"From the Music Director" from past Concert Programs
'Tis Love That's Born
December 4, 6, & 13, 2015 - Emmanuel Episcopal Church, La Grange, IL 60525
Love is born tonight! This year we feature music about children. As you can imagine there is a wealth of music out there about children around the holiday season. We’ll sing some rich “Anniversary Carols” by Jackson Berkey for our 30th anniversary year; “The Nativity,” a harmonically inventive Christmas cantata by English composer Eric Thiman showcasing some outstanding soloists; a set of “little” songs and a number of familiar songs you'll be invited to sing with us! We are delighted to have been asked to sing three performances of this memorable concert at this splendid new venue for us, Emmanuel Episcopal Church. Thanks to the staff and congregation for opening your doors to us! We love singing here, we love singing together, and we love singing for you. Thanks for joining us tonight, and join us throughout the season as we sing for you many "Pearls of Music."
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December 4, 6, & 13, 2015 - Emmanuel Episcopal Church, La Grange, IL 60525
Love is born tonight! This year we feature music about children. As you can imagine there is a wealth of music out there about children around the holiday season. We’ll sing some rich “Anniversary Carols” by Jackson Berkey for our 30th anniversary year; “The Nativity,” a harmonically inventive Christmas cantata by English composer Eric Thiman showcasing some outstanding soloists; a set of “little” songs and a number of familiar songs you'll be invited to sing with us! We are delighted to have been asked to sing three performances of this memorable concert at this splendid new venue for us, Emmanuel Episcopal Church. Thanks to the staff and congregation for opening your doors to us! We love singing here, we love singing together, and we love singing for you. Thanks for joining us tonight, and join us throughout the season as we sing for you many "Pearls of Music."
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Folk Fest
May 15 & 16, 2015 - Nazareth Academy Auditorium, La Grange Park, IL 60526
Welcome to our Folk Fest! This fun program will be divided into halves. The first half will highlight old folk melodies – from Stephen Foster, Woodie Guthrie, and more – and the second half will be some of your favorite folk music – by John Denver, Pete Seeger, Simon and Garfunkel, and more.
What makes folk music so instantly relatable? Folk music draws distinctly from a particular culture in a particular area. It uses vocals and often only 3 to 5 chords. However, the music is fun to sing and so you often chime in before you know what you are doing!
Folk music is something that seems to have resurgence every few decades in some kind of way, largely because of its simplicity and basic visceral qualities. It is easy to learn and is emotionally engaging. We enjoyed learning these choral settings of some old and new folk tunes.
Thanks for another great year. Your support allows us to sustain this most worthy organization. We look forward to seeing you at the Memorial Day event at the Tower in Western Springs and next year for our milestone 30th season. That's all, folks!
May 15 & 16, 2015 - Nazareth Academy Auditorium, La Grange Park, IL 60526
Welcome to our Folk Fest! This fun program will be divided into halves. The first half will highlight old folk melodies – from Stephen Foster, Woodie Guthrie, and more – and the second half will be some of your favorite folk music – by John Denver, Pete Seeger, Simon and Garfunkel, and more.
What makes folk music so instantly relatable? Folk music draws distinctly from a particular culture in a particular area. It uses vocals and often only 3 to 5 chords. However, the music is fun to sing and so you often chime in before you know what you are doing!
Folk music is something that seems to have resurgence every few decades in some kind of way, largely because of its simplicity and basic visceral qualities. It is easy to learn and is emotionally engaging. We enjoyed learning these choral settings of some old and new folk tunes.
Thanks for another great year. Your support allows us to sustain this most worthy organization. We look forward to seeing you at the Memorial Day event at the Tower in Western Springs and next year for our milestone 30th season. That's all, folks!
Faure Masterworks
March 1, 2015 at St. Cletus, La Grange, IL 60525
March 8, 2015 at St. Gregory the Great Church, Chicago, IL 60640
The second part of our journey through this season’s three F’s – Feliz Navidad, Fauré Masterworks, and Folk Fest – centers around the music of French composer Gabriel Fauré. His name is synonymous with gentleness, as are his works on today’s program. His harmonic progressions have lushness that lend themselves perfectly to the meaning of “requiem,” that is, “rest.” The first half will explore some of his lesser known, but equally beautiful motets. The majority of these shorter choral works will feature the women’s voices along with superb soloists from the Chorale.
I am sensitive to the recent terrorist attack in France. We are connected in tragedy with more and more countries as the years pass. Fear and hatred still consume. However, our offering today through our music is to seek peace. Death has hit us close to home, too. Over the summer two of our dear basses died, Marty Daley and John Kulaga. These two men loved singing and were faithful Chorale members. Coming to Tower Chorale rehearsals has felt so different with them gone. Their love for music and family was infectious. We dedicate our Requiem performances to the memory of Marty Daley, John Kulaga, and Genevieve Yurka.
