference in Chicago, July 10, 2016, with pianist Warren Jones. This was the winner of the NATS American Art Song Competition for the 2016 Convention.

Source: Events | Michael Poll

Remembering Marie Stultz (1945 – 2017)

MorningStar Music is saddened to share of the passing of Marie Irene Stultz, composer, conductor, author, and music educator, on Wednesday, May 10, 2017 in Havervill, MA. She was 72.

Marie’s life was devoted to developing vocal and choral excellence in the young singers and choirs she worked with. As a sought-after music educator and choral clinician, she was particularly known for her expertise in choral literature. In 1975, she founded the Treble Chorus of New England and was its Artistic Director until 2004. In 2005, she founded The Young Opera Company of New England and was its Artistic Director until her death. She led two European trips with the Treble Chorus of New England that included memorable performances in Leipzig, Germany, St. Martin-in-the-Fields and Herrod’s in London, and Chester Cathedral, England.

For over 30 years, Marie was the choral consultant at Spectrum Music in Lexington, MA. Since 1991, she wrote new-release reviews for their monthly newsletter, The Choral Room.

In the 1970s, she taught elementary music in the Burlington and Wilmington public schools. From 1973-1986, she served as Children’s Choir Director at Old North Church in Marblehead, MA, and instituted the Marblehead Walk Concert Series. She was the conductor of the North Reading Choral Society from 1976-1985. More recently, she directed choirs in Lynnfield, MA at the Centre Congregational Church and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.

Marie is the author of several books on the treble voice. She was the editor of The Treble Chorus of New England Sacred and Secular Choral Series, published by MorningStar. A prolific composer and arranger, Marie had her works premiered by many music organizations throughout the United States and Europe. Numerous unpublished works include chamber music, song cycles, plays, musicals, stories, operettas and opera adaptations. Her final composition before her death was To Music for Treble Voices and Organ which received its world premiere at Christ Church, Andover on November 20, 2016.

Marie had memberships in various organizations including ACDA (American Choral Directors Association), MENC (Music Educators National Conference), AGO (American Guild of Organists), Choristers Guild, and Rotary Club of Andover, MA. She received awards and citations from the State Senate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (1996 & 2005), a Teacher Recognition Award from the US Department of Education (2002), and a Lifetime Achievement Award from Methuen Memorial Music Hall (2005). She was a Paul Harris Fellow of The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.

Marie was born in San Antonio, Texas on April 13, 1945. She was raised in Iola, Kansas and attended Southern Methodist University where she earned her Bachelor of Music Education degree in voice and Master of Music degree in music history. While studying at SMU, she met her future husband, Richard Stultz. They were married in 1973 and collaborated musically for 25 years until their divorce in 1998. Marie lived in North Reading, MA from 1976-2015 where she had a private voice studio and taught hundreds of young singers, leaving a lasting legacy.

She is survived by her mother, Betty Ruth Gard Schmidt of Olathe, KS; her sister Cathrine (Schmidt) Lust and husband Major General (retired) Larry J. Lust of Lenexa, KS; and two nephews Colonel & Mrs. Jon Lust of Alexandria, VA and Mr. & Mrs. Phillip Lust of Falls Church, VA.

A memorial service will take place on Saturday, July 1 at 3:00 p.m. at the Parish of Christ Church, Andover, MA. A reception follows the service in the Parish Hall. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent to Christ Church, 25 Central Street, Andover, MA to support the training of young singers.

Source: CONTE FUNERAL HOME: Marie Irene Stultz

Kareem Roustom’s work for solo clarinet & electronics to receive European premiere: Pierre Boulez Saal

Fellow composers and clarinetists Jörg Widmann and Kinan Azmeh will lead audiences on a musical journey of discovery through three centuries, in a program that will include works from three continents by Mozart, Stravinsky, Poulenc, Elliot Carter, Steve Reich, Solhi al-Wadi, and Kareem Roustom, as well as Widmann and Azmeh.

Kareem Roustom‘s A Muffled Scream for solo clarinet and electronics will be receiving its European premiere.

Born in Damascus in 1976 and based in New York, Kinan Azmeh has appeared as a soloist, composer, and improvisor at many of the world’s leading concert halls. His compositions include solo, chamber, and orchestral works, in addition to music for film and electronics. He has worked with a variety of international ensembles, including the Trio Hewar and the Damascus Festival Chamber Players, with both of which he is heard at the Pierre Boulez Saal this season, as well as Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble. He is a former member of Daniel Barenboim’s West-Eastern Divan Orchestra. Jörg Widmann, born in Munich in 1973, is among the most prominent German composers of the younger generation. He has written a wide range of chamber, symphonic, and stage works, and has appeared around the world as a clarinetist and recently also as a conductor. His Viola Concerto premiered in October 2015 at the Paris Philharmonie. He is a frequent collaborator of Daniel Barenboim.

