The Fredonia Chamber Singers will present its annual Post-Tour Spring Concert on Sunday, April 6 at 4 p.m. in Rosch Recital Hall. This is the 27th year that the group has performed in high schools throughout New York State during its Spring Break. Under the direction of Dr. Donald P. Lang, the concert is free and open to the public.
During their Spring Tour this year, the Chamber Singers performed at Sandy Creek and Pulaski High Schools, Canajoharie High School, Niskayuna High School, the Reformed Church in Niskayuna, Burnt Hills/Ballston Spa High School, W.T. Clarke High School in Westbury, and at the City Intermediate Schools, CIS #313 in New York City.
One of the many highlights of their concerts were performances of the setting of Psalm 90 by Charles Ives, of which Mrs. Ives recalled Charles saying that it was the only one of his works with which he was completely satisfied. They also performed three of the Six “Fire Songs “ based upon Italian Renaissance poems” from the set entitled Madrigali, by Morten Lauridsen.
A great deal of excitement has also been generated within the Chamber Singers by Feste Songs, three settings of Shakespearean texts from Twelfth Night, set to music by Sean Doyle, a former member of the Fredonia Chamber Singers, who is also now teaching in the School of Music. The pieces received their world premiere on tour. “These pieces are delightful," says Dr. Lang. “They are well crafted and mature, and they represent some of Sean’s best work to date. We are so fortunate to have such a gifted young composer among us. It is especially gratifying for me to to witness, first hand, the maturation of Sean’s singular talent and his compositional skill”. Dr. Lang and the student members of the Chamber Singers gave master classes and choral workshops in many of the high schools while on tour.
Throughout the years, the Fredonia Chamber Singers have achieved a reputation for musical excellence as well as for aspiring to the highest performance standards. They also serve an important role as ambassadors for the School of Music and the College at Fredonia.
Some of the other featured choral works on the Chamber Singers’ tour program include “A Stephen Foster Chrestomathy”, arranged by Rhonda Sandberg, arrangements by Ward Swingle and Fred Sturm and an absolutely gorgeous composition by Gwyneth Walker, entitled “White Horses”. Their tour concerts will also feature the wide variety of folk songs, Broadway show tunes, and jazz arrangements that are typically performed by this stellar and versatile choral ensemble.
In the past twenty seven years, the Fredonia Chamber Singers have performed in concert in England, Wales, and Scotland eight times, (including last May/June) as well as on the European continent on several occasions. They have also performed in Israel, Germany, Jamaica, and on the east and west coasts of America. Their recordings have been heard on German national radio and on the BBC. They have also performed live on Scottish National Radio and TV.
The Chamber Singers received a special invitation last year to participate as the first choral ensemble to ever perform at the International Guitar Congress Convention in Columbus, Georgia.
In his twenty-eighth year of service as music director of the Fredonia Chamber Singers, Dr. Lang is also in great demand as a guest conductor, choral clinician, and adjudicator throughout the United States. He was designated Director of Choral Activities for the School of Music four years ago and he was awarded the president’s award for Excellence in Teaching at Fredonia in 2000.
THE CHORAL PROGRAM AT FREDONIA
Fredonia has, for many years, enjoyed a reputation as one of America’s preeminent Colleges for vocal and choral performance. Our graduates grace the stage of the Metropolitan Opera, the New York City Opera, and many other distinguished American and international opera companies. They are also frequently seen on the Broadway stage, in Hollywood films, and in a host of regional and international touring companies. In past years, many of the Chamber Singers have sung professionally with the Gregg Smith Singers. Our choral ensembles perform international concert tours on a regular basis. The concert halls at Fredonia have hosted an on-going series of many of the greatest masterworks for chorus and orchestra. All of these remarkable musical achievements are a significant part of the complete musical and educational experience our undergraduates receive at Fredonia.
