Westminister Kantorei To Give Concert At Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Pottstown

MUSIC AT EMMANUEL

Presents:

Westminster Kantorei

Andrew Megill, conductor

Special Guests: The Select Choir of Daniel Boone High School, Birdsboro, PA

FREE ADMISSION

Emmanuel Lutheran Church  

150 N. Hanover Street – Pottstown,PA  19464

Facebook.com/music.at.emmanuel

Andrew Meade – Minister of Music

www.emmanuelpottstown.org

610-323-4312

The Glory and the Dream

Westminster Kantorei  –  Sunday, April 29, 2012    4:00pm

Founded in 2004, Westminster Kantorei is an auditioned chamber choir from the renowned Westminster Choir College specializing in early and contemporary music. The ensemble, which is composed of approximately 24 graduate and undergraduate students, performs regularly with some of America’s leading specialists in Baroque music, including collaborations with violinist Nancy Wilson and vocal ensemble Fuma Sacra.  Recent seasons have included performances of Bach’s Missa brevis in G Minor, cantatas, and passions, including the St. Matthew Passion at Avery Fisher Hall, with the Westminster Choir and the New York Philharmonic, conducted by Kurt Masur. The ensemble has also performed works by Monteverdi (Vespers of 1610, Sestina and Lamento della Ninfa), Buxtehude (Membra Jesu nostri), Schütz, Schein, Telemann, Zelenka, Victoria, and Palestrina, as well as a concert of Latin American Baroque music. 

Westminster Kantorei has also commissioned and premiered many works by such composers as Caleb Burhans, James Blachly, Doug Helvering, Philip Rice, Nathan Jones and Stefan Young.  This year, the ensemble premieres new works by Blake Henson, Daniel Elder, and the internationally acclaimed Swedish composer Sven-David Sandström, commissioned for the ensemble by the Soli Deo Gloria Foundation and the Westminster Choir College Department of Sacred Music. 

The concert program will include: “Musikalische exequien” by Heinrich Schutz, “The Glory and the Dream” by Richard Rodney Bennett, and “Psalm 67” by Sven-David Sandström.  The stunningly beautiful funeral music of Schutz’s Musikalische exequien is considered one of the masterpieces of the early Baroque period.  William Wordsworth’s poetic masterpiece “Intimations of Immortality” provides the text for Bennett’s The Glory and the Dream, who, in addition to a 50-year career performing and writing jazz, has composed many classic film scores.  Sandström’s Psalm 67 is a newly-commissioned work that received its world premier by this ensemble in October of 2011.  Our special guests for this concert will be the select choir from Daniel Boone High School in Birdsboro,PA.  Led by their conductor, Erin Benn, this outstanding high school ensemble will open the concert with performances of “I’ve Got the Music in Me” arranged by Deke Sharon and “With a Lily in Your Hand” by Eric Whitacre,.

MUSIC AT EMMANUEL is dedicated to bringing the live music of the highest calibre to the Pottstown community.  We are also dedicated to supporting young artists from our region as they develop their performing careers.  All concerts on our 2011-12 season are offered free of charge to the public, and are funded by the generous support of individuals in our church and community who believe that great music has an essential place in our culture and community.    For additional information about the concert series please visit the church’s website: www.emmanuelpottstown.org or find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/music.at.emmanuel

Organ Concert At Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Pottstown – Matthew Lewis

MUSIC AT EMMANUEL

Presents:

Matthew Lewis, organist

FREE ADMISSION

MEET DR. LEWIS AT A POST-CONCERT RECEPTION

Emmanuel Lutheran Church

150 N. Hanover Street    Pottstown, PA  19464

Facebook.com/music.at.emmanuel

Andrew Meade – Minister of Music

www.emmanuelpottstown.org

610-323-4312

PIPE DREAMS: Matthew Lewis

Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012          4:00pm

 Dr. Matthew Lewis maintains an active career as an organist, choral conductor and educator. As Organist and Director of Music at the Church of the Incarnation in Manhattan, he directs a select group of professional singers in a variety of liturgical choral music. Dr. Lewis has served as Organist and Choir Director at Temple Israel in Lawrence, NY, since 1993. Artistic Director and Conductor of St. George’s Choral Society since 2005, he directs the 80-voice chorus in major works of the repertoire. He studied choral conducting privately with Robert Page.

