Christmas at the Orpheum combines Siouxland talents
By Joanne Fox Journal staff writer | Posted: Friday, December 14, 2007
Members of the Briar Cliff University singers rehearse for the Saturday Christmas at the Orpheum concert. (Staff photo by Jim Lee)
For centuries, Christmas has been the inspiration for an wealth of musical composition, vocal and instrumental, sacred and secular. This spirit of Christmas is reflected in the festive quality of music-making synonymous with celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.
It is in that spirit Briar Cliff University offers "Gloria!," a program of uplifting seasonal music performed by more than 250 musicians from western Iowa and eastern Nebraska.
Built upon the previous successes of Briar Cliff University's Christmas at Cathedral programs, the Briar Cliff University Choirs, First Presbyterian Church Chancel Choir, Nebraska Children's Chorus Bel Canto, Sioux Center Concert Choir, and Sioux City Symphony Orchestra will join forces Saturday at the Orpheum Theater to present this Christmas extravaganza.
"We were invited to move our concert by the Orpheum and the symphony," said Dr. Mary Day, associate professor of music and chair of the BC music department. "It was always well-attended at the Cathedral of the Epiphany, but parking would be better and more seating would be available at the Orpheum, so we decided to try it and see if we could make it work."
Day did not eliminate the future possibility of future concerts at the mother church of the Diocese of Sioux City.
"Cathedral is gorgeous and in terms of acoustics, excellent," she said. "We don't want to stop doing concerts there, but for this Christmas concert, we thought we would try another venue."
The Briar Cliff project will be presented in cooperation with the symphony, but will include a variety of other musical components.
BC faculty member and concert pianist Richard Steinbach will be a featured soloist and Sean Burton, BC director of choral activities, will serve as artistic director for the event. Burton will share the conducting responsibilities with Norm Grimm, director of choral activities at Sioux Center (Iowa) Community Schools, and Jill Wilson, director of the Chancel Choir at First Presbyterian Church, Sioux City.
"We wanted to get some new people in on this and keep the concert ecumenical," Day explained. "I've known Norm Grimm for at least 15 years from our Briar Cliff music camp and it's great to include Jill' and Sean's groups."
Late last summer when snow was far from everyone's thoughts, the conductors gathered and chose the music and group pieces for the concert, Day said.
"This is a big cooperative venture," she said. "It takes a lot of people to pull an event like this off."
The program will include a cappella choral, orchestral, concerto, and choral-orchestral pieces by such composers as Randol Alan Bass, George Chadwick, Felix Mendelssohn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, John Rutter, and Mack Wilberg.
Burton described the eclectic program as "a potpourri of selections that will compel the audience to embark upon an emotional journey of exuberant celebration, fervent religiosity, and genuine humility."
In addition to the performance of these varied works, audience participation will be invited during several Christmas carols, accompanied by full orchestra, Day said.
"Robert Shaw, the guru of American choral music, is credited with saying that Americans needed their own Christmas music and identity, so that's why he arranged carols for all kinds of choirs," she said. "For us it's all about doing a big Christmas concert; something that's not done a lot."
However, missing from the program will be the vocal talents of Day.
"Oh, I thought about singing but I'm involved with the administration of this event," she acknowledged, then added with a chuckle. "Besides somebody's got to be back stage."
The Briar Cliff University Music Department presents Christmas at the Orpheum: Gloria! at 8 p.m., Saturday at the Orpheum Theatre. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for senior citizens and students. Tickets are available at Briar Cliff University, 279-5417, First Presbyterian Church, 255-8919, and the Sioux Center Community Schools (712) 722-2985.
Meet the ensembles
Briar Cliff University Choirs
With an established choral tradition spanning eight decades, the Briar Cliff University Choirs have been selected for performance at major professional association conferences and on tour throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Europe. Both the Cliff Singers and Chamber Choir perform a variety of choral music. In addition to a regular concert series at the school, the choirs perform at university and civic events, including frequent collaborations with the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra.
First Presbyterian Church Chancel Choir
First Presbyterian Church recently celebrated its 150th year of ministry. Formed in 1885, the Chancel Choir continues to play a central role in worship each Sunday. The Chancel Choir frequently participates in local festivals and concerts, performs major works -- which includes handbell and children’s choir programs -- and engages in "choir swaps" with other local Presbyterian choirs. including handbell and children’s choir programs. At present, more than 30 adult singers commit to weekly rehearsals and services.
