2008- 2009 Season
 |
Innocence and HopeSaturday, November 15, 2008, 8:00 PM Intimations of Immortality - Finzi With soloists: Don’t miss these choral masterpieces by two of Britain’s most celebrated composers, setting works by some of our most distinguished poets. Finzi’s decision to set the poetry of England ’s Wordsworth was greeted with great skepticism but this exceptional setting of words to music fully met that challenge. Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem, largely based on text by the American Civil War poet Walt Whitman, has already become a choral favorite and is certainly appropriate for our time. (Links to background information on the composers and music.) |
 |
Messiah SingSunday, December 14, 2008, 3:30 PM With soloists: An annual Holiday Tradition — Join the Mastersingers and soloists to sing the Christmas portion of Handel's Messiah. Come listen or bring/borrow from us a score and sing along in this informal, exhilarating event. |
 |
Russian Choral TreasuresSaturday, March 21, 2008, 8:00 PM Sunday, March 22, 2008, 4:00 PM Performed in collaboration with Master Singers of Worcester and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Symphony of Psalms - Stravinsky With orchestra and A Cappella Russian Treasures: “Bogoroditse”- Rachmaninoff This is a unique opportunity to hear some of the best Russian Choral literature presented by the combined forces of the Assabet Valley Mastersingers and Master Singers of Worcester supported by instrumentalists from WPI and freelance professionals. Symphony of Psalms is familiar to many but the Gretchaninoff cantata Kvalite Boga! is a newly discovered and rarely heard choral gem. Some of the very best Russian a cappella choral literature accompany these two masterworks. |
 |
Poetry in SongSaturday, May 16, 2009, 8:00 PM Fern Hill - Corigliano Selected Contemporary settings by Brunner, Gawthrop, Stroope and others We begin the season with settings of two great 19th century poets and conclude with compositions setting texts by two giants of the 20th century, Dylan Thomas and Robert Frost. Shorter musical settings of other contemporary poets, by some of our very best American contemporary composers, complete the program. |