 Dr. Lewis has been a member of the Organ Faculty of the Juilliard School Pre-College division since 1993, and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Organ at Westminster Choir College since 2006. His students range in age from teenagers to graduate students. He has presented solo organ recitals in the United States,Canada and France, has been a featured artist on WNYC, New York, and has performed the complete organ works of César Franck several times, including at the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in New York City.

 At The Juilliard School, Matthew Lewis completed the Doctor of Musical Arts degree as a student of Jon Gillock. While earning the Master of Music degree, also at Juilliard, he was the winner of the organ competition, resulting in a performance of Barber’s Toccata Festiva with the Juilliard Symphony in Alice Tully Hall. Dr. Lewis is the former recipient of a Fulbright Grant and the Annette Kade Fellowship from the Council of International Education for study in Paris where he was a student of organ-virtuoso Marie-Madeleine Duruflé.

 The 2011-2012 MUSIC AT EMMANUEL season is full of variety, excitement, youth, passion and above all – musical excellence.  We are thrilled to present artists that range from our finest regional talent to a pianist from the other side of the world!  Our season will include an organist who studied and teaches at the world-famous Julliard School in New York City, an exciting young singer, one of America’s oldest musical ensembles, a choir from the renowned Westminster Choir College, and a Ukrainian pianist who was a stand-out at the Moscow Conservatory.  MUSIC AT EMMANUEL is dedicated to bringing the live music of the highest calibre to the Pottstown community.  We are also dedicated to supporting young artists from our region as they develop their performing careers.  All concerts on our 2011-12 season are offered free of charge to the public, and are funded by the generous support of individuals in our church and community who believe that great music has an essential place in our culture and community.    For additional information about the concert series please follow the music link on the church’s website: www.emmanuelpottstown.org or find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/music.at.emmanuel

MUSIC AT EMMANUEL 2011-2012 – Pottstown

MUSIC AT EMMANUEL 2011-2012
ALL CONCERTS ARE FREE
MEET THE PERFORMERS AT A POST-CONCERT RECEPTION
Emmanuel Lutheran Church
150 N. Hanover Street Pottstown, PA 29464
Facebook.com/music.at.emmanuel

Andrew Meade – Minister of Music

www.emmanuelpottstown.org

Voice – (610) 323-4312

Our 2011-2012 MUSIC AT EMMANUEL season is full of variety, excitement, youth, passion and above all – musical excellence. We are thrilled to present artists that range from our finest regional talent to a pianist from the other side of the world!  Our season will include an organist who studied and teaches at the world famous Julliard School in New York City, an exciting young singer, one of America’s oldest musical ensembles, a choir from the renowned Westminster Choir College, and a Ukrainian pianist who was a stand-out at the Moscow Conservatory. MUSIC AT EMMANUEL is dedicated to bringing the live music of the highest caliber to the Pottstown community.  We are also dedicated to supporting young artists from our region as they develop their performing careers.  All concerts on our 2011-12 season are offered free of charge to the public, and are funded by the generous support of individuals in our church and community who believe that great music has an essential place in our culture and community.  Below you will find a brief description for each of our concerts followed by link to the artist’s website(s) where you can get additional biographical information and photos.  For additional information about the MUSIC AT EMMANUEL concert series please contact Andrew Meade via the information at the top of this page.

