CONCORA's 2019 - 2020 Season
Ivory, Wood & Steel
The theme for this year’s season was inspired by the title of one of Artistic Director Chris Shepard's favorite books, Jared Diamond’s immensely popular 1997 Guns, Germs & Steel. In his book, Diamond explored the ways in which the deployment of these three powerful elements allowed Eurasian culture and might to spread throughout the globe. In our six concerts this season, we look at how Ivory, Wood & Steel—materials fundamental to the production of so many different instruments—have inspired composers to write choral music with varied and fascinating accompaniments. The season spans three centuries, from Bach's Mass in B Minor to a new work commissioned by CONCORA from CONCORA singer Andrey Stolyarov.
ROSSINI, PETITE MESSE SOLENNELLE
Sunday, October 13, 2019 @ 4:00PM
South Congregational Church, 90 Main Street, New Britain, CT
Gioachino Rossini had given up writing operas for nearly thirty years by the time he wrote his Petite Messe Solennelle, which he called “the last of the sins of my old age.” Others have observed that, despite its title, this Mass setting is neither “small” nor particularly “solemn!” The scale is intimate though, as it was written for a choir of sixteen with a quartet of soloists. It is scored for piano and harmonium—a small home organ—the perfect accompaniment for this work that was designed to be performed in the home of the couple to whom the work was dedicated.
CONCORA ON BROADWAY: DUOS BY DUOS
Saturday, November 9, 2019 @ 7:30PM
Trinity-on-Main, 69 Main Street, New Britain, CT
Following the success of last year’s Broadway concert, we return to New Britain’s wonderful Trinity-on-Main to present another cabaret-style evening with Chris Shepard at the piano. We pay homage to the many wonderful composer-lyricist duos from the Broadway repertoire: giants like Rodgers & Hammerstein, Lerner & Loewe, Bock & Harnick, and others. We welcome back singers from the Bushnell’s Ensign-Darling high school vocal fellowship program, who will join us on the program. Wine, beer, and other refreshments will be available for purchase before, during and after the performance.
HANDEL, MESSIAH
Sunday, December 8, 2019 @ 4:00PM
St. James's Episcopal Church, 1018 Farmington Avenue, West Hartford, CT
CONCORA will be joined again this year by a professional chamber ensemble for a full performance of Handel’s perennial favorite—a new annual tradition that we hope will become an important part of your Christmas season. Soloists from the choir will perform the arias, showcasing the individual talents of a number of our wonderful singers.
CHORAL MUSIC OF MAURICE DURUFLÉ
Sunday, February 16, 2020 @ 4:00PM
Immanuel Congregational Church, 10 Woodland Street, Hartford, CT
It is a thrill to welcome CONCORA’s founding artistic director Richard Coffey back to the podium. Maestro Coffey has a special affinity for the music of Maurice Duruflé, in particular the centerpiece of this program—the Requiem. Accompanying the performance is local favorite, organist Larry Allen, who returns to Hartford for this concert.
J.S. BACH, MASS IN B MINOR, BWV232
POSTPONED, New date TBD
St. James's Episcopal Church, 1018 Farmington Avenue, West Hartford, CT
One of the greatest artistic achievements in western art, the B Minor Mass surveys all of the musical forms known in the 18th century, from ancient Gregorian chant to the modern style galant of Bach’s sons. Accompanied by a professional chamber orchestra, CONCORA returns to this touchstone of the choral repertoire for the first time since Richard Coffey’s standing-room-only farewell performance—let’s pack the house this time as well!
IVORY, WOOD & STEEL: MUSIC FOR CHOIR & PERCUSSION
POSTPONED
First Church of Christ, Congregational, 830 Corbin Avenue, New Britain, CT
The “building materials” of the season’s theme come together in this spectacular concert of modern works for choir with piano and percussion. We present a new work by CONCORA singer Andrey Stolyarov, who recently completed his doctorate in composition from the Hartt School. Another featured piece on the program is British composer Jonathan Dove’s Passing of the Year, a thrilling multi-movement work that combines a beautiful lyricism with the rhythmic drive of minimalism.
For information on upcoming concerts, please visit the Concerts page.
