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Adult and youth ensembles prepare vocal and orchestral treats for the ears
Posted: Nov 23, 2007 in Things to do, Music
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Indianapolis offers time-honored traditions of live holiday music -- from large-scale theatrical productions, to popular choral concerts, to ensembles with a century of history singing sacred works.
One of the biggest draws annually is the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra's "Yuletide Celebration," sponsored this year by Duke Energy, and drawing an estimated 40,000 to Hilbert Circle Theatre.
The Indianapolis Children's Choir has been known to feature 500 or more young singers on stage at its multicultural holiday programs "Angels Sing" and "Celebrate the Season," which often draw on folk music from around the globe.
Christ Church Cathedral concentrates on choral customs of Anglican cathedrals dating back centuries.
The Episcopal cathedral on Monument Circle has had a Choir of Men and Boys since 1883, and trains boy and girl choristers year-round, not only for holiday programs, but also for church services and European tours.
The Indianapolis holiday music scene also benefits from visits by artists on tour.
One such visitor this holiday season is the African Children's Choir, which will perform throughout "Yuletide," and at its own program in mid-December.
Christ Church Cathedral's choir of men and boys
With the holidays approaching, some Indianapolis musicians who help preserve a longstanding choral traditions are preparing for some of their most popular programs of the year.
Ranging in age from about 9 to 14, the "boys" of Christ Church Cathedral's Choir of Men and Boys are members of one of Central Indiana's oldest arts groups.
This fall, the choir is gearing up for the cathedral's Christmas Eve service, or "Festal Choral Eucharist," which will start at about 11 p.m.
But first, at 4:30 p.m. Dec. 2, members will sing carols set by some of the 20th century's finest British composers, including Benjamin Britten's "Ceremony of Carols," and the Ralph Vaughan 8Williams version of "The First Nowell."
"This is a big program, a group of carols with choirs and orchestra," said Frederick Burgomaster, the cathedral's organist and director of 8music. "It involves the Men and Boys Choir, and the Cathedral Girls Choir."
The Choir of Men and Boys has existed in one form or another at the church at 125 Monument Circle for nearly 125 years, and one Indianapolis family has been part of it off and on for roughly six decades.
Steve Hayward, a professional trumpet player in Indianapolis for most of his life, credits the Choir of Men and Boys for helping to give him a solid music education. Hayward, 68, sang in the choir with two of his brothers in the late 1940s. He even sang with some members of the choir and internationally known Hoosier songwriter Hoagy Carmichael in the film "Johnny Holiday."
"The training down there has been so good," Hayward said. "I don't know if they still do it, but when I went there, there were some underprivileged kids in the choir, and it helped them through life."
Hayward said he's "tickled to death" that two of his grandsons, 11-year-old Sam Stoner and Sam's 10-year-old brother, Ben, now belong to the choir.
Sam said young singers have to audition to get in, and spend about a year as "probationers" before they can be formally accepted. He said that during the fall, the choirs typically practice for Christmas.
"It's fun because you're around other kids," Sam said. "A lot of the music is fun to sing, especially the Christmas part, but some of it is really hard. We're doing a hymn in Latin now. It's extremely hard, but eventually, you get into the flow of things."
Indianapolis Symphonic Choir
"For many people, Christmas is choral music and choral music is Christmas," said Indianapolis Symphonic Choir managing director 8Michael Pettry.
Throughout its 70-year history, the Symphonic Choir has evolved from performing primarily with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra to having its own season as well.
And the choir's annual "Festival of Carols" program has become its most popular tradition.
"Festival of Carols" has such a draw that it has packed the house even on some of the nastiest nights of the winter season.
"I like to think of the Symphonic Choir's 'Festival of Carols' as the Cadillac of Christmas concerts," Pettry said. "There will be 150 voices onstage. It's familiar. It's beautiful. It's welcoming and you'll leave feeling like you're on Cloud 9."
