News and Notices

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

I hope you and your loved ones are all safe and well during this difficult time.

The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts has announced semi-finalist conductors in all divisions for 2021. The links to the listings on our blog are below. Finalist announcements are expected in May.

All best,
David (Volosin) Katz, founding and chief judge
http://theamericanprize.org

***

CONDUCTOR SEMI-FINALISTS: band/wind ensemble
https://theamericanprize.blogspot.com/2021/03/semi-finalists-conductors-bandwind.html

CONDUCTOR SEMI-FINALISTS: chorus
https://theamericanprize.blogspot.com/2021/02/semi-finalists-conductors-choral-music.html

CONDUCTOR SEMI-FINALISTS: orchestra
http://theamericanprize.blogspot.com/2021/03/semi-finalists-conductors-orchestra-2021.html

CONDUCTOR SEMI-FINALISTS: opera
https://theamericanprize.blogspot.com/2021/02/semi-finalists-conductors-opera-2021.html

CONDUCTOR SEMI-FINALISTS: orchestral programming (Marijosius Award)
http://theamericanprize.blogspot.com/2021/03/semi-finalists-conductors-orchestral.html

CONDUCTOR SEMI-FINALISTS: musical theater
https://theamericanprize.blogspot.com/2021/02/semi-finalists-conductors-musical.html

Congratulations to all semi-finalists.

The Premiere of The Jason Max Ferdinand Singers is scheduled for broadcast, Sunday, March 28, 2021 with the national webcast, Live From London – Spring! The premiere will feature Cedric Dent’s spirited new arrangement of “He’s Got the Whole World In His Hands.”

“Today I am pleased to announce, Cedric Dent will be an Artist/Arranger-In-Residence with our ensemble. Cedric brings a unique treasury of artistry to the Jason Max Ferdinand Singers. Steeped in the tight harmonies of vocal jazz and the soulful sounds of the church, with a tremendous ear for style and interpretation, Cedric will arrange for the ensemble, provide consultation, and sing with the group,” stated Ferdinand.

Cedric Dent was a baritone vocalist, music arranger, and co-producer of the ten-time GRAMMY Award-winning vocal group, TAKE 6. In 2011, Dent retired from TAKE 6 after twenty-five years with the group. He is a Grammy-nominated music arranger who created several arrangements for the Grammy-award winning recording, Handel’s Messiah A Soulful Celebration (1992). In 2014, Dent rejoined TAKE 6 for their induction into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in Nashville. Dent continues to compose and arrange for various live and recording projects and has traditional choral works and vocal jazz ensemble arrangements published by Walton Music and Sound Music Publications. Currently, Dent serves on the faculty of Middle Tennessee University where he specializes in Vocal Jazz, Music Industry, and Music Theory.

The Jason Max Ferdinand Singers have been an aural vision of sound for more than twenty years for Ferdinand. Recently, the ensemble came together, in the same space for the first time. Commenting on Dent’s arranging, “I simply cannot get the rhythmic groove of Cedric’s He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands out of my head!” an enthusiastic singer exclaimed.

The ensemble is comprised of professional voices from more than ten states across the nation. Ferdinand reached out by personal invitation to each member and promised them a unifying and challenging choral experience. The March 28th repertoire defines exactly that promise with works by Ferdinand, Norman Luboff, Nathan Carter, and Brandon Waddles, among others.

To experience the premiere of the Jason Max Ferdinand Singers, tune in to “Live From London – Spring,” Sunday March 28, 2021. https://page.inplayer.com/livefromlondonspring/item.html?id=153573

Saturday, April 3, 2021, 7:30 p.m.
Free Admission

Join us for a livestreamed Easter Concert at the Church of The Transfiguration, Orleans, MA. The concert will include Ralph Vaughan Williams’ ‘Dona Nobis Pacem’, and Gabriel Fauré’s ‘Requiem’.

ABOUT THE CHOIR:
Gloriæ Dei Cantores (Singers to the Glory of God) holds a passionate dedication to illuminate truth and beauty through choral artistry, celebrating a rich tradition of Sacred choral music from Gregorian chant through the twenty-first century.

WATCH HERE: https://gdcchoir.org/events/

During this difficult and unpredictable time the Music Teachers’ Board can provide a reliable, tested assessment tool that will enable you to continue to support your students in a stress-free manner. Our grade 1-8 exams are available in over 26 classical and popular instruments worldwide.The Music Teachers’ Board are the leading Ofqual regulated exam board in providing online instrumental qualifications. Our exams are recorded in audio or video by the teacher, either remotely or in person, submitted online and marked by instrument specialist examiners.

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For more information about MTB Exams, you can attend one of our Free weekly introduction webinars, visit our website, or email us at

Tucson-based True Concord Voices & Orchestra’s Founding Music Director Eric Holtan concludes his winter Playlist series with a program that celebrates the official arrival of spring with its promise of renewal, anchored by the “Spring” portion of Haydn’s The Seasons. Other works include Grieg’s hauntingly beautiful “Spring,” part songs by Mendelssohn about springtime, and Norman Dello Joio’s exhilarating A Jubilant Song based on texts from Walt Whitman’s A Song of Joys.

Listen and learn more: https://www.trueconcord.org/2020/04/09/playlist/.

To hear the playlist on YouTube, click here:

Click here to listen on Spotify:

With the passage of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 last week, there’s a ton of new information about relief funding that’s available for arts organizations. Here’s a quick summary of everything that choirs need to know: https://blog.chorusconnection.com/new-pandemic-relief-funding-for-your-chorus