ARIOSE NEWS

S. C. Chamber Players Host Ariose Singers

By Catherine Pickerrell

In the tradition of presenting fine chamber music, one aspect that is often overlooked and under-performed is that of the chamber choir. The Santa Cruz Chamber Players, however, have woven the thread of chamber choir music into the tapestry of their concert seasons since November of 2001, when they hosted the premier performance of the local chamber ensemble, the Ariose Singers. Because that initial performance was so well received, this 16-member vocal group has been invited to sing with SCCP every other season and fortunately, for choral music fans, this is an "Ariose" season. On Saturday and Sunday, January 14^th and 15^th, they will be performing a program entitled, "Americana", with music written exclusively by American composers, most of them contemporary.

Though most of the songs will be performed a cappella, some will require accompaniment. Instrumentalists Carol Panofsky and Ivan Rosenblum, both SCCP regulars, will accompany the singers on the oboe and piano, respectively.

Musical selections will range from the profound to the hilarious. Randall Thompson's Americana, with texts taken from the "American Mercury," will tickle the fancy of its listeners with its delightful and sophisticated humor. William Schuman's Mail Order Madrigals are set to texts from the Sears Roebuck catalog (including old-time medicinal cures). On the more serious side, the concert will feature inspiring works by Edward MacDowell and several songs by the ever-popular Samuel Barber, including a musical setting of Emily Dickinson's poem, Let Down the Bars, O Death, as well as the very beautiful and sweetly romantic The Coolin.  Also on the program is Cecil Effinger's stunning Four Pastorales for choir and oboe. Several spirituals, arranged for four-part choir by Moses Hogan, will round out this concert.

Leta Miller, the founder and director of the Ariose Singers, has been directing choirs since 1978 both in the San Francisco Bay Area and in Santa Cruz. A graduate of Stanford, she holds a Ph.D. in musicology where she specialized in early music. Currently, she is a professor of music at UCSC, where she will serve as Acting Dean of the Arts from January to June 2006.

Miller talks about why she founded "Ariose," whose name is an early English term meaning "tuneful": "There was a need in the community for a small vocal ensemble that would focus on music rarely performed here. Instead of large classical and liturgical choral works that often necessitate a full orchestra, the Ariose Singers emphasize smaller secular works and often present Renaissance compositions that are unwieldy with a large chorus. We also often perform programs of contemporary music."

Typically, the size of a chamber choir can run anywhere from 12 to 30 voices, but Miller likes to keep hers at about 16 or 17.  "My doctoral work concerned secular a cappella vocal works of the sixteenth century," she said, "primarily Italian madrigals and French chansons. These works are simply not successful in performance with a large group, as they were designed for soloists or a very small ensemble."  Although early music has always been her specialty, in recent years, her emphasis has been on 20^th-century American music, and she has brought her knowledge of this repertoire to the group as well, programming some unusual and rarely heard works.

Miller, who says that she has very eclectic tastes in music, is the author of the major biography of legendary local composer, Lou Harrison, and has written a second book on his life and works which will be published in the spring of 2006.

She is particularly pleased to have this partnership between her chamber choir and the Santa Cruz Chamber Players. She first became involved with SCCP back in the 1980's, when she played the flute in many of their concerts. Indeed, Miller is quite an accomplished musician. As a flutist, she has been featured on over a dozen solo recordings, ranging from renaissance works to the 20^th century.

In putting together the program for this "Americana" concert, Miller wanted to present a selection of songs that would depict several aspects of life in the USA over the last couple of centuries. She thought a great deal about whether or not to include spirituals. "After all," she said, "none of us is from the culture that produced the original tunes. However, I feel strongly that these songs are an integral part of American history and it is therefore highly important to acknowledge and recognize their contribution to America's cultural life. Obviously, the original tunes were not sung in four-part harmony; they were melodies, expressing the hopes and despair of an oppressed people. The arrangements we will perform are by the African-American conductor, Moses Hogan. They capture the jazz-inspired spirit of the African-American culture while at the same time providing considerable challenge for choral singers."

Miller loves the excitement she finds in making music with this group of singers. "I think that the sound of human voices in harmony is the most beautiful timbre imaginable," she said. "Working with these wonderful people to generate such glorious sounds, and finding a way to express the text and draw the audience into the emotional experience of the music, is a true pleasure."

The Ariose Singers will present "Americana," sponsored by the Santa Cruz Chamber Players, on Saturday, January 14^th at 8:00 PM, with a repeat performance on Sunday, January 15^th at 3:00 PM. Both performances will be held at Christ Lutheran Church, 10707 Soquel Drive, Aptos (off Highway 1 at Freedom Blvd). Tickets will be available at the door. Prices are: General $18; Seniors $15; and Students (full time) $12. Admission is free for ages 12 and under as well as for students of MTA teachers. For information call: (831) 425-3149.

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