| James River Singers |
P. O. Box 18246 |
Richmond, VA, 23226 |
|
Past Performances
of the
James River Singers |
|
| Music
from the American Closet
The Fall program features works by composers who were central to the twentieth-century creation of an emblematic "American" sound in concert music: Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, Virgil Thomson, Ned Rorem, and Samuel Barber. The centerpiece of the concert will be Bernstein's Chichester Psalms performed with a reduced orchestration of organ, harp, and percussion. |
Sat,
Nov. 19, 2005 7:00 PM St. Matthias Episcopal Church 11300 Huguenot Road Midlothian, VA Sun,
Nov. 20, 2005
|
| Fly
Away: Celebrating Things that Fly For centuries composers have been fascinated by flying things, so this concert features works about things that fly. At the center of the concert was several programmatic chanson from the sixteenth-century, including Clement Jannequin's colorful Le chant des oiseaux. Also featured will be Eric Whitacre's Leonardo Dreams of His Flying Machine, which is a kind of opera breve based on a brilliant text by Charles Anthony Silvestri that explores a simple concept: what would it sound like if Leonardo daVinci were dreaming. This ". . . drama tells the story of Leonardo being tormented by the calling of the air, tortured to such a degree that his only recourse was to solve the riddle and figure out how to fly." (Eric Whitacre) |
Sat,
April 23, 2005 7:00 PM Chester
Presbyterian Church
U.S. Route 10 and Osborne Road Chester, VA Sun,
April 24, 2005 |
| Virginia
Voices This program celebrated the wealth of creative talent in the Commonwealth with the premiere of the new work "Abraham's Eyes Were Darkened", commisioned by JRS, composed by University of Richmond faculty member Benjamin Broening. The program also featured works by Virginia composers Daniel Gawthrop, Adolphus Hailstork, and others. Benjamin Broening's compositions have been widely performed and broadcast across the United States and in Europe and Asia. He has written works for many media, including orchestral, choral, chamber, and electroacoustic music. He holds degrees from the University of Michigan, Cambridge University, Yale University, and Wesleyan University. The James River Singers were joined by the Greater Richmond Children's Choir, conducted by Hope Armstrong Erb, for this final concert in the 2003-04 season. |
Sat,
April 17, 2004 7:30 PM Chester
Presbyterian Church
U.S. Route 10 and Osborne Road Chester, VA Sun,
April 18, 2004 |
| Monumental
Motets The James River Singers joined the Tallis Scholars from England and the University of Richmond's Schola Cantorum to perform Thomas Tallis' remarkable forty-voice motet Spem in alium as part of the Tallis Scholars' concert at the University of Richmond. Written for eight five-voice choirs, Spem in alium is one of the most fluent of all the multi-choir works of the Renaissance and Baroque. The Tallis Scholars were founded in 1973 by their director, Peter Phillips. Through their recordings and concert appearences they have established themselves as leading exponents of Renaissance sacred music, and their exploration of the depth and variety of this repertoire has reached a world-wide audience. |
Mon,
March 22, 2004 |
| Autumn
Stillness The rich and warm colors of autumn are reflected in the poetry and music of this season's opening concert. Featuring motets by Iacobus Gallus, selections from Three Bright Motets in Stero by Danish composer John Høybye, The Rune of Hospitality by Alf Houkom, Bogoróditse Dévo from All-Night Vigil, Op. 37 by Sergei Rachmaninoff, O magnum mysterium by Morten Lauridsen, little tree by Steven Heitzeg, and others Special treats included the performance of Clytus Gottwald's stunning sixteen voice arrangement of Gustav Mahler's first Rückert-Lieder, Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen, and the Richmond premiere of The Oxen by Marjorie Hess, with harpist Anastasia Jellison. |
Sun,
November 23, 2003 5:00 PM River
Road Church, Baptist
River and Ridge Roads Richmond, VA Mon,
November 24, 2003 |
| Gypsy
Life Featuring Johannes Brahm's Neue Liebeslieder Waltzes, Robert Schumann's Zigeunerleben, and Hugo Wolff's Der Feuerreiter, this program explores the colors and character of Bohemian Life. View the Program Notes from this performance. Gypsy Life was conducted by Christopher Lindbloom, a member of the James River Singers and a founding member of Voci, a chamber choir that merged with JRS in 2001. Dr. Lindbloom, who is well known in the Richmond community for his singing artistry, earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Voice Performance at the University of Southern California; he is also an accomplished keyboardist. He has served on the faculties of Point Loma College, Chapman University, and the University of North Texas, and is a regular solosist with the Cornona del Mar Baroque Festival in California. |
Sun,
March 2, 2003 |
| Of
