click to view PDF poster

Music of Three Faiths
Sunday, May 5, 7:30 PM
Scarboro United Church
134 Scarboro Ave SW (map)
Calgary, AB

7:00 pm Pre-concert talk
Post-concert reception

$20 Regular, $15 Senior / Student
Free admission for under-18
Advance tickets at Classics Plus
or tickets@renaissance-singers.com

In its final concert of the 2012 – 2013 season, CRSP will create a space where musicians, dancers, speakers from diverse faith groups, and audience members will gather together to explore the idea of religious pluralism. The concept of religious pluralism is as relevant today as it was on the Iberian peninsula in 15th-century Spain, when communities of Christians, Jews and Muslims co-existed relatively peacefully with an attitude of “live and let live.”

Taking this as its starting point, CRSP will present a program that includes little-known Spanish Medieval and Renaissance music from the Christian tradition, along with some recent works.  Guest dancers and instrumentalists, including oud player Mehdi Pouragha, will offer creative expressions representing more modern Jewish and Muslim traditions.  As well, three invited guest speakers, each representing one of these three faiths, will share their respective thoughts on religious pluralism in Calgary today.  We are delighted to announce that Mayor Naheed Nenshi has accepted our invitation to be our honoured guest at this concert.

It is a happy coincidence that on May 5, 2013, many Canadian Christian communities will be marking Pluralism Sunday.  This is just one example of many in which members of one faith reach out to meet and learn about their brothers and sisters in other faith communities.  CRSP is proud to be contributing to this worthwhile discussion.

We invite you to arrive in time for the 7pm pre-concert talk, in which chorister Marcia Epstein will talk about the religious communities of 15th-century Spain and about the one thing they all had in common: hand-drawn miniatures of architecture, musical instruments and daily life.

Following the concert, we invite you to join us for refreshments and conversation.  After a concert like this one, there will be a lot to talk about!

Jane Perry
Artistic Director, Calgary Renaissance Singers and Players

Jewish Music of the Renaissance 

Click image to download pdf of poster

March 10, 2013 at 7:30 pm
Temple B’nai Tikvah (Map)
900 47 Avenue SW.
Calgary, AB

7:00 pm Pre-concert talk
Post-concert reception

$20 Regular, $15 Senior / Student
Free admission for under-18
Advance tickets at Classics Plus
or tickets@renaissance-singers.com

The inspiration for this concert came when Jane Perry, Artistic Director, was introduced to the music of Salamone Rossi (1570-1630) by one of the choristers.

Rossi was a Jewish violinist and composer who played in Monteverdi’s orchestra at the court of the Duke of Mantua. He wrote several liturgical songs in Hebrew, under the title Songs of Solomon.  It is thought that, since the text he used is not actually from that Biblical book, the reference to Solomon was in fact to himself!  The choir will sing three pieces by Rossi: Adon Olam, Elohim Hashivenu, and Kaddish. While the liturgical texts may well be familiar, the settings are likely to be less so.  Speaking of this new repertoire, Jane Perry exclaims, “I can’t help but wonder why we’ve never done it before because it is so beautiful!”

In addition to the selections by Rossi, the choir will perform other music from the period by Palestrina (a setting of a text from the biblical Song of Solomon or Song of Songs) and Lauda Jerusalem by Monteverdi. Modern works include a setting of another text from the Song of Solomon by Ola Gjeilo, and Psalm 150 by chorister Marcia Epstein. The program also features Rebecca Levant, cantor, and Tom Mirhady, cellist, who will perform with the choir and as soloists. In particular, Tom will play the Kol Nidrei by Max Bruch, and Rebecca will offer sacred and secular cantorial pieces, including both modern melodies and those from the Italian Renaissance.

This will be the first time in its history that the Renaissance Singers have presented Jewish music of this period. Says Lorna Rowsell, one of the founding members of the choir, “This concert is an example of true ‘Renaissance’, that is, bringing to birth again the beautiful music and arts of the past which may have been forgotten.”

This season, the CRSP is offering pre-concert talks at its concerts.  We invite you to come and enjoy a 15-minute discussion of the works that will be performed.  The talk will start at 7 pm.

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra cellist Tom Mirhady returns to the stage at the Unitarian Church of Calgary with another program of gorgeous classical music.  The program will include Bach’s Suite in G for solo cello, Beethoven’s Sonata in A for cello and piano, and Brahms’ Piano Quartet in C minor.  Tom will be joined by violinist John Lowry (CPO Associate Concertmaster), violist Liza Scriggens Lowry, and pianist Jane Perry.  This is a fundraising concert for the Unitarian Church of Calgary.

