Newsletter of The Spectrum Singers
Vol. 3, No. 1. 
Fall 1999
From the Board of Directors
The vibrant fall season is once again with us. Boston's vast and diverse performing arts community is again showing its energy and creativity. It's an exciting time of year for performers and audience alike. The Spectrum Singers are hard at work preparing for an extraordinary performance calendar to mark and celebrate the 20th Anniversary Season of the chorus. The Board of Directors has been busy also, arranging for new performance locations and inviting the finest musicians to join us in support of the top-notch ensemble that Spectrum is today.
We are proud to be a part of the rich cultural fabric for which Boston is renowned. We thank all who are responsible for nurturing this culture: the radio stations which loyally support local choral music, and you, our audiences. This season we pledge Spectrum's best performances ever. We on the Board wish you a rewarding listening season, and we hope you will support the work of The Spectrum Singers by attending our concerts and giving to The Spectrum Singers as generously as you can.
Christopher M. Keppelman
Chair, Board of Directors
How do Music Lovers Celebrate Saint Cecilia's Day?
They listen to music praising Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music and musicians, of course! And where better than at Spectrum's first concert of the 1999/2000 season, "Hail, Bright Cecilia!" A Gala Celebration of St. Cecilia's Day, on Saturday, November 20, Emmanuel Church, 15 Newbury Street in Boston's Back Bay.
The event marks the opening of Spectrum's 20th Anniversary Season, and Music Director John Ehrlich has brought together world-class soloists and the orchestra of Emmanuel Music for the performance. See the details with the full season's schedule on the reverse side, and note that we will perform in several new venues this year.
Spectrum's Family Christmas Concert -- Coming Soon!
It's Spectrum's gift to our audience! Hear our holiday celebration of music and good cheer, "Deck the Hall!" A Family Christmas Concert. Bring as many children as you like -- they're admitted free, and adult tickets are only $10! The concert will be Sunday afternoon, December 12, at 3:00 p.m., First Church Congregational, 11 Garden Street, Harvard Square.
When we pondered how we could show our appreciation to our loyal audience, the answer was obvious: a celebration of holiday favorites, old and new, that friends and their families could enjoy together. Come to Cambridge and enjoy this special program.
Music Director's Notes
I'd like to share a few thoughts with you, our loyal supporters, as The Spectrum Singers embark on their -- hard to believe! -- 20th season. Quite simply, we could not have achieved this milestone without the firm and unwavering support of many people who have believed in us and what we were striving to achieve - a form of artistic communication between the stage and the audience which is meant to go straight to the heart. I often remind the singers that they have been given a unique opportunity -- the opportunity to move someone in our audience to a "better place," if only for an hour or two. Most people in a day's normal activity aren't given this gift. It is a cherishable gift, not to be taken lightly. The warm response of our audiences and that of our collaborative instrumentalists and soloists gives us some indication that we may occasionally achieve this goal. The programs of this special 20th Anniversary Season give us ample opportunity to reach out -- from Bach and Handel this November to Brahms and Schubert in March, and finally Britten and Duruflé in May. All this music speaks directly to the heart. I sincerely hope you will share it with us.
John W. Ehrlich
What's New for Spectrum's 20th Birthday?
Lots of things are new:
- Four concerts instead of three
- Two concerts with full orchestra
- Performance sites in Boston and Cambridge
- Two-tiered pricing at some of our concerts
- A new logo -- check it out on the reverse side
What remains the same? The high quality of programming and performance that you expect from The Spectrum Singers. Come hear for yourself! Subscriptions for 4 concerts are available for $70 or $55. Single-ticket prices are shown with the season information on this page. For ticket purchases and further details, call us at (617) 492-8902, or visit our Web site www.spectrumsingers.org.
CANE and MCC
The Spectrum Singers are pleased to announce a grant from Choral Arts New England (CANE), to fund in part this season's programs, especially, our gala November 20th concert. We continue to be funded for the third year by a three-year grant from Massachusetts Cultural Council. We are truly grateful to CANE and MCC for their support.
1999-2000 Season
Hail, Bright Cecilia!
A Gala Celebration of St. Cecilia's Day
Saturday, November 20, 1999 at 8:00 p.m.
Emmanuel Church, 15 Newbury Street, Boston
| George Frideric Handel: |
Ode for St. Cecilia's Day
Concerto Grosso in D, op 6, No. 5 |
| Johann Sebastian Bach: |
Magnificat in D |
with Janet Brown, soprano; Pamela Dellal, mezzo-soprano;
William Hite, tenor; Robert Honeysucker, bass-baritone;
with The Orchestra of Emmanuel Music
Tickets: $30 / $20
Deck the Hall!
A Family Christmas Concert
Sunday, December 12, 1999 at 3:00 p.m.
First Church Congregational, 11 Garden St., Cambridge
A very special holiday event for families.
Celebrate the season with The Spectrum Singers as they present a varied program of holiday favorites old and new -- fun for audiences of all ages!
Tickets: Adults $10; free for children under 17 when accompanied by a ticket holder
From the Heart of Europe -- Brahms and Schubert Choral Masterworks
Saturday, March 25, 2000 at 8:00 p.m.
Harvard-Epworth Church, 1555 Mass. Ave, Cambridge
| Johannes Brahms: |
Four Songs for Women's Chorus, Two Horns and Harp, opus 17
Neue Liebeslieder, op. 65
Songs of Love and of the Night for a cappella and accompanied chorus |
| Franz Schubert: |
Ständchen
Nachtelle
Der 23. Psalm
Gott in der Natur
Mirjams Siegesgesang |
with Carole Haber, soprano; Gloria Raymond, mezzo-soprano;
Mark Kagan, tenor; Karen Harvey and James Barkovic, piano
Tickets: $20
Masters of the Lyric and Profound: Benjamin Britten and Maurice Duruflé
Saturday, May 20, 2000, at 8:00 p.m.
Church of the Advent, 30 Brimmer Street, Boston
| Benjamin Britten: |
Hymn to St. Cecilia
Cantata Misericordium |
| Maurice Duruflé: |
Quatre Motets
Requiem |
with Rockand Osgood, tenor; Mark-Andrew Cleveland, baritone;
Gloria Raymond, mezzo-soprano; James David Christie, organ;
with orchestra
Tickets: $30 / $20
The Spectrum Singers is a 501(c) (3) tax-exempt corporation.
The Spectrum Singers
P. O. Box 382325
Cambridge, MA 02238-2325
Tel.: (617) 492-8902.
E-mail: information@spectrumsingers.org
Web: http://www.spectrumsingers.org (courtesy of TIAC)
Funding provided in part by Massachusetts Cultural Council and by a grant from Choral Arts New England
|