CONCORA's 2018-2019 Season
Time & Place
Laramie, Wyoming: Considering Matthew Shepard
CONCORA and the UConn Chamber Singers presented the regional premiere of Considering Matthew Shepard by Craig Hella Johnson, marking the 20th anniversary of the Wyoming college student's brutal murder. This concert was the first in CONCORA's new Music with a Mission Project — concerts outside of our usual season which raise money to support local charities. Conducted by Jamie Spillane, Director of Choral Studies University of Connecticut, with Chris Shepard, piano.
Saturday, November 3, 2018, 7:30pm - St. John's Episcopal Church, Stamford CT
Sunday, November 4, 2018, 4pm – Asylum Hill Congregational Church, Hartford CT
Sunday, November 11, 2018, 4pm - Mechanics Hall, Worcester, MA
Saturday, April 6, 2019, 8pm - von der Mehren Recital Hall, UConn, Storrs CT
Friday, April 26, 2019, 7:30pm - First Church of Christ, Congregational, New Britain, CT
Dublin, Ireland: Handel – Messiah
Handel’s masterpiece in its entirety, with CONCORA soloists and chamber ensemble.
Friday, November 30, 2018, 7:30pm – St. James's Episcopal Church, West Hartford CT
Lübeck, Germany: Buxtehude – Membra Jesu Nostris, BuxWV75
In this hauntingly beautiful work by Buxtehude, the feet, knees, hands, side, chest, heart and face of the crucified Christ are interpreted allegorically. CONCORA was joined by organist Christopher Houlihan.
Sunday, February 10, 2019, 4pm – Trinity College Chapel, Hartford CT
(Snow Date – Monday, February 11)
New York, New York: Great Broadway Choruses
CONCORA was joined by high school singers for a program of ensemble numbers from Broadway shows, including West Side Story, Parade, Purlie, Anything Goes, and Titanic.
Saturday, March 9, 2019, 7:30pm – Trinity on Main, New Britain CT
Weimar, Germany: J.S. Bach – Weimar Cantatas
In our annual Bach concert, we presented three of Bach’s most famous cantatas, written when he was court composer in Weimar.
Himmelskönig, sei willkommen, BWV182
Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen, BWV12
Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis, BWV21
Sunday, March 24, 2019, 4pm – Immanuel Congregational Church, Hartford CT
CONCORA and the UConn Chamber Singers presented the regional premiere of Considering Matthew Shepard by Craig Hella Johnson, marking the 20th anniversary of the Wyoming college student's brutal murder. This concert was the first in CONCORA's new Music with a Mission Project — concerts outside of our usual season which raise money to support local charities. Conducted by Jamie Spillane, Director of Choral Studies University of Connecticut, with Chris Shepard, piano.
Saturday, November 3, 2018, 7:30pm - St. John's Episcopal Church, Stamford CT
Sunday, November 4, 2018, 4pm – Asylum Hill Congregational Church, Hartford CT
Sunday, November 11, 2018, 4pm - Mechanics Hall, Worcester, MA
Saturday, April 6, 2019, 8pm - von der Mehren Recital Hall, UConn, Storrs CT
Friday, April 26, 2019, 7:30pm - First Church of Christ, Congregational, New Britain, CT
Dublin, Ireland: Handel – Messiah
Handel’s masterpiece in its entirety, with CONCORA soloists and chamber ensemble.
Friday, November 30, 2018, 7:30pm – St. James's Episcopal Church, West Hartford CT
Lübeck, Germany: Buxtehude – Membra Jesu Nostris, BuxWV75
In this hauntingly beautiful work by Buxtehude, the feet, knees, hands, side, chest, heart and face of the crucified Christ are interpreted allegorically. CONCORA was joined by organist Christopher Houlihan.
Sunday, February 10, 2019, 4pm – Trinity College Chapel, Hartford CT
(Snow Date – Monday, February 11)
New York, New York: Great Broadway Choruses
CONCORA was joined by high school singers for a program of ensemble numbers from Broadway shows, including West Side Story, Parade, Purlie, Anything Goes, and Titanic.
Saturday, March 9, 2019, 7:30pm – Trinity on Main, New Britain CT
Weimar, Germany: J.S. Bach – Weimar Cantatas
In our annual Bach concert, we presented three of Bach’s most famous cantatas, written when he was court composer in Weimar.
