The Poet’s Song concert by Melodia Women’s Choir Features World Premiere Commission for Shakespeare 450

MELODIA WOMEN’S CHOIR OF NYC Presents
The Poet’s Song


SAT, MAY 3 at 7:30 PM
Holy Apostles Church 296 Ninth
Chelsea, NYC
Subway: C & E to W. 23rd St.
 
SUN, MAY 4 at 4:00 PM
DiMenna Center for Classical Music
450 West 37th Street, NYC
A, C, E, 1, 2, 3, W 34th Street
 
TICKETS $20 advance/ $25 door ($15 advance. students and seniors)
Available Tickets at www.melodiawomenschoir.org or at (800) 838-3006
 
Melodia Women’s Choir led by Artistic Director Cynthia Powell heralds the poetry and music of spring with The Poet’s Song, a lyrical journey from William Shakespeare to William Blake to Johnny Mercer. Anchoring the concert is the world premiere of Full Fathom Five, composed by Belize-born, London-based Errollyn Wallen, whom the UK Observer calls a “renaissance woman of contemporary British music.”  Wallen’s unique vision for piano, flute, clarinet, percussion, and women’s voices is a setting of text from Shakespeare’s The Tempest and is dedicated to the memory of Nelson Mandela (1918-2013).
 
Continuing the celebration of Shakespeare 450 is Emma Lou Diemer’s “Three Shakespeare Madrigals.” Also on the program is Piping Down the Valleys Wild by Herbert Howells (1892-1983) for flute, piano, and women’s choir, with poetry by William Blake (1757-1827). The English poet Edward Lear’s (1812-1888) humorous nonsense poems set the tone for William Mathias’ playful Learsongs for voices and piano four hands, while Lear’s contemporary, poet Christina Rossetti (1830-1894), lends her text to Echo, by Eleanor Daley (1907-2003). Favorites from the American songbook, including Come Rain or Come Shine, All the Things You Are,”Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me, and Satin Doll complete the tour.
 
Performing will be award-winning pianist Taisiya Pushkar (taisiyapushkar.com), accomplished flutist Nathalie Joachim (flutronix.com), clarinetist Alucia Scalzo, saxophonist Debra Kreisberg (debrakreisberg.com), and percussionists Michelle Cozzi and Chihiro Shibayama (chihiroshibayama.com).
 
ABOUT MELODIA
The 24 voices strong Melodia Women’s Choir has established a reputation as the premier women’s choir of NYC through more than a decade of adventurous, fresh and wide ranging repertoire that explores rarely heard, stylistically diverse and often original and debut works. Called “riveting” by the NewYork Times and hailed by composers such as Meredith Monk, Melodia is committed to nurturing emerging women composers through commissions, residencies and performances. Founded by Executive Director Jenny Clarke in 2003, Melodia performers music for women’s voices across the musical spectrum. melodiawomenschoir.org
 
ABOUT CYNTHIA POWELL
Cynthia Powell, founding conductor and Artistic Director, celebrates her eleventh season with Melodia Women’s Choir. In addition to her positions as Director of Music and Organist at West End Collegiate Church in NYC, and Organist/Choirmaster of Temple Sinai in Tenafl y, New Jersey, she serves as the Artistic Director of the Stonewall Chorale, the nation’s first LGBT chorus. Powell has performed at Lincoln Center, the Guggenheim, and the Whitney Museum with composer Meredith Monk, and has toured the U.S. and Europe. She has conducted many major works for chorus and orchestra.
 
ABOUT ERROLLYN WALLEN
A respected a contemporary composer, and singer-songwriter, the Ivor Novello Award recipient has written commissions for the BBC, Royal Opera House and composes across genres from R&B to opera to choral to TV and film scores. errollynwallen.com

More information: www.melodiawomenschoir.org

Contact Information

Jenny Clarke

Executive Director

Melodia Women’s Choir of NYC

womenschoir@mindspring.com