Camerata d’Amici to Present “Music in the Air” on March 3

Choral group Camerata d’Amici is proud to present its winter concert “Music in the Air” on Sunday, March 3, at 4 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, 6 Ivy Hill Road, Ridgefield, CT. Conducted by artistic director Kristin Sponheim, the program will feature compositions that convey the power of music to express our hopes and fears, as well as our aspirations for ourselves and the world.

The first half of the concert features songs about the power of music, including “There is Sweet Music Here,” an uplifting setting by contemporary composer Zachary Moore of a poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson on the importance of music in our lives. 

The program will continue with a series of songs that convey the emotions that accompany us as we explore new possibilities, including the exuberant “Measure Me, Sky!” by Elaine Hagenberg and “Flight” by Craig Carnelia, beautifully arranged for women’s voices by Ryan Murphy.

The concert concludes with “Music in the Air,” a stirring spiritual for men’s voices, as well as “Sweet Rivers,” a joyful setting by Shawn Kirchner of an early nineteenth-century hymn text for six-part choir and “banjo-like” piano accompaniment.

Now in its sixteenth season, Camerata d’Amici is an auditioned choir made up of singers from Fairfield and Westchester counties. “Music in the Air” will feature performances by the full group and a select chamber ensemble, as well as men’s and women’s pieces and vocal solos by sopranos Juliet Pratt and Jeanine Pardey of Ridgefield, and Thomas Carr of Danbury.  The choir will be accompanied by Margarita Nuller (piano).

The Program

There is Sweet Music Here (Zachery Moore)

Measure Me, Sky! (Elaine Hagenburg)

Laurie’s Song (Aaron Copland)

Flight (Craig Carnelia)

Nächtens (Johannes Brahms)

City Called Heaven (arr. Josephine Poelinitz)

Can We Sing the Darkness to Light? (Kyle Pederson)

When We Love (Elaine Hagenberg)

The Song We Sing (Jacob Narverud)

North (Ryan O’Neal)

Music in the Air (arr. Ryan Murphy)

I sat down under His shadow (Edward Bairstow)

Going Home (Antonin Dvořák)

The Program

Of the Father’s Love Begotten (arr. Paul Wohlgemuth)

Alleluia (Ralph Manuel)

Lo, How a Rose E’re Blooming (arr. Michael Praetorius)

There is No Rose of Such Virtue (Connor Koppin)

Suo Gân (Welsh lullaby)

My Lord Has Come (Will Todd)

Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day (arr. John Rutter)

In dulci jubilo (arr. Robert Lucas Pearsall)

His Light in Us (Kim André Arnesen)

Make We Joy Now in This Fest (Matthew Culloton)

Lullaby in Blue (Bob Chilcott)

See Dat Babe (arr. Stacey V. Gibbs)

Star of Wonder (Terre Roche)

Gesù Bambino (Pietro Yon)

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (arr. David Wilcocks)

The First Nowell (arr. David Wilcocks)

This Christmastide (Donald Fraser)

Camerata d’Amici to Present
“In dulci jubilo” on December 10 

Choral group Camerata d’Amici is proud to present its Christmas concert “In dulci jubilo” on Sunday, December 10, 2023, at 4 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, 6 Ivy Hill Road, Ridgefield, CT.  Conducted by Kristin Sponheim, the concert will feature a diverse repertoire of music, including well-known carols in familiar and new arrangements, and a range of contemporary compositions.

The program will open with a series of reflective pieces, including a setting of the medieval chant “Of the Father’s Love Begotten” by Paul Wohlgemuth and the lyrical “There is No Rose,” by Connor Koppin.   Reflection gives way to joyous celebration as the program continues with “In dulci jubilo” by Robert Lucas Pearsall, a vibrant setting of the traditional German carol for a cappella eight-part chorus, composed in 1838.

The second half of the program highlights a variety of selections that express joy and hope, such as “Make We Joy Now in this Fest,” a newly-composed carol by Matthew Culloton and the powerful “See Dat Babe,” a Christmas spiritual arranged by Stacey Gibbs.

The audience will be invited to join in singing a pair of favorite carols, and the program will end with “This Christmastide,” a gentle invitation to remember the enduring nature of hope this Christmas season.

Founded in 2006, Camerata d’Amici is an auditioned choir made up of singers from towns in Fairfield and Westchester counties.   “In dulci jubilo” will feature performances by the full choir and a select chamber ensemble, men’s and women’s pieces, and vocal solos by Thomas Carr and Juliet Pratt.  The choir will be accompanied by Margarita Nuller (piano).

Tickets at the door are $30 for adults and $10 for youth 18 and under.  Advance tickets, with a reduced ticket price of $25 for adults, may be purchased at cameratadamici.org.  Online tickets are available through Friday, December 8.  Follow Camerata d’Amici on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to past performances on YouTube.

Support has been provided to Camerata d’Amici from CT Humanities (CTH), with funding provided by the Connecticut State Department of Economic and Community Development/Connecticut Office of the Arts (COA) from the Connecticut State Legislature.

The Program

You are the New Day (John David)

Where the Light Begins (Susan LaBarr)

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star (arr. Daniel Elder)

Only in Sleep (Ēriks Ešenvalds)

The Roadside Fire (Ralph Vaughan Williams)

Aura Lee (arr. Ralph Hunter, Alice Parker & Robert Shaw)

Upon My Heart (Eleanor Daley)

In the Middle (Dale Trumbore)

I’ve Been in the Storm So Long (arr. Jeffery Ames)

To Sit and Dream (Rosephanye Powell)

Things That Never Die (Lee Dengler)

Choral Reflection on Amazing Grace (arr. Roger Ames)

Evening Hymn (Bob Chilcott)

Through Love to Light (Elaine Hagenberg)

I Don’ Feel No-Ways Tired (arr. Stacey Gibbs)

Camerata d’Amici to Present “New Day” on May 21

Choral group Camerata d’Amici is proud to present its spring concert “New Day” on Sunday, May 21, at 4 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, 6 Ivy Hill Road, Ridgefield, CT. Conducted by artistic director Kristin Sponheim, the program will feature a diverse repertoire of music inspired by new beginnings.

The first half of the concert features a number of songs about love and connection, including the luminous “Where the Light Begins” by Susan LaBarr and “Upon Your Heart,” by Eleanor Daley.

The program will continue with a series of songs that convey strength and resilience in the face of challenge, including “I’ve Been in the Storm So Long” and “Choral Reflection on Amazing Grace.”  The concert concludes with the uplifting spiritual “I Don’ Feel No-Ways Tired” (arranged by Stacey Gibbs).

Now in its fifteenth season, Camerata d’Amici is an auditioned choir made up of singers from Fairfield and Westchester counties. “New Day” will feature performances by the full group and a select chamber ensemble, men’s and women’s pieces, and vocal solos by Thomas Carr of Danbury, Melissa Strauss of Katonah and Mia Herstatt, of Redding.  The choir will be accompanied by Liang-Fang Chang (piano).

