News and Notices

HS Choir creates CD to memorialize classmate

August 30, 2010 by Allen H Simon Leave a Comment

The Covington Catholic High School Chamber Choir stepped into a recording studio in May under stressful circumstances.

At a time when many were preparing for final exams and graduation, they began recording an album to memorialize their friend, Maria Schaffstein, the 17-year-old Notre Dame Academy student killed in a car crash in April.

Within weeks, they completed “To Where You Are,” an album of 12 songs, including the songs played at Schaffstein’s funeral and covers from artists such as Josh Groban and Billy Joel.

Radio City announces choir competition for Christmas Spectacular

August 28, 2010 by Allen H Simon Leave a Comment

This fall, Boston area choirs can compete for a chance to sing at the Citi Performing Arts CenterSM Wang Theatre, prior to a performance of America’s favorite holiday show, the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, starring the world famous Radio City Rockettes, through the Community Choir Competition.

Beginning September 10, videos of the participating choirs can be uploaded online at the Citi Performing Arts Center website (citicenter.org), where fans can vote for their favorites through October 10. Then, five finalist choirs will duke it out in an acapella sing-off for a panel of judges at the Citi Performing Arts Center Wang Theatre on Monday, October 18. The grand prize winner will perform onstage at the Citi Performing Arts Wang Theatre on Friday, December 3, prior to the opening night performance of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Runner up choirs will have the opportunity to perform on alternate dates during the engagement, which runs through December 29. All choirs competing will receive special ticket benefits.

Miami choir hits #3 on iTunes classical chart

August 28, 2010 by Allen H Simon Leave a Comment

With their collaborative CD, the Western Michigan University Chorale and a Miami-based professional choir known as “Seraphic Fire” have hit one of the top spots on the iTunes Top 20 classical music chart.

Their performance of Claudio Monteverdi’s “Vespers of the Blessed Virgin,” was at No. 3 on the iTuneschart Tuesday and the album was recently featured on NPR’s “All Things Considered.”

Unqualified Teachers Replace High School Choral Directors in Oregon

August 27, 2010 by philip copeland Leave a Comment

Three music teachers, none with experience teaching high school choral music, have been hired to replace choral directors at Grant, Cleveland and Wilson high schools.

The teachers’ names haven’t been released. the three had more seniority in the district than the teachers they replaces, said district spokesman Matt Shelby.

Facing budget cuts, Portland Public Schools earlier this month laid off Katy Wagner-West , choral director at Grant High School. She had taught two years at Grant, which has an 84-year tradition of choral music, and is one of the city’s shining examples of a program that offers leadership, community and the profound experience of learning about oneself in the world. District policy allows a teacher with more siniority to bump a less-experienced one. Wagner-West’s supporters are rallying to save her job. She writes:

“Many of you have heard of the drastic cuts in music education throughout PPS over the last 2 weeks. Due to these cuts at the elementary and middle school levels, this has resulted in Human Resources “bumping” me from Grant due to my 2 years seniority in PPS (although I had 4 previous years in Beaverton). As of this morning, Human Resources has involuntarily placed a K-5 music teacher with no choral teaching experience in the Grant Vocal Music Teacher position.

The other high school choir positions have also been placed with other teachers from throughout the district – all of them being elementary teachers, many with no choir experience… “The District may elect to retain a less senior member based upon a determination that the less senior member has greater competence. Competence shall be defined as the ability to teach an “area of endorsement” or grade level based on recent teaching experience related to that “area of endorsement” or grade level within the last five years, but not based solely on being licensed to teach. Grade level shall mean the grade levels PK-8, or 6-12.

JWPepper to offer expanded previews to registered users

August 27, 2010 by Allen H Simon Leave a Comment

J. W. Pepper announced today the launch of Editors’ Choice Online. This free web viewer enables music directors to preview sheet music, listen to recordings, read product information, make notes, and purchase their selections. Available on http://ec.jwpepper.com, this new feature gives music directors greater access to Editors’ Choice music and provides the convenience of browsing from a computer or web-enabled phone.

