¡Alegría! (Joy!) a Melodia Women’s Choir of NYC Concert

Festive Songs of Latin America to Welcome the Holidays

New York / New York / United States – WEBWIRE – Friday, November 6, 2015

Artistic Director Cynthia Powell with Melodia Women’s Choir of NYC

“The rich choral fabric of Latin America, with its enticing rhythms, enchanting melodies and the joyful folk traditions that surround various holiday celebrations, will be a thrill for our audiences,” says Melodia Artistic Director Cynthia Powell. “And a special source of joy will be to sing with Vox Nova Girls’ Choir!”

Melodia Women’s Choir, conducted by Cynthia Powell, raises its voice for ¡Alegría! (Joy!), a vibrant concert inspired by the sounds of Latin America and the American Southwest. The Spanish-language program includes Conrad Susa’s carols and lullabies of the American Southwest, as well as works by Francisco Nuñez, César Alejandro Carrillo, Joan Szymko, Bob Chilcott and others.

Melodia is also pleased to announce special guests Vox Nova Girls’ Choir of the Special Music School, Kaufman Center, conducted by Emily John, who will perform works by Francisco Guerrero and Alberto Grau as part of a new artistic collaboration between the two generations of singers.

“The rich choral fabric of Latin America, with its enticing rhythms, enchanting melodies and the joyful folk traditions that surround various holiday celebrations, will be a thrill for our audiences,” says Melodia Artistic Director Cynthia Powell. “And a special source of joy will be to sing with Vox Nova Girls’ Choir!”

PROGRAM
Conrad Susa Carols and lullabies of the American Southwest
Francisco Núñez - Misa Pequeña para Niños
César Alejandro Carrillo - Ave Maria
Atahualpa Yupanqui (arr. Emilio Solé) - Duerme Negrito
Bob Chilcott - Cuatro Baladas Amarillas
Joan Szymko - Nada te turbe
Francisco Guerrero - Hermosa Catalina*
Alberto Grau (arr.) - La Cucaracha*
* Performed by Vox Nova Girls Choir

PERFORMERS
Melodia Women’s Choir, led by Cynthia Powell, special guests Vox Nova Girls’ Choir of the Special Music School, Kaufman Center, conducted by Emily John, and instrumentalists Samantha Wells (guitar), Ingrid Gordon (marimba), Elaine Christy (harp), and Taisiya Pushkar (piano).

ABOUT MELODIA
With more than a decade of adventurous, fresh and wide-ranging repertoire that offers rarely heard and stylistically diverse works, Melodia has established a reputation as the premier women’s choir of NYC. Called “riveting” by the New York Times and hailed by composers such as Meredith Monk, Hilary Tann and Ronald Perera, Melodia is committed to nurturing emerging women composers through commissions and performances. Founded by Executive Director Jenny Clarke in 2003, Melodia collaborates with and supports women composers, musicians and performers across a wide musical spectrum. melodiawomenschoir.org

ABOUT VOX NOVA GIRLS’ CHOIR
Under the direction of Emily John, the Vox Nova Choirs feature students in grades 5 through 8 of the Special Music School, Kaufman Center. The choruses focus on performing music from across eras and genres with a special focus on modern works. Recent noteworthy performances include Panda Chant II with the Meredith Monk ensemble at the Whitney Museum, Britten’s Voices for Today with the Cerddorion Vocal Ensemble, the Messengers of Peace in the Opera Orchestra New York’s production of Wagner’s Rienzi at Avery Fisher Hall and John Corigliano’s Fern Hill with the Queens College Choir.