Tickets at the door are $30 for adults and $10 for youth 18 and under.  Advance tickets, with a reduced ticket price of $25 for adults, may be purchased at cameratadamici.org.  Online tickets are available through Friday, May 19.  Follow Camerata d’Amici on Instagram and Facebook, and listen to past performances on YouTube.

Support has been provided to Camerata d’Amici from CT Humanities (CTH), with funding provided by the Connecticut State Department of Economic and Community Development/Connecticut Office of the Arts (COA) from the Connecticut State Legislature.

Camerata d’Amici to Present “Let Me Fly” on March 5

 Choral group Camerata d’Amici is proud to present its winter concert “Let Me Fly” on Sunday, March 5, at 4 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, 6 Ivy Hill Road, Ridgefield, CT. Conducted by artistic director Kristin Sponheim, the program will feature music inspired by love and human connection.

The first half of the concert features a number of songs about connection and well-being, from the luminous “Sure on this Shining Night” by Morten Lauridsen to “The Pasture” by Z. Randall Stroope (poetry by Robert Frost).

The program will continue with a series of songs that convey unity and joy, including a jubilant setting of “How Can I Keep from Singing?” by arr. Gwyneth Walker, and “I Will Be a Child of Peace” by Elaine Hagenberg.  The concert concludes with the uplifting spiritual “Let Me Fly,” arranged by Robert DeCormier, which gives wings to our spirit with its exuberance and joy.

Now in its fifteenth season, Camerata d’Amici is an auditioned choir made up of singers from Fairfield and Westchester counties. “Let Me Fly” will feature performances by the full group and a select chamber ensemble, men’s and women’s pieces, and a vocal solo by soprano Juliet Pratt of Ridgefield.  The choir will be accompanied by Margarita Nuller (piano).

Tickets at the door are $30 for adults and $10 for youth 18 and under.  Advance tickets, with a reduced ticket price of $25 for adults, may be purchased at cameratadamici.org.  Online tickets are available through Friday, March 3.  Follow Camerata d’Amici on Instagram and Facebook, and listen to past performances on YouTube.

The Program

 Spirit, Moving Over Chaos (David Ashley White)

Alleluia (Randall Thompson)

The Hills are Bare at Bethlehem (arr. Ralph Johnson)

Make a Joyful Noise (René Clausen)

O Little Town of Bethlehem (Kenneth Jennings)

Cradle Hymn (Kim André Arnesen)

Mary, Did You Know? (Buddy Green)

A King is Born (arr. Tim Sarsany)

Ring Out, Wild Bells (Ron Nelson)

Freedom Come (Ben Allaway)

Ain’t That-A Rockin’ (Stacey Gibbs)

Hallelu (Stephen Paulus)

Away in a Manger (arr. John Rutter)

O Holy Night (Adolphe Adam)

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (arr. David Willcocks)

The First Nowell (arr. David Willcocks)

This Christmastide (Donald Fraser)

Camerata d’Amici to present “Shine on Me” May 15th

Choral group Camerata d’Amici is proud to present its spring concert “Shine on Me” on Sunday, May 15, 2022 at 4 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, 6 Ivy Hill Road, Ridgefield, CT.  This will be Camerata’s first concert back since the pandemic began.

Conducted by artistic director Kristin Sponheim, the program will feature music of hope and resilience.   We open with a set of pieces that evoke the joy of a new day, including “Sing, My Child,” by Sarah Quartel.

The second half of the concert begins with sacred pieces about God’s presence in our lives. “You Do Not Walk Alone” (Elaine Hagenberg) speaks to hope and God’s presence even in the darkest of times.

The men of Camerata will sing “Shine On Me,” a gospel song arranged by Rollo Dilworth that captures the light-heartedness of our spirit, full of optimism and strength. The program concludes with the uplifting “Zion’s Walls,” arranged by Aaron Copland.

All audience members are required to show proof of vaccination at the door and are required to mask during the performance (N95 or the equivalent).

Tickets are available by advance purchase only; $20 for adults and $10 for youth 18 and under.  No tickets will be available for purchase at the door.  Tickets may be purchased at cameratadamici.org, and are available through Friday, May 13.

Support has been provided to Camerata d’Amici from CT Humanities (CTH), with funding provided by the Connecticut State Department of Economic and Community Development/Connecticut Office of the Arts (COA) from the Connecticut State Legislature.

The Program

Sing, my Child (Sarah Quartel)

Laurie’s Song (Aaron Copland)

Song of Miriam (Elaine Hagenberg)

The Pasture (Z. Randall Stroope)

Simple Gifts (arr. Aaron Copland)

In Beauty May I Walk (Jonathan Dove)

O Sister (Kathleen Allan)

Ubi caritas (Maurice Duruflé)

Even when He is silent (Kim André)

In His Care-O (William Dawson)

Sleepsong (arr. Desmond Earley)

Esto Les Digo (Kinley Lange)

Goin’ Home (Anton Dvorák)

Ain’a That Good News (arr. Stacey V. Gibbs}

Camerata d’Amici to Present “My Singing Soul” March 1

Choral group Camerata d’Amici is proud to present its winter concert “My Singing Soul” on Sunday, March 1, 2020, at 4 p.m. at Wilton Presbyterian Church, 48 New Canaan Road, Wilton, CT. Conducted by artistic director Kristin Sponheim, the program will feature a diverse repertoire of music that gives voice to the soul.

Our soul sings through all the chapters of our lives, be it our challenges, our doubts, our joys. Sunday’s concert represents this breadth of experience.  We open with a set of pieces that evoke the excitement and apprehension that are part of discovery and new horizons. The women of Camerata will sing “Song of Miriam” (Elaine Hagenberg), which expresses the thrill of the unknown, along with a bit of fear, and ultimately confidence.

The concert continues with a set of pieces that portrays life’s small joys.  Z. Randall Stroope’s “The Pasture,” a setting of a poem by Robert Frost, communicates the connection felt when sharing every-day tasks with a loved one. The musical setting is lush and immediate, with gorgeous melody and unison singing.

The second half of the concert begins with sacred pieces about God’s presence in our lives. “Even when He is Silent” (Kim André Arnesen) speaks to hope and God’s presence even in the darkest of times.  In “Ubi caritas,” Maurice Duruflé uses medieval plainchant, coupled with modern harmonies, creating a twentieth-century gem that is deeply moving.

The men of Camerata will sing “In His Care-O,” a robust spiritual that captures the light-heartedness of our spirit, full of optimism and strength. The program concludes with the uplifting “Ain-a That Good News,” arranged by Stacey Gibbs for a cappellachoir.

Now in its fourteenth season, Camerata d’Amici is an auditioned choir made up of singers from Fairfield and Westchester counties. “My Singing Soul” will feature performances by the full group and a select chamber ensemble, men’s and women’s pieces, and vocal solos by Thomas Carr, Mia Herstatt, Maura Donnelly O’Halloran, Doug Planker, Juliet Pratt, Dan Wellers.  The choir will be accompanied by Margarita Nuller (piano).

