Choirtap [k-wire-tap] - noun, verb, -tapped, -tapping, adjective.

The northern lights are happening right now in Norway and are reported to be the most intense display of this fantastic phenomenon the country has seen in decades.

I know this because I was having lunch with Ola Gjeilo recently and he mentioned the northern lights were happening. He also talked about the piece he’d written of the same name, “Northern Lights.”

I thought, wow, how serendipitous that the Phoenix Chorale has released our newest recording (featuring Ola’s music and titled Northern Lights) at the same time these amazing images are coming from Norway. I can’t even believe it’s real!

So, here are Ola’s own words recounting his experience witnessing the northern lights and how this inspiring event moved him to write the piece of the same name:

“Northern Lights is my most Norwegian production in years; composed in an attic outside of Oslo at Christmas time in 2007, it’s one of the few works I have written in Norway since I moved to New York in 2001. The U.S. is my home now, so I guess my work has been increasingly reflecting my love for American music, writing and scenery. Most of all, this piece and its text is about beauty. About a ‘terrible’, powerful beauty, although the music is quite serene on the surface:

Pulchra es amica mea,
suavis et decora sicut Jerusalem,
terribilis ut castrorum acies ordinata.
Averte oculos tuos a me
quia ipsi me avolare fecerunt.

Thou art beautiful, O my love,
sweet and comely as Jerusalem,
terrible as an army set in array.
Turn away thy eyes from me,
for they have made me flee away.

Looking out from the attic window that Christmas in Oslo, over a wintery lake under the stars, I was thinking about how this ‘terrible’ beauty is so profoundly reflected in the northern lights, or aurora borealis, which, having grown up in the southern part of the country, I have only seen once or twice in my life. It is one of the most beautiful natural phenomena I’ve ever witnessed, and has such a powerful, electric quality that must have been both mesmerizing and terrifying to people in the past, when no one knew what it was and when much superstition was attached to these experiences.

Northern Norway is one of the areas where aurora borealis is easiest to spot, thanks to the warming effects of the Gulf Stream, which makes the area habitable. At www.visitnorway.com, you can find incredible pictures of the aurora borealis phenomenon, pictures that also greatly inspired this piece.”

Read more about northern lights in Norway – and see more images – on National Geographic or VisitNorway.com.

Read more about the Phoenix Chorale’s new CD: Northern Lights: Choral Works by Ola Gjeilo.

Listen to samples on iTunes here. Or, pre-order your copy on Amazon now!

- Jen Rogers, Director of Marketing & Communications

I had the pleasure of attending the Phoenix Chorale’s annual holiday concert last month.  My foursome spanned the gamut of choral experiences: myself, who was already fairly familiar with many of the pieces on the program, my wife who has only a passing interest in choral music but has some key pieces she truly loves, a 20-something co-worker who used to sing in a choir in high school and his wife who, while a very talented vocalist herself, wasn’t as familiar with the traditional choral world.  By the end of the evening, the impact of the shared experience would bring all of us to the same conclusion: we had experienced something stunningly beautiful.

It’s not just the fact that the Chorale picks beautiful music to sing – indeed Charles Bruffy was in top form in taking the audience on a sonic journey of Christmas literature through the centuries – but it’s that they execute those selections with such silky-smooth perfection.  My co-worker remarked early-on he was surprised that the Chorale was on the small side in regards to sheer numbers. He was right:  this is no mass of humanity like the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  But the Chorale’s strength transcends that of mere numbers and arrives instead in the way of skillful navigation of the harmonies most other groups merely get ‘pretty much’ right. The Chorale more often than not gets them perfect and reaps the benefits of musical overtones that, in the reverberating acoustic space, multiply their sonic size until the sound is wrapped around the listener like a warm blanket.