You’ll have three opportunities to hear us sing the exquisite Fauré Requiem: 1) at St. Cletus Church on March 1st, 2) at St. Gregory the Great Church on March 8th, and 3) at the Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church on May 9th. I’m delighted to be combining with my chamber music ensemble, the International Chamber Artists, for the first two performances again this year. The Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra (ESO) has invited us to perform on this third performance together with the Elmhurst Choral Union. My colleague Stephen Alltop, ESO conductor and director of the choral program at Northwestern University, will conduct the May 9th performance.
Would you like to join us as a singer for the May Folk Fest concerts? It’s not too late! Thank you for coming today and for your support all season. We hope you will embody the message we impart today – be peace.
March 1, 2015 at St. Cletus, La Grange, IL 60525
March 8, 2015 at St. Gregory the Great Church, Chicago, IL 60640
The second part of our journey through this season’s three F’s – Feliz Navidad, Fauré Masterworks, and Folk Fest – centers around the music of French composer Gabriel Fauré. His name is synonymous with gentleness, as are his works on today’s program. His harmonic progressions have lushness that lend themselves perfectly to the meaning of “requiem,” that is, “rest.” The first half will explore some of his lesser known, but equally beautiful motets. The majority of these shorter choral works will feature the women’s voices along with superb soloists from the Chorale.
I am sensitive to the recent terrorist attack in France. We are connected in tragedy with more and more countries as the years pass. Fear and hatred still consume. However, our offering today through our music is to seek peace. Death has hit us close to home, too. Over the summer two of our dear basses died, Marty Daley and John Kulaga. These two men loved singing and were faithful Chorale members. Coming to Tower Chorale rehearsals has felt so different with them gone. Their love for music and family was infectious. We dedicate our Requiem performances to the memory of Marty Daley, John Kulaga, and Genevieve Yurka.
You’ll have three opportunities to hear us sing the exquisite Fauré Requiem: 1) at St. Cletus Church on March 1st, 2) at St. Gregory the Great Church on March 8th, and 3) at the Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church on May 9th. I’m delighted to be combining with my chamber music ensemble, the International Chamber Artists, for the first two performances again this year. The Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra (ESO) has invited us to perform on this third performance together with the Elmhurst Choral Union. My colleague Stephen Alltop, ESO conductor and director of the choral program at Northwestern University, will conduct the May 9th performance.
Would you like to join us as a singer for the May Folk Fest concerts? It’s not too late! Thank you for coming today and for your support all season. We hope you will embody the message we impart today – be peace.
Feliz Navidad: A Concert of Holiday Warmth
December 5 & 7, 2014 - Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Westmont, IL 60525
If you are still thawing out from last winter's arctic blast, you are in the right place to experience the warmer side of Christmas! This year we feature exquisite arrangements of some of the most famous standards alongside treasured carols and lullabies from the Southwest. As we begin season 29, we are delighted to sing at this new venue for us, Holy Trinity Church, and what a magnificent space this is. Thanks to the staff and congregation for opening your doors to us and to the Children's Choir for singing with us!
The inspiration for singing Spanish carols today stems from an upcoming tour that members of The Tower Chorale will be taking to Spain together with my church choir, the St. Gregory the Great Parish Choir, in March of 2015. If this piques your interest, is not too late for you to sign up and join us on the tour as a singing choir member or a Friend of the Choir! Please visit www.stgregorychoir.weebly.com/2015-spain.html to download a brochure. Contact me at [email protected] with any questions. The trip of a lifetime awaits!
Chorale founder James Winfield wrote and recently dedicated his setting of "God Rest You Merry" to The Tower Chorale. We are excited to sing it with you. Thanks for joining us tonight, we look forward to warming your heart. Happy Holidays and Feliz Navidad!
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December 5 & 7, 2014 - Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Westmont, IL 60525
If you are still thawing out from last winter's arctic blast, you are in the right place to experience the warmer side of Christmas! This year we feature exquisite arrangements of some of the most famous standards alongside treasured carols and lullabies from the Southwest. As we begin season 29, we are delighted to sing at this new venue for us, Holy Trinity Church, and what a magnificent space this is. Thanks to the staff and congregation for opening your doors to us and to the Children's Choir for singing with us!
The inspiration for singing Spanish carols today stems from an upcoming tour that members of The Tower Chorale will be taking to Spain together with my church choir, the St. Gregory the Great Parish Choir, in March of 2015. If this piques your interest, is not too late for you to sign up and join us on the tour as a singing choir member or a Friend of the Choir! Please visit www.stgregorychoir.weebly.com/2015-spain.html to download a brochure. Contact me at [email protected] with any questions. The trip of a lifetime awaits!
