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Chorus America's national study, released February 2003, finds 28.5 million Americans singing in choruses and estimates the number of choruses in the US to be 250,000.


 

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VAN Features
25th anniversary celebrations by the Russian Chamber Chorus of New York end with a surprise
Posted 12/8/2009

Russian Chamber Chorus of New YorkThe Russian Chamber Chorus of New York (RCCNY) was created in 1984 by Nikolai Kachanov and his wife, Tamara. That makes 2009 the 25th year the group has been performing and garnering rave reviews for its work. Accordingly, their concerts on December 13 and 16, 2009 are entitled "Russian Treasures: Highlights from Our 25-Year History." More...

And now, a Bluegrass mass!
Posted 12/7/2009

Carol BarnettThere are several choral works called masses that have become popular in the last fifty years or so that are non-traditional in their approach to setting the Catholic mass. There is the Missa Criolla by Ariel Ramirez, which keeps the integrity of the complete Latin texts but utilizes indigenous Argentinian rhythms and instruments. Another example is the Missa Luba arranged by Father Guido Haazen, which incorporates traditional Congolese songs and prayers into the composition as well as the Latin texts. A more recent setting of the Latin Missa Brevis is Bob Chilcott's Jazz Mass, a work written for the New Orleans Children's Chorus with varied jazz rhythms and styles. And now a new work joins this eclectic repertory, The World Beloved -- A Bluegrass Mass, by the Minneapolis-based composer Carol Barnett. More...

Archive of old VAN Features


Want to see more coverage of the vocal ensemble community? You can help! See your feature article here. You'll gain valuable exposure as a writer about vocal ensemble music and your group will benefit from the PR. Submit proposals for approval to the editor.

VAN SAMPLER

A smattering of tempting items from our most popular--and ever-changing--pages.

UPCOMING CONCERTS
Click a listing for full details.
Green dates indicate open sings.
February 9: New Amsterdam Singers and Broadway Bach Ensemble (Choral and instrumental / Manhattan)
February 10: Choir and Orchestra of St. Ignatius Loyola (Choir and orchestra / Manhattan)
February 11: Ten and Change and Treble (Vocal ensembles / Manhattan)
February 13: TENET (Vocal ensemble / Manhattan)
February 13: Central Jersey Choral Society (Choir with organ / New Jersey)
February 13: The New York Virtuoso Singers, Artemis Chamber Orchestra (Choir with orchestra / Manhattan)
February 14: Bach Vespers at Holy Trinity (Choir and period instrument ensemble / Manhattan)
February 14: Cerddorion Vocal Ensemble (Chamber choir / Brooklyn)
February 14: Distinguished Concerts Orchestra International and Distinguished Concert Singers International (Orchestra and choir / Manhattan)
February 14: VOICES Chorale (Cabaret / New Jersey)
February 15: Gino Sitson's Vocello (Vocal and instrumental ensemble / Manhattan)
February 19: Cappella New York (Choir / Manhattan)
February 19: Chelsea Opera (Vocal and instrumental ensemble / Manhattan)
February 20: Hillhouse Opera Company (Opera / Connecticut)
February 20: Hudson Valley Chorale (Choir / Upstate NY)
More events in the Concert Calendar.
Freshest Choir Audition ads
Da Capo Chorale
Last updated: 2/4/2010
The Kingsborough Musical Society Chorus
Last updated: 2/2/2010
Metropolitan Greek Chorale
Last updated: 2/2/2010
Music Divine
Last updated: 1/31/2010
World of Harmony
Last updated: 1/30/2010
For details, visit the Choir Auditions page.
Latest Info Exchange postings
New York Choral Society Mexico tour in July
Date posted: 2/8/2010
American Radio Choir seeks compositions
Date posted: 2/8/2010
Master class with Lee Roy Reams
Date posted: 2/8/2010
Make Music New York, June 21, 2010
Date posted: 2/7/2010
Introductory Alexander Technique class with Joan Arnold
Date posted: 2/7/2010
For details, visit the Info Exchange.
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VAN gratefully acknowledges the support of the following Sustaining Member ensembles:

GOLD
The Dessoff Choirs
Grace Church Choral Society
The West Village Chorale

SILVER
The Brooklyn Community Chorus
The Brooklyn Contemporary Chorus
Florilegium Chamber Choir
Greenwich Village Singers
Riverside Choral Society
The St. Cecilia Chorus
St. George's Choral Society

Schola Cantorum on Hudson
The Stonewall Chorale

Americas Vocal Ensemble
AmorArtis
The Babylon Chorale
C4: The World's First Choral Composer/Conductor Collective
Cantabile Chamber Chorale
Cerddorion
Chorus 802
Christ Church Choir
Douglas Frank Chorale
Down Town Glee Club
Lehman College and Community Chorus
New Amsterdam Singers
The New Choral Society
New York Choral Society
Renaissance Vocal Ensemble
Riverdale Choral Society
Russian Chamber Chorus of New York
Sacrum Convivium
St. James' Compostela Choir
Uncommon Chord
Women Singing

For more about how you or your ensemble can help defray the costs of providing VAN's services, visit the Sustaining Membership page.