Tickets at the door are $25 for adults and $10 for youth 18 and under.  Advance tickets, with a reduced ticket price of $20 for adults, may be purchased at cameratadamici.org/current-season, or by check made payable to Camerata d’Amici at P.O. Box 74, Ridgefield, CT 06877. Online tickets are available through Friday, February 28.  Follow Camerata d’Amici on Facebook and Instagram and listen to past performances on YouTube.

The Program

O Come, Emmanuel (Elaine Hagenberg)

And the Glory of the Lord (George Frideric Handel)

There is No Rose (Z. Randall Stroope)

Es ist ein Ros entsprungen (Michael Prætorius)

The Lamb (Ralph Vaughan Williams)

The Bethlehem Star (Bob Chilcott)

Mary’s Lullaby (Max Reger)

See Dat Babe (Stacey V. Gibbs)

Carol of the Bells (arr. Peter J. Wilhousky)

The Huron Carol (arr. Robert B. Anderson)

Oh Come, Little Children (David M. Cherwien)

Lunar Lullaby (Jacob Narverud)

Ain’t That-a Rockin’ All Night (arr. Jacqueline Hairston)

Silent Night (Peter Anglea)

O Come, All Ye Faithful (arr. David Willcocks)

The First Nowell (arr. David Willcocks)

This Christmastide (Jessye’s Carol) (Donald Fraser)

Camerata d’Amici to Perform Christmas Concert

Choral group Camerata d’Amici is proud to present its Christmas concert “O Come, Emmanuel” on Sunday, December 8, 2019, at 4 p.m. at South Salem Presbyterian Church, 111 Spring Street, South Salem, NY.  Conducted by Kristin Sponheim, the concert will feature a diverse repertoire of music including well-known Christmas carols and spirituals, a selection from Handel’s Messiah, and a range of contemporary compositions.

The program will open with a reflective setting by Elaine Hagenberg’s of “O Come, Emmanuel” with piano and oboe accompaniment.  Reflection gives way to joyous celebration as the program continues with “And the Glory of the Lord” from Handel’s Messiahand “See Dat Babe,” a vibrant spiritual, arranged by Stacey Gibbs for a cappellachoir.

The second half of the program highlights a variety of carols, such as “The Huron Carol” (Native American), “O Come, Little Children” (German) and “Carol of the Bells” (Russian).   The audience will be invited to join in singing a pair of favorite carols, and the program will end with “This Christmastide,” a gentle invitation to remember the enduring nature of hope this Christmas season.

Founded in 2006, Camerata d’Amici is an auditioned choir made up of singers from 12 towns in Fairfield and Westchester counties. “O Come, Emmanuel” will feature performances by the full choir and a select chamber ensemble, men’s and women’s pieces, and vocal solos by Thomas Carr, Michael Forbes, Maura Donnelly O’Halloran, Juliet Pratt, and Dan Wellers.  The choir will be accompanied by instrumentalists Oliver Homann (oboe) and Margarita Nuller (piano).

Tickets at the door are $25 for adults and $10 for youth 18 and under.  Advance tickets, with a reduced ticket price of $20 for adults, may be purchased at cameratadamici.org, or by check made payable to Camerata d’Amici at P.O. Box 74, Ridgefield, CT 06877.  Online tickets are available through Friday, December 6.  Follow Camerata d’Amici on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to past performances on YouTube.

The Program

Song (I gaze upon you) (Gabriel Jackson)

Now Touch the Air Softly (Susan LaBarr)

O Whistle and I’ll Come to Ye (arr. Mack Wilberg)

Linden Lea (arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams)

Two Strings, But One Voice (Z. Randall Stroope)

Sure On This Shining Night (Morten Lauridsen)

Barb’ra Allen (arr. Randall Gill)

True Colors (arr. Matthew Brown)

Fantasia for Choir and Marimba (Jan Moeyaert)

Thank you (Bob Chilcott)

Sisi ni moja (Jacob Narverud)

Zion’s Walls (arr. Aaron Copland)

Jabula Jesu (arr. Stephen Hatfield)

The Sweet By and By (arr. Aaron Humble)

Will the Circle Be Unbroken (arr. J. David Moore)

Camerata d’Amici to Present “Hearts All Whole” on May 19

Choral group Camerata d’Amici is proud to present its spring concert “Hearts All Whole” on Sunday, May 19, 2019, at 4 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, 6 Ivy Hill Road, Ridgefield, CT. Conducted by artistic director Kristin Sponheim, the program will feature music inspired by love and human connection.

The first half of the concert features a number of love songs, from the luminous a cappella work “Song (I gaze upon you)” by Gabriel Jackson to the lighthearted Scottish folk song “O Whistle and I’ll Come To Ye” (poetry by Robert Burns).

The program will continue with a series of songs that convey unity and joy, including “Sure on this Shining Night” (Morten Lauridsen) and the African folk song “Jabula Jesu,” an African folk song, arranged by Stephen Hatfield and accompanied by percussionist Jianpeng Feng.  The concert concludes with the uplifting Appalachian tune “Will the Circle Be Unbroken,” arranged by J. David Moore for a cappella choir.

Now in its thirteenth season, Camerata d’Amici is an auditioned choir made up of singers from Fairfield and Westchester counties. “Hearts All Whole” will feature performances by the full group and a select chamber ensemble, men’s and women’s pieces, and vocal solos by soprano Juliet Pratt of Ridgefield, baritone Thomas Carr of Danbury and bass Michael Forbes of Ridgefield. The choir will be accompanied by instrumentalists Jianpeng Feng (marimba and djembe) and Margarita Nuller (piano).

Tickets at the door are $25 for adults and $10 for youth 18 and under. Advance tickets, with a reduced ticket price of $20 for adults, may be purchased at cameratadamici.org/current-season, or by check made payable to Camerata d’Amici at P.O. Box 74, Ridgefield, CT 06877.  Online tickets are available through Friday, May 17. Follow Camerata d’Amici on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to past performances on YouTube.

The Program

Mid-Winter Waking (Morten Lauridsen)

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening (Randall Thompson)

Northern Lights (Ola Gjeilo)

Goodnight Moon (Eric Whitacre)

Will There Really be a “Morning”? (Craig Hella Johnson)

Tundra (Ola Gjeilo)

The New Moon (David Childs)

Down to the River to Pray (arr. Philip Lawson)

Cover Me with the Night (Peter Klatzow)

Over My Head, I Hear Music in the Air (arr. Uzee Brown)

Prayer Before Sleep (Sid Robinovitch)

Light of a Clear Blue Morning (Dolly Parton)

Shine on Me (arr. Rollo Dilworth)

Hallelujah (arr. Shawn Kirchner)

Camerata d’Amici to Present “Northern Lights” on March 3^rd

Choral group Camerata d’Amici is proud to present its winter concert “Northern Lights” on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at 4 p.m. at the Wilton Presbyterian Church, 48 New Canaan Road, Wilton, CT.  Conducted by artistic director Kristin Sponheim, the program will feature a diverse repertoire of music inspired by images of winter.