Chorale founder James Winfield wrote and recently dedicated his setting of "God Rest You Merry" to The Tower Chorale. We are excited to sing it with you. Thanks for joining us tonight, we look forward to warming your heart. Happy Holidays and Feliz Navidad!
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Here Comes the Sun: Music of the Beatles
May 3 & 4, 2014 - Nazareth Academy Auditorium, La Grange Park, IL 60526
How timely this concert is, "Here Comes the Sun: Music of the Beatles" not only to mark their debut Ed Sullivan anniversary appearance, but also functioning as a "sun dance" to help usher in the much anticipated spring sun. Snow in April? Perhaps a long lost Beatles song lyric, but not cool in reality.
We pay tribute to the Beatles today for their revolutionary impact on pop music. At our first rehearsal I asked the Chorale, "What made the Beatles so special?" Many of our members watched that Ed Sullivan show. Some of the women giggled as though it was "Yesterday." Some said, "Their long hair," "Their suits and skinny ties," and others said, "Their sound was unlike anyone else at the time," and "They were all great song-writers."
I did my own musical investigation and discovered that their harmonic progressions were so advanced that it put them into a league of their own. They must have known that they had something special. In initial US interviews reporters tried to mock them and dismiss them with their questioning, but the Beatles outwitted them with their responses. They weren't going away, they were here to stay. They exuded a confidence that stemmed from the quality of their songs - and boy did the girls respond!
Their melodies often have no regard for barlines. This adds a layer of freedom and flow to their music. And that was when I hit the hammer on the head. The Beatles were such a huge hit here because their music embodied freedom, in the land of the free. Their music resonated with us because it reinforced who we are. We hope to bring you some of the same feelings that generations have felt in the 50 years since their American debut.
We thank you again for a wonderful year thanks to your support! Continue to follow us by liking us on our Facebook page, and find out this summer what we'll be singing next season on our website. I'd like to close by thanking our awesome Board Chairman Mark Miner for so many years of dedicated and devoted service allowing The Tower Chorale to grow and prosper. With your help, Mark, The Tower Chorale is growing into the future with grace, confidence, and happiness. Mark is a guiding light. As he completes his tenure as Board Chairman it is as though we are saying, "There Goes the Sun." Cheers to you for all of your service and gifts that have been such an inspiration!
May 3 & 4, 2014 - Nazareth Academy Auditorium, La Grange Park, IL 60526
How timely this concert is, "Here Comes the Sun: Music of the Beatles" not only to mark their debut Ed Sullivan anniversary appearance, but also functioning as a "sun dance" to help usher in the much anticipated spring sun. Snow in April? Perhaps a long lost Beatles song lyric, but not cool in reality.
We pay tribute to the Beatles today for their revolutionary impact on pop music. At our first rehearsal I asked the Chorale, "What made the Beatles so special?" Many of our members watched that Ed Sullivan show. Some of the women giggled as though it was "Yesterday." Some said, "Their long hair," "Their suits and skinny ties," and others said, "Their sound was unlike anyone else at the time," and "They were all great song-writers."
I did my own musical investigation and discovered that their harmonic progressions were so advanced that it put them into a league of their own. They must have known that they had something special. In initial US interviews reporters tried to mock them and dismiss them with their questioning, but the Beatles outwitted them with their responses. They weren't going away, they were here to stay. They exuded a confidence that stemmed from the quality of their songs - and boy did the girls respond!
Their melodies often have no regard for barlines. This adds a layer of freedom and flow to their music. And that was when I hit the hammer on the head. The Beatles were such a huge hit here because their music embodied freedom, in the land of the free. Their music resonated with us because it reinforced who we are. We hope to bring you some of the same feelings that generations have felt in the 50 years since their American debut.
We thank you again for a wonderful year thanks to your support! Continue to follow us by liking us on our Facebook page, and find out this summer what we'll be singing next season on our website. I'd like to close by thanking our awesome Board Chairman Mark Miner for so many years of dedicated and devoted service allowing The Tower Chorale to grow and prosper. With your help, Mark, The Tower Chorale is growing into the future with grace, confidence, and happiness. Mark is a guiding light. As he completes his tenure as Board Chairman it is as though we are saying, "There Goes the Sun." Cheers to you for all of your service and gifts that have been such an inspiration!
Brahms Requiem: A German Requiem for All
March 2, 2014 at Divine Infant, Westchester, IL 60154
March 9, 2014 at St. Gregory the Great Church, Chicago, IL 60640
Welcome and thank you for joining us today! Brahms' Ein deutsches Requiem has consolation for the mourner, assurances of joy after death, warnings against the vanities of the world, and closes with victory over death. We are thrilled to offer you two performances of one of the greatest masterworks ever written.
