In Music Worcester’s second annual Cantatathon, Worcester Bach Collective ensembles perform a selection of cantatas at Mechanics Hall.
A cantata is a vocal work for solo/chorus and orchestra, either celebrating sacred or secular traditions. These works are conversations between voice and instrument and are meant to spotlight the technicality of the performer. Over the course of THE COMPLETE BACH’s eleven years, ensembles will present each of Bach’s cantatas. At intermission, join us for cake and champagne in honor of Bach’s 341st birthday.
Du großer Schmerzensmann,
BWV 300
Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid
, BWV 3
Wär Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit
, BWV 14
Christum wir sollen loben schon
, BWV 121
Nimm, was dein ist, und gehe hin
, BWV 144
Meinen Jesum laß ich nicht
, BWV 124
Was mein Gott will, das g’scheh allzeit
, BWV 111
At the heart of the church’s musical activity, the All Saints Choir provides music for the liturgy at Eucharist every Sunday. The choir also sings monthly Choral Evensong and occasionally Choral Compline and Taizé services, as well as on major feast days, weddings, funerals, and concerts. Historically based around the Men and Boy choir model, the All Saints Choir currently maintains an intergenerational roster with treble choristers (age 8-18) of all genders leading the soprano part, changed-voice teen choristers singing tenor and bass, and adult volunteers singing soprano, alto, tenor, and bass.
In addition to its weekly liturgical offerings at All Saints, the choir has also performed at Washington National Cathedral, New York City’s Carnegie Hall and St. Thomas Church, Fifth Avenue, as well as venues elsewhere in the United States and Canada. The choir’s most recent tours were to Belfast and Dublin, Ireland, (2013) and to Montreal, Canada (2017). The choir is proud of the musical connections that they maintain, especially their affiliation with the Pakachoag Music School of Greater Worcester and The Royal School of Church Music in America. Founded in 1868, the choir’s 150th anniversary (2018) was celebrated June of 2019.
KEVIN NEEL enjoys a versatile career as organist, collaborative pianist, conductor, and singer. He has been heard at the organ in numerous venues including Symphony Hall (Boston), the Cathedral of St. Philip (Atlanta, GA), Methuen Memorial Music Hall, College of the Holy Cross (St. Joseph’s Chapel, Worcester), Church of the Advent and Trinity Church (both in Boston). He also has appeared in numerous venues in the southeast. He also has appeared as organ and piano accompanist for multiple choral ensembles in the New England area. Currently he serves as Accompanist for The Boston Cecilia and The Heritage Chorale.
From 2016-2020 he co-artistic directed “et al.,” (formerly “The Brookline Consort”) which he co-founded with soprano Carey Shunskis. et al. was a project-based professional choral ensemble whose mission was to tell stories through diverse, thoughtful programming performed at the highest level. As a singer, he has also sung with the Marsh Chapel Choir, Emmanuel Music, Cantata Singers, and VOICES 21C. He is Director of Music and Organist at All Saints, Worcester where he directs the All Saints Choir (choristers and adults), manages special music events, oversees music education programs, plays the Rice Memorial Organ (IV/132 Aeolian Skinner Op. 909), and collaborates with Worcester-area music and arts organizations. He holds a Masters of Sacred Music degree from Boston University in Choral Conducting with primary professors Ann Howard Jones, Scott Allen Jarrett, and Peter Sykes and a Bachelors of Music degree from Indiana University in Organ Performance with primary professors Janette Fishell, Bruce Neswick, Jeffrey Smith and Todd Wilson.
Salisbury Singers is a mixed chorus of more than 60 singers under the insightful leadership of Artistic Director Reagan Paras. The chorus is dedicated to the enhancement of cultural life in Worcester and central Massachusetts, as well as the musical growth of its members. Salisbury Singers achieves these objectives through professional quality performances of acapella and accompanied choral repertoire drawn from diverse traditions and styles.
Salisbury Singers , Inc. was founded in 1973 by the late Malama Robbins Collinsworth to foster the highest standards of the musical arts. From 1998-2020, Salisbury Singers was led by Dr. Michelle Graveline to continue this standard of excellence. In 2020, Michelle assumed the role of Artistic Director Emerita. Read more about Michelle here. From 2020-2024, Salisbury Singers was led by Brad Dumont. In 2024, Brad assumed the role of Artistic Director Emeritus.
Voices of Concinnity is a 12-voice professional chamber vocal ensemble of dedicated, seasoned choral artists from diverse backgrounds, moving audiences through innovative programming that melds the unique qualities of each voice into into a vibrant, rich choral sound. Their mission is to connect with the community in a meaningful way through exquisitely crafted, innovative choral programming that fosters inclusion, promotes collaboration, illuminates variety, and ensures affordable access.
Through the performance of choral music dating from the Renaissance to the contemporary, Concinnity is dedicated to illuminating the breadth and variety of choral repertoire, including works by historically excluded and living composers, to broaden our connection within our community. As an ensemble, Concinnity focuses on individual expression within a cohesive whole, harnessing each singer’s unique vocal qualities into a rich collective sound; thus embracing an honesty that enhances the listening experience and resonates with audiences.
Voices of Concinnity was founded in 2018 by Sarah Kaufold to help create affordable access for the community to experience professional-level choral music and to cultivate an ensemble with flexible rehearsal schedules to include singers with varying career and family commitments. The word “concinnity” means the harmonious arrangement or fitting together of the different parts of something, which encompasses our approach to ensemble singing.
As a Global Music Award Gold Medal Recipient , we have performed over 40 live performances in the past 6 years, including on the stage at Carnegie Hall, at state and regional conferences for the American Choral Directors Association, and many museums and venues across Connecticut. We have collaborated with numerous ensembles, including the Hartt School, Novi Cantori, Unitas Ensemble, and The Choir School of Hartford. We actively support the creation of new choral music and have commissioned and/or premiered works by Cheryl B. Engelhardt, Brian Jones, Karen Siegel, Gregory Brown, Lillie Harris, Jessica Rodman, Carolyn Quick. Voices of Concinnity actively seeks to present balanced programming, where out of the 115 songs we have performed to date, over 50% were by living composers and 35% composed by women.
The Worcester Children’s Chorus (WCC) was founded in 2008 as a program of The Master Singers of Worcester by co-directors Jennifer Kane and Malcolm Halliday. A partnership was also formed at that time between the WCC and Assumption University making WCC a choir “in residence” at the University campus where WCC enjoys rehearsal and performance spaces as well as other resources.
The Worcester Children’s Chorus has performed with many area ensembles, including: The Master Singers of Worcester, The Assabet Valley Mastersingers, The Salisbury Singers, the Thayer Symphony Orchestra, the Worcester Youth Orchestra, and the Worcester Chorus. Members of the chorus have also performed on three occasions at Carnegie Hall in NYC, participated in the International Children’s Chorus Festival at Canterbury Cathedral and London, England, as well as the Crescent City Choral Festival in New Orleans. In 2016, the WCC was featured at Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox, where they performed the Star Spangled Banner before tens of thousands.
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