2009-10 CCCSB Season to be 10th Year of Musical Direction by Dr. Harry Moon, and Accompaniment by Audrey Adams
This year, CCSB will celebrate its 10th season under the direction of Dr. Harry Moon. Dr. Moon's direction, guidance, and teaching has been instrumental in the growth of the chorus, both in singers and audiences; and the musical and organizational success of the group. Harry and the entire chorus are fully supported by the immensely capable accompanist Audrey Adams, who also will be entering her 10th season with CCSB. CCSB and the broader musical community are truly fortunate to have these generous professionals leading the chorus.
CCSB Prepares for 36th Season in 2009-10
An exciting season of music is in store for 2009/2010. The season begins with "A Christmas Garland" the first weekend in December, 2009, a concert with harp, woodwinds, soloists and chorus with seasonal works on the theme, "Noel, Allelujia". CCSB's upcoming spring concert will be "An Hour to Dance", a celebration of the music of dance, and works inspired by the movement and traditions of dance, from Bach to Britten.
CCSB Performs A Christmas Garland - Noel, Alleluia, December 5 and 6, 2009
The Community Chorus at South Berwick performed its fall 2009 concert based on the celebratory theme Noel, Alleluia on December 5 and 6, 2009. The concert program celebrated the season with works by Randall Thompson ( his wonderful "Alleluia"), Stephen Paulus (Hallelu!) Eric Whitacre's transcendent Lux Arumque as well as French carols and other works. The chorus sang a capella and was accompanied by harp, oboe, and cello, as well as our own Audrey Adams on piano. The first concert was performed at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Newington, to a good audience in spite of the region's first major snow fall, and on Sunday, December 6, the concert was performed at the Wesley Kennedy Performing Arts Center at Marshwood High School in South Berwick. The Chorus and audience enjoyed use of additional acoustical shells purchased with a continuing grant from the Strawberry Festival Committee.
Community Chorus at South Berwick performs exciting concerts of Handel's Messiah (the Easter portions) April 4,5 2009
When George Frideric Handel wrote his Messiah he was hoping for a hit. He was in poor financial and physical health and wanted to give the public something new and popular. But he probably did not anticipate that his oratorio would be an enduring masterwork playing to enthusiastic audiences around the world 250 years after his death in April 1759. To mark this anniversary, the Community Chorus at South Berwick performed Messiah Parts II and III, which some call the "Easter Messiah," over Palm Sunday weekend in Dover and Exeter, N.H. The performances were superb, and performed to large and enthusiastic audiences in both Dover and Exeter. The chorus and orchestra achieved an ensemble sound that was consistent and effective. Dr. Moon's interpretation of the Messiah was convincing and engaging. Soloists included sopranos Morgan McCurdy and Sara Laczynski, contralto Marlene Hudson Moon, tenor Edward Hinson, baritone Dennis Boyd, and bass William Wieting. The chamber orchestra consisted of strings, woodwinds, tympani, organ, and harpsichord.
It was presented much as it premiered in April 1742, with soloists and a full chamber orchestra. Concert were at the First Parish Church in Dover, and a Palm Sunday performance at Christ Church Episcopal in Exeter. The Exeter performance was presented as part of the Aliento Chamber Players concert series in Exeter. The Aliento Chamber Players, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation which aims to bring New Hampshire's finest performers to monthly concerts at Christ Church throughout the year. While Handel's Messiah is the most famous oratorio ever written and has remained securely in the classical canon since 1750, it is known to most people through Part I, associated with the Christmas season. Parts II and III are less frequently heard, though they have some of the richest sections of the masterwork, notably including the triumphant "Hallelluja" and stirring "Amen" choruses.
Chorus work by Maine composer and poet
A musical work is created anew every time it is performed, but it is rare to hear a piece created publicly for the first time. That is what music lovers did when the Community Chorus at South Berwick premiered "Spheres", a choral cantata by Charles Kaufmann of Portland, Maine, based on poetry by the late Constance Hunting, University of Maine professor and poet.
The Community Chorus at South Berwick commissioned the Kaufmann work as the centerpiece of its spring concert series, "From a Poet's Pen", featuring choral music inspired by poetic texts of many ages and cultures. The Kaufmann commission was generously supported by a grant from Kennebunk Savings Bank of Kennebunk, Maine.
The piece has a contemporary feel but is very accessible to the audience. Mr. Kaufmann, known as Chip, is an award-winning composer and founding director of The Longfellow Chorus in Portland. He is an organist and one of the leading Baroque and classical bassoonists in North America, with degrees from the Eastman School of Music and the Yale University School of Music.
Constance Hunting was a noted poet, author, and publisher, the owner of a noted small press, founder of the state's first literary magazine, and an inspiring teacher to countless students. She was an accomplished pianist herself and would no doubt be gratified to see her words put to music. Kaufmann describes "Spheres" as one of Hunting's final minimalist series of poems, comprised of twelve short poems evoking images of the natural world through the poet's wandering mind.
Kennebunk Savings Bank Provides Grant for Commission by CCSB of New Choral Work
CCSB has been again supported by the Kennebunk Savings Bank (KSB) with a grant of $500 towards the commission of a new choral work from Charles Kaufmann (see news item above). KSB's funding helps make possible this important addition to our concert season, and the addition of an important choral work based on the work of a celebrated Maine poet, Constance Hunting. CCSB also received financial support through KSB's "Community Investment Ballot Program" earlier in 2007. CCSB appreciates the commitment of Kennebunk Savings Bank to support our regional music program.
Additional Acoustical Shell Units funded by Strawberry Festival Committee
In 2005, the Community Chorus at South Berwick coordinated the purchase of portable acoustical shells with a grant from the Strawberry Festival Committee and funding by the SAD 35 school district. (The Strawberry Festival Committee distributes grant funds for local community programs from the Strawberry Festival events in June. See previous news item below). These have been extremely effective and successful for CCSB's concerts, and also in concerts by the Marshwood choral programs. The trouble was, growth in the number of singers resulted in the existing shells not fitting around these growing choruses! In response to a grant request made in July 2007 by CCSB, the Strawberry Festival Committee provided $3,500 for the purchase of four additional panels of the shells. With these, all singers will be "surrounded" by these acoustical shells for performances in the Wesley Kennedy Performing Arts Center at Marshwood High School, at Berwick Academy's Whipple Arts Theater, and other venues in the area. CCSB and Marshwood choral programs at SAD 35 express their sincere thanks to the Strawberry Festival Committee for promoting choral singing in the area!
CCSB Sponsors "Singers for a Lifetime"
The Community Chorus at South Berwick presented the festival concert "Singers for a Lifetime" on March 4, 2007 demonstrating that singing can be a meaningful and wonderful life-long activity. CCSB was joined by three choruses of different ages: Sandpipers-the Seacoast Children's Chorus (directed by CCSB founder and soprano Dianne Colby Dean) , the Marshwood Junior High School select Chorus (directed by CCSB tenor Adam Scarpone), and the Marshwood High School Select Chorus (directed by Tanya West). Each chorus performed separately, and then jointly in a celebration of singers of all ages, from less than ten to seventy-something. Over 500 audience members and singers enjoyed this afternoon of singing. Over $1300 was distrubuted to three participating students to support their attendence at music camps during the summer of 2007.