It has been a difficult run of rehearsals this winter given that we had to cancel and reschedule three rehearsals due to excessive snow and extreme cold. Perhaps the message to be remembered is that we do not know the time when our lives, or our rehearsals, will be taken away. This requiem for all offers us an optimistic view of death. Joy and delight will overcome us! Given all the pitfalls we encounter, this is great news.
Special thanks to Divine Infant Church for hosting us again this year. I am especially excited to bring The Tower Chorale to my home St. Gregory the Great Church, thanks for hosting us for the first time! We are honored to be able to perform in such beautiful spaces befitting the music we sing. Thank you for your support and we'll see you in May!
March 2, 2014 at Divine Infant, Westchester, IL 60154
March 9, 2014 at St. Gregory the Great Church, Chicago, IL 60640
Welcome and thank you for joining us today! Brahms' Ein deutsches Requiem has consolation for the mourner, assurances of joy after death, warnings against the vanities of the world, and closes with victory over death. We are thrilled to offer you two performances of one of the greatest masterworks ever written.
It has been a difficult run of rehearsals this winter given that we had to cancel and reschedule three rehearsals due to excessive snow and extreme cold. Perhaps the message to be remembered is that we do not know the time when our lives, or our rehearsals, will be taken away. This requiem for all offers us an optimistic view of death. Joy and delight will overcome us! Given all the pitfalls we encounter, this is great news.
Special thanks to Divine Infant Church for hosting us again this year. I am especially excited to bring The Tower Chorale to my home St. Gregory the Great Church, thanks for hosting us for the first time! We are honored to be able to perform in such beautiful spaces befitting the music we sing. Thank you for your support and we'll see you in May!
Spirit of the Season
December 14 & 15, 2013 at St. Cletus, La Grange, IL 60525
This program highlights the spirit of Christmas through Spirituals! It is our small way of thanking Abraham Lincoln 150 years later for issuing the Emancipation Proclamation. I turn my words over to the following text about freedom that was presented to me on the back of a set of stamps from the Post Office:
With the Emancipation Proclamation, issued on January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln declared more than three million African-American slaves to be free.
According to many historians, only the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States have had as great an impact on human life and liberty for so many. Lincoln himself believed the proclamation was the “central act of my administration, and the great event of the nineteenth century.”
The Emancipation Proclamation wasn’t a perfect solution. Written two years into the Civil War, the document left slavery intact in the four slave states still loyal to the Union, and actual freedom for slaves in the rebellious states depended entirely on future Union victories. Still, in the words of abolitionist and ex-slave Frederick Douglass, the proclamation was “the first step on the part of the nation in its departure from the thralldom of the ages.”
With the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln made freedom for slaves an explicit goal of the Civil War. In addition, the document authorized the recruitment of black soldiers into the Union army. Their courage in battle and contributions to the Union’s ultimate victory greatly influenced the nation to adopt the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865, outlawing slavery.
“In giving freedom to the slave, we assure freedom to the free," Lincoln wrote in a message to Congress one month before singing the Emancipation Proclamation. A nation “dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal” at last began the journey toward true liberty and justice for all.
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December 14 & 15, 2013 at St. Cletus, La Grange, IL 60525
This program highlights the spirit of Christmas through Spirituals! It is our small way of thanking Abraham Lincoln 150 years later for issuing the Emancipation Proclamation. I turn my words over to the following text about freedom that was presented to me on the back of a set of stamps from the Post Office:
With the Emancipation Proclamation, issued on January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln declared more than three million African-American slaves to be free.
According to many historians, only the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States have had as great an impact on human life and liberty for so many. Lincoln himself believed the proclamation was the “central act of my administration, and the great event of the nineteenth century.”
The Emancipation Proclamation wasn’t a perfect solution. Written two years into the Civil War, the document left slavery intact in the four slave states still loyal to the Union, and actual freedom for slaves in the rebellious states depended entirely on future Union victories. Still, in the words of abolitionist and ex-slave Frederick Douglass, the proclamation was “the first step on the part of the nation in its departure from the thralldom of the ages.”
With the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln made freedom for slaves an explicit goal of the Civil War. In addition, the document authorized the recruitment of black soldiers into the Union army. Their courage in battle and contributions to the Union’s ultimate victory greatly influenced the nation to adopt the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865, outlawing slavery.
“In giving freedom to the slave, we assure freedom to the free," Lincoln wrote in a message to Congress one month before singing the Emancipation Proclamation. A nation “dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal” at last began the journey toward true liberty and justice for all.
