AboutOfficial Site: http://www.collegiatechorale.org/The Collegiate Chorale has been a prominent force in the musical life of New York City for more than 60 years. Founded in 1941 by Robert Shaw and taking its name from its first rehearsal space at the Marble Collegiate Church, The Chorale performed Beethoven's Ninth Symphony under the baton of Arturo Toscanini and subsequently sang under such conductors as Beecham, Bernstein, Koussevitzky, Maazel, Mehta, and Mitropoulos. Through the years the Chorale established a national reputation through its commitment not only to the traditional choral repertoire but also to American music and to new works—commissions or premieres—by such leading composers as Barber, Bolcom, Britten, Copland, Dvorák, Hindemith, and Sessions. Under the leadership of Music Director Robert Bass, the Chorale has explored the operatic repertoire, in which the chorus plays a significant role. In 1982 they joined Juilliard's American Opera Center for the New York premiere of Montezuma by Roger Sessions, and other concert performances of operas followed: in 1984 Gershwin's Porgy and Bess and the American premiere of Dvorák's Dmitri; in 1985 Beethoven's Fidelio; in 1987 the New York premiere of Respighi's La fiamma; and in 1989 the New York premiere of Strauss' previously unrecorded one-act opera, Friedenstag, which was recorded live and released on the Koch label in 1991, reaching the top 25 on the classical Billboard charts. In 1997 the Chorale gave the New York premiere of Schubert's Fierrabras, in 1998 Verdi's Nabucco, in 1999 presented Verdi's Giovanna d'Arco, and in 2000 Ponchielli's La Gioconda. In 2001 the Chorale performed Verdi's Macbeth, in 2002 Weber's Oberon, in 2003 La forza del destino, and in 2004 Un ballo in maschera - all with the Orchestra of St. Luke's. The 2005-2006 season will include Joplin's Treemonisha, as well as Puccini's Le Villi and Act III of Turandot with a new ending by composer Luciano Berio. In addition to its appearances in five annual Richard Tucker Foundation Galas, the Chorale sang in Pavarotti Plus!; all six programs were televised nationally on PBS, the latter as part of the Live From Lincoln Center series (1990). The 1991 Tucker Gala was released as a CD on the BMG label. The Chorale has also made recordings with the New York Philharmonic, perhaps the best known being Mahler's Symphony No. 2 ("Resurrection") under Leonard Bernstein. The Chorale is featured in a video of a 1948 performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with Arturo Toscanini and the NBC Symphony Orchestra and on the CD Dvorák Discoveries from America on the Music and Arts label. It's recording of the March 1994 all-Beethoven Carnegie Hall concert of the previously unrecorded Der glorreiche Augenblick and of the Cantata on the Elevation of Leopold II was released on CD by Koch International. Highlights of recent seasons include the Chorale's performances of Leonard Bernstein's Mass in its first New York performance in over 25 years, as well as of Berlioz's Requiem; the 60th Anniversary tribute to Robert Shaw in 2002, which marked a historic moment for The Collegiate Chorale featuring a two-day salute including a Carnegie Hall concert featuring Shaw's signature piece, Brahms' Requiem and the world premiere of Ned Rorem's Now Voyager; an Evening with Kathleen Battle; the American premiere of Paul McCartney's Liverpool Oratorio with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall; and performances of Britten's War Requiem, Orff's Carmina Burana, Mozart's Requiem, Handel's Messiah, and Haydn's Creation. In 2003 Maestro Bass founded The Collegiate Chorale Singers, the professional ensemble of the Chorale, which gave its first performance in a program of all-American music. Three summers ago, the Chorale embarked on its first European tour, performing in Prague and Vienna. In 2005, the Chorale appeared at the Verbier Festival in Switzerland, performing the Verdi Requiem under the baton of James Levine. Among the many guest artists with whom the Chorale has performed in recent years are Martina Arroyo, Kathleen Battle, Harolyn Blackwell, Grace Bumbry, John Cheek, Mignon Dunn, Simon Estes, Lauren Flanigan, Elizabeth Futral, Maria Guleghina, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Salvatore Licitra, James McCracken, Sherrill Milnes, Leona Mitchell, Paul Plishka, Juan Pons, Florence Quivar, Deborah Voigt, and the New York City Gay Men's Chorus and Riverside Choral Society. |
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Collegiate Chorale
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Collegiate Chorale Newsletter |
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Collegiate Chorale Discography (1title)
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