Kansas City Chorale

The Kansas City Chorale is a professional vocal ensemble that enriches the local, national and international communities through its dedication to excellence in performing music from diverse historical periods. In its twenty-fifth season, the Chorale will present seven concerts as part of their subscription series as well as ten non-subscription performances.

In the spring of 2000, the Kansas City Chorale accepted the ASCAP — Chorus America Award for Adventurous Programming in recognition of its 1999 season. The Chorale is honored to have been recognized for its challenging and diverse programming. In the spring of 2001, the Chorale was invited to perform at the national convention of the American Choral Directors Association in Houston, and was the only professional American choir performing for an audience of 6,000. In April 2003, the Chorale performed in Coolidge Auditorium in the Library of Congress's "I Hear America Singing" series.

The Chorale has recorded for Nimbus Records, and is the first North American group signed by that label. Their six CDs are: Nativitas, a collection of American Christmas carols; Fern Hill, an anthology of American Choral Music; Rachmaninoff's Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, about which the New York Times stated "...a project that must be rated a serious contender for record of the year...the chorus is everywhere remarkable"; Songs Ring Out to the Heavens, a recording of the choral music of Johannes Brahms; Alleluia: An American Hymnal, a collection of anthems, hymns and spirituals; Words and Music, the music of James Mulholland. The Chorale's newest recordings, Gretchaninoff's Passion Week and Frank Martin's Mass, are schedule for 2006 release on the Chandos label.

The Kansas City Chorale is proud to be associated with the Young Audiences Community School of the Arts, a new organization committed to providing education outreach and arts integration programs across the city. Headquartered at St. Teresa's Academy, the school will provide a variety of opportunities for Kansas City youth, including instruction, internships, summer camps and workshops, in a centralized training, rehearsal and performance venue at 5600 Main.

Discography

Grechaninov - Passion Week

Behold, the Bridegroom I see Thy bridal chamber In Thy Kingdom Gladsome Light Let my prayer be set forth Now the powers of heaven At Thy mystical supper The wise thief Thou who clothest Thyself The Lord is God... The noble Joseph Weep not for me, O Mother As many of you... Arise, O God Let all mortal flesh

The Grechaninov 'Passion Week' is a setting of thirteen pieces with texts in Church Slavonic meant to be sung individually over the period of Passion Week, the days leading up to the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. The Russian Orthodox Church has a tradition of morning and evening services during Passion Week when the passion week's events are recalled almost in 'real time.' The music itself is generally slow, meditative, largely monophonic and almost trance-like. One notices that the usual number of singers in these two choirs has been supplemented by several additional basses, no surprise considering the long legato lines required of that section. Their low C's and even B's resound like the tolling of great bells throughout the work. One could almost surmise, if one didn't know, that this was the singing of a Russian choir, so noted for their deep basses, except that the blending and rounding of the choral tone is so very much more subtle than is generally heard from Russian choruses. The work is entirely a cappella and there are occasional soprano, tenor and baritone solos which consist mostly of chants sung against the main body of massed sound.

Fern Hill

At the Round Earth's Imagined Corners L'Invitation au Voyage The Passionate Shepherd to His Love The Roadside Fire A Red, Red Rose Reincarnations, Op. 16 Fern Hill Shenandoah Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye I'm Goin' Away Deep River

"Listening to this new CD was a sublime pleasure, I was immediately struck by the beauty of the choral tone, at once warm and pure. The repertoire is a magnificent blending of the familiar... with previously unrecorded works of John Corigliano, Conrad Susa, and Jean Belmont. This recording is a necessity for all choral conductors. It represents the best of choral singing and introduces some fine new works." Choral Journal

6581 CD $15.98

Brahms Choral Works

Four Songs for Women's Chorus, 2 Horns and Harp, Op. 17 Three Songs, Op. 42 Four Quartet, Op.92 Two Motets, Op. 29 Op. 112, Nos. 1 and 2 Five Songs, Op. 104 Neue Liebeslieder, Walzer, Op. 65, No. 15

This collection opens with a group of four songs scored for three-part women's chorus and the unusual combination of two horns and harp. They are settings of an interesting spread of poems including one by Ossian and the Clown's song from the thrid act of Twelfth Night. Other items include Three Songs Op. 42, Two Motets, Op. 29 and, to finish with, one of the songs from Brahms much loved "Neue Liebeslieder Waltzes", Op. 65.

6582 CD $15.98

Alleluia - An American Hymnal

Southern Harmony Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal Come Away to the Skies Precious Lord, Take My Hand Shaker Songs I Want to Shake with Indignation I've Set My Face for Zion's Kingdom The Precious Way of Go Encouragement The Sacred Harp Wondrous Love Saints Bound for Heaven Sunday Morning Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing Alleluia E'en So, Lord Jesus, Quickly Come All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name Sing Me to Heaven Spirituals I Wanna Be Ready We Will March Thro' the Valley I Want Two Wings Is There Anybody Here My God is a Rock Give Me Jesus

In this their fifth recording for Nimbus, the Kansas City Chorale are very much on their home turf, with a programme of American sacred music, which includes Randall Thompson's famous Alleluia.

6583 CD $15.98

Nativitas

Three Mystical Carols (Conrad Susa) In the Time of Softest Snow (John Carter) Shout the Glad Tidings (New Rorem) Silent Night (arr. Mark Johnson) Nativitas (Jean Belmont) Love Came Down at Christmas (Leo Sowerby) A Christmas Carol (Charles Ivers arr. Paul C. Echols) Three Shepherd Carols (Arnold Freed) The Holy Infant's Lullaby (Norman Dello Joio) There Is No Rose (Joel Martinson) I Saw Three Ships (arr. Edwin Fissinger) Sweet Was the Song the Virgin Sung (Henry Cowell) "Silent Night" from Three Carols, Op. 20 (arr. Kevin Oldham)

A program of Christmas music by American composers, the Kansas City Chorale sings pieces from the late nineteenth century to the present. Composers include Ned Rorem, Norman Dello Joio and Charles Ives. This recording also contains several premier recordings, including "Nativitas" by Jean Belmont. This cycle of eight choral cameos depicts the ceremony of Christmas with texts from the fourth through seventeenth centuries. According to the composer, "The intent in "Nativitas" is to create a musical shape which conveys some of the anticipation, reverence, mysticism and celebration surrounding the Birth of Jesus Christ." This is a great alternative to traditional Christmas recordings.

7216 CD $15.98

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