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Songs My Mother Taught Me
May 11 & 12, 2013 - Nazareth Academy Auditorium, La Grange Park, IL 60526
Happy Mother's Day! I'd like to personally dedicate these concerts to my mom. As a father, I've seen what it takes to be a mother - and it isn't easy! Kudos to all you mothers out there. Growing up, I often heard my mom singing all kinds of songs in the house. Sometimes I'd simply respond to one of her questions and one word would trigger a song in my mom's head. She'd start singing some song I'd never heard before. My mom was genuinely eager to sing as often as she could, but it was also a good way to help keep her sane after dealing with six kids! Hearing my mom sing regularly to me was one of the best ways to discover my own voice. Whether throughout the day or at bedtime, she was there with a song. Thank you, Mom, for all the songs you taught me. What a gift - that keeps on giving today!
May 11 & 12, 2013 - Nazareth Academy Auditorium, La Grange Park, IL 60526
Happy Mother's Day! I'd like to personally dedicate these concerts to my mom. As a father, I've seen what it takes to be a mother - and it isn't easy! Kudos to all you mothers out there. Growing up, I often heard my mom singing all kinds of songs in the house. Sometimes I'd simply respond to one of her questions and one word would trigger a song in my mom's head. She'd start singing some song I'd never heard before. My mom was genuinely eager to sing as often as she could, but it was also a good way to help keep her sane after dealing with six kids! Hearing my mom sing regularly to me was one of the best ways to discover my own voice. Whether throughout the day or at bedtime, she was there with a song. Thank you, Mom, for all the songs you taught me. What a gift - that keeps on giving today!
Mozart the Great
March 3, 2013 at Divine Infant, Westchester, IL 60154
Welcome to our presentation of “Mozart the Great.” His “Great” C Minor Mass was inspired by his love for his wife Constanze, but was never finished. Today we will perform only the movements that he left in playable condition. Even as an incomplete work, this Mass presents a heavenly taste of Mozart’s genius. His ability to combine the elegance and refinement of tradition with the nontraditional music of his own day paints the Mass as a zenith experience.
I’ve enjoyed working with the singers of The Tower Chorale this concert cycle at our Mondays with Mozart rehearsals. We’ve found many instances where the text informed Mozart’s compositional decisions. These illuminations allow us to become more deeply connected to the music. We look forward to performing this glorious sacred work for you in this beautiful sacred space. Thank you Divine Infant for hosting us again this year.
March 3, 2013 at Divine Infant, Westchester, IL 60154
Welcome to our presentation of “Mozart the Great.” His “Great” C Minor Mass was inspired by his love for his wife Constanze, but was never finished. Today we will perform only the movements that he left in playable condition. Even as an incomplete work, this Mass presents a heavenly taste of Mozart’s genius. His ability to combine the elegance and refinement of tradition with the nontraditional music of his own day paints the Mass as a zenith experience.
I’ve enjoyed working with the singers of The Tower Chorale this concert cycle at our Mondays with Mozart rehearsals. We’ve found many instances where the text informed Mozart’s compositional decisions. These illuminations allow us to become more deeply connected to the music. We look forward to performing this glorious sacred work for you in this beautiful sacred space. Thank you Divine Infant for hosting us again this year.
Time for Joy
November 30 & December 1, 2012 at St. John of the Cross, Western Springs, IL 60558
We have all have these moments. Moments of joy that find us when we are not looking, draw us gladly out of our daily routine, and bring us to a place of wonder that we were not expecting. This is one time during the year, around the holidays, that we prepare for and anticipate the joy we will experience. In anticipation for this concert we have spent hours together preparing this music to share with you. We make music together because of the joy it brings to our spirits. It is our hope that the tunes and lyrics you hear tonight help you anticipate and fully experience all the joy that this season brings. It is truly a Time For Joy with the Tower Chorale.
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November 30 & December 1, 2012 at St. John of the Cross, Western Springs, IL 60558
We have all have these moments. Moments of joy that find us when we are not looking, draw us gladly out of our daily routine, and bring us to a place of wonder that we were not expecting. This is one time during the year, around the holidays, that we prepare for and anticipate the joy we will experience. In anticipation for this concert we have spent hours together preparing this music to share with you. We make music together because of the joy it brings to our spirits. It is our hope that the tunes and lyrics you hear tonight help you anticipate and fully experience all the joy that this season brings. It is truly a Time For Joy with the Tower Chorale.
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A Night of Gershwin
May 5 & 6, 2012 at Nazareth Academy Auditorium, La Grange Park, IL 60526
We close our season with a tribute to George Gershwin's music. Gershwin was a mere 38 years old when he died. This year marks the 75th anniversary of his death. Gershwin holds a special place in American music history for the way he threaded jazz elements into classical style throughout his musical career.
