RSS 2.0 FeedAugust 24, 2011, Classical
Fall 2011 preview: Vocal and choral
Kansas City may be the city of fountains, but it could equally be called the city of choirs. Many fine ensembles happily call the metro home and they are busy preparing their fall seasons. A plethora of famous solo vocalists will also be gracing our city's stages including Placido Domingo, Diana Krall, Mavis Staples, and Rufus Müller.
Performances at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
With the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts ready to throw open its doors to eager audiences, it is with great pride that the opening weekend gala performances by divo Placido Domingo and jazz diva Diana Krall have been sold out for some time. Domingo performs on Sept. 16th and Krall on the 17th. Genre-bending Laurie Anderson performs her show "Transitory Life: A Retrospective of Song and Stories" as part of the Kauffman’s Vanguard Series in the Helzberg Hall on Oct. 9. Kansas City Symphony Chorus and Kansas City Symphony will be performing Brahms’ German Requiem on Oct. 28–30th. Local presenter the Friends of Chamber Music will be bringing Chanticleer to the Kauffman on Nov. 8th. Gospel singer Mavis Staples will be singing on the American Legends Series on December 8th.
Fine Arts Chorale
Family-friendly choral music abounds this season with the Fine Arts Chorale’s 2011–12 season. Storyteller, Priscilla Howe from Lawrence will join the chorale at the KC Public Library Plaza branch on Oct. 21st for Howl-o-ween: Laughter Songs and Stories.
Friends of Chamber Music
On Nov. 18th, the Friends of Chamber Music will bring the German tenor Rufus Müller to Kansas City with the Baroque ensemble, REBEL, for a performance entitled, "Out of the Eclipse: Music of Transformation and Revelation." Also don’t forget Chanticleer’s performance on Nov. 8th.
Kansas City Chorale
The Kansas City Chorale has programmed an interesting season celebrating its 30th anniversary. Fall is all about the calm and mystery of ancient music with chant-based concerts on Oct 15–18th at three different venues.
Musica Vocale
Musica Vocale, conducted by Arnold Epley, is celebrating its 4th year on the choral scene with a diverse season. Examining “Uplifting Music born of Grief” in its fall concert Nov. 15th the choir will sing works by such composers as Bach, Mäntyjärvi, and Moore.
Octarium
Just eight voices but what a sound, Octarium under the direction of Dr. Krista Blackwood, continues to fertilize the musical field with new works. On Nov. 12th, Octarium will be collaborating with Spinning Tree Theatre for an evening or two of music, dance, and theatre.
Spire Chamber Ensemble
The Spire Chamber Ensemble under the direction of Ben Spaulding has proven itself to be a vocal group not to be overlooked. Their upcoming performance on September 11th at the Temple in Independence called "Movements of Peace" marks the tenth anniversary of that fateful day. The Spire Chamber Ensemble with Jan Kraybill, Patricia Thompson, and David Farwig will weave poetry and readings from various faith traditions with Duruflé’s beautiful Requiem to settle our souls.
Te Deum
One of Kansas City's newest ensembles, the sacred-minded Te Deum presents "God's Grandeur" with works by Bach, Britten, and MacMillan on Nov. 12–14.
Top Photo: Placido Domingo
Classical, Vocal and Theatre Contributor
Megan Browne Helm grew up singing, dancing and acting. Inspired by Emma Kirkby as a high school student in St. Louis she went on to study voice and sing with the Collegium Musicum at the Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio where she also had a radio show of contemporary classical music on WOBC. At the University of Kansas she had the pleasure of working with former Kings’ Singer, Simon Carrington in his Collegium Musicum and Oread consort. Years later, she was a choral fellow at the Yale School of Music’s Norfolk Chamber Music Festival. She is currently singing with the Kansas City Symphony Chorus under the direction of Charles Bruffy.
As a freelance music and culture writer her work can be found on KCMetropolis.org, presentmagazine.com, the Lawrence Journal World, Shawnee Magazine, Leawood Lifestyle Magazine and KC Parent. She was one of 26 journalists in the country chosen as a NEA Institute Fellow for Classical Music and Opera at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
Her current interest is how classical music remains relevant through active collaborations with artists in different fields, including science. She also sees a connection between classical music, travel and food as a way to engage all of the senses in a 360 degree cultural experience. She blogs at raworganum.wordpress.com.
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