 

Read some of the nice things people are saying about Vocal Area Network.

NEWS VAN welcomes news of interest to the vocal ensemble community.
Send stories to the editor.
  • The John Link Project announces the release of its new CD, 24 Preludes of Frédéric Chopin. The CD documents the 2007 world premiere of John Link's arrangements for five singers, guitar, bass, drums and violin of Chopin's 24 Preludes, Opus 28, published for solo piano in 1839. Visit www.cdbaby.com/johnlinkproject to hear samples from the CD. (2010-1-15)
  • Applications are now being accepted for the New York Regional competition of The Harmony Sweepstakes, a nationwide a cappella festival, which will take place at The Miller Theatre at Columbia University on Saturday, March 20, 2010 at 7:00 PM. For details, see the ad in the Info Exchange. (2010-1-4)
  • Voices of Ascension received a Grammy nomination for Song of the Stars, a recording released in June 2009 featuring music by Catalan composers Pablo Casals, Enrique Granados, Enrique Morera, Manuel Oltra and Manuel Blancafort. For more information, visit www.voicesofascension.org. (2009-12-11)
  • The Times Beacon Record, covering the north shore of Long Island, has an article profiling the Long Island Symphonic Choral Association's season, including the group's upcoming December 12 concert. (2009-12-2)
  • Backing Ray Davies in classic Kinks hits, The Dessoff Choirs makes its first Letterman appearance Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 11:35 PM on CBS. (2009-11-17)

Archive of old "News" items


NEW ON VAN The latest additions to the site's content and features.
  • January 30, 2010: New link for RM Music, a small music publisher serving the community of choral directors and choral singers.
  • January 15, 2010: Our Archive pages (for old VAN news and old "New on VAN items") have been redesigned.
  • January 15, 2010: New URL for The Brooklyn Community Chorus.
  • January 12, 2010: We've tweaked the "Upcoming Highlights" column on the home page to provide more useful--and tempting--information. The "VAN Sampler" now includes upcoming concerts, the freshest choir audition ads and the latest postings from the Info Exchange.
  • January 7, 2010: New Choir Auditions ad for the The Greater New Haven Community Chorus.
  • December 28, 2009: New Choir Auditions ad for the Taghkanic Chorale.
  • December 16, 2009: New link for Athena Tix, a new open-source ticketing application being developed by Fractured Atlas for the national performing arts community.
  • December 15, 2009: New Choir Directory listing and Choir Auditions ad for the World of Harmony, a small choir based in Brooklyn dedicated to the performance of Caribbean, African and African-American music.
  • November 28, 2009: The Choirs by Night and Choirs by Locale pages have a new look.
  • November 21, 2009: New Choir Directory listing and Choir Auditions ad for the Evergreen Chorus, a Poughkeepsie-based chapter of Sweet Adelines International.

Archive of old "New on VAN" items


SERVICES See also the Info Exchange: Services / Opportunities page.
  • Need some exquisite beaded jewelry to complement your concert attire? Or perhaps a distinctive gift for that special singer in your life? Or maybe you'd like to host a jewelry show to benefit your favorite non-profit organization? Try Carnelian Knoll, where you'll find necklaces, bracelets and earrings of vintage beads and silver handcrafted by Julie Siegmund.
  • Looking for rehearsal space or performance venues? Try NYC Music Places, New York City's free database of available rehearsal and performance spaces for instrumental and vocal musicians. You'll find places to rent, from studios to large venues, for classical, jazz, rock--whatever you need to rehearse or perform in NYC.
  • Looking for an outstanding vocal ensemble coach? Mark Johnson, possessor of an amazing ear and terrific interpretive insights in a variety of styles, is available to coach your group. To arrange for Mark's services, e-mail Colette Thompson.
  • Liz Fleischer's Sight-Singing Program is offered each season at the Kaufman Center (129 West 67th Street). Classes include ear-training, rhythm and pitch reading, music theory, basic notation and terminology, with emphasis on learning to hold a part with confidence. For more info, visit www.kaufman-center.org/lucyadults_mus_sight.htm, e-mail fleischerliz@aol.com or adultdivision@kaufman-center.org or call (212) 501-3362. The sight-singing program is just one of the classes offered by the Kaufman Center's Lucy Moses School.


Content Contact: Steve Friedman.
Revision Date: February 8, 2010.
Technical Contact: Steve Friedman.
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