Welcome to Kalamazoo Choral Arts. Previously The Kalamazoo Bach Festival, this new title reflects our new mission statement for the organization, defined by our board of directors: “to create, enrich, and transform community through singing.”
This mission embodies three important values that drive our work:
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a clear identity,
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openness to an expanded repertoire and diverse audiences, and
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a core belief in the power of singing to bring people together.
CONCERTS & EVENTS
Brahms and Mozart
Saturday, October 12, 2013, 8:00 p.m.
Chenery Auditorium
Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, Raymond Harvey, conductor
Bach Festival Chorus, James Turner, director
PROGRAM
Brahms Nänie
Stravinsky Pulcinella
Brahms Schicksalslied (Song of Destiny)
Mozart Symphony No. 41 (Jupiter)
One of Brahms' greatest choral works, Schicksalslied pairs perfectly with the drama and sophistication of the gradiose Jupiter--Mozart's final symphony. Assertive and forthright from its opening, Mozart's Jupiter is music of majesty and sweep, convincingly bringing to mind the king of the ancient Roman gods. Inspired by the poet Friedrich Holderlin, Brahms' Song of Destiny contrasts the lives of the "blessed ones" in Greek Elysium's paradise with the plight of mere mortals on earth, caught in a perpetual and unavailing struggle against Fate and Destiny.
The Many Facets of Love
Sunday, October 20, 2013, 4:00 p.m.
Dalton Theatre, Kalamazoo College
Rhea Olivaccé, soprano / Gunta Laukmane, piano
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A concert featuring the romantic music of Strauss, the alluring charm of French opera, and the musings of new American composers.
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Presented in collaboration with the Kalamazoo College Department of Music.
2013 Kalamazoo College Homecoming Event
44th Annual BachFest Christmas!
Sunday, December 8, 2013, 4:00 p.m.
Stetson Chapel, Kalamazoo College
Bach Festival Chorus, James Turner, conductor
with Kalamazoo Brass and Eric Strand, organ
CONCERT SPONSOR: Clifford Mulder, Raymond James & Associates
CHORUS SPONSOR: Steven Woloszyk, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage
A joyous celebration of the Christmas season, this concert will feature work by composers Gustav Holst, Joseph Martin, Leo Nestor, Philip Stopford, Malcolm Archer, and Bob Chilcott. Familar carols and an audience sing-along complete this much beloved Kalamazoo holiday tradition.
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Sponsor a Poinsettia: Lovely poinsettias decorate Stetson Chapel for this performance. Help make the chapel even more festive by sponsoring a poinsettia this season. A portion of your sponsorship will be tax-deductible. Contact the the Bach Festival Office for more information (269) 337-7407.
Season Finale: Schubert and Fauré
Sunday, May 18, 2014, 4:00 p.m.
Stetson Chapel, Kalamazoo College
Bach Festival Chorus and Chamber Ensemble, James Turner, director
CONCERT SPONSOR: Williams Capital Management of Raymond James
CHORUS SPONSOR: Steven Woloszyk, PrimeLending
PROGRAM
J.S. Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major, BWV 1048
Schubert Mass in G Major
Fauré Requiem, Op. 48
The second of six masses he wrote, Franz Schubert's Mass in G Major took less than a week to compose and is perhaps the most well-known of his shorter masses. With joyful choruses and exquisite melodic lines, the chorus, soloists, and orchestra explore a vast array of human emotions from contemplative to triumphant. Fauré's Requiem begins with a dramatic brass entrance accompanied by a hushed somber chorus and is transformed into a passionate orchestra-chorus crescendo. Listeners will revel in the beautiful intimate writing of Fauré, as he embarks upon a transcendent journey from sadness to the hopeful promise of a heavenly paradise.
Tickets available online through 10 a.m. Saturday, May 17. Tickets may be purchased at the door on May 18 beginning at 3:15 p.m.