Nebraska Children's Chorus Bel Canto
Bel Canto (Italian for "beautiful singing") is the premier touring choir and most advanced ensemble of the Nebraska Children's Chorus' six-choir professional training program. Comprised of students, age 10 to 18, Bel Canto has performed with the Omaha Symphony and Lincoln Symphony and been featured at state, regional, national, and international conferences. Bel Canto's performances are regarded for their unique sonority, meticulous tuning, and quality choral literature. Bel Canto has recorded five CDs, the most recent titled Reflections.
Sioux Center Concert Choir
Since 1988, more than 200 Sioux Center Concert Choir members have been selected for OPUS, All-State, North Central ACDA and ACDA honor choirs, awarded over 30 Outstanding Performance Awards, and earned in excess of 80 large-group Division I ratings at IHSMA Festivals. The choir has captured first place at numerous choral competitions, including the Blue Water Festival, Music In The Parks, and the New York City Choral Festival. The choirs have toured extensively, including a Carnegie Hall performance in 2000.
Sioux City Symphony Orchestra
For over 90 years, the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra has been the premiere performing arts organization in the Northwest Iowa, Southeast South Dakota and Northwest Nebraska tri-state area. The Symphony's programs include formal concerts, family concerts, school-day concerts, in-school educational programs, and three youth orchestras. With over 200 presentations annually, the Symphony fosters cultural, educational and economic development for the region and enriches the quality of life for thousands of tri-state area residents of all ages.
Meet the soloist
Richard Steinbach, pianist
Richard Steinbach has performed extensively as both soloist and collaborative artist in concerts throughout the U.S., Canada, Peru, France, Italy, Great Britain, New Zealand, Japan and The People's Republic of China. As the grand prize winner in the 1995 France Piano International Competition in Paris, he performed his solo debut recital at the Salle Cortot in Paris in January, 1996. Steinbach has appeared as soloist with the Southern Mississippi Symphony, the Sioux City Symphony and the Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional de Peru. Since 1997 Steinbach has joined forces with pianist/composer, Howard Helvey, to present duo piano concerts throughout the U.S. and abroad. Currently a professor of music at Briar Cliff, Steinbach holds degrees in piano performance from the University of Colorado, the Eastman School of Music, and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Iowa. Steinbach has released two solo recordings on the Towerhill label.
Meet the conductors
Sean Burton
Sean Burton is assistant professor of music and director of choral activities at Briar Cliff, where he conducts the Cliff Singers and Chamber Choir and teaches courses in conducting and choral methods. Burton is also Conductor of the Nebraska Children's Chorus Bel Canto. Ensembles under his direction have recorded eight compact discs and toured throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Europe. Active as a guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator, Burton regularly appears at summer programs, with honor choirs, and at festivals throughout the U.S. He has published more than 20 articles in scholarly journals and his performing editions and arrangements of choral music are published by Colla Voce Music, Inc. Burton is a graduate of the University of Hartford and Boston University. At present, he is completing the Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He and his wife, soprano Shannon Salyards, reside in Sioux City.
Norm Grimm
Norm Grimm is a graduate of Central College, Pella, Iowa, with a B.A. in voice and graduate studies at the University of Northern Iowa, Morningside College and the University of South Dakota. For the past 20 years he has taught at Sioux Center Community Schools where he directs the Concert Choir, Men's Choir, Women's Choir, middle school choirs, show choir and chamber choir. Grimm is a long-time member of the Iowa Choral Directors Association, serving as Northwest District Representative. He has served in the IHSMA District Advisory Group and conducted numerous festival choruses, including the 1993 OPUS Boys Honor Choir. Grimm has directed more than 40 musicals and plays and was the featured soloist on the 1999 Winter Pops Concert of the Northwest Iowa Symphony Orchestra. For 20 years, Norm sang with the gospel trio, His Light, recording seven albums. He and wife Marlys have four children and five grandchildren.
Jill Wilson
Jill Wilson earned a Bachelor of Music degree in music education with a choral emphasis from St. Olaf College, a Master of Music Education degree from the University of Northern Iowa and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree through Boston University. She has teaching experience at the junior high and high school levels in public and private schools across Iowa and has instructed private voice and piano students in both Iowa and Missouri. She currently serves as Director of the Leo Kucinski Academy of Music at Morningside College where she also directs the Bel Canto Women's Chorus and teaches courses in ear training and music appreciation. In addition to her responsibilities at Morningside, she directs the Chancel Choir at First Presbyterian Church and is an adjunct instructor at Western Iowa Tech Community College. Wilson is the Women's Choir Repertoire and Standards Chair for the Iowa Choral Directors Association.
