Apply by May 20 to sing in CONCORA's 2018 Summer Festival
July 29 through August 4 Bethany Covenant Church in Berlin, CT
Interested in applying to sing in the 2018 CONCORA Summer Festival?
Experienced choral singers are invited to apply by May 20, 2018 to participate in CONCORA’s Summer Festival, “Wonderful Town! A Bernstein Centenary.” The Festival runs from July 29 through August 4, 2018; all events take place at Bethany Covenant Church in Berlin, CT.
We now offer online registration! Before you register, please read the Festival Information and Application Guidelines posted below, and also contained in this PDF: 
Festival Scholars: Qualified high school and college students are eligible to apply to attend the Festival as Choral Scholars. Interested young singers must complete the Festival application by May 20 and must submit this Scholarship Application form by May 22:
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Now in its 20th season, CONCORA’s Summer Festival offers amateur singers an opportunity to rehearse, learn, and perform with CONCORA (Connecticut Choral Artists), the region’s oldest and best-known professional choir.
The Festival offers a week of exceptional music-making, uplifting repertoire, and high artistic standards in a relaxed atmosphere with plenty of opportunities for socializing, renewing friendships, and making new friends. In evening and weekend sessions, participants rehearse with Artistic Director Chris Shepard and an ensemble of CONCORA’s professional singers, enjoying several social events during Festival week, which concludes with a public concert before a large and enthusiastic audience. 
The 2017 Summer Festival Chorus
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An Invitation from CONCORA's Artistic Director Chris Shepard
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Dear CONCORA Summer Festival Singers, With spring finally beginning to emerge from this long, snowy winter, it’s time to think about the summer, and CONCORA’s Summer Festival. |
It is particularly exciting repertoire: At this, the 20th CONCORA Summer Festival, we’ll also mark the centenary of Leonard Bernstein’s birth on August 25, 1918. Our repertoire will include excerpts from his monumental Mass, complemented by wonderful arrangements from several of his Broadway shows, including Wonderful Town, West Side Story, Peter Pan, and Candide. That’s right—no Chichester Psalms! Many of us have performed that music many times (including those who participated in CONCORA’s 2012 Summer Festival), and it will be great fun to give Bernstein’s other choral works an outing.
I hope to see all of you who sang in the 2017 Festival return! Please encourage singers you know to register, too. I’m particularly hoping to build on the terrific group of young singers we’ve had these past few years.
To our friends in the Hartford Chorale who were on tour last year: We missed you and hope you can join us again this summer.
I hope to see all of you who sang in the 2017 Festival return! Please encourage singers you know to register, too. I’m particularly hoping to build on the terrific group of young singers we’ve had these past few years.
To our friends in the Hartford Chorale who were on tour last year: We missed you and hope you can join us again this summer.
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Please consider underwriting a scholarship for one of our young singers; you can make a real difference for an aspiring musician.
Looking forward to seeing you again this summer |
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2018 Festival Information and Application Guidelines
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REGISTRATION
New for 2018: Online registration! Festival registration is now managed online at CONCORA's online ticket site: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/concora-2018-summer-festival-registration-tickets-43617648561 Having an Eventbrite account is not necessary for registration, and you may ignore the one or two emails that Eventbrite will send you after registration prompting you to complete your account. When you visit the online registration site, keep this Summer Festival page open in a separate tab so that you may refer to it as needed while you register. Those who wish not to apply online may submit the application and payment according the instructions on the last page of the Summer Festival Application PDF posted above. CONCORA has discontinued distribution of registration materials via postal mail. Each person must register separately (even if from the same household). Registration will remain open until May 20, 2018. After that date, contact the CONCORA office at contact@concora.org to see if any spaces remain. Late registrations may be considered as space permits and depending on voice parts needed to maintain choral balance. Valid Email Address: As email is the only means by which CONCORA can distribute Festival acceptance notices, information, and instructions, all applicants and participants must have a valid email address and must read and respond as needed to Festival messages from CONCORA. First-Time Applicants: You must provide a reference from a person qualified to assess your musical and choral skills (choir director, music teacher, etc.). Recommendations must be sent to contact@concora.org by May 22. Choral Scholars: Qualified high school and college students are eligible to apply to attend the Festival as Choral Scholars. Tuition fees are waived for Choral Scholars, who pay only for their music and a $25 registration fee. Submit the completed scholarship application form to contact@concora.org by May 22, 2018. All scholars must arrange for a letter of recommendation to be sent to contact@concora.org by May 22, 2018. Notification: Applicants will be notified of acceptance via email by May 30, 2018. Acceptance in the Summer Festival is based on space and on selection by the Artistic Director. TUITION AND PAYMENTS Tuition. Tuition for 2018 is $165; this includes participation in five rehearsals and the concert; a buffet dinner on Sunday July 29; a simple lunch on Saturday, August 4; a post-concert reception for participants and members of the audience; shipping of music; and a $25 registration fee. Payment: Payment is required in full at the time of registration. Payment of tuition or acceptance of a scholarship constitutes a commitment to full participation in the Festival rehearsals and performance. Tuition is non-refundable for those accepted to the Festival. If you are not accepted to the Festival, you will receive a full refund. FESTIVAL SCHEDULE All Festival events will be held at Bethany Covenant Church, 785 Mill Street, Berlin, CT. Sunday, July 29 1:30pm-2:45pm..................................... Welcome and check-in 3:00pm-6:00pm...................................................... Rehearsal #1 6:15pm-8:00pm...................................................... Buffet Dinner Monday, July 30 7:00pm-10:00pm.................................................... Rehearsal #2 Wednesday, August 1 7:00pm-10:00pm..................................................... Rehearsal #3 Friday, August 3 7:00pm-10:00pm..................................................... Rehearsal #4 Saturday, August 4 10:00am -12:30pm................................................... Rehearsal #5 12:45pm - 2:00pm.................................................. Catered lunch 3:00pm................................................................... Singer call time 4:00pm................................................................................. Concert After the concert............................................................ Reception Attendance: Payment of tuition or acceptance of a student scholarship constitutes a commitment to full participation in the Festival. On-time attendance is mandatory for all rehearsals and the performance. Attendance at social events is optional, though we ask you to register for these in advance and to notify us if your plans change. Meals: Tuition includes a catered buffet dinner on Sunday, July 29 and a simple lunch on Saturday, August 4. When you register, indicate if you plan to attend these events, so that we may provide a head count to the caterer. You may also purchase meals for your guest(s) for the Sunday dinner ($30 each) and the Saturday lunch ($10). A History of the CONCORA
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MUSIC SCORES AND PREPARATION
Musical Preparation: Participants are expected to be completely prepared before arrival at the first rehearsal, as rehearsal time will not be used to teach notes. Before the first rehearsal, all participants must mark their scores with instructions as given in the edit masters prepared by the Artistic Director. These edit masters will be provided as PDFs on the CONCORA website, with instructions. A link and password will be sent to all participants via email. Music Scores. All participants must use the editions specified below. In previous years, Festival participants were required to purchase all scores as part of the tuition fee. In response to requests from participants that they not be required to purchase music that they might already own, this year we are offering the required scores on a per-item purchase basis, so that participants may request (and pay for) only what they need. When you register, select the scores that you need. If you are accepted into the Festival, your music will be ordered for you and shipped directly to you from our music supplier. All singers must use published scores in rehearsals and in the performance. Required music editions: Mass: Concert Selections for Soloists and Choruses. Leonard Bernstein Music Publishing Co. #M051329755. (Hal Leonard HL.48019597). ($10.00) Selections from West Side Story, arr. William Stickles. #M051471089. Published by Leonard Bernstein Music Publishing Co. (Hal Leonard HL.450059). ($3.50) Wonderful Town (Choral Highlights). Arranged by John Purifoy. Published by Hal Leonard (HL.450103). ($3.50) Dream With Me, from Peter Pan, SATB. Arranged by Larry Moore. Leonard Bernstein Music Publishing Co. #M051467419. (Hal Leonard HL.450016). ($2.50) Make Our Garden Grow, from Candide. Arranged by Robert Page. Leonard Bernstein Music Publishing Co. #M051462223. (Hal Leonard HL.450070). ($2.50) (NOTE: This edition was performed in CONCORA's 2008 Summer Festival “The Contemporary Choral Song”, so if you sang in the Festival that year, you might already own this!) OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION Concert Attire: Women: White blouse or top with sleeves; floor-length black skirt or dress pants, black dress shoes; Men: White dress shirt, long dark tie, black dress slacks, black socks, black dress shoes. No scented products may be used. Scholarship Fund: Every year, Festival participants comment about how wonderful it is to work with the talented high school and college-age singers who join the Festival choir. Many of these young singers are able to participate because generous individuals donate to the Festival’s scholarship program. Please consider adding a tax-deductible donation to the scholarship fund with your tuition payment. A gift in any amount helps a talented young singer experience great choral music. Thank you! Accessibility: Bethany Covenant Church is fully accessible and air-conditioned. Participants should expect to stand for extended periods during rehearsals and the performance. Travel Information: Travel and parking directions to Bethany Covenant Church will be posted to the Festival page on the CONCORA website. There is plenty of free parking in the church lot. After acceptance notices have been sent out, we will post the Festival roster on a secured page at the CONCORA website, arranged by town. Festival participants may, on their own, arrange for car-pooling if they wish. Concert Tickets: Tickets for the August 4 concert will go on sale to the general public by June 1. Discounted concert tickets will be available for Festival participants; details will be provided after June 1. Volunteers: We can always use a few friendly helping hands during Festival week. Questions? Email CONCORA at contact@concora.org with “Summer Festival” in the subject line. Does this sound like fun for you?
Curious about what goes on during Festival week? Read about it in this issue of CONCORA's insider newsletter:
Behind the scenes at CONCORA’s Summer Festival: Learning, laughing, and a whole lot more CONCORA’s 2017 Summer Festival concert, “Exploring the Great Choral Masterworks,” took place on August 5, 2017, at Bethany Covenant Church in Berlin, CT. The performance was wonderful; 105 singers delivered to a capacity audience a moving concert of music by Handel, Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Rossini, and Fauré.
Visit CONCORA's Facebook page to see photos from the Festival rehearsals and concert. Comments from participants in the 2017 Summer Festival:
“I was one of the newbies this year. It was incredible to join so many talented singers to rehearse and perform this outstanding repertoire.” “Thank you CONCORA for a great week of music and friendship!” "What a great week! It was my first time participating and it was a wonderful experience!" "Chris Shepard makes this musical experience both profound and joyous - what a wonderful singing summer! So exciting to hear these 100 plus voices approaching performance level for Saturday's magnificent concert!” And comments from a few of the audience that filled Bethany Covenant Church to hear this program on August 5, 2017: "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!” |