The concert opens with Morten Lauridsen’s “Mid-Winter Waking,”described by the composer as “a giddy stirring from hibernation” to participate once again in love and creativity.  Other images of winter are portrayed in “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” a setting by Randall Thompson of a poem by Robert Frost, sung by the men of Camerata, as well as “Tundra,” an atmospheric piece by the Norwegian composer Ola Gjeilo, sung by the women of Camerata.

Camerata’s concert also includes works that use imagery of night and day.  Eric Whitacre’s “Goodnight Moon,” a setting of the famous children’s book by Margaret Wise Brown, speaks lovingly of the night.  “Cover Me with the Night,” by South African composer Peter Klatzow, is a prayer for divine protection during the night, while “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” by Dolly Parton, arranged by Craig Hella Johnson, describes the glow of morning and the hope it brings.

The program concludes with the gospel piece “Shine on Me,” (arranged by Rollo Dilworth) and “Hallelujah,” an Appalachian shape-note melody, arranged by Shawn Kirchner.

Now in its thirteenth season, Camerata d’Amici is an auditioned choir made up of singers from Fairfield and Westchester counties.  “Northern Lights” will feature performances by the full group and a select chamber ensemble, men’s and women’s pieces, and vocal solos by Thomas Carr, Mia Herstatt and Juliet Pratt.  Margarita Nuller will accompany the choir on piano.

Tickets at the door are $25 for adults and $10 for youth 18 and under. Advance tickets, with a reduced ticket price of $20 for adults, may be purchased at www.cameratadamici.org, or by check made payable to Camerata d’Amici at P.O. Box 74, Ridgefield, CT 06877. Online tickets are available through Friday, March 1.  Follow Camerata d’Amici on Instagram and Facebook and listen to past performances on YouTube.

The Program

Strannoye Rozhdestvo (Georgy Sviridov)

Deepest Heart (David Childs)

The Shepherd’s Carol (Bob Chilcott)

Dormi, Jesu (arr. Jacqueline Hairston)

For Unto Us a Child is Born (George Frideric Handel)

Jesus Christ the Apple Tree (Elizabeth Poston)

Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella (arr. Richard Walters)

Brightest and Best (arr. Shawn Kirchner)

Go, Tell It on the Mountain (arr. Stacey Gibbs)

Shepherd’s Pipe Carol (John Rutter)

The Wexford Carol (arr. Howard Helvey)

In the Bleak Midwinter (John Michael Trotta)

Night of Silence (Dan Kantor)

O Come, All Ye Faithful (arr. David Willcocks)

The First Nowell (arr. David Willcocks)

This Christmastide (Jessye’s Carol) (Donald Fraser)

Camerata d’Amici Presents “Sing We Christmas” on December 9

Choral group Camerata d’Amici is proud to present its Christmas concert “Sing We Christmas” on Sunday, December 9, 2018, at 4 p.m. at South Salem Presbyterian Church, 111 Spring Street, South Salem, NY.  Conducted by Kristin Sponheim, the concert will feature a diverse repertoire of music including well-known Christmas carols and spirituals, a selection from Handel’s Messiah, and a range of contemporary compositions.

The program will open with a series of reflective pieces, including Georgy Sviridov’s “A Wondrous Birth,” inspired by Russian chant, David Childs’ “Deepest Heart,” a modern setting of the Magnificat for women’s voices, and “The Shepherd’s Carol,” a lush arrangement of the shepherds’ story for a cappella voices by Bob Chilcott. Reflection gives way to joyous celebration as the program continues with “For Unto Us a Child is Born” from Handel’s Messiah and “Brightest and Best,” a vibrant setting of a shape note tune, for men’s voices, violin and piano.

The second half of the program highlights a variety of carols, such as “I Wonder as I Wander” (nineteenth-century Appalachian), “The Wexford Carol,” (medieval Irish), and “Go, Tell It on the Mountain,” (American spiritual).  The audience will be invited to join in singing a pair of favorite carols, and the program will end with “This Christmastide,” a gentle invitation to remember the enduring nature of hope this Christmas season.

Founded in 2006, Camerata d’Amici is an auditioned choir made up of singers from 12 towns in Fairfield and Westchester counties. “Sing We Christmas” will feature performances by the full choir and a select chamber ensemble, men’s and women’s pieces, and vocal solos by Thomas Carr, Maura Donnelly O’Halloran, Michael Forbes, and Juliet Pratt.  The choir will be accompanied by instrumentalists Artemis Simerson (violin) Amy Hersh (flute), and Margarita Nuller (piano).

Tickets at the door are $25 for adults and $10 for youth 18 and under.  Advance tickets, with a reduced ticket price of $20 for adults, may be purchased at cameratadamici.org, or by check made payable to Camerata d’Amici at P.O. Box 74, Ridgefield, CT 06877.  Online tickets are available through Friday, December 7.  Follow Camerata d’Amici on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to past performances on YouTube.

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The Program

Arise, My Love (Joan Szymko)

The Pasture (Randall Thompson)

O My Luve’s Like a Red, Red Rose (René Clausen)

Five Hebrew Love Songs (Eric Whitacre)
I. Temuná
II. Kalá kallá

Shenandoah (arr. Cohen & Smith)

She Weeps Over Rahoon (Eric Whitacre)

My Flight for Heaven (Blake Henson)

How Can I Keep From Singing? (arr. Bradley Ellingboe)

The Piper (Ralph Vaughan Williams)

The Shepherd (Robert Wetzler)

Emerald Stream (Seth Houston)

Amazing Grace (arr. Stephen Hatfield)

Yo Le Canto Todo El Dia (David Brunner)

John the Revelator (arr. Caldwell & Ivory)

Camerata d’Amici to Present “Emerald Stream: Choral Songs of Love and Nature” May 20

Choral group Camerata d’Amici is proud to present its spring concert “Emerald Spring: Choral Songs of Love and Nature” on Sunday, May 20, 2018, at 4 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, 6 Ivy Hill Road, Ridgefield, CT. Conducted by artistic director Kristin Sponheim, the program will feature a varied selection of pieces centering on themes of love, nature and connection.

The concert will begin with a pair of songs about spring and nature. “Arise, My Love” describes the sense of promise and optimism brought by spring, while “The Pasture,” a setting of poetry by Robert Frost, describes nature and connection.  The program will continue with a series of songs about connection, including several pieces by composer Eric Whitacre:  “Hebrew Love Songs,” accompanied by piano and violin, and “She Weeps Over Rahoon,” a haunting lament accompanied by English horn.

