The Chorale opens its 2010-2011 programming with an appearance in support of the Imagination Celebration “What If… A Festival of Innovation and Imagination.”  According to Festival organizers, the theme is, “collaboration across the community designed to attract and actively connect rural, suburban, and urban residents in the Pikes Peak Region … a region-wide event that showcase(s) the innovation and creativity of the Pikes Peak Region. Festival goers experience the breadth and depth of creativity/innovation in this region through interactive presentations, hands-on demonstrations, exhibitions, and performances occurring throughout the Festival area.” As the event occurs on September 11^th the Chorale will sing “This is my Country” as the finale of the performances on the Pikes Peak Center’s main stage in tribute to those who died on this date, thereby transforming a day of tragedy into a day of creative energy.

This new Arts Festival includes many varied collaborative works centering upon Dance, Live Music, and Visual Art.  The festival will showcase over 225 professional Colorado Springs artists singing, dancing, playing music or designing art as part of seven performance pieces for the stage. It is estimated that a further 200 will be involved in a similar fashion through mini performances or exhibiting work in the lobby. Invited artists include: 4 Pelos/Losdenmedium Dance Company from San Jose, Costa Rica;  Roberto Lizano, Costa Rican Visual Artist; Kaminari Japanese Taiko Drum Ensemble, Japan and Crestone, Colorado; 3rd Law Dance Company from Boulder, Colorado. In addition to the Chorale, locally fulfilling the evening will also be work created or performed by: The Ormao Dance Company; Colorado Vocal Arts Ensemble; Quattro Mani Piano Duet/Colorado College Music Faculty; Japan-American Society of Southern Colorado; Pikes Peak Arts Council Visual Artists; University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Music, Film & Visual Arts Faculty; Pikes Peak Community College Music, Dance & Visual Arts Faculty.

As a new and exciting departure for the Chorale and its audiences, we will offer the Kyrie, Credo, and Gloria from the vibrant, polyrhythmic Misa Criolla. The work, a mass by the Argentine composer Ariel Ramirez (1921-2010), will be sung in Spanish. It presents a synthesis of popular and liturgical styles based upon the rhythms and melodies of South American folk music as each movement is based upon a different Argentine folk dance. It will feature the eight-member dance troupe from Costa Rica, 4 Pelos/Losdenmedium, choreographed by David Capps of Hunter College, New York, and will be accompanied by a percussion ensemble. Also partnering in the performance will be visual artist Roberto Lizano, master of Costa Rican plastic arts and noted for his innovative tropical characters, as Mr. Lozano simultaneously creates art on stage.

Affordable tickets, a packed house, a beautifully decorated stage with striking and atmospheric lighting, and special guest performers combine to heighten a delightful family evening of traditional, favorite, and new Christmas music. 

In this, its 24^th Annual Holiday Concert at the acoustically superb Pikes Peak Center, the Chorale will bring joy to the season by presenting a beautiful and inspiring emotional experience that touches souls and lifts spirits, just the right amount of fun and a bit of the Irish, a “touch of Celtic Christmas,” as we join with our special guests, the “Swallowtail” hammer dulcimer, guitar and Irish flute Celtic trio in the Christmas favorite “What Child is This,” (“Greensleeves”). They’ll be carols and a “concert within a concert,” three splendid motets by Mozart to celebrate the spiritual side of the season and audience sing-alongs and popular Christmas standards to recall the memories of childhood Christmases past and to create family memories for the future with selections by John Rutter and Bob Chilcott. The program culminates with Dan Brink’s exciting arrangement of “Deck the Hall.” A plus is a brief debut appearance of The Five Conductors (You’ll have to attend to find out who they are). Add to this Santa and Mrs. Claus in the lobby, decorations, spectacular lighting and the accomplished Carol Wilson, organist, for a very festive Christmas celebration.

And we’ve completely restructured our ticket pricing in order to provide even greater value for our audience. 

DECK THE HALL (Reprise)
Saturday, December 11, 2010, 3:00 pm 
First Baptist Church, Cripple Creek
137 N. 1st Street 

 The Chorale, along with our guests, the “Swallowtail” Trio, journey to the historic First Baptist Church in Cripple Creek for a special Deck the Hall Benefit Concert for the Community of Caring Foundation Aspen Mine Center, a “one stop resource shop,” home to two dozen social service agencies serving all of Teller County.

PHILHARMONIC CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR
Sunday, December 19, 2010   Pikes Peak Center, 2:30pm

During this concert of festive Christmas music, the Chorale will appear as guests of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Thomas Wilson.  In addition to instrumental works by Leroy Anderson, Gustav Holst, Howard Blake, and Irving Berlin, the Chorale, together with the Philharmonic, will present favorite Messiah excerpts (including the marvelous Hallelujah Chorus) as well as other pieces by Bach and Rutter.  Additionally, Randol Bass’s ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas  will be narrated by Chorale conductor Donald P. Jenkins.

 

BEETHOVEN’S NINTH
April 16, 2011 8:00 pm, and April 17, 2:30 pm, Pikes Peak Center

 Lawrence Leighton Smith conducts the Colorado Springs Philharmonic Orchestra and the Chorale in two unforgettable and most timely Vanguard works celebrating tolerance and brotherhood.

The Chorale will give its last performance under the baton of Lawrence Leighton Smith prior to his departure as he conducts the Philharmonic Orchestra and the Chorale in two unforgettable and most timely Vanguard works celebrating tolerance and brotherhood. First is Mendelssohn’s Die erste Walpurgisnacht, a magnificent setting of Goethe’s tale of the first Walpurgis night, in which the Druids’ prank overcomes intolerance and preserves their Springtime celebration. Then, as finale, the Philharmonic and Chorale perform Ode to Joy, Beethoven’s great Symphony No. 9. The Choral Symphony hymns the brotherhood of mankind. It remains the most convincing musical essay ever written on this topic and one of classical music’s most popular and audience enthralling pieces.
See Philharmonic's Program Notes

USAF Academy Band Spectacular!
May 17, 2011   Pikes Peak Center, 7:30pm

The Chorale, as guests of the world-class USAFA Band, Lt.Col. Larry H. Lang, Conductor, will offer patriotic and “pops” music.

For our closing event of the season, the Chorale joins the full United States Air Force Academy Concert Band in a concert of “pops” and patriotic music as a part of the annual Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce salute to the military. The free event is wildly popular and previous performances the Pikes Peak Center have been filled to overflowing. These concerts have been recorded and televised on local affiliates of PBS and the major networks and viewed by as many as 54 million people in 177 countries.