PIANO MASTERPIECES
Elena Ulyanova, piano
Sunday, October 23, 2011 4:00pm
Hailed by the Moscow Conservatory as one of its most gifted musicians, Ukrainian pianist Elena Ulyanova is described as possessing “great virtuosity, brilliant artistic temperament, unique interpretive expression and a rich sound pallet.”  Roy Gillinson of the Beethoven Society of America said that Ms. Ulyanova is, “a phenomenal, gifted performer”, her style running the gamut of power, strength, and technique to a delicate, floating elegant finesse. From her early piano studies with her mother, she has gone on to be a prize winner in numerous national and international piano competitions. Ms. Ulyanova has performed throughout Europe, Asia and North America and has released two critically acclaimed CDs, the second of which features Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto #2 with the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra. www.elena-ulyanova.com

CELEBRATION OF LIGHT – Reading Choral Society
Sunday, December 11, 2011 5:00pm
Founded in 1875, the Reading Choral Society is one of America’s oldest musical ensembles and is carrying a proud tradition of choral excellence into its 136th season.  Be sure to join us as music director, Peter Hopkins, leads the RCS in a program of glorious Advent and Christmas music that is sure to uplift, inspire, and fill you will the joy of the season!  www.readingchoral.org

PIPE DREAMS – Matthew Lewis, organ
Sunday, February 26, 2012 4:00pm
Dr. Lewis maintains an active career as an organist, conductor and educator.  At The Juilliard School, Matthew Lewis completed the Doctor of Musical Arts degree as a student of Jon Gillock.  While earning the Master of Music degree, also at Juilliard, he was the winner of the organ competition, resulting in a performance of Barber’s Toccata Festiva with the Juilliard Symphony in Alice Tully Hall.  Dr. Lewis is the former recipient of a Fulbright Grant and the Annette Kade Fellowship from the Council of International Education for study in Paris where he was a student of organ-virtuoso Marie-Madeleine Duruflé.  In addition to his position as organist and director of music at the Church of the Incarnation in Manhattan, he is artistic director of the St. Georges Choral Society and teaches at The Julliard School and Westminster Choir College. www.rider.edu/faculty/matthew-lewis

MYSTERY OF THE SONG – Megan Durham, mezzo-soprano
Sunday, March 25, 2012 4:00pm
Lyric mezzo-soprano Megan Allison Durham serves on the voice faculties of DeSales University and Lehigh University.  A versatile performer with a particular interest in oratorio and chamber repertoire, she was a 2010 finalist in the Bach Vocal Competition sponsored by the American Bach Society & Bach Choir of Bethlehem.  Her agile instrument and vibrant stage presence lends itself to a wide body of repertoire ranging from Vivaldi to Weil.  Ms. Durham will present an eclectic program entitled: “Mystery of the Song: Music of Passion, Intrigue and Whimsy”!     www.meganallisondurham.com

CHORAL ARTISTRY – Westminster Kantorei
Sunday, April 29, 2012 4:00pm
Our season finale features an outstanding ensemble from the renowned Westminster Choir College. Founded in 2004, Westminster Kantorei is a chamber choir specializing in music of the Renaissance and Baroque eras, with occasional forays into later repertoire – including new works.  Recent seasons have included performances of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with the Westminster Choir and the New York Philharmonic, a program of American choral music presented as part of the 1783 Revolutionary Princeton celebration, and “Miracolo d’Amore,” an exploration of works by Claudio Monteverdi, performed in New York City.  Dr. Andrew Megill, the founder and director of this ensemble, is recognized as one of the leading conductors of his generation.  He currently teaches at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ and has been a guest conductor and teacher at the Julliard School and Yale University.  In addition to his work as an educator, he is currently the conductor of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra Chorus, the Carmel Bach Festival Choir, the early music ensemble Fuma Sacra, and the Masterwork Chorus in NJ.

http://masterwork.org/andrew-megill-music-director.html
http://www.rider.edu/faculty/andrew-megill
http://www.rider.edu/wcc/academics/choirs/westminster-kantorei