Vienna Choral Society

Requiem – “But Joy Comes In The Morning Light”

Dan Forrest’s choral masterwork Requiem For The Living, which inspired our next concert with its magnificent music and uplifting message is truly unique, and departs in many ways from the traditional requiem.

In the composer’s own words, it starts simply and builds on long, floating melodic lines, ultimately moving towards an exhilarating closing section that portrays light, peace, and rest.

One of the loveliest lines of the concert—“But joy comes in the morning light”— isn’t in the requiem. Instead, as our artistic director Mike Horanski explains, you will hear music about life’s total journey. Of all its hopes and dreams and adventures. Because music helps us express emotions in ways that words and individuals may not be able to, building community when we help each other celebrate life’s joys and giving comfort to one another. [Read more…]

Requiem, A Concert For A Cause – A Soft Place To Land

This concert is about carving out a soft place to land. Whether it’s the part-time second job, a friend’s couch, or a moment of music on our iPhones, it’s what we need to keep going. Often, that’s what keeps us from falling harder and getting back up.

In the DC Metro area, and especially in Fairfax County, where VCS started, we are blessed with resources that allow us many places of “rest.” And because of that, most of us get back up.

Can you imagine having to face the daily fight without the things that allow us to cope?

Two years ago, through his work with Sydney Guillaume — whose Musique we sang in October 2016 — Mike got to know about BLUME Haiti. The US-based nonprofit uses music as a tool to create an opportunity to transform the life trajectory of children in Haiti, awakening potential and developing leadership skills. But in a place that has the temerity to continue existing despite immense odds, the kids lacked basics. As Mike puts it, “The music stands meant taping sheet music to the back of the kid in front of you.”

Haiti has a rich cultural history and heritage that gets completely overshadowed. And just as the country was getting back up on its feet after the 2010 earthquake, Hurricane Matthew plowed through. We can think of no better partnership in this season’s concert for a cause than to partner with BLUME Haiti.

Please join us!

We sing REQUIEM FOR THE LIVING at 7:30 pm, Saturday, March 11, 2017 at Vienna Baptist Church (541 Marshall Road SW, Vienna, VA 22180).

Adults $25
Seniors/Students $20
Youth (14 and younger) FREE when accompanying a ticket payer


Tickets are now available online and through the choir.

The Balance Of Joy And Sorrow

Say the word “requiem” and we tend to think of a beautiful but sombre event, funereal even. But that is not always the case. The word requiem comes from the Latin for “rest.” Our next concert, REQUIEM FOR THE LIVING starts and builds from that place of repose.

As our artistic director, Mike Horanski puts it, this concert is “the experience of life that exists in a balance of joy and sorrow.” For that moment when everything is pregnant with what has been and what can be. Of all that we have gone through, but all that sustains us before we get back up. [Read more…]

Vienna Choral Society’s Requiem – A Sneak Peek

Wondering what we’re going to sing this weekend? Here’s a sneak peek!

Alle Psalite Cum Luya

Now I Walk In Beauty (hummed)

The Awakening (UUCR)

Now I Walk In Beauty (sung in unison)

The Heart is The Compass (UUCF)

Now I Walk In Beauty (full piece, in unison)

Make Our Garden Grow (VCS)

Lux Aurumque (Mark conducts, Amelia Gil-Figueroa, Anne Pohnert, and Lydia Lewis, soloists)

Healing Waters

You Are the New Day

Ubi Caritas (begun with solo, followed in stages by the rest of the choir)

~INTERMISSION~

Requiem

  1. Timor Mortis Conturbat Me
  2. Telos (Jim Whitcomb, solo)
  3. Dirge Without Music/When I Am Dead, My Dearest (Jen Rubio and Furman Riley, soloists)
  4. Holy  Light (SSAA)
  5. Dirge Without Music (Sarah Davies, reader)
  6. Never More
  7. The First Day’s Night (Sarah Davies, reader)
  8. To Everything There is a Season (Anne Pohnert and Melinda Bauers, soloists)
  9. Time & We Bereaved (Sarah Davies, reader)
  10. Threnody & Limitless (Kristy King, soloist)
  11. Wherever You  Go Now

A full choir, an orchestra, a lovely space. Help us complete the picture with a full house! There are still tickets available online.

Choral Sound and Space

by Jennifer Rodgers Beach, Artistic and Musical Director of VCS

In our upcoming concert – A Celebration of the Life – on May 21st, we have the opportunity to do one of my favorite things…play with sound and space!

While this can be done with a choir of any size that is confident enough, we have a number of rich components to work with:

  • a combined choir of 150+ voices
  • an open, resonant space – the sanctuary of the Vienna Presbyterian Church (including a balcony!!)
  • several pieces that lend themselves to surround sound.

For the audience, surround sound is a very different experience than a traditional choral arrangement.  At first, the visual instinct may be stronger – looking to see where all the sound is coming from and seeing the singers closest to you.  But quickly, the eyes tire of so much to look at and the ears beg to have them relax so that we can try to take in the composite sound.  It comes from all directions and is as immersive an experience as you can get as a listener.

Sometimes the singers feel a little nervous to be so individually close to the audience.  I encourage them to realize 1) that they are just fine and ready to be there, but more 2) that the atmospheric quality of what we’re doing will make their voice even more a part of the sound, rather than stick out.

On May 21st, we will play with sound and space throughout the first half – with sounds that are in turn heraldic, simple, warm, cacophanied, and deep.  We will use just the voices at times and add harp, percussion and other instruments at other times.  All of this before we settle into a gorgeous, thought-provoking Requiem with orchestra for the second half.

You don’t want to miss it!  Bring your eyes and ears – but let the ears have their way when the time comes!

Praise For Aesop’s Fables

We love it when we get praise! So we’re reposting this lovely emailed compliment from an audience member who came to the Aesop’s Fables event:

I was really impressed by the variety of the program, the clever storyline and the wonderful “play” between the singers and actors. Many times one goes to choral concerts to see performers who have their noses firmly in their folders. It was obvious that you knew what you were singing and were tickled by the text/music as well. You also had a terrific conductor (and accompanist- it was a delight to see him smiling when you were singing a cappella!) who knew the music well and was very clear as to what she wanted from the performers. It was wonderful! Do remind me when your next concert comes up!

Thank you for coming! And we hope to see you at our next event, the Clif Hardin Requiem. You can a week more to try out at our open rehearsals. Please do consider joining us – the more the merrier!

About

Welcome to VCS! We are a teaching, non-audition choir where all voices and skill levels are welcome. We invite you to learn more about who we are, what we do, and if there's a place for you in our choir.

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703-349-7150

PO Box 310, Vienna, VA 22183

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