Himmelskönig, sei willkommen, BWV182
Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen, BWV12
Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis, BWV21
Sunday, March 24, 2019, 4pm – Immanuel Congregational Church, Hartford CT
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CONCORA Summer Festival 2018
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2017-2018 Season: Choral Masterworks
An overflow audience responded quickly with comments:
We came all the way from Massachusetts to see you guys and let me say, well worth the trip. You guys were phenomenal. We go to concerts all the time and this was the best one we have been to! I can't wait for the next concert! Wonderful, wonderful concert!! Thank you to CONCORA! Wonderful performance - BRAVO! It was fabulous. Thank you for a lovely afternoon. I loved it! Every moment! Congratulations, one and all! It was a beautiful concert & tribute What a beautiful tribute to a wonderful person. Very happy to be a part of this. I know your voices reached to the Heavens...and that Christine was listening. 
Members of the audience wrote to share their responses to CONCORA's performance of Bach's masterpiece:
What a fantastic performance. Not only was Bach's passion performed, the passion was felt by both the magnificent performers and the audience. Bach would have been proud! What a gift you gave to so many! Incredibly beautiful concert... Musicianship at finest, could have listened even more. Will return. Thank you. It was truly a magnificent and moving performance. There were so many exquisite moments, many of which literally moved me to tears. A very emotional rendition! The voices, instrumentalists and theatre in moments were splendid. Great thanks to artistic director able to invoke such a response. 
What are those extraordinary beasts? Visit the season info page at this website to read about this and all the images of metalwork that have been used to promote CONCORA's 2017-2018 Masterworks Season.
People who attended wrote to us to say...
"What a wonderful experience: three masses (from Gregorian to modern) sung in a beautiful Gothic space." "A breathtaking performance of the three different mass settings. I have done a lot of chanting and the men were magnificent! I loved that they were in another area of the church out of sight. Thank you!" "A moving performance..." "Congratulations on a marvelous performance. The sound was magnificent. The setting was magnificent. The contrast among the three compositions was wonderfully executed. The program notes were enlightening." "I was so so so so pleased that Chris held the stillness for so long after the Martin Mass.... we all needed that long emptiness to breathe and find out if were still alive. I think everyone was rather stunned, in the best possible way." "How lovely the concert of Masses was. My view straight down the aisle was fabulous - it felt as if I was back in England. I loved the first singing from the little Chapel which, although not quite as distant as it was for others in the audience, was lovely and most affecting. The Byrd and Martin were so well done, and carried off in effortless style from the point of view of the audience. It was my first hearing of the Martin, and it was really beautiful. Somehow the music in the Resurrection section seemed to convey feathery wings bearing Christ upward - fantastic writing effectively sung! My hat is off to you and all the singers for creating such magic." |
Mozart: Requiem
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Masses Ancient and Modern
Sunday, February 11, 2018
Trinity College Chapel, Hartford, CT
CONCORA returned for a third time to Trinity College Chapel, and again the ensemble performed to a capacity audience, presenting beautiful and inspiring settings of the ancient Mass text that soared beneath the Chapel’s spectacular Gothic arches.
The program opened with timeless Gregorian chant, in a complete presentation of Missa Orbis factor, one of the most highly-regarded mass settings of the Solemnes tradition. Renaissance polyphony was represented by the four-voice setting of 16th-century Tudor composer William Byrd, music that remains fresh after more than four centuries. In his Mass for Double Choir, Swiss composer Frank Martin fuses the linear textures of Gregorian chant with highly-charged choral polyphony in a setting that is in turns contemplative, exultant, somber, and glorious.
After CONCORA’s program of early music at Trinity College Chapel in 2016, one listener said, “This is singing on a par with Pomerium and the Tallis Scholars!”
The program opened with timeless Gregorian chant, in a complete presentation of Missa Orbis factor, one of the most highly-regarded mass settings of the Solemnes tradition. Renaissance polyphony was represented by the four-voice setting of 16th-century Tudor composer William Byrd, music that remains fresh after more than four centuries. In his Mass for Double Choir, Swiss composer Frank Martin fuses the linear textures of Gregorian chant with highly-charged choral polyphony in a setting that is in turns contemplative, exultant, somber, and glorious.
After CONCORA’s program of early music at Trinity College Chapel in 2016, one listener said, “This is singing on a par with Pomerium and the Tallis Scholars!”