The second half of the concert includes “Emerald Stream,” by Seth Houston, an a cappella song evoking the beauty and power of nature.  The concert concludes with two rousing pieces:  the ebullient “Yo le Canto” (“I Sing to You”) by David Brunner, infused with rhythms from Venezuela, and “John the Revelator,” a Gospel/Blues-inspired piece, arranged by Caldwell and Ivory.

Now in its twelfth season, Camerata d’Amici is an auditioned choir made up of singers from Fairfield and Westchester counties. “Emerald Stream” will feature performances by the full group and a select chamber ensemble, men’s and women’s pieces, and vocal solos by baritone Thomas Carr of Danbury and bass Michael Forbes of Ridgefield. The choir will be accompanied by instrumentalists Lisa Homann (violin), Oliver Homann (oboe) and Margarita Nuller (piano).

Tickets at the door are $25 for adults and $10 for youth 18 and under. To purchase advance tickets, with a reduced ticket price of $20 for adults, see below.  Online tickets are available through Friday, May 18. Follow Camerata d’Amici on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to past performances.

Camerata d’Amici performs with support from the Department of Economic and Community Development, Connecticut Office of the Arts, which also receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

The Program

Gitanjali Chants (Craig Hella Johnson)

Sleighing Song (Dan Locklair)

The Weaver (Jacob Narverud)

Ständchen (Franz Schubert)

Tant Que Vivray (Claudin de Sermisy)

Durme, Durme (arr. Alice Parker)

And So I Go On (Jake Runestad)

Hard Times Come Again No More (Stephen Foster; arr. Donald Moore)

Only in Sleep (Ēriks Ešenvalds)

Fourteen Angels (arr. Jeffrey Van)

His Eye is on the Sparrow (arr. Robert Sadin)

Angel Band (arr. Shawn Kirchner)

Poor Wayfaring Stranger (arr. Jonathan Rodgers)

Way Over in Beulah Lan’ (arr. Stacey Gibbs)

Camerata d’Amici to Present “Angel Band” March 4

Choral group Camerata d’Amici is proud to present its winter concert “Angel Band” on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at 4 p.m. at the Wilton Presbyterian Church, 48 New Canaan Road, Wilton, CT. Conducted by artistic director Kristin Sponheim, the program will feature a varied selection of songs inspired by themes of love, human connection, and divine protection. “Angel Band” marks the first time Camerata d’Amici will perform one of its regular season concerts in Wilton, and the choir is excited to bring its music to a new community.

The program will begin with a variety of songs about love and human connection. “Sleighing Song” embarks on this theme, depicting the merriment and joy of a winter’s sleigh ride. In “The Weaver,” which will be sung by the choir’s chamber ensemble, an artisan weaves vibrant strands of yarn to create a family blanket. The chamber ensemble will also perform the sixteenth-century French chanson “Tant Que Vivray” (As Long As I Live), and the women of Camerata d’Amici will follow with an arrangement of the Ladino lullaby “Durme, Durme.” The first half of the concert will conclude with Jake Runestad’s “And So I Go On,” a piece about life continuing on, even in times of grief and loss.

The second half of the program includes Ēriks Ešenvalds’ “Only in Sleep,” an ethereal setting of a poem by Sara Teasdale about memories of childhood friends. Angelic protection is the theme of the concert’s title piece, “Angel Band,” sung a cappella, and returns in the American hymn “Poor Wayfaring Stranger,” performed with a dramatic piano accompaniment. The concert will conclude with the jubilant spiritual “Way Over in Beulah Lan’,” arranged by Stacey Gibbs.

Now in its twelfth season, Camerata d’Amici is an auditioned choir made up of singers from Fairfield and Westchester counties. “Angel Band” will feature performances by the full group and a select chamber ensemble, men’s and women’s pieces, and vocal solos by Thomas Carr, Mia Herstatt and Juliet Pratt. Margarita Nuller will accompany the choir on piano.

Tickets at the door are $25 for adults and $10 for youth 18 and under. Advance tickets, with a reduced ticket price of $20 for adults, may be purchased at www.cameratadamici.org, or by check made payable to Camerata d’Amici at P.O. Box 74, Ridgefield, CT 06877. Online tickets are available through Friday, March 2. Follow Camerata d’Amici on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, and listen to past performances on YouTube.

Camerata d’Amici performs with support from the Department of Economic and Community Development, Connecticut Office of the Arts, which also receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

The Program

Spirit, Moving Over Chaos (David Ashley White)

Bogoroditse Devo (Sergei Rachmaninoff)

A Hymn to the Virgin (Benjamin Britten)

Salve Regina (Josu Elberdin)

And There Were Shepherds (George Frideric Handel)

Glory to God (George Frideric Handel)

Holy Infant’s Lullaby (Norman Bello Joio)

O Little Town of Bethlehem (Kenneth Jennings)

Ring Out, Wild Bells (Ron Nelson)

Masters In This Hall (arr. Alice Parker & Robert Shaw)

A King is Born (arr. Timothy Sarsany)

Mary’s Little Boy Child (Jester Hairston)

Mary Had a Baby (arr. Craig Carnahan)

The Shepherds Sing (Bob Chilcott)

Gesù Bambino (Pietro Yon)

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (arr. David Willcocks)

The First Nowell (arr. David Willcocks)

This Christmastide (Jessye’s Carol) (Donald Fraser)

This Christmastide

Choral group Camerata d’Amici is proud to present its Christmas concert “This Christmastide” on Sunday, December 10, 2017, at 4 p.m. at the South Salem Presbyterian Church, 111 Spring Street, South Salem, N.Y. Conducted by artistic director Kristin Sponheim, the concert will feature a diverse repertoire of music celebrating Christmas, including works by Handel, Rachmaninoff, and Britten, as well as modern compositions and traditional carols.

The program will open with a series of reflective pieces, including Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Russian plainchant-inspired “Bogoroditse Devo” (Rejoice, O Virgin), Benjamin Britten’s “A Hymn to the Virgin,” and a setting of “Salve Regina” for women’s voices by Josu Elberdin. Reflection gives way to joyous celebration as the program continues with the jubilant “Glory to God” from Handel’s “The Messiah,” and “Ring Out, Wild Bells,” a sparkling interpretation of Tennyson’s poem welcoming the new year.

The theme of celebration also characterizes the second half of the program, which highlights songs and carols from different regions, such as the French carol “Masters in this Hall,” the Italian song “Gesù Bambino,” and “Mary Had a Baby,” a spiritual from St. Helena Island. The audience will be invited to join in singing a pair of favorite carols, and the program will end with “This Christmastide,” a reflective, hopeful ode to the season which has become the choir’s signature conclusion for Christmas concerts.

Founded in 2006, Camerata d’Amici is an auditioned choir made up of singers from 12 towns in Fairfield and Westchester counties. “This Christmastide” will feature performances by the full choir and a select chamber ensemble, men’s and women’s pieces, and vocal solos by Thomas Carr, Michael Forbes, Maura Donnelly O’Halloran, Douglas Planker, Juliet Pratt and Jennifer Wallace. The choir will be accompanied by instrumentalists Joe Meo (clarinet and soprano saxophone), Matt Bronson (percussion), Rachel Cohen and Margarita Nuller (piano).