A highlight of the program was the Chorale’s tour of four different settings of O Magnum Mysterium.  Two in particular, the Ola Gjeilo and Morten Lauridsen settings, are textbook examples of the beauty that is achieved through harmonic dissonance and subsequent release.  Other choirs I’ve heard treat the dissonances as something to be endured until they can relish in the sonorous release that eventually occurs when major or minor triad chords are reached.  The Phoenix Chorale instead relishes the dissonances – the singers slide into close harmonies of major or minor 2nds like you or I might slide into a pair of favorite shoes and then brings them alive as dynamics swell or shrink and the choir breathes as one living organism.  The agitated sounds of the dissonances wash through the air, drawing every listener in as our triad-trained ears simultaneously get excited at the complex sound being created and subconsciously beg for resolution.  And then resolution arrives – not in a harried ‘I-can’t-believe-we-made-it’ way that a lesser choir may give the feeling of, but rather a feeling of finding exactly the place you were looking for after a long and passionate journey.

As the dynamics of these two pieces continued to rise and fall, the audience became more silent and exponentially more focused.  It wasn’t until the end of the Gjeilo piece that I realized I had been gripping my wife’s hand so tightly and my breathing had slowed as every part of me was transfixed by the sounds being created on stage.  As Charles Bruffy’s hands fell to his sides at the end of the Lauridsen I felt as though I had just finished watching an epic big-screen drama complete with conflict, love, strife and joy.

Very few things in this world seem to be able to command undivided attention anymore and I will be the first to admit that I do nothing to fight that trend.  My iPhone is never more than 6 inches away and all too often I see life events through the lens of what they would sound like if described in 140 characters or less.  But for those few precious minutes spent enveloped in the sound of the Phoenix Chorale’s expert navigation of dissonance and resolution, my mind was of one thought and one focus.  I am thankful that there are still experiences to be had such as this, especially during a season where split attention is all but demanded.

The Phoenix Chorale is the true cure for an overly-multi-tasked mind and a bastion of tranquility during a season gone mad.

- Brendan Anderson, Digital Media Consultant
and Ahwatukee Foothills Concert Band Music Director

Singing changes lives. When I first sang with the Chorale four years ago, my life changed dramatically…

- with the thrill and challenge of making music with a world-class conductor and first-rate musicians…

- by performing for enthusiastic, supportive audiences…

- and above all — by joining a close-knit musical family.

I believe the Phoenix Chorale has touched you as well, maybe even in a life-changing way.

As the singer representative to the Chorale Board, I have learned that we operate on a scary-tiny budget–yet with it we accomplish more each year. I’ve also learned how critical your donations are to the very existence of our organization. Did you know that over 50% of the Chorale’s annual budget comes from donors just like you?

The Grammy Award-winning Phoenix Chorale remains a major point of pride for Phoenix, Arizona and beyond – we are ambassadors to the world and an uplifting force for beauty amid the many challenges we all face.

Yet the Chorale would not exist without you, a member of our devoted audience.

So I ask for your financial support and partnership. Please help us advance our mission of enriching life through excellence and distinction in choral artistry.

On behalf of all 27 Chorale singers and Charles Bruffy, please accept our sincere, heartfelt thanks for all you do to support the Phoenix Chorale. Help us keep singing for you!

Sincerely,

Stephanie Stickford, Phoenix Chorale Alto & Singer Representative to the Board

P.S. If you would prefer to send your contribution by mail to our office, please send it to: 
Phoenix Chorale, 100 W. Roosevelt St., Phoenix, AZ 85003.

All donations are tax deductible. Click here for more information about making a contribution to the Phoenix Chorale.

December 31, 2011 is nearly here! The Phoenix Chorale relies on the generous support of our patrons – over 50% of our annual budget comes from donors just like you. Our continued growth and success is only possible with your support. To learn more about how you can make a difference, click here or donate now below.

To mail your contribution, please send to:
PHOENIX CHORALE
100 W. Roosevelt St.
Phoenix, AZ 85003

Thank you for your support!

Two months into my internship with the Phoenix Chorale I was excited to shoot the video for “A Chorale Christmas” at Christ Church of the Ascension in