Jörg Widmann is one of the most versatile and intriguing artists of his generation. As clarinetist, Widmann studied with Gerd Starke in Munich and Charles Neidich at the Juilliard School in New York. He performs regularly with leading world orchestras, such as Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Orchestra National de France, National Symphony Orchestra Washington, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and Toronto Symphony Orchestra. He collaborates with conductors such as Daniel Barenboim, Valery Gergiev, Kent Nagano, Sylvain Cambreling, Christoph Eschenbach and Christoph von Dohnányi.

Source: JÖRG WIDMANN & KINAN AZMEH – Pierre Boulez Saal

E. C. Schirmer signs Juliana Hall Art Song Catalog

E. C. Schirmer is pleased to announce our new publishing relationship with renowned American Art Song Composer, Juliana Hall. E. C. Schirmer looks forward to adding Hall’s works to our vocal catalog, which also includes music by American composers such as David Conte, Daron Hagen, Libby Larsen, Henry Mollicone, and Gwyneth Walker.

Hall (b. 1958) is a prolific and highly-regarded composer of vocal music, having written more than 50 song cycles and works of vocal chamber music. Her songs have been called “brilliant” (Washington Post), “beguiling” (Times of London), and “the most genuinely moving music of the afternoon” (Boston Globe), and Gramophone Magazine wrote that Hall is “a composer who savours lyrical lines and harmonies peppered with gentle spices.” The NATS Journal of Singing wrote that “Hall’s text setting is spot on and exquisite…as in all of Juliana Hall’s wonderful creations, the composer has sensitively allowed the text to dictate the tonal palette and direction…[they are] artful and adroit expressions of superb poetic and musical choices,” and Voix des Arts noted that Hall’s songs are “wholly organic, never contrived, and the composer perpetuates the American Art Song tradition of Beach, Barber, and Bolcom with music of ingenuity and integrity.”

Hall began her musical career as a pianist, studying with Boris Berman, Jeanne Kirstein, Seymour Lipkin, and Lee Luvisi. She became a composition major at the Yale School of Music, where she earned her Master’s degree in Composition studying with Martin Bresnick, Leon Kirchner, and Frederic Rzewski, and she completed her formal composition studies with composer Dominick Argento in Minneapolis. In 1989, she received a Guggenheim Fellowship in Music Composition.

Click here for ordering information.

RECENT & UPCOMING NEWS

Juliana Hall’s 2016–2017 season included six world premieres across the United States, and one in London. Her vocal music will also be featured in three performances this June:

Night Dances (six songs on poems by Elizabeth Bishop, Emily Brontë, Emily Dickinson, and Edna St. Vincent Millay) will be performed in an undergraduate voice recital at the Studio Theaters, the Netherlands. Hanna van Rooijen, soprano; ensemble playing new orchestration by William Schaffels. June 20, 2017.
The world premiere of When the South Wind Sings (seven songs on poems by Carl Sandburg) at Song Fest. Hall wrote this work as the recipient of the 2017 Sorel Commission from SongFest. Tabitha Burchett, soprano; Riley McKinch, piano. June 24, 2017.
Night Dances (six songs on poems by Elizabeth Bishop, Emily Brontë, Emily Dickinson, and Edna St. Vincent Millay) will be performed in a Master’s recital at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London. Corinne Cowling, soprano; Dylan John Perez, piano. June 28, 2017.
Interview with Schmopera.com
New recordings:
- World Premiere of The Bells, March 25, 2017: Alexandra Porter, soprano & Brent Funderburk, piano
- Premiere of A World Turned Upside Down, March 10, 2017: Kathleen Roland-Silverstein, soprano & Lisa Sylvester, piano

“There is a beautiful alchemy that occurs when composer Juliana Hall meets a poem. Revealing each morsel of poetry through her brilliant tonal, textural, and rhythmic language, her work is immediately recognizable and wonderfully familiar. Singers and audiences alike take delight in her songs. Over the years, many of my young colleagues have brought her work for me to coach in my own song program, Fall Island Vocal Arts Seminar, but equally, I have heard her songs in virtually every university in which I have taught master classes over the last decade. Ms. Hall’s songs have a very important endorsement- singers want to sing them. Indeed, they love to sing them, and it is readily understood why. Her choice of text is varied, impressive and speaks to a wide cultural audience. The topics are relevant to today’s artists, and therefore, extraordinarily desirable. It is also incredibly evident that she understands the singing voice and the great art of collaboration with the pianist- there is a level of musical discourse here that demands expertise, and rewards the work with a generous and complete technical, interpretive and emotional experience. It is positively magical.” – Stephanie Blythe, Mezzo

Consonance-Dissonance: ACLU Fundraising Concert includes work by Kareem Roustom

Kareem Roustom‘s Buhur for clarinet and string trio will receive its West Cost Premiere in a benefit concert and exhibit in Los Angeles, CA scheduled for June 21, 2017. The program will also feature music of Golijov, Palestrina, Shostakovich, and Villa-Lobos in an eclectic program alongside a painting exhibit by Guy Walker.

All proceeds raised will be donated to the ACLU.

Click here for more information about Buhur by Kareem Roustom.

Source: Consonance-Dissonance : An evening concert and exhibit