The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
THE SPLENDOR OF CHORAL MUSIC
Chorus Angelicus, Berkshire Children’s Chorus join Gaudeamus in Norfolk Sunday, June 11 NORFOLK » Two of the area’s best youth choirs will present a collaborative choral concert at the legendary Music Shed of the Yale Summer Music Festival in Norfolk, on Sunday June 11, at 4 p.m. A massed choir of more than 80 singers from the Berkshire Children’s Chorus and Chorus Angelicus, joined by the professional, adult choir Gaudeamus, will gather together to present CHASM: The Splendor of Choral Music with Percussion.
Admission to the concert is free; donations are welcome. As this title indicates, the singers, who range in age from 5 to 75, will be joined by three talented percussionists, Andrew Thomson, Marcus Kreiger, and Matthias Bossi. The repertoire will feature contemporary choral music, showcasing the different choirs and sounds of both musical organizations. The groups will combine for the finale with the performance of Graham Instrall’s spirited piece, Chasm, a creative mass setting for voice and percussion.
The original concept for this concert is the brainchild of Andrew Thomson, Ithaca College graduate, composer, performer, and educator from Norfolk. As a child and youth, Andrew sang with Chorus Angelicus & Gaudeamus, a relationship he continues to this day. Andrew is especially recognized as a marimba player: he is a marimba one artist, endorsed by the Grover Pro Percussion manufacturer of percussion instruments. Thomson collected several unique works for the unusual combination of percussion and choir and persuaded Artistic Directors Julie Bickford, from the Berkshire Children’s Chorus, and Gabriel
Löfvall, from Chorus Angelicus to devote an entire show to the performance of such pieces of music. The two organizations are joining for the final concert of the season in one loud and powerful performance to showcase Andrew’s vision.
The choirs have found the perfect location for this show at the legendary Music Shed in Norfolk, a facility renowned for its brilliant acoustics and rustic redwood interior. The Shed has been the home to centuries of high-quality music making in the hands of worldclass performers and composers from all latitudes, including Saint-Saëns, Sibelius, Vaughan Williams, Rachmaninov, amid many others.
The place also holds a special connection to Connecticut-based Chorus Angelicus, an organization that has performed in the hall several times and started its history as a choral school on the same grounds, at the Congregational Church of Norfolk.
Both the Berkshire Children’s Chorus and Chorus Angelicus and Gaudeamus share a history that spans over a quarter century of devotion to choral excellence, and a common mission to teach children and instill a passion for vocal music of the highest caliber. The shared artistic mission of both groups is on display at the many concerts offered annually by both organizations throughout Northwest and Central Connecticut, and Southwest Massachusetts.
This particular concert offers a remarkable opportunity for choral music lovers to witness two renowned ensembles in concert together. Due to the distinctive quality of their trade, both groups also get often approached by outside organizations to premiere newly written compositions and to act as featured children’s choir. Moreover, both choirs will tackle separate international tours this summer: the Berkshire Children’s Chorus will be on its way to England in July, singing at Canterbury Cathedral, while Chorus Angelicus will be in residence at the Monastery of El Escorial in Spain. Last but not least, these choirs also share some artistic staff and singers in common, making the collaboration all the more cherished and personal.
The Berkshire Children’s Chorus and Chorus Angelicus & Gaudeamus will perform individual sets in addition to the collaborative works. Training and Junior Choir Directors Karen Sovak and Laurie Ellington will be conducting their younger singers as they perform their pieces, showcasing the breadth of the organization from the very youngest to the oldest. The program will feature an eclectic mix of composers: Mendelssohn, Kesselman, Koshinski, and Instrall.