Carthage Choir and Wind Orchestra selected to perform at WMEA Conference

The Carthage Wind Orchestra will perform Oct. 29 at the 2009 Wisconsin Music Educators Association Conference.

The Carthage Wind Orchestra performed Oct. 29 at the 2009 Wisconsin Music Educators Association Conference.

Carthage Choir and Wind Orchestra selected to perform at WMEA Conference

The Carthage Choir, under the direction of Eduardo Garcia-Novelli, and the Carthage Wind Orchestra, led by James Ripley, were selected to perform at the 2009 Wisconsin Music Educators Association Conference in Madison, Wis.

The Carthage Choir will perform on Oct. 30.

Ensembles were selected by review of recordings submitted to the WMEA from the past year's performances. Concerts were given at the Monona Terrace, 1 John Nolen Drive, in Madison.

The Wind Orchestra opened the convention with a concert at 8 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, with a program selected to represent the varied traditions and 136-year history of bands at Carthage. The Carthage Choir performed on Friday, Oct. 30, featuring selections from the a capella sacred tradition, as well as significant contemporary repertoire.

Listen to The Nativity by the Wind Orchestra (right click on the link to download).

Wind Orchestra

The Wind Orchestra performed music that showcased the flexibility of this unique ensemble, whose personnel changes with each composition to optimize the musical intentions of the composer. The program included:

  • Aesclepius, by Michael Daugherty, a fanfare for brass and percussion;
  • Overnight Mail, by Milwaukee native Michael Torke, a jazz-influenced piece scored for flute, horn, three saxophones, three trombones, three trumpets, piano and string bass;
  • Asuka, by Japanese composer Tetsunosuke Kushida, to highlight the musical exchange program between Carthage and Kurashiki Sakuyo University; and
  • Two works from the sacred tradition: Prelude on Three Welsh Hymn Tunes, by Ralph Vaughan Williams, and a suite from MASS, by Leonard Bernstein, both of which affirm Carthage's affiliation as an ELCA institution

Carthage Choir

Carthage Choir's program was divided in four distinct sections:

  • The first section was devoted to mass text settings by living composers, Czech Zdeněk Lukáš (Sanctus) and Canadian Eleanor Daley (Agnus Dei).
  • The second section, Prayers Old and New, included works by Swedish composer Joakim Unander and Austrian Michael Haydn.
  • The third section comprised works for the Christmas season: Hodie Christus natus est, by the skillful British composer Andrew Carter; the haunting and lush a cappella setting of Thou Shalt Know Him by Canadian Mark Sirett; and The Nativity of Christ, a text by Robert Southwell set by American J.A.C. Redford.
  • The fourth section, called Spring, Night, and Love, included Schön is das Fest des Lenzes (Beautiful is the Feast of Spring) by Robert Schumann; Aftonen (Evening), by Swedish Hugo Alfven; and Fare Thee Well, Love, Arr. By James Mulholland.

Faculty member Greg Berg served as accompanist for the choir.

More information about the conference can be found on the WMEA website.