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May 1, 2007
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Unleash your inner Pavarotti For some, singing in the shower just isn’t enough. Local vocalists seeking an audience beyond the bathroom can choose from several local choral groups that welcome new members of varying experience levels. Many have spring concerts coming up, so it’s a good time to check them out in performance. Some are suitable for novices, while others only work with advanced singers. • New Hampshire Master Chorale: Self-described as the “state’s premiere choral ensemble,” this select group of elite singers tackles challenging works. Led by Dan Perkins of Plymouth State University, the group’s next gig is this weekend, when they’ll sing a “Villages of the Earth” program in three locations over three days. The concerts, which celebrate the history of peace activism, include the premiere of “Then Shall Be Heard Music Here,” a choral work with text taken from the writings of abolitionist Nathaniel Peabody Rogers (1794-1846) of Plymouth. The local performance is Saturday, May 3, at 8 p.m. at South Congregational Church in Concord; tickets cost $20, $15 for students and seniors. For info: nhmasterchorale.org. Level: Don’t expect to join this group without a trained voice and serious audition. • Concord Chorale: Under the direction of Ryan Turner, this Concord-based group is made up of local singers who tackle unusual works and perform at a high level in two concerts each year. The group’s “Love, Youth and Spring” program in April featured relatively new works by contemporary composers. Next up is an “open sing” on Tuesday, Sept. 9, to which prospective new members are invited. For more info, call membership chairman Matt Serge at 520-9157 or visit the Chorale’s Web site at concordchorale.org. • Suncook Valley Chorale: True beginners might consider this Concord-based group, which is non-auditioned and open to anyone who likes to sing. During the season, they run “open sing” nights at which prospective members are encouraged to “audition” the ensemble. Their next concert is an American-themed program led by conductor Scott Lounsbury that will be given twice, on Friday, May 16, and Saturday, May 17, at 7:30 p.m. both nights at St. John the Evangelist Church on South Main Street in Concord. For more info, visit www.svcnh.org. • Granite State Opera: The state’s all-professional opera company is sometimes open to local folks for smaller roles or chorus parts. Next up are two performances of Mozart’s great opera, “Cosi fan tutte,” on Friday, May 9, at 8 p.m. at the Portsmouth Music Hall and Sunday, May 11, at 2 p.m. at Concord’s Capitol Center for the Arts. Star billing goes to professional singers Heather Parker and Theresa Cincione, both of whom were handpicked and brought to New Hampshire for their starring roles by the company’s artistic director, Phil Lauriat. Ticket prices vary; visit themusichall.org or ccanh.org (the Capitol Center’s Web site) for more info. Want in on the fun next time? If you have vocal training and stage experience, check out the group’s Web site at granitestateopera.org for occasional audition information. • Manchester Choral Society: A long-time presence in local music circles now under the direction of Dan Perkins (see New Hampshire Master Chorale above) is doing unusual stuff. Next up is a spring concert featuring “The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace,” a work by composer Karl Jenkins, for which the chorus will be augmented by interpretive performers from the Terminally Hip Dance Company. This will all happen twice, on Saturday, May 17, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, May 18, at 3 p.m. at St. Joseph Cathedral in Manchester. Tickets cost $20, $15 for seniors/students; for more info, call 472-6627 or visit mcsnh.org. Newcomers are welcome, though an audition is required. If you’d like to join, look for announcements this summer. • Nashua Symphony Chorus: This well-established group, now part of the Nashua Symphony Association, each year performs an ambitious mix of new works and old classics, and the season usually includes one or two blockbusters for chorus and full orchestra. Under the direction of Diane Cushing, the group sang its final concert of the current season last month; programming for next season is in the planning stages, and the group also offers a “Summer Sing” series of concerts in July and August at which singers get together for informal run-throughs of some of the big choral masterworks. For more info, check the Web site at www.nashuasymphony.org. Other groups in the area include specialized ensembles such as Manchester’s Women Spirit Song and Nashua’s Granite Statesmen barbershop harmony chorus. A little time on the Web can lead you to the group that’s right for you and your larynx. And then there’s always the church choir.... Jeff Rapsis is a working musician and a member of the board of directors of the Manchester Community Music School, and contributes program notes to the Palace Festival Orchestra and other groups.
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