Tickets at the door are $25 for adults and $10 for youth 18 and under. Advance tickets, with a reduced ticket price of $20 for adults, may be purchased at www.cameratadamici.org, or by check made payable to Camerata d’Amici at P.O. Box 74, Ridgefield, CT 06877. Online tickets are available through Friday, December 8. Follow Camerata d’Amici on Twitter and Facebook, and listen to past performances on YouTube.

The Program

I Am the Rose of Sharon (William Billings)

In the Night We Shall Go In (Imant Raminsh)

Nature, the Gentlest Mother (Aaron Copland)

She Walks in Beauty (Connor Koppin)

The Nightingale (arr. Dan Forrest)

Trade Winds (Frederick Keel)

The Parting Glass (arr. Steven Sametz)

Nine Hundred Miles (arr. Philip Silvey)

Bawo Thixo Somandla (Mxolisi Matyila)

Odecha Ki Anitani (Salmon Rossi)

I Will Lift Mine Eyes (Jake Runestad)

Psalm 23 (Z. Randall Stroope)

Goin’ Home (Antonin Dvorák)

Grace Before Sleep (Susan LaBarr)

Ain’t No Grave (arr. Paul Caldwell & Sean Ivory)

Sojourn

The choral group Camerata d’Amici will present its next concert, “Sojourn,” on Sunday, May 21, 2017, at 4 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, 6 Ivy Hill Road, Ridgefield, CT. Conducted by Kristin Sponheim, the choir will sing repertoire reflecting the journey through life: from times of comfort to those of unrest and the stops along the way.

The concert opens with an expression of renewal in “I Am the Rose of Sharon” by colonial American composer William Billings, welcoming Spring with text from the Song of Songs. The lightheartedness of this first piece gives way to a more mysterious exploration of the changing seasons in “In the Night We Shall Go In,” (Amy Hersh, flute), this time with the subjects of the poem (by Pablo Neruda) climbing “over the wall in the darkness of the alien garden” to discover an apple tree has blossomed – Spring is imminent, though it has not yet arrived.

As the program continues the music reflects on some of the next stops along life’s journey. Connection and the comfort of love are found in Koppin’s “She Walks in Beauty” (sung by the men of Camerata) and Forrest’s “The Nightingale” (Oliver Homann, oboe; Margarita Nuller and Rachel Cohen, piano), and then onwards to the contrasting theme of lack of connection – from home, from loved ones, from spirituality. In “Trade Winds” by Frederick Keel (soloist, Michael Forbes) the narrator, “in the island, in the Spanish seas” feels the wind constantly blowing, symbolizing homesickness amidst the pleasantness of his journey. The first half concludes with Silvey’s “Nine Hundred Miles,” a piece about longing for home. The piano accompaniment (Margarita Nuller) depicts a train rhythmically moving along, which set against a distant quality in the vocal lines, paints the setting of the train passing the narrator by.

The second half of the concert begins with “Bawo thixo Somandia,” a South African piece that boldly asks “What have we done, My Lord?…This world is full of troubles.” This question is answered in the next three pieces, psalms from different musical traditions (one from the Baroque era and two contemporary settings) that all thank God for his salvation and presence. The next piece gives a final exploration of this theme: LaBarr’s “Grace Before Sleep” (poem by Sara Teasdale) acknowledges gratitude for the simple comforts of home and family despite the “storms…and wolves along the road.” The program ends on a note of strength with the spiritual “Ain’t No Grave.” With a rousing accompaniment and defiant text and melody, this piece expresses confidence to persevere through the trying moments along life’s journey.

Tickets at the door are $25 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under. Advance tickets, with a reduced ticket price of $20 for adults, may be purchased at www.cameratadamici.org, or by check made payable to Camerata d’Amici at P.O. Box 74, Ridgefield, CT 06877.

The Program

Mid-Winter Waking (Morten Lauridsen)

I Carry Your Heart (Connor Koppin)

Bonjour Mon Coeur (Philippe de Monte)

Let Beauty Awake (Ralph Vaughan Williams)

Tu Sangre en la Mia (Shawn Kirchner)

Arirang (arr. Elliot Forbes)

Under the Willow Tree (Samuel Barber)

Lament for Pasiphaë (Morten Lauridsen)

The Snow (Edward Elgar)

The Roof (Andrea Ramsey)

Over My Head, I Hear Music in the Air (arr. Uzee Brown, Jr.)

The Gartan Mother’s Lullaby (arr. Neil Ginsberg)

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star (arr. Daniel Elder)

Unclouded Day (arr. Shawn Kirchner)

I Carry Your Heart: Choral Songs of Love

The choral group Camerata d’Amici will present its next concert, “I Carry Your Heart: Choral Songs of Love” on Sunday, February 26, 2017, at 4 p.m. at the South Salem Presbyterian Church, 111 Spring Street, South Salem, NY. Conducted by Kristin Sponheim, the concert will center on the theme of “love” in its various meanings, through a varied repertoire.

The first half of the concert explores the different sides of romantic love. In the opening number, “Mid-Winter Waking” by Morten Lauridsen, the narrator, through love, finds warmth in the midst of a harsh winter. The winter is depicted musically with atonal harmonies and a jarring accompaniment (Margarita Nuller, piano), resolving with the line “we stared in silence all around us/but found no winter anywhere to see.” This gives way to the beautiful melody and lush harmonies in the next piece, a setting of E.E. Cummings’ poem “I Carry Your Heart” by Connor Koppin. Camerata’s chamber ensemble will sing an early French piece, “Bonjour Mon Coeur” by Philippe de Monte, and a Spanish sonnet by Pablo Neruda, “Tu Sangre En La Mia” set by contemporary composer Shawn Kirchner. These musical settings explore the tenderness and simplicity in romantic relationships. This leads to the culmination of the first half with “Under the Willow Tree” by Samuel Barber. This piece suggests a sense of confusion: “Where shall we sleep, my love whither shall we fly? … The green toad has swallowed the key to my door,” evoking the more unsettled aspects of love that can accompany the tenderness and simplicity.

This theme continues in the second half, which begins with “Lament for Pasiphae” by Morten Lauridsen. As the narrator faces losing his love, the music is dissonant, but ends tonally and on a note of hope as he begs the dying sun to “shine warm a little longer!” The program continues with “The Snow” by Edward Elgar, which, accompanied by two violins (Larry Deming and Diane Orson), alternates between minor and major keys as the text goes from sorrow (“O snow, in thy soft grave/sad flowers the winter brave), to hope (“The snow must melt, must go”). Just as the snow melts, the soul perseveres. The final portion of the program returns to a place of comfort with two lullabies: “The Gartan Mother’s Lullaby” (Nils Ginsberg), and Daniel Elder’s peaceful setting of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.” The concert concludes with the spiritual “Unclouded Day” by Shawn Kirchner, an upbeat piece that embodies moving ahead towards a better place.

