Stick Time: In the Beginning

Depending on where one spends more of their choral life, there is always a body of work that is out of our reach.  The symphonic chorus conductor may get to conduct such works as the Verdi Requiem or Beethoven Missa Solemnes on a regular basis, but how would the philharmonic choir handle a Phil Mattson chart?  Likewise, it would be rare for a middle school conductor to program the Martin Mass for unaccompanied double choir.

 

Here is a performance of a work that is probably not heard frequently, but may well be on a few conductors’ bucket lists: "In the Beginning" (Aaron Copland).  This was a presented  by the University of Maryland Chamber Singers (Edward Maclary, conductor) during the 2012 ACDA Eastern Division Conference in Providence, Rhode Island.