AN INTERVIEW WITH LETA MILLER

My husband Alan (one of Ariose's basses) and I had been talking for some time about the need for a vocal group in Santa Cruz that would concentrate on secular music, rather than the sacred fare that is the staple of most choral organizations. There is so much wonderful vocal music that is hardly ever performed. Instead, groups mostly concentrate on the same wonderful, but repeatedly programmed, pieces. The time seemed ripe and, when we made preliminary investigations and found that many outstanding singers were interested, we organized the group. The final opportunity that made Ariose possible was the generous agreement from Temple Beth El to allow us to use their space gratis for rehearsals.

Why do you choose to keep the group small? What are the drawbacks and benefits of a small choral group?

The benefits are twofold: first of all, the group is more satisfying for the singers, each of whom knows s/he is operating as a soloist. Each singer has more responsibility, but also more opportunity. Secondly, with a group of this size, we can perform music that is not successful with a large group --- particularly the wonderful English and Italian madrigal literature of the renaissance. These pieces were probably sung at the time with one singer on a part. They work with a small group such as Ariose, but they are not musically successful with a large chorus. There are drawbacks as well, of course. Every singer can be heard and so each person must be expert in his/her part. We also need to avoid some of the 19th century literature that demands a large group (though we have been very successful at singing some of the a cappella works from that time, such as songs by Brahms).

What qualities are you looking for when you audition singers?

A voice that will blend with the ensemble, good music reading skills, a good sense of pitch, and a cooperative and upbeat attitude.

Ariose tends to have "theme" concerts. How do you choose the material?

Usually my concert planning starts with one work, or one group of works, that I want to present. I then build a concert around that work. For this year, our first concert is Madrigals Ancient and Modern: we'll show how the madrigal tradition didn't die after the renaissance, but was the inspiration for many contemporary composers as well. We'll present Italian and English madrigals from the renaissance (including very difficult chromatic pieces by Gesualdo and others), and modern madrigals by Rorem, Hovhaness, and Martinu. I also found a magnificent madrigal by Alessandro Scarlatti, which was a surprise to me and will be to our audiences as well. Our spring concert will be called "Music about Music" and will feature Benjamin Britten's Hymn to St. Cecilia, among many other works.

What sort of music do you think showcases Ariose's strengths the best?

We are extremely versatile. We've performed music from the 13th century to the end of the 20th. It's the particular pieces, rather than the type of piece, that showcases the group. I spend many many hours searching for the appropriate music on each concert.

What sort of music does the audience seem to respond to the best?

Again, the audiences respond to music that is performed with conviction and sensitivity, rather than to types of music. After our first performance, one person came up to me and said that Ariose had opened her mind to music of the renaissance, which she had always thought was boring. I believe that we were able to change her opinion of music from this era because we brought to our performance both knowledge of style and dramatic interpretation of the texts. Needless to say, I was extremely gratified by her response; we'd made another convert to the music I love.

It's very important for performers to be willing to take musical chances. Some conductors like to play it safe --- not too fast or slow, too loud or soft, because there's too much chance for error. My approach is quite the opposite. Audiences will forgive a minor error here or there if they sense a musical commitment. Ariose takes such chances and the results are moving. The singers sometimes balk at first at the fast tempi or dramatic dynamic changes I suggest, but that's what makes the performance striking and out of the ordinary.

Who comes to choral concerts? Who do you think would be interested if you could reach them?

Well, that's an interesting question. I think that music created by the blending of human voices is the most beautiful sound imaginable (and remember that I am an instrumentalist; so that's a big statement). People who hear choral music beautifully performed become addicted. These concerts, then, are for everyone. We've reached out to audiences such as high school students, who normally don't attend classical music concerts, and are always seeking ways to reach more people.

How is conducting choral music different from playing an instrument? Has conducting a choral group taught you anything about music that you didn't know as an instrumentalist?

Well, of course the obvious answer is that there is a text to express! And that text brings a new dimension into the music's interpretation. But also, the fact that the music is created within the body, rather than by an inert extension of the body, creates a whole new set of problems and opportunities.

What are your plans for the group's future?

We plan to continue presenting two public concerts per year in Santa Cruz and to do preview performances at Dominican Oaks, as we have for the past 4 years. But I would also like to see the Ariose Singers perform more regularly in other areas.

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