It is in that spirit Briar Cliff University offers "Gloria!," a program of uplifting seasonal music performed by more than 250 musicians from western Iowa and eastern Nebraska.
Built upon the previous successes of Briar Cliff University's Christmas at Cathedral programs, the Briar Cliff University Choirs, First Presbyterian Church Chancel Choir, Nebraska Children's Chorus Bel Canto, Sioux Center Concert Choir, and Sioux City Symphony Orchestra will join forces Saturday at the Orpheum Theater to present this Christmas extravaganza.
"We were invited to move our concert by the Orpheum and the symphony," said Dr. Mary Day, associate professor of music and chair of the BC music department. "It was always well-attended at the Cathedral of the Epiphany, but parking would be better and more seating would be available at the Orpheum, so we decided to try it and see if we could make it work."
Day did not eliminate the future possibility of future concerts at the mother church of the Diocese of Sioux City.
"Cathedral is gorgeous and in terms of acoustics, excellent," she said. "We don't want to stop doing concerts there, but for this Christmas concert, we thought we would try another venue."
The Briar Cliff project will be presented in cooperation with the symphony, but will include a variety of other musical components.
BC faculty member and concert pianist Richard Steinbach will be a featured soloist and Sean Burton, BC director of choral activities, will serve as artistic director for the event. Burton will share the conducting responsibilities with Norm Grimm, director of choral activities at Sioux Center (Iowa) Community Schools, and Jill Wilson, director of the Chancel Choir at First Presbyterian Church, Sioux City.
"We wanted to get some new people in on this and keep the concert ecumenical," Day explained. "I've known Norm Grimm for at least 15 years from our Briar Cliff music camp and it's great to include Jill' and Sean's groups."
Late last summer when snow was far from everyone's thoughts, the conductors gathered and chose the music and group pieces for the concert, Day said.
"This is a big cooperative venture," she said. "It takes a lot of people to pull an event like this off."
The program will include a cappella choral, orchestral, concerto, and choral-orchestral pieces by such composers as Randol Alan Bass, George Chadwick, Felix Mendelssohn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, John Rutter, and Mack Wilberg.
Burton described the eclectic program as "a potpourri of selections that will compel the audience to embark upon an emotional journey of exuberant celebration, fervent religiosity, and genuine humility."
In addition to the performance of these varied works, audience participation will be invited during several Christmas carols, accompanied by full orchestra, Day said.
"Robert Shaw, the guru of American choral music, is credited with saying that Americans needed their own Christmas music and identity, so that's why he arranged carols for all kinds of choirs," she said. "For us it's all about doing a big Christmas concert; something that's not done a lot."
However, missing from the program will be the vocal talents of Day.
"Oh, I thought about singing but I'm involved with the administration of this event," she acknowledged, then added with a chuckle. "Besides somebody's got to be back stage."
The Briar Cliff University Music Department presents Christmas at the Orpheum: Gloria! at 8 p.m., Saturday at the Orpheum Theatre. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for senior citizens and students. Tickets are available at Briar Cliff University, 279-5417, First Presbyterian Church, 255-8919, and the Sioux Center Community Schools (712) 722-2985.
Meet the ensembles
Briar Cliff University Choirs
With an established choral tradition spanning eight decades, the Briar Cliff University Choirs have been selected for performance at major professional association conferences and on tour throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Europe. Both the Cliff Singers and Chamber Choir perform a variety of choral music. In addition to a regular concert series at the school, the choirs perform at university and civic events, including frequent collaborations with the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra.
First Presbyterian Church Chancel Choir
First Presbyterian Church recently celebrated its 150th year of ministry. Formed in 1885, the Chancel Choir continues to play a central role in worship each Sunday. The Chancel Choir frequently participates in local festivals and concerts, performs major works -- which includes handbell and children’s choir programs -- and engages in "choir swaps" with other local Presbyterian choirs. including handbell and children’s choir programs. At present, more than 30 adult singers commit to weekly rehearsals and services.