Tickets at the door are $25 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under. Advance tickets, with a reduced ticket price of $20 for adults, may be purchased at www.cameratadamici.org, or by check made payable to Camerata d’Amici at P.O. Box 74, Ridgefield, CT 06877.

The Program

Hodie Christus Natus Est (arr. Neils La Cour)

Gaudete (arr. J. David Moore)

The Hills Are Bare At Bethlehem (arr. Craig Carnahan)

There is No Rose (Connor Koppin)

The Cradle in Bethlehem (Roger Quilter)

O Magnum Mysterium (Ivo Antognini)

Ave Maria (Franz Biebl)

Cantate Domino (Claudio Monteverdi)

Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella (arr. Alice Parker & Robert Shaw)

Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day (arr. John Rutter)

Il Est Né, le Divin Enfant (arr. Gabriel Fauré)

Carol from an Irish Cabin (Dale Wood)

Angels We Have Heard on High (arr. Matthew Culloton)

O Holy Night (Adolphe Adam)

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (arr. David Willcocks)

The First Nowell (arr. David Willcocks)

This Christmastide (Jessye’s Carol) (Donald Fraser)

Camerata d’Amici Presents
“Angels We Have Heard: A Christmas Concert,” December 11^th

Camerata d’Amici is proud to present their choral Christmas Concert “Angels We Have Heard” on December 11^th, 2016 at 4 p.m. at the South Salem Presbyterian Church, 111 Spring Street, South Salem, NY. Conducted by Kristin Sponheim, the program embodies a reflective and joyful celebration of Christmas with repertoire ranging from early to present day music.

The first half of the program includes both traditional and contemporary settings of Medieval and Renaissance texts, from Niels La Cour’s delicate arrangement of Hodie Christus Natus Est to the spirited Cantate Domino by Claudio Monteverdi. The mystery of Christ’s birth is expressed in Ivo Antognini’s deceptively simple setting of O Magnum Mysterium; the women’s voices, piano (Margarita Nuller) and cello (Mary Costanza) weave together three angelic melodies. This piece is followed by an equally angelic setting of Ave Maria sung by Camerata’s men featuring solo trio Doug Planker, Daniel Wellers, and Michael Forbes. This section of the program captures the wonderment of Christmas.

Contrasting with the more introspective first half, the second half of the program expresses the celebratory side of the Christmas season. This half opens with joyful arrangements of traditional carols. The audience will enjoy well-known works such as the upbeat Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella and the rousing O Holy Night, as well as a distantly familiar arrangement of Angels We Have Heard on High.

Sponheim has crafted a program that sets the reflective against the joyful, the familiar against the surprising. The audience will be drawn in by the depth and beauty of the music, and will be both comforted and challenged by the repertoire’s diversity.

Sunday’s program includes solo performances by Thomas Carr, Maura Donnelly O’Halloran, and Juliet Pratt. The concert will conclude with a set of traditional and favorite carols, with the audience invited to join in singing with the choir.

Tickets are available via check payable to Camerata d’Amici, P.O. Box 74, Ridgefield, CT 06877. Tickets are the door are $25 for adults (or $20 in advance) and $10 for children 12 and under. Follow Camerata on Twitter @camerata_damici and Facebook (facebook.com/CamerataDAmici)

The Program

My Spirit Sang All Day (Gerald Finzi)

Be Thou My Vision (arr. Kinley Lange)

Affirmation (Hilda Emery Davis)

Do Not Be Afraid (Philip Stopford)

Durme, Durme (arr. Alice Parker)

Snow Angel (Sarah Quartel)
xxIII. God Will Give Orders
xxIV.  Sweet Child

This Little Light of Mine (arr. Ken Berg)

Let My Love Be Heard (Jake Runestad)

Shall I Compare Thee? (Stephen Paulus)

Tu Voz (Shawn Kirchner)

Shenandoah (arr. James Erb)

She Sat and Sang (Robert Sieving)

I Shall Find For You (Gian Carlo Menotti)

Sing Me to Heaven (Daniel Gawthrop)

Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal (arr. Alice Parker)

Camerata d’Amici presents “Let My Love be Heard: A Spring Concert,” May 22, 2016

Camerata d’Amici is proud to present “Let My Love be Heard” on May 22 at 4 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, 6 Ivy Hill Road, Ridgefield, Connecticut. The choir, now in its tenth season, is excited to welcome everyone to its annual spring concert. Dr. Kristin Sponheim, Artistic Director, has crafted a stirring program inspired by love, both divine and human.

The concert opens with music inspired by divine love. The women of Camerata sing Alice Parker’s arrangement of the tender Ladino lullaby “Durme, Durme.” The comfort we feel from God’s love and protection is captured in the traditional Irish hymn “Be Thou My Vision” (arranged by Kinley Lange) and “God Will Give Orders & Sweet Child” (by Canadian composer Sarah Quartel). The rich timbre of cello accompanies these pieces, along with piano and percussion. The first half ends with the haunting piece “Let My Love Be Heard” (Jake Runestad), sung a cappella.

The second half of the program continues with music devoted to the love we share with each other. It opens with a setting by American composer Stephen Paulus for men’s voices of the famous sonnet by William Shakespeare, “Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day?” Shawn Kirchner’s setting of “Tu Voz” (Your Voice), a sonnet by the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, will be sung by the chamber ensemble of Camerata. The familiar folk song “Shenandoah,” expressing longing and love in the face of loss, is beautifully arranged by James Erb. The program closes with “Sing Me To Heaven” by Daniel Gawthrop, an ode to the power of music in our lives, and “Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal,” a setting by Alice Parker of an early American shape note hymn.

Soloists in Sunday’s concert include Ridgefielders Juliet Pratt, soprano and Michael Forbes, bass, as well as Danbury resident Thomas Carr, baritone.

The choir will be accompanied by Margarita Nuller, piano; Mary Costanza, cello; Joe Meo, clarinet, and Matt Bronson, percussion.

For more information on purchasing tickets, Camerata d’Amici invites you to visit their website at www.cameratadamici.org. Tickets are also available via check payable to Camerata d’Amici, P.O. Box 74, Ridgefield, CT 06877. Tickets at the door are $25 for adults (or $20 in advance), and $10 for children 12 and under. Follow Camerata on Twitter @camerata_damici and Facebook.