Gershwin's music has always resonated in my soul and has a special place in my heart. I remember hearing Gershwin's music when I was a little boy. My dad had a record of Leonard Bernstein playing his Rhapsody in Blue, and we listened to it often. He bought me a score of the piano solo version and I remember trying to play along with the record. I found that the solo piano arrangement was slightly different than the piano and orchestra one. Not to be deterred, I figured out some of the orchestra parts and recorded them into my digital keyboard at home. Then I’d play the solo part over my recorded tracks. I absolutely loved the middle section with the broad string melody. Imagine my surprise when I heard my first commercial for United Airlines and could recognize excerpts of this music being used as the theme!
In high school, my esteemed piano teacher introduced me to the Three Preludes for Piano, amazing pieces which he loved teaching almost as much as I enjoyed learning. I still appreciate the joy of playing them to this day. My high school theater director took a group of us to a dinner theater near Minneapolis to see Crazy for You, "The New Gershwin Musical Comedy," largely based on George & Ira's 1938 musical Girl Crazy. It was then that I developed a major appreciation for the Broadway scene. The performance was hilarious and the singers all sounded amazing. Two years later, we did our own production of Crazy for You at my high school. Believe it or not, I was music director, conductor, and acted in the show as Bela Zangler! I guess you could say it was the beginning of a career of musical multi-tasking.
My relationship with Rhapsody in Blue came full circle when I was invited to perform it with the Lake Shore Symphony Orchestra in 2008. I was very excited to learn the same version that I had heard Bernstein play when I first heard the work on my father's record.
This program entitled "A Night of Gershwin" honors some of his greatest works. All of our music showcases The Tower Chorale and some are enhanced with solos by chorale members. During this final concert of The Tower Chorale's 26th season, you will hear Gershwin's well-known melodies, jazz standards and Broadway hits. In Ira's words, "Who Could Ask for Anything More?" We close our program with a medley from Porgy and Bess, a 1935 folk opera that remains one of the greatest, and most controversial, pieces of American musical theater ever written.
We were so excited to be able to perform Haydn’s Creation twice this season. With a chorus of 90 voices, four superb soloists, the excellent accompaniment of our own Dennis Zimmer on harpsichord and a full orchestra of my ICA colleagues, the sound at both Divine Infant Church and St. Mary of the Angels Church was truly inspiring. I was thrilled lead such an exceptional collaboration of musicians. I am proud of the chorale's commitment to absorbing the many intricacies of such a complex work. I'd like to especially thank those of you who supported us by attending one of our concerts. Thank you for your continued support.
We need your help to reach our fullest potential. If you like The Tower Chorale, please spread the word. We encourage you to bring a friend to the next concert, and encourage them to do the same for a future concert. If you or someone you know would like to sing with us, please contact us immediately. Joining The Tower Chorale is making an investment in the quality of your life, and in the lives of countless others you'll encounter as a member of this vibrant organization. We appreciate your support of our mission. Thank you for joining us today, and please join us again next season for more wonderful concerts with your Tower Chorale!
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May 5 & 6, 2012 at Nazareth Academy Auditorium, La Grange Park, IL 60526
We close our season with a tribute to George Gershwin's music. Gershwin was a mere 38 years old when he died. This year marks the 75th anniversary of his death. Gershwin holds a special place in American music history for the way he threaded jazz elements into classical style throughout his musical career.
Gershwin's music has always resonated in my soul and has a special place in my heart. I remember hearing Gershwin's music when I was a little boy. My dad had a record of Leonard Bernstein playing his Rhapsody in Blue, and we listened to it often. He bought me a score of the piano solo version and I remember trying to play along with the record. I found that the solo piano arrangement was slightly different than the piano and orchestra one. Not to be deterred, I figured out some of the orchestra parts and recorded them into my digital keyboard at home. Then I’d play the solo part over my recorded tracks. I absolutely loved the middle section with the broad string melody. Imagine my surprise when I heard my first commercial for United Airlines and could recognize excerpts of this music being used as the theme!
In high school, my esteemed piano teacher introduced me to the Three Preludes for Piano, amazing pieces which he loved teaching almost as much as I enjoyed learning. I still appreciate the joy of playing them to this day. My high school theater director took a group of us to a dinner theater near Minneapolis to see Crazy for You, "The New Gershwin Musical Comedy," largely based on George & Ira's 1938 musical Girl Crazy. It was then that I developed a major appreciation for the Broadway scene. The performance was hilarious and the singers all sounded amazing. Two years later, we did our own production of Crazy for You at my high school. Believe it or not, I was music director, conductor, and acted in the show as Bela Zangler! I guess you could say it was the beginning of a career of musical multi-tasking.
My relationship with Rhapsody in Blue came full circle when I was invited to perform it with the Lake Shore Symphony Orchestra in 2008. I was very excited to learn the same version that I had heard Bernstein play when I first heard the work on my father's record.