Nebraska Children's Chorus Bel Canto
Bel Canto (Italian for "beautiful singing") is the premier touring choir and most advanced ensemble of the Nebraska Children's Chorus' six-choir professional training program. Comprised of students, age 10 to 18, Bel Canto has performed with the Omaha Symphony and Lincoln Symphony and been featured at state, regional, national, and international conferences. Bel Canto's performances are regarded for their unique sonority, meticulous tuning, and quality choral literature. Bel Canto has recorded five CDs, the most recent titled Reflections.
Sioux Center Concert Choir
Since 1988, more than 200 Sioux Center Concert Choir members have been selected for OPUS, All-State, North Central ACDA and ACDA honor choirs, awarded over 30 Outstanding Performance Awards, and earned in excess of 80 large-group Division I ratings at IHSMA Festivals. The choir has captured first place at numerous choral competitions, including the Blue Water Festival, Music In The Parks, and the New York City Choral Festival. The choirs have toured extensively, including a Carnegie Hall performance in 2000.
Sioux City Symphony Orchestra
For over 90 years, the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra has been the premiere performing arts organization in the Northwest Iowa, Southeast South Dakota and Northwest Nebraska tri-state area. The Symphony's programs include formal concerts, family concerts, school-day concerts, in-school educational programs, and three youth orchestras. With over 200 presentations annually, the Symphony fosters cultural, educational and economic development for the region and enriches the quality of life for thousands of tri-state area residents of all ages.
Meet the soloist
Richard Steinbach, pianist
Richard Steinbach has performed extensively as both soloist and collaborative artist in concerts throughout the U.S., Canada, Peru, France, Italy, Great Britain, New Zealand, Japan and The People's Republic of China. As the grand prize winner in the 1995 France Piano International Competition in Paris, he performed his solo debut recital at the Salle Cortot in Paris in January, 1996. Steinbach has appeared as soloist with the Southern Mississippi Symphony, the Sioux City Symphony and the Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional de Peru. Since 1997 Steinbach has joined forces with pianist/composer, Howard Helvey, to present duo piano concerts throughout the U.S. and abroad. Currently a professor of music at Briar Cliff, Steinbach holds degrees in piano performance from the University of Colorado, the Eastman School of Music, and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Iowa. Steinbach has released two solo recordings on the Towerhill label.
Meet the conductors
Sean Burton
Sean Burton is assistant professor of music and director of choral activities at Briar Cliff, where he conducts the Cliff Singers and Chamber Choir and teaches courses in conducting and choral methods. Burton is also Conductor of the Nebraska Children's Chorus Bel Canto. Ensembles under his direction have recorded eight compact discs and toured throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Europe. Active as a guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator, Burton regularly appears at summer programs, with honor choirs, and at festivals throughout the U.S. He has published more than 20 articles in scholarly journals and his performing editions and arrangements of choral music are published by Colla Voce Music, Inc. Burton is a graduate of the University of Hartford and Boston University. At present, he is completing the Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He and his wife, soprano Shannon Salyards, reside in Sioux City.
Norm Grimm
Norm Grimm is a graduate of Central College, Pella, Iowa, with a B.A. in voice and graduate studies at the University of Northern Iowa, Morningside College and the University of South Dakota. For the past 20 years he has taught at Sioux Center Community Schools where he directs the Concert Choir, Men's Choir, Women's Choir, middle school choirs, show choir and chamber choir. Grimm is a long-time member of the Iowa Choral Directors Association, serving as Northwest District Representative. He has served in the IHSMA District Advisory Group and conducted numerous festival choruses, including the 1993 OPUS Boys Honor Choir. Grimm has directed more than 40 musicals and plays and was the featured soloist on the 1999 Winter Pops Concert of the Northwest Iowa Symphony Orchestra. For 20 years, Norm sang with the gospel trio, His Light, recording seven albums. He and wife Marlys have four children and five grandchildren.
Jill Wilson
Jill Wilson earned a Bachelor of Music degree in music education with a choral emphasis from St. Olaf College, a Master of Music Education degree from the University of Northern Iowa and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree through Boston University. She has teaching experience at the junior high and high school levels in public and private schools across Iowa and has instructed private voice and piano students in both Iowa and Missouri. She currently serves as Director of the Leo Kucinski Academy of Music at Morningside College where she also directs the Bel Canto Women's Chorus and teaches courses in ear training and music appreciation. In addition to her responsibilities at Morningside, she directs the Chancel Choir at First Presbyterian Church and is an adjunct instructor at Western Iowa Tech Community College. Wilson is the Women's Choir Repertoire and Standards Chair for the Iowa Choral Directors Association.
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