Cecilia Events

GALA 2013: PASSING THE BATON

BY ELIZABETH RIELY

above: The Cyprian Consort (photo courtesy of the Cyprian Consort)

The Boston Cecilia has given a gala every other year in recent memory. This festive occasion, besides being a lot of fun, serves several other important purposes. First of all, the chorus members show that their ability to work together to make beautiful music carries across to organize a fabulous party. Our camaraderie grows stronger. We have learned that the cantando style—spinning our own lines as we sing together in harmony—has application beyond music.

Before the gala, we have been inviting friends and family who have enjoyed our concerts to join us in the merriment of the evening. We have been rustling up an assortment of auction prizes to suit a variety of tastes and pocketbooks.

During the gala, while enjoying sumptuous hors d’oeuvres and dessert pastries along with fine wines, we are hoping to entice our guests and each other to bid on the auction prizes. We hope they will get caught up in the drama of the moment to provide added theatre for us all. Presto giocoso!

We all know that the further purpose of the gala is to raise money to support our music-making, as concert ticket prices cover only about a third of our costs. The gala is essential to Cecilia’s future, and what better way to help than by everyone having a marvelous time. To this end, sponsorship tables for October 19th are available at the Oscar ($5,000), Tony ($2,000), and Emmy ($1,000) levels.  Cameo Individual Tickets ($85) are also available and can be purchased online from our website by going to the Gala page, and clicking on this button when you arrive there:

In 2013 our Opening Night gala opens the curtain on a new season as well as a new era. Donald Teeters, Cecilia’s Music Director since 1968 until 2012 and now Conductor Emeritus, will be passing the baton to Nicholas White, literally and figuratively.

As the scenario of the evening unfolds with silent and live auctions, the Cyprian Consort will be our musical entertainment. Our own Jessica Cooper and Thea Lobo, with lute and gamba, will be amusing us with Elizabethan songs. Among them are several from the racier side of the repertoire, tempo amabile leading to amoroso.

Not to be outdone, Miss Piggy, the porcelain pig which Donald Teeters created several years ago, is planning to appear—although she is making porcine remarks sotto voce about this being her last. We hope that at the end of the gala Miss Piggy will lead the curtain calls to a prolonged ovation and cries of brava! brava!

BOSTON CHORAL AUDITIONS 2013 - THE AUDITION IS THE FIRST STEP

BY NICHOLAS WHITE

Greetings, and welcome to The Boston Cecilia Blog!

We are about to begin the final few audition sessions for The Boston Cecilia, as we start our exciting 138th season of concerts. Having just recently been through the three year search process that resulted in me taking on the enviable position of Music Director, I feel qualified in talking about the audition process!

What are we looking for in a new singer? What will be asked of you? Why would you subject yourself to any form of scrutiny? Let me offer some answers to those questions.

Every effort is made to put you at ease. After all, we want to hear your voice at its most relaxed and free. We are looking for voices with personality, but voices that also work well in a choral texture. The ability to blend with fellow singers is crucial. The ability to read music well- a skill that is all too often lacking these days – is highly desirable, as is the willingness and ability to learn your part outside of rehearsals. A good sense of humor and a commitment to energetic teamwork is a must. All of these skills are worked on and developed during rehearsals, but they are good prerequisites.

The audition will start with some vocalizing for a light warm-up and a general idea of vocal range.  This will be followed by some sight-reading (on one’s own voice part) and finish with singing a piece that you have prepared for the audition, if you have one. Our assistant conductor, Barbara Bruns, will be there to accompany your piece, so bring an extra copy of your music if you would like an accompanist.

Auditioning for Cecilia is the first step towards being involved with performing Cecilia's diverse and rich repertoire. This coming season features some of my very favorite choral works. We begin on November 2nd with Maurice Duruflé’s sublime Requiem, along with works by Stanford and Harris and Herbert Howells’ incredible setting of the poem Take Him, Earth, For Cherishing. On December 6th and 8th the concerts will feature glorious music for the Christmas season, including Ave Rex by William Mathias and deeply touching carols by Warlock, Leighton, Dirksen, Pearsall and others. The most thrilling concert is saved for March 21st – J.S. Bach’s birthday – when we will present Bach’s Mass in B Minor with period instrument orchestra at NEC’s Jordan Hall. I couldn’t be more excited and energized to get working on this repertoire!

So, if you are a singer looking for your next challenge, why not consider joining us? There is still time to sign up. Rehearsals begin on Monday September 9th at 7:30pm, but we are still hearing potential chorus members well into September. Perhaps The Boston Cecilia is the next stop on your musical journey? Visit our Auditions page for more information or give us a call at 617-232-4540.