“Consider spending a week of choral bliss singing the music of Gesualdo, Lassus, Monteverdi and more with polyphony enthusiasts from around the world.

2013 Repertoire:
Lassus: Timor et tremor
Gallus: Mirabile mysterium
Hassler: Ad dominum cum tribularer
de Wert: Vox in rama
Zielenski: Vox in rama
Monteverdi: Adoramus te
Gesualdo: O vos omnes
Monteverdi: Messa a quattro voci da capella

Please note that this list is subject to change.

Peter Phillips, director of the internationally acclaimed Tallis Scholars, will conduct while ably assisted by David Woodcock of London’s Harrow School.  Tallis Scholar sopranos Jan Coxwell and Deborah Roberts assist with vocal tuition and technique, small group singing, and other course activities.

• Choral rehearsals with Peter Phillips
• Nightly Compline chant services by candlelight
• Workshops, talks, and lectures by the Tallis Scholars
• Small group singing
• Time to explore the city of Seattle
• Closing Gala Concert conducted by Peter Phillips

Seattle University, WA   |   July 20–27, 2013

APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 30, 2013
http://tsss.us/apply/

To celebrate the arrival of The Saint John’s Bible, St. Mary’s University College is launching a series of workshops and courses focusing on the Sacred Arts. Students may wish to take a single workshop or register for a series of workshops to qualify for the newly-created Certificate in the Sacred Arts – Foundations.

One of the workshops holds relevance to Calgary Renaissance Singers & Players repertoire and is taught by a former CRSP artistic director:

Gregorian Chant
Instructor: Malcolm Edwards
Fall 2013, dates TBA
Gregorian chant is the largest corpus of written vocal music that exists within the Western musical tradition. In this workshop participants will learn the history of chant and gain performance experience by singing them in a flattering acoustic environment.

Click to view the full PDF flyer.

To learn more about the Certificate in the Sacred Arts – Foundations, please refer to www.stmu.ca/sacredarts

To register, contact Patti Berg at (403) 254-3751 or patti.berg@stmu.ca

Click for full poster

A Renaissance Christmas

Sunday, December 2, at 3PM
St. Stephen’s Anglican Church
(1121 – 14^th Avenue SW) – map

2:30 pm Pre-concert talk
Post-concert reception

$20 Regular, $15 Senior / Student
Free admission for under-18
Advance tickets at Classics Plus
or tickets@renaissance-singers.com

  Program

The program will open and close with works for choir and brass, including Gabrieli’s triumphant Hodie Christus Natus Est.  As one of its choral selections, the CRSP will perform a radiant gem of the Renaissance repertoire:  Victoria’s O magnum mysterium.  We are pairing this work with a more modern interpretation by the American composer Morten Lauridsen; this gorgeous O magnum mysterium is one of the top-ten repertoire favourites of every choral conductor I know.  We will also regale you with Renaissance carols in German, French, and English.

For its part, the Foothills Brass will bring its much-loved mix of excellent musicianship and good clean fun.  The quintet will perform everything from rafter-raising Christmas fanfares to (with the help of CRSP) some slightly silly takes on well-known carols.  As a special treat, trumpeter Chris Morrison will give a short lecture-demonstration of Renaissance-era brass instruments.  He will be aided in this effort by the Calgary Crumhorn Band (formed especially for this concert!)

Add to this some audience singalong carols accompanied by brass, and you have a very fine afternoon of musical offerings.

  Pre-Concert Talk 2:30PM

As a new feature this season, the CRSP is offering pre-concert talks at each of its three series concerts.  We invite you to come and enjoy a 15-minute discussion of the works that will be performed.  On December 2nd at 2:30pm, CRSP bass Nick Žekulin will offer historical context to the Christmas repertoire we have chosen to perform that day.

See our 2012-2013 Season page
for more information on upcoming concerts.

Thanks to everyone who voted online for our project, and thanks to the Calgary 2012 GiGYYC Curators who chose us.

Prospective new singers must have some
sight-reading ability as well as previous choral
experience.  It is not necessary for singers to
have previous experience with Renaissance
music  ~ you can learn with us!

View, download or share our full poster at box.com:

https://www.box.com/crsp-tenors-basses