Heaven and Earth Featuring Frank Martin's intensely personal setting of the Mass, a seldom-heard but remarkable work written in 1972. This was coupled with music from Central Europe, by Bela Bartok and by Slovenian composers, as well as selections from Morten Lauridsen's Madrigali: Six "Fire Songs" on Italian Renaissance Poems. You can download and listen to Danny Boy from this concert from our Recommended Listening page. |
Sat,
November 16, 2002 8:00 PM Bruton
Parish Church
Williamsburg, VA Sun,
November 17, 2002 |
| Phantoms
of Opera A concert featuring the often-overlooked choruses in opera and other choral works by opera composers. Purcell-Dido & Aeneas, Bizet-Carmen, Rossini-Guillaume Tell, Mozart-Die Zauberflote, Britten-Gloriana, Verdi-Nabucco, Mussorgsky-Boris Godunov |
Fri,
May 31, 2002 |
| Psalms
and Spiritual Songs Settings of Psalms and other sacred texts by: Antonio Caldara, Charles Ives, Felix Mendelssohn, Stephen Paulus, Ernani Aguiar, and Eric Whitacre |
Sat,
February 23, 2002 Sun,
February 24, 2002 |
| Passion
and Praise Choral Songs of Love and Worship Works by Belmont, Distler and others including love songs from Argentina and Brazil and Stephen Paulus' "Pilgrim Hymn" |
Sunday,
May 20, 2001 |
| French
Masterpieces Works by Poulenc, Hindemith and others, featuring Durufle's "Requiem" Op. 9 with Chamber Orchestra |
Sunday,
March 25, 2001 |
| Comfort
and Joy Christmas with the James River Singers Stephen Paulus' Nativity Carols, Shaw/Parker Carols & Anthems, and holiday favorites with organ, oboe, timpani, and audience caroling |
Sat,
December 16, 2000 Mon,
December 18, 2000 |
| Songs
of the Old South Alice Parker's Early American Hymn Arrangements, Jame Erb's "Shenandoah", Aaron Copland's "Old American Songs", Moving spirituals arrnged by Moses Hogan and Adolphus Hailstork |
Sat,
November 4, 2000 |
| The
Sacred Music of Gabriel Faure Messe Basse pour voix de femmes, "Low Mass for women's voices"; En priere, "In Prayer"; Cantique de Jean Racine Op. 11, "Canticle of Jean Racine"; Messe de Requiem Op. 48, Requiem Mass |
Sun,
May 14, 2000 |
| Three
Centuries of Sacred Music Works by Victoria, Rachmaninoff, Pinkham, and others Featuring four Marian hymns, five christmas hymns, chorale Prelude no. 42 by Bach, Wenn wir in hochsten Noten sein, three "Singing" Psalms, three British anthems, and four Easter hymns, including Pinkham's Now is the hour of darkness past |
Sun,
March 5, 2000 |
| Echoes
of the Season Choral Music for Christmas, Epiphany, and the New Year Featuring Hodie Christus natus est in plainsong and an arrangement by la Cour, a presentation of The Three Kings by Willan, carols by Holst, Willcocks, Ebeling, and Wood, the Kyrie and Gloria from one of Stolzel's settings of Deustch Messe, and a group of Marian hymns including Britten's A hymn to the virgin |
Sun,
February 6, 2000 |
| Cathedral
Masterpieces Choral Music of the High Renaissance Featuring three duets from Missa pange lingua by Josquin, Palestrina's Ascendo ad Patrem, Part I from The Lamentations of Jeremiah by Tallis, Tenebrae factae sunt, a Good Friday motet by Ingeneri, and contrasting settings of Psalm 81 by Byrd and Palestrina |
Sun,
September 26, 1999 Sun,
October 3, 1999 Sun,
September 26, 1999 |
| There
is Sweet Music Here An American Choral Tribute to Robert Shaw Featuring two Parker-Shaw hymns, a selection from Thompson's Frostiana, three of Barber's poem settings, two selections from Lauridsen's Mid-winter songs, three selections out of the set From an unknown past by Rorem and the East Coast premiere of Lisa Dowling's Come to Me |
Sun,
May 23, 1999 Fri,
June 25, 1999 |
| Thine
Own Sweet Light Choral Music for the Christmas Season Featuring two Parker-Shaw carols, three settings of O Magnum Mysterium, old and new nativity hymns, and carols from around the world |
Sat,
December 12, 1998 Sun,
December 20, 1998 |
| Virgin,
Rejoice An Evening of Marian Hymns, Carols, and Canticles Featuring a retelling of the story of Mary through three settings of the Ave Maria, a selection from the Rachmaninoff Vespers, and settings of the Magnificat by Buxtehude and Arvo Part A recording of this concert is available for purchase at concerts or through our business office. |
Sat,
August 22, 1998 Fri,
September 26, 1998 |
| A Tapestry
in Sound The Divine, the Noble, and the Not So Noble Featuring a set of divine texts from Tallis to Pinkham, a set of secular texts including the melodic inspirations for two Bach chorales, and a set of bawdy tunes from Rossini and others |
Fri,
September 12, 1997 Sun,
September 14, 1997 |
| A
Choral Legacy Featuring four motets, three settings of Ave verum corpus, two pieces by Bach, and a group of songs by Ralph Vaughan Williams |
Fri,
August 23, 1996 Holy Comforter Episcopal Church Sun,
August 25, 1996 |
| The
Poet Sings A concert of songs on the theme of love Featuring Morten Lauridsen's cycle of Rilke poems, Les Chansons des Roses, Kirke Mechem's cycle of Teasdale poems, The Winds of May, And three of Brahms' Zigeunerlieder, or "Gypsy Songs" |
Fri,
September 15, 1995 |