NEWS VIEWS & CLUES

Preview: Arcadian Chorale to join with
Monmouth Symphony & Richmond Choral Society
to sing Orff's Carmina Burana

For Spring 2005, Arcadian Chorale will enter into a three-way collaboration, with the Richmond Choral Society of Staten Island and the Monmouth Symphony, to present Orff's Carmina Burana and Poulenc's Gloria. The first of two performances will take place in Red Bank at the Count Basie Theater on Sunday, May 15, 2005 at 3:00 PM.

Roy Gussman, Music Director of the Monmouth Symphony will conduct the Gloria, while Marina Alexander will lead the Orff. This program marks the first formal collaboration between the Symphony and the Chorale. "We are so excited to work with Maestro Gussman and all the fine players of the Symphony," said Alexander. "This is a union of two of the major performing arts groups in Monmouth County that we have hoped for and worked toward for some time now. We are also delighted that the Richmond Chorale Society will make its debut at the Count Basie and join us once again."

Tickets for this performance are now available through the Chorale. (tickets priced at $25 adults, $20 seniors 60+, $5 college students with ID, school-age kids (6-18) free) Click here to order.

A second performance of the concert will take place on Staten Island at the Concert Hall of the College of Staten Island-CUNY, 2800 Victory Boulevard, on Saturday, May 21 at 8:00 PM. That performance will feature the 2 piano & percussion version of Carmina Burana, with both that piece and the Poulenc conducted by Ms. Alexander.

Ticket information for each performance is posted on our Calendar page .

News: Arcadian Chorale sings Mahler's
Symphony #2, the "Resurrection", at NJPAC

The Chorale and its 'sister' organization, the Richmond Choral Society of Staten Island sang the Mahler Symphony #2 at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) on May 29, 2004.

The performance, sponsored by the Portuguese-American Leadership Council of the US (PALCUS), was in commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of democracy in Portugal which began with the "Carnation Revolution" of 1974. Dr. Kenneth Maxwell, an historian and the director of the Council on Foreign Relations, made a short keynote speech outlining the significance of these events, and remarks were also made by several dignitaries from PALCUS.

The 81 piece Portugal Carnation Festival orchestra was conducted by Maestro Larry Mendes, with celebrated soprano soloist Nicole Heaston and mezzo-soprano Margaret Jane Wray.

Conductor Marina Alexander, who prepared the choruses, was quite enthusiastic,. "We felt very honored to participate in the celebration of such a significant event, and to bring our musical community closer to the Portuguese community. Plus, the opportunity to sing music as glorious as the Mahler 2nd was truly a memorable experience for all!"

News: Arcadian Chorale performed at Carnegie Hall
twice in 2002-2003 season

The Chorale and its 'sister' organization, the Richmond Choral Society of Staten Island (also conducted by Marina Alexander) have appeared at NY's Carnegie Hall 4 times in the last 2 years. In November 2002, they sang the Dvorak Te Deum and the Rutter Requiem. On that occasion, the ensembles also performed the World Premiere of an orchestration of Edgar Bainton's And I Saw A New Heaven, created by Ms. Alexander.

In June 2003, Arcadian Chorale and the Richmond Choral Society joined forces at Carnegie Hall once again to sing the NY premiere of Rossini's opera, Ermione under the direction of MidAmerica's General & Musical Director, Peter Tiboris, and with a cast of international soloists. The opera and the performance were very favorably reviewed in the NY Times (June 5, 2003) and Classics Today.com

News: ARCADIAN CHORALE PERFORMED
WORLD PREMIERE OF WILLIAM HAWLEY'S
INFANTA MARINA

As part of its 10th Anniversary program in Spring 2003, the Chorale sang the world premiere of Infanta Marina, a piece it commissioned from composer William Hawley. On a poem by Wallace Stevens, the text is an allegory on the sea, with musical implications.

As described by Carlton Wilkinson in his review in the Asbury Park Press (May 8, 2003): "The world premiere piece, William Hawley's compelling Infanta Marina seemed almost out of the Romantic era itself, imitating the motion of the seas and the wind described in the Wallace Steven' text with lush and large waves of sound. The singers clearly enjoyed this piece and made the most of its surging, resonant harmonies."

Announcement: Arcadian Chorale Seeks
Office space

As the Chorale's musical programs have grown, so have it's organizational needs. One of the most pressing is office space---a place to coordinate the efforts of our many volunteers, to house basic equipment, to safely organize and store our music collection. The ideal site would be in the Northern Monmouth County area, and needs to be either quite inexpensive or donated (yes, do a good deed today---house your local community chorus!). All suggestions are welcome. Please contact us via phone or email (see above).