This program entitled "A Night of Gershwin" honors some of his greatest works. All of our music showcases The Tower Chorale and some are enhanced with solos by chorale members. During this final concert of The Tower Chorale's 26th season, you will hear Gershwin's well-known melodies, jazz standards and Broadway hits. In Ira's words, "Who Could Ask for Anything More?" We close our program with a medley from Porgy and Bess, a 1935 folk opera that remains one of the greatest, and most controversial, pieces of American musical theater ever written.
We were so excited to be able to perform Haydn’s Creation twice this season. With a chorus of 90 voices, four superb soloists, the excellent accompaniment of our own Dennis Zimmer on harpsichord and a full orchestra of my ICA colleagues, the sound at both Divine Infant Church and St. Mary of the Angels Church was truly inspiring. I was thrilled lead such an exceptional collaboration of musicians. I am proud of the chorale's commitment to absorbing the many intricacies of such a complex work. I'd like to especially thank those of you who supported us by attending one of our concerts. Thank you for your continued support.
We need your help to reach our fullest potential. If you like The Tower Chorale, please spread the word. We encourage you to bring a friend to the next concert, and encourage them to do the same for a future concert. If you or someone you know would like to sing with us, please contact us immediately. Joining The Tower Chorale is making an investment in the quality of your life, and in the lives of countless others you'll encounter as a member of this vibrant organization. We appreciate your support of our mission. Thank you for joining us today, and please join us again next season for more wonderful concerts with your Tower Chorale!
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The Creation by Franz Joseph Haydn
March 4, 2012 at Divine Infant Church, Westchester, IL 60154
March 11, 2012 at St. Mary of the Angels Church, Chicago, IL 60622
Thank you for being here today. The Creation by Franz Joseph Haydn will invite you to ponder the beginning of time through music. Through my eyes, as this is my first year as Music Director, it also represents a second beginning for The Tower Chorale. I did not anticipate the coincidental timing of The Creation performances with the birth of our second son! It is striking how the role of a father nurturing new life reflects the investments made during the music rehearsal process.
The composer created the work through imaginative skill. We cultivate and care for this creation by studying, researching, and rehearsing to share performances laced with a deep connection to its original intent. I like bringing into existence something new. Each performance allows for a new experience related to the acoustics of each venue, a different audience, and varied interpretation based on how the performers and conductor interact.
This performance has created an opportunity of collaboration between The Tower Chorale and the International Chamber Artists (ICA). It was my hope in founding ICA that relationships of this kind would bring music lovers and musicians together to experience masterful performances in creative and powerful ways.
Please join us again for our final concerts of the season the first weekend in May. We close our season with a tribute to George Gershwin's music. In his brother Ira's words, "Who Could Ask for Anything More?"
My vision for The Tower Chorale is to have us stand out as one of the premier choral groups in the greater Chicago area. We'll continue to bring you diverse programs, while we simultaneously expand our repertoire. I just love that each concert makes use of instrumentalists. I envision collaborations along the way, such as inviting the Highlands Show Choir to perform on our concerts as we did for our Christmas program.
We need your help, too, in order to reach our fullest potential. If you like The Tower Chorale, please spread the word. We encourage you to bring a friend to the next concert, and encourage them to do the same for a future concert. If you or someone you know would like to sing with us, please contact us immediately. Joining The Tower Chorale is making an investment in the quality of your life, and in the lives of countless others you'll encounter as a member of this vibrant organization. We appreciate your support of our mission. Thank you for joining us today!
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March 4, 2012 at Divine Infant Church, Westchester, IL 60154
March 11, 2012 at St. Mary of the Angels Church, Chicago, IL 60622
Thank you for being here today. The Creation by Franz Joseph Haydn will invite you to ponder the beginning of time through music. Through my eyes, as this is my first year as Music Director, it also represents a second beginning for The Tower Chorale. I did not anticipate the coincidental timing of The Creation performances with the birth of our second son! It is striking how the role of a father nurturing new life reflects the investments made during the music rehearsal process.
The composer created the work through imaginative skill. We cultivate and care for this creation by studying, researching, and rehearsing to share performances laced with a deep connection to its original intent. I like bringing into existence something new. Each performance allows for a new experience related to the acoustics of each venue, a different audience, and varied interpretation based on how the performers and conductor interact.
This performance has created an opportunity of collaboration between The Tower Chorale and the International Chamber Artists (ICA). It was my hope in founding ICA that relationships of this kind would bring music lovers and musicians together to experience masterful performances in creative and powerful ways.
Please join us again for our final concerts of the season the first weekend in May. We close our season with a tribute to George Gershwin's music. In his brother Ira's words, "Who Could Ask for Anything More?"
