The mission of St. Charles Singers is to perform, promote and preserve the finest choral music to inspire diverse audiences regionally, nationally and internationally. Thank you for your belief in our mission and for your support of our choir.
St. Charles Singers Call to Audition
St. Charles Singers will hold auditions in May of 2019 for the coming performance year, 2019-2020, the choir’s 36th season. To be considered for a live, 10 minute audition, interested singers should send a bio to St. Charles Singers (email to execdir@stcharlessingers.com ) no later than April 25th. A sound file may also be requested.
Auditions for selected candidates will take place on Saturday, May 4th, 2:30 to 5:00 pm, and on Saturday, May 11th, from 10:00 am. to 2:00 pm at Baker Memorial United Methodist Church, 307 Cedar Ave, St. Charles, IL. Those selected to audition will be directed to an online registration site.
Singers selected to audition will be asked to demonstrate range and expression, to prepare 2 selections of your choice, and to sight read.
Coming Up Next: Victorian Flourish
Music of the Victorian era, when great composers flourished
April 27 (Wheaton) and April 28 (St. Charles)
Program Hail Gladdening Light Charles Wood (1866-1926) Drei Geistliche Lieder Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) (Three Sacred Songs) Lass’, O Herr, mich Hülfe finden Deines Kind’s Gebet enhӧre Herr, wir Trau’n auf deine Güte Sonata No. 1 IV. Allegro assai vivace Felix Mendelssohn Michael Giuliani, organist Jam Sol Recedit (Now Sinks the Sun) Horatio Parker (1863-1919) Abendlied Josef Rheinberger (1839-1901) (Bide with us, For evening shadows) Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis in G Major C.V. Stanford (1852-1924) INTERMISSION Trois Chansons Claude Debussy (1862-1918) Diu! Qu’il la fait bon Regarder! Quant j’ai ouy le Tabourin Yver, vous n’estes qu’un villain Charm Me Asleep Henry Leslie (1822-1896) Blow Away the morning Dew R.O Morris (1886-1948) Two Unaccompanied Part Songs Frederick Delius (1862-1934) To be sung of a summer night on the water 1 and 2 The Blue Bird C.V. Stanford I was Glad when they said unto me C. Hubert H. Parry (1848-1918) (1911 version)
Creating programs around a central connecting theme is something St. Charles Singers has done before. However, devising a program whereby several composers are selected from a specific era is new to us and, we think, an experience that will be interesting and rewarding for our audience. We shall see! The program is unified in that all the composers represented were born in the 19th century. In fact, a mere 77 years separate the oldest, Mendelssohn and the youngest, R.O Morris. All the composers either knew each other as colleague, student and teacher or by reputation, with the possible exception of Mendelssohn, who tragically lived only to age 38. One more unifying feature is that composers represented are from either the United Kingdom, France, Germany or the United States of America. That is where the similarities and unifying themes end, as we hope you will hear and discover. As the 19th century rolls along, the individuality of the composer becomes increasingly unique, important and celebrated. This becomes a tenant for 19th Century artistic value. Walt Whitman (1819-1892) reminds us of this ideology in his poem Song of Myself, in which he writes “I celebrate myself and sing myself.” We hope you will discover, or perhaps re-discover, these composers of the same era, but each of whom give voice to the variety of textures, timbres and emotions to make the music distinctively his own. Jeff Hunt, Music Director, St. Charles Singers
Bushes and Briars
Brigg Fair
Londonderry Air
Early One Morning
Swansea Town
Thanks to our Sponsors and Grantors
We appreciate our sponsors and encourage you to support these businesses and organizations whenever possible.