Editors’ Choice Online is being launched in time for the back to school rush, as Pepper aims to help music teachers prepare for the school year ahead. Customers are able to page freely back and forth and listen to the recordings. The magnify feature allows music to be viewed closely on all sizes of screens. The ‘Share This’ option makes it easy to recommend music or get a second opinion from friends and colleagues on social networking sites. These services are free to everyone with an active Pepper account and will preview as much music as publishers permit.

By utilizing new technology, Pepper hopes to build on its 134-year tradition of empowering music directors to spend their budget dollars wisely. Each year the Editors’ Choice selections are hand-picked by Pepper’s editorial team from thousands of newly published band, orchestra, jazz and choral works. By providing a greater ease of access to this series Pepper hopes to help music directors begin the new semester on the right note.

Each year Pepper sells printed preview choral books as well as CDs for band, choir and orchestra. According to Kathy Fernandes, Pepper’s Vice President of Marketing, “We believe Editors’ Choice Online is a key service built so directors can preview music for free, wherever they are.” Further, “We know music directors are really busy people. We sort through a ton of music to help them locate good new material quickly. They can certainly order any music they want from us, but directing them to our Editors’ Choice recommendations gives them a head start in finding great new music.”

The Amadeus Choir launches the 24th annual Christmas Carol and Chanukah Song Writing Competition

August 27, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Though we may be in the throes of a seemingly never-ending summer heat wave, it’s never too early to start counting the days until the holiday season is upon us.

With that in mind, the Toronto-based and world-renowned Amadeus Choir (www.amadeuschoir.com) is launching its 24th annual Christmas Carol and Chanukah Song Writing Competition. Established in 1987 by the choir and its celebrated Conductor and Artistic Director, Dr. Lydia Adams, the competition’s goals are threefold: to provide a forum for new compositions to be created, to motivate composers to develop their craft and to augment the existing choral repertoire for Christmas and Chanukah.

The international competition is open to children and youth (in odd numbered years, the competition is open to all composers regardless of age or level of experience). Entries must be original, unpublished music compositions and can be submitted under any of the following Composer Categories: Individual Compositions – Child (under 10 years, 10-12 years and 13-14 years), Individual Compositions – Youth (15-17 years and 18-20 years) or Group Compositions (group of two or more individuals and small class or smaller group of children). Voicing Categories include: Unison unaccompanied, Unison with accompaniment by organ or piano, Harmony (e.g. SATB, SSA or other combination) unaccompanied and Harmony (e.g. SATB, SSA or other combination) with accompaniment by organ or piano.

“The Christmas Carol and Chanukah Song Writing Competition is an opportunity for talented young composers from around the world to add their voices to Canada’s rich choral tradition, and we are thrilled to be able to provide them with this unique platform to promote their works,” said Lydia Adams, Conductor and Artistic Director, the Amadeus Choir.

Compositions must be submitted by October 15 and winners will be selected by a judging panel of internationally acclaimed choral conductors and composers. The first place winner in each category will receive a cash prize of $100 and the winning compositions will be performed by the Amadeus Choir at their December 18 concert, Sing with the Angels, in Toronto.

For a complete listing of competition rules and regulations, please visit: www.amadeuschoir.com.

About the Amadeus Choir

The Amadeus Choir opens its 2010/11 season with a profound and powerful program Through the Eyes of Childrenon November 6 and continues through the holiday season on December 18 with Sing with the Angels, a joyous celebration featuring the Bach Children’s Chorus and the winning compositions from the choir’s 24th annual Christmas Carol and Chanukah Song Writing Competition. The season climaxes with more inspirational choral works: The Legendary Haydn and Mozarton April 9, and Our Home and Native Landon May 14, where the winners of the Amadeus Choir’s new Competition for Young Composers will be featured.

Founded in 1975, the Amadeus Choir is celebrating its 36th year and is under the direction of Dr. Lydia Adams, Conductor and Artistic Director. The Amadeus Choir performs a regular series of concerts, presenting well-known artists in works by Canadian and international composers, including major works with instrumental ensembles or full orchestra, as well as challenging a cappella performances.