This year's edition of the program, led by Symphonic Choir artistic director Eric Stark, will feature three performances, an expansion from years past. Each will be in a different part of the city.
"Over the years, a number of pieces have changed, but there have also been a number that stayed the same," Pettry said.
American composer Glenn Rudolph's "The Dream Isaiah Saw" will be repeated this year. One of the new selections will be Stephen Paulus' "A Savior from On High," with an oboe solo performed by Andrea Gullickson of Butler University.
Festival of Carols will be performed at 8 p.m. Saturday in SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral, 1347 N. Meridian St.; 3 p.m. Dec. 2 in St. Christopher Catholic Church, 5301 W. 16th St., Speedway; and 3 p.m. Dec. 9 in Zionsville United Methodist Church, 9644 Whitestown Road, Zionsville. Tickets start at $20 for adults, with student and group rates available. Call (317) 940-9057 or visit www.indychoir.org
African Children's Choir
New to the Indianapolis music scene this holiday season are roughly two dozen singers from the African Children's Choir, performing two different programs.
The chorus of mostly 10- to 12-year-old boys and girls will figure prominently in the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra's Duke Energy "Yuletide Celebration" concerts.
There will be 30 performances Friday through Dec. 23 at Hilbert Circle Theatre, 45 Monument Circle.
During "Yuletide," the young African singers will perform on their own and with host Sandi Patty. Their selections will include "Teach Me to Dance," "Getting to Know You," "Love in Any Language" and "From a Distance."
The African Children's Choir also will perform its own concert at 7 p.m. Dec. 17 at Hilbert Circle Theatre.
"The show they're doing on the 17th involves a lot of traditional African songs," said Julia Barnett-Tracy, the choir's operations 8director.
"Our program is based in several different African countries -- including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and South Africa -- and the choir probably will be singing in seven to 10 languages besides English." She said various tribal forms of dance also will be explored.
Founded in 1984, the African Children's Choir is an offshoot of the Music For Life Institute, a relief and development organization focused on the education and well-being of African children. Barnett-Tracy said the program has helped educate more than 700 African children since the 1980s.
For most "Yuletide" shows, tickets are $38-$64 for adults, $23-$48 for children 4 to 12. For the Dec. 17 concert, tickets are $25 general admission, and will benefit the African Children's Choir. Call (317)639-4300 or visit www.indianapolissymphony.org
Indianapolis Children's Choir
Count on seeing and hearing the kind of strength that comes from numbers at the Indianapolis Children's Choir concerts in mid-December.
Between the Children's Choir's two "Angels Sing" concerts and its "Celebrate the Season" concert, 900 to 1,000 trained young vocalists will salute the season in song.
"It's a behemoth amount of people, making an extra8ordinary sound," said Henry Leck, founder and artistic director. "I would say we're the largest youth performing group in the city."
"Angels Sing," set for 8 p.m. Dec 14 and 15 at St. Luke's United Methodist Church, 100 W. 86th St., will spotlight five or six choirs ranging in age from seventh grade through high school.
".'Angels Sing' will offer pretty advanced-quality singing," Leck said. "There will be a beautiful piece, 'Midwinter,' by the English composer Bob Chilcott. It's a peaceful setting about winter. And there's a new arrangement of a Hanukkah melody with a klezmer clarinet quality. We're also doing 'A Child is Born' with a solo by Shannon Forsell."
"Celebrate the Season," set for 2:30 p.m. Dec. 15 at St. Luke's, will spotlight children from fourth grade through high school.
"These are children newer to the program," Leck said of the younger singers. "They sing a lot of unison and two-part music. I think of them as very wide-eyed and angelic in their singing. That kind of simplicity in this season can be kind of overwhelming."
Tickets to "Angels Sing" and "Celebrate the Season" are $11 in advance, $12 at the door. For details, call (317)940-9640 or visit www.icchoir.org. The shows have been known to sell out.
