Berkshire Choral Festival E-Newsletter June 2009

BERKSHIRE CHORAL FESTIVAL
CONCERT NEWS

Prague/Terezin is a rich memory now, and BCF staffers are gearing up for a concert week in Montreal in late June, featuring Mendelssohn’s Paulus, and simultaneously getting reading for the regular season here in Sheffield beginning July 12.

The future will not be held at bay, however, and plans are already well underway for the 2010 season. Here is an exciting foretaste of what just one week holds:

SCHEGGINO, ITALY
at a Glance

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In 2010 the Berkshire Choral Festival will offer an exciting and intimate Italian singing experience for 100 singers.

Where? The medieval hilltop village of Scheggino (pronounced Skeh-JEE-noh), Italy in the Valnerina region of Umbria, near Spoleto

When? September 3 – 12, 2010 (9 nights/10 days)

What? A cappella repertoire from the Italian Renaissance in the Church of San Nicola in Scheggino and in the Cathedral in nearby Terni

Who? Our conductor will be Colin Baldy, artistic director of the Malden Festival of the Arts and Hand Made Opera, U.K., former faculty at BCF Canterbury, and part-time resident of Scheggino.

Personal Enrichment? Opportunities in the afternoons include Italian language classes, cooking classes, art history, lectures on the Frescoes of the Region and Walking in the Footsteps of the Saints – Francis of Assisi and St. Benedict, and tastings at a winery, olive oil, and truffle estates.

Who can Apply? Because of limited space, this week is available only through a selection process that will be conducted in September 2009, using Early Bird registrations from this season. This means that if you are not registered for a BCF week this summer, you will not be eligible for inclusion in this event.

Remedy? There are still openings in BCF Sheffield Weeks 1, 4, and 5 for all voice parts. Follow this link to register now! https://www.chorus.org/sing/apply/apply.php

♫ Other News ♫

BCF Head of Faculty Kathy Fitzgibbons will conduct the Bach Magnificat at the Masterworks Chorale Summer Sing on Tuesday, July 7, in Dedham, MA.
Boston-area choristers are invited to join the ensemble at Noble Greenough School in the Lawrence Auditorium. The open sing will begin at 8 PM. More details and a map are available at www.masterworkschorale.org.

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Former Berkshire Choral Festival faculty member Carl Johengen is the new music director of Ithaca’s Cayuga Vocal Ensemble

Dr. Johengen has achieved considerable success as a choral conductor, voice teacher, singer, and composer. He holds a DMA in voice performance from the Eastman School of Music, as well as bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Ithaca College. Currently on the voice faculty of the Ithaca College School of Music, Dr. Johengen has held academic appointments at Nazareth College of Rochester, the Crane School of Music of SUNY Potsdam, the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point, Hamilton College, and Syracuse University.