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Kansas City's Online Journal of the Performing Arts

All of us have at some point in our lives come across a person who has made an everlasting impact on us. The name we typically give to such a person is a mentor. Webster defines a mentor as a 'wise and trusted counselor or teacher' or as an 'influential senior sponsor or supporter.' This weekend in Kansas City and Lawrence, a group of musicians will join together to celebrate not only their art but their mentor, Simon Carrington.

The newly formed Simon Carrington Chamber Singers was not the former KU choral director's idea. He said that it was first suggested to him by former students. "It's been talked about for several years," he said. "We were going to do it last year, but the scheduling didn't work out." The ensemble is made up of almost entirely musicians whom Carrington had a direct hand in training. Many are former KU music students. Others come from his days as an educator at the New England Conservatory and Yale University. "They're all coming on their own dime, just for the sheer pleasure of making music," Simon said. He was quite humbled by the eagerness and strong desire of all involved to work to make these inaugural concerts a reality.

Some of the area's best known and talented vocalists are members of the group. Amy Waldron, a KU alum and member of Octarium and Collegium Vocale, is the ensemble's co-creative producer. Other local favorites include countertenor Jay Carter, UMKC choral director Ryan Board, soprano Ida Nicolosi, Fine Arts Chorale director Terri Teal, and many more.

No one (including the singers and Carrington himself) has heard the group yet. They are meeting this week for the first time as a group and working out what their ensemble 'sound' will be. Carrington is anxious to see how this week goes, getting a feeling for the new choir. He hopes that in years to come the ensemble can thrive and present concerts, recordings, and tours, but he knows that is something they would need to work hard to build toward.

In the meantime, this weekend's performances are the only things on Carrington's mind, wanting them to be absolutely top notch. The program, titled "Chiaroscura: Contrasts of Light and Shade - 600 years of glorious choral music" follows a concept that is close to his heart. "I always try to do programs that spread across the centuries, showing a range of repertoire," he said. The program will start in the Renaissance and make its way through the ages up to the present day. The first selection will be the Kyrie from Josquin's Missa Gaudeamus. An uncharacteristic homophonic work by William Byrd titled Emendemus in Melius follows.

The concert will continue with works by Purcell (17^th century), Charpentier (18^th century) and Brahms (19^th century) before moving to a collection of works written in the 20^th century. Arvo Pärt's famous setting of Magnificat is included, as is Poulenc's Salve Regina. Using some bit of networking for the concert's programming, Carrington's longtime friend from his King's Singers days, Bob Chilcott, wrote the work Weather Report, and local composer and William Jewell College faculty member Ian Coleman (whom Carrington met at KU) wrote Hold Fast to Dreams specifically for this concert. Coleman's work will thus be given its world premiere performance this weekend. Joining Carrington and his Chamber Singers is Dale Morehouse, playing the piano and organ, and Dr. Paul Laird, KU faculty member, playing the cello.

In speaking with former students about Simon Carrington, they all naturally speak of him with the highest regard, but a common thread tends to be a discussion of his approach to style in choral music. When asked about this, he said, "So much is linked to the text itself. Quite simply, the color in the vocal tone should match the color in the expression of the text." Simon went on to say that he has travelled the world for many years and has heard very many choirs. The one consistent element he ends up missing is a choir's lack of commitment to a particular text of context from which a piece makes its statement.

After 15 years as an educator (following 25 years of singing and touring with the King's Singers), Simon is retiring from teaching at the end of this academic season. He will move back to France to live, where he will continue his work in music as a freelance artist. When asked why he chose Kansas City and Lawrence to give these inaugural concerts, he said he has always held the American Midwest in high regard. "I'm always trying to convince people on the east coast how good the choral tradition in the Midwest truly is."


PREVIEW:
The Simon Carrington Chamber Singers
Home Ground Concert: Chiaroscuro - Contrasts of Light And Shade
Saturday, May 30 at noon
Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral
13^th & Broadway, Downtown Kansas City, MO
Saturday, May 30 at 7:30 p.m.
St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church
1234 Kentucky, Lawrence, KS
For more information about the new ensemble and the upcoming concert, visit www.simoncarringtonchambersingers.com. Tickets are available at the door or by calling 816-214-9928.

By R. Douglas Helvering

Classical and Vocal Contributor (Past writer)