Thursday, October 18, 2007

Weekend concert calendar, 10/18

Something I have occasionally considered doing is giving an overview each Thursday of what notable choral concerts are coming up each weekend in Boston. I think I am finally going to give this a try!

Boston choral music lovers are spoiled for choice this weekend! Here is an attempt at a comprehensive review of choral music in Boston in the next four days.

On Thursday (that's today! Start your weekend early!) the Zamir Chorale is performing at 7:30 pm at Congregation Kehillath Israel in Brookline. They are a chorus specializing in Jewish music and culture. I have never been to a concert of theirs, but via the grapevine have only heard good things. Details at their website.

On Friday at 12:15 pm, the Fridays at Trinity Lunchtime Concert will star the Choir of St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. More information can be found here. This concert series at Trinity is free.

On Friday at 8 pm (in downtown Boston) and again on Sunday at 3 pm (in Andover) Exsultemus is performing. They are a small professional Renaissance choir, and I recommend them highly. They will be joined by renowned local luteist Catherine Liddell (who is also playing at Cappella Clausura's next concert!) Details at their website.

There are two small professional Renaissance choirs in Boston (that I know of - feel free to enlighten me about others) and the other one is also performing this weekend! Schola Cantorum, whom I have sung with in the past and hope to in the future, will be performing on Friday in Boston; on Saturday in Providence; and on Sunday at 4 pm in Weston. Schola has no website of their own, but you can find concert details on the Boston Chapter AGO website. They are performing Monteverdi's Mass for Four Voices, which I was quite sad not to sing. This promises to be an excellent concert.

Of course, the reason I couldn't join Schola for this concert set is because The Boston Cecilia is performing on Saturday in Brookline! And you have no business being anywhere else! I have already discussed the program at length previously, but you really don't want to miss this all-Poulenc concert. Poulenc is a highly charismatic and charming composer, and on occasion, quite raunchy. This is the dirtiest concert this weekend, I promise.

If for some reason you just can't stand Poulenc, or don't want to see me, or have some other equally terrible reason for missing Cecilia's Saturday concert, you might take yourself over to The Orpheus Singers concert at Lindsey Chapel in Emmanuel Church. They are directed by Jim Olesen, a great conductor that I had the pleasure of working with when I sang with the Back Bay Chorale. They are doing an all-Italian a cappella concert, with songs spanning from the Renaissance to the 20th Century. This looks like a great program. Details are here. Tough choices - what to do on Saturday? The only sure thing is not to stay home!

Other choral concerts this weekend:
Scott Jarrett, "Eternal Light: A Cappella Choral Works," Friday at 8 pm at Marsh Chapel
Saengerfest Men's Chorus, Sunday at 4 pm in Westwood
Master Singers, "Trombone and Chorus," Sunday at 4 pm in Lexington

Now you know! Get out there and support your local choral musicians!

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