People who attended this concert wrote to say:
"The youth choirs were fabulous and the Mozart Requiem selection was spine chilling." "We really enjoyed the concert ... CONCORA was great and the schools were impressive, too!" Enjoy this video preview! Artistic Director Chris Shepard says: "One of the greatest joys of working with young singers is the opportunity to introduce them to new works for the first time. It reminds me of why certain works are 'masterworks' in the first place—their appeal is nearly universal, often from the very first contact." Click on the video at right to listen to the whole message (less than 3 minutes).
Listen to the men of CONCORA in their first rehearsal of "Shenandoah" arranged by Marshall Bartholomew. This brief video of the second and third verses gives a hint of what the performance on November 18 was like ... spine-tingling.
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CONCORA Sings Extraordinary Masterworks
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Where may one find this austerely beautiful candelabrum? Visit the season info page at this website to read about this and all the images of metalwork that have been used to promote CONCORA's 2017-2018 Masterworks Season.
Here's what some members of the audience had to say about this performance: "Beautiful, moving, delicate AND powerful..." "Wonderful!" "Stunning!!" "Very powerful performance!" Enjoy this video preview from CONCORA's Artistic Director Chris Shepard as he explores Brahms' musical depiction of a "journey to heaven" in the German Requiem.
Listen to CONCORA's performance of Brahms Nänie as recorded in concert on November 4, 2017, at Saint John's Episcopal Church, Stamford.
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Brahms: Requiem
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Comments from the delighted audience:
"It was a beautiful concert! Would gladly have listened to another hour of those gorgeous voices and the well-chosen repertoire." "Exquisite program...I just closed my eyes in some passages to let myself soar through these passionate renditions. The soloists were spectacular, and Chris Shepard is just sublime. This is my second CONCORA-based experience...it is easy to fall in love with such an ensemble!” “The Festival Chorus's renditions gave me goose bumps!” VIDEO FEATURE: The public concert with which the Summer Festival concludes is the most visible part of our week together. But what goes on during the rehearsals, behind the scenes? CLICK HERE to read an article about how it all works, then enjoy this video recorded during a mid-week rehearsal.
J.S. Bach, Magnificat: "Sicut locutus est" CONCORA Summer Festival Choir in rehearsal August 2, 2017 Chris Shepard, Artistic Director Allan Conway, Piano |
CONCORA Summer Festival 2017:
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2016-2017 Season: Inspired by Tradition
In its review of CONCORA's performance of this program in Worcester, Massachusetts on April 23, the Worcester Telegram described the experience as “Stunning... intoxicating... enthralling... beguiling... soaring.”
In this brief video preview, CONCORA's Artistic Director Chris Shepard explains how Bach "recycled" some of his best music in ways that you might find surprising. Did Bach do this merely for efficiency's sake? Or did Bach perhaps know that this music was indeed "first rate," as Chris describes it, and thus relished opportunities to perform it again, and perhaps ensure that it would be remembered?
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Festive Bach Cantatas!
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A member of the audience commented, "“We so enjoyed the concert! The Requiem was beautiful and the madrigals lovely. The new ’Ah, Sunflower’ was terrific - I even pictured large fields of sunflowers and a huge single one raising its head to the sun. I was impressed by how many women composers were represented. The concert was a respite ... Thank you so much - a real treat!"
Enjoy a recorded excerpt from that memorable concert!
"In remembrance" from Requiem by Eleanor Daley (b. 1955) Recorded in concert at Trinity College Chapel on March 19, 2017 by CONCORA, directed by Chris Shepard |
Making the Old New
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Those who attended this concert responded warmly:
"We enjoyed the unique and engaging way that this concert was conceived and executed. It was nothing short of inspiring!" "Magnificent from beginning to end." "Loved the settings and the small groups performing. A truly memorable experience!" |
Art & Music
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Connecticut Magazine recommended
"Christmas with CONCORA" as a top pick for "Holiday Music Performances to Get You in the Spirit of the Season!" Here's a little audio gift from CONCORA!
"We wish you a Merry Christmas" arranged by Arthur Warrell (1883-1939) Performed by CONCORA with Artistic Director Chris Shepard Recorded in concert on December 10, 2016 First Lutheran Church, New Britain |
Christmas with CONCORA:
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A member of the audience was inspired to write, “What a treat to sit and be bathed in glorious sound. The young voices were so fresh and clear and the ensemble sound quite breathtaking. The variety of musical offerings was a delight to the listener and perfectly suited to that grand space.”
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Extraordinary Shakespeare
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