My vision for The Tower Chorale is to have us stand out as one of the premier choral groups in the greater Chicago area. We'll continue to bring you diverse programs, while we simultaneously expand our repertoire. I just love that each concert makes use of instrumentalists. I envision collaborations along the way, such as inviting the Highlands Show Choir to perform on our concerts as we did for our Christmas program.
We need your help, too, in order to reach our fullest potential. If you like The Tower Chorale, please spread the word. We encourage you to bring a friend to the next concert, and encourage them to do the same for a future concert. If you or someone you know would like to sing with us, please contact us immediately. Joining The Tower Chorale is making an investment in the quality of your life, and in the lives of countless others you'll encounter as a member of this vibrant organization. We appreciate your support of our mission. Thank you for joining us today!
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"Do You Hear What I Hear?" Holiday Classics with The Tower Chorale
December 3 & 4, 2011 at St. Cletus, La Grange, IL 60525
I'd like to begin by thanking Jim Winfield for founding The Tower Chorale. He has been extremely helpful to me during this time of transition. After 25 years of his guidance and leadership, The Tower Chorale has become a well oiled machine. In the five short months since taking over the reigns, I've found myself surrounded by faithful and hardworking people. Whether at board meetings, observing the volunteers, or in my over 100 summer phone interviews to the choristers, I sense a great history and dedication to the success of The Tower Chorale from all.
This season you can expect more great concerts with a wide variety of music. You'll hear many familiar holiday songs today. Some arrangements will make you want to move in your seat, while others may overwhelm you with their beauty. We have enjoyed preparing this program for you.
Please join us again in March for The Creation by Franz Joseph Haydn with orchestra. This piece will invite you to ponder the beginning of time through music. Through my eyes, as this is my first year as Music Director, it also represents a second beginning for The Tower Chorale.
Our final concerts of the season are the first weekend in May. We close our season with a tribute to George Gershwin's music. In his brother Ira's words, "Who Could Ask for Anything More?"
My vision for The Tower Chorale is to have us stand out as one of the premier choral groups in the greater Chicago area. We'll continue to bring you diverse programs, while we simultaneously expand our repertoire. I just love that each concert makes use of instrumentalists. This will allow me to bring The Tower Chorale together with the International Chamber Artists, a chamber music ensemble I founded in 2006. I envision other collaborations along the way, such as inviting the Highlands Show Choir to perform on our concerts as we did for this program.
We need your help, too, in order to reach our fullest potential. If you like The Tower Chorale, please spread the word. We encourage you to bring a friend to the next concert, and encourage them to do the same for a future concert. If you or someone you know would like to sing with us, please contact us immediately. Joining The Tower Chorale is making an investment in the quality of your life, and in the lives of countless others you'll encounter along the way. We appreciate your support of our mission. Thank you for joining us today!
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December 3 & 4, 2011 at St. Cletus, La Grange, IL 60525
I'd like to begin by thanking Jim Winfield for founding The Tower Chorale. He has been extremely helpful to me during this time of transition. After 25 years of his guidance and leadership, The Tower Chorale has become a well oiled machine. In the five short months since taking over the reigns, I've found myself surrounded by faithful and hardworking people. Whether at board meetings, observing the volunteers, or in my over 100 summer phone interviews to the choristers, I sense a great history and dedication to the success of The Tower Chorale from all.
This season you can expect more great concerts with a wide variety of music. You'll hear many familiar holiday songs today. Some arrangements will make you want to move in your seat, while others may overwhelm you with their beauty. We have enjoyed preparing this program for you.
Please join us again in March for The Creation by Franz Joseph Haydn with orchestra. This piece will invite you to ponder the beginning of time through music. Through my eyes, as this is my first year as Music Director, it also represents a second beginning for The Tower Chorale.
Our final concerts of the season are the first weekend in May. We close our season with a tribute to George Gershwin's music. In his brother Ira's words, "Who Could Ask for Anything More?"
My vision for The Tower Chorale is to have us stand out as one of the premier choral groups in the greater Chicago area. We'll continue to bring you diverse programs, while we simultaneously expand our repertoire. I just love that each concert makes use of instrumentalists. This will allow me to bring The Tower Chorale together with the International Chamber Artists, a chamber music ensemble I founded in 2006. I envision other collaborations along the way, such as inviting the Highlands Show Choir to perform on our concerts as we did for this program.
We need your help, too, in order to reach our fullest potential. If you like The Tower Chorale, please spread the word. We encourage you to bring a friend to the next concert, and encourage them to do the same for a future concert. If you or someone you know would like to sing with us, please contact us immediately. Joining The Tower Chorale is making an investment in the quality of your life, and in the lives of countless others you'll encounter along the way. We appreciate your support of our mission. Thank you for joining us today!
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