Program

My Spirit Sang All Day (Gerald Finzi)

Be Thou My Vision (arr. Kinley Lange)

Affirmation (Hilda Emery Davis)

Do Not Be Afraid (Philip Stopford)

Durme, Durme (arr. Alice Parker)

Snow Angel (Sarah Quartel)
xxIII. God Will Give Orders
xxIV.  Sweet Child

This Little Light of Mine (arr. Ken Berg)

Let My Love Be Heard (Jake Runestad)

Shall I Compare Thee? (Stephen Paulus)

Tu Voz (Shawn Kirchner)

Shenandoah (arr. James Erb)

She Sat and Sang (Robert Sieving)

I Shall Find For You (Gian Carlo Menotti)

Sing Me to Heaven (Daniel Gawthrop)

Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal (arr. Alice Parker)

The Program

Gitanjali Chants (Craig Hella Johnson)

Nuit d’étoiles (Claude Debussy)

There Will Be Rest (Frank Ticheli)

Ngam Sang Duan (arr. Steven Sametz)

The Infinite Shining Heavens (Ralph Vaughan Williams)

Ballade to the Moon (Daniel Elder)

Sleighing Song (Dan Locklair)

Even When He Is Silent (Kim André Arnesen)

MLK (U2, arr. Bob Chilcott)

Solveig’s Song (Edvard Greig)

Bright Morning Stars (arr. Shawn Kirchner)

Light of a Clear Blue Morning (Dolly Parton, arr. Craig Hella Johnson)

Shine on Me (arr. Rollo Dilworth)

Tshotsholoza (arr. Jeffrey Ames)

Camerata d’Amici presents “Night of Stars: A Winter Concert,” March 6, 2016

Camerata d’Amici is proud to present “Night of Stars” on March 6th at 4 pm in the South Salem Presbyterian Church, located at 111 Spring Street, South Salem, NY. The choir, now in its tenth season, is excited to welcome everyone to its annual winter concert. Dr. Kristin Sponheim, Artistic Director, has crafted a program inspired by stars in the night sky, and the strength and hope they represent.

“Nuit d’étoiles” by French composer Claude Debussy (arr. Alan Raines), presented by the women of Camerata and accompanied by Margarita Nuller, piano, recalls the wistfulness of stargazing as a conduit to memories.

“Ngam Sang Duan” (“Shining Moon”), a northern Thai folk song arranged by Steven Sametz, will be sung by Camerata’s chamber choir, accompanied by percussionist Matt Bronson.

Thomas Carr (baritone) solos on Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “The Infinite Shining Heavens,” which explores how stargazing can make us feel at once connected to the universe and at the same time alone.

Bob Chilcott’s arrangement of U2’s “MLK” is a lullaby in the face of a storm. “Sleep, sleep tonight. And may all your dreams, be realised. If the thundercloud passes rain, so let it rain, rain down on him.” Doug Planker, tenor, provides the solo on this powerfully moving piece.

Juliet Pratt, soprano, will perform “Solveig’s Song” from Peer Gynt by Edvard Grieg. This song of longing echoes the longing of those waiting for spring to arrive after a long, dark winter.

With the setting of the moon, “Bright Morning Stars” (Appalachian folk song, arr. Shawn Kirchner) the program is brought, metaphorically, into the light of the new day.

Camerata’s chamber group returns with “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” (Dolly Parton, arr. Craig Hella Johnson), featuring soprano Mia Herstatt, as soloist, and is followed by the men of Camerata performing “Shine on Me,” a spiritual, arranged by Rollo Dilworth. Both songs call attention to the magnificence and power of our closest star, the sun, which brings light to our darkness and hope to the hopeless.

For more information on purchasing tickets, Camerata d’Amici invites you to visit their website at www.cameratadamici.org. Season and single concert tickets are also available via check payable to Camerata d’Amici,P.O. Box 74, Ridgefield, CT 06877. Tickets at the door are $25 for adults (or $20 in advance), and $10 for children 12 and under. Follow Camerata on Twitter @camerata_damici and Facebook.

The Program

Veni Creator Spiritus (Anthony Bernarducci )

O Magnum Mysterium (Francis Poulenc)

Infant Joy (Ralph Vaughan Williams)

Ave Maria (Tomás Luis de Victoria)

There is No Rose (Z. Randall Stroope)

The Time of Snow (Bob Chilcott)

Quem Pastores Laudavere (James Bassi)

Sing We Now of Christmas (arr. David York)

Once in Royal David’s City (arr. Jameson Marvin)

The Huron Carol (arr. Edward Henderson)

In the Bleak Midwinter (Mary Caldwell)

We Three Kings (arr. Matthew Culloton)

O Little Town of Bethlehem (arr. Stephen Paulus )

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (arr. David Willcocks)

The First Nowell (arr. David Willcocks)

This Christmastide (Jessye’s Carol) (Donald Fraser)

Camerata d’Amici presents “Sing We Now of Christmas: A Christmas Concert,” December 6, 2015

Camerata d’Amici is proud to present “Sing We Now of Christmas” on December 6^th at 4 pm in the South Salem Presbyterian Church, located at 111 Spring Street, South Salem, NY. The choir, now in its tenth season, is excited to welcome everyone to its annual celebration of the Christmas season. Dr. Kristin Sponheim, Artistic Director, has crafted a program that includes a broad range of repertoire, from Renaissance to the present day that celebrates Christmas.

The program begins with the Latin invocation,“Veni, creator Spiritus.” Anthony Bernarducci’s setting of this traditional Gregorian chant is anything but traditional. The driving, irregular rhythms, accompanied by percussionist Matt Bronson, provide a contemporary context for this venerable ninth-century text.

The mystery of Christ’s birth is expressed in an ethereal setting by Francis Poulenc of the 12^th century Latin text “O Magnum Mysterium”. Poulenc’s 20^th century rendition of this medieval text portrays the wonder and awe of the speaker through a haunting melody and equally haunting harmony. Thomas Carr, baritone soloist, will sing Vaughan Williams’ “Infant Joy,” with text by William Blake, and accompaniment by solo oboe, played by Oliver Homann.

The program also includes several pieces based on Marian texts, such as Tomás Luis de Victoria’s “Ave Maria,” sung by the Camerata chamber ensemble, and Z. Randall Stroope’s “There is No Rose,” sung by the women of Camerata. Juliet Pratt, soprano soloist, concludes this section of the program with Bob Chilcott’s “The Time of Snow”.

The men of Camerata bring the first half of the program to a close with the rousing French carol, “Sing We Now of Christmas,” accompanied by piano and percussion.

The second half of the program features a number of carols: the men of Camerata open with “Once in Royal David’s City” (arr. Marvin) followed by “The Huron Carol” (arr. Henderson) sung by the women of Camerata, and accompanied by Margarita Nuller, piano. “In the Bleak Midwinter” (Caldwell), a solo by bass Michael Forbes, is followed by Camerata’s chamber ensemble singing, “We Three Kings” (arr. Culloton), which features Doug Planker (tenor), Thomas Carr (baritone), and Michael Forbes (bass), with oboe adding an Oriental flair to the piece.

The concert concludes with a set of traditional and favorite carols, with the audience invited to join in singing with the choir.

For more information on purchasing tickets, Camerata d’Amici invites you to visit their website at cameratadamici.org. Season and single concert tickets are also available via check payable to Camerata d’Amici, P.O. Box 74, Ridgefield, CT 06877. Tickets at the door are $25 for adults (or $20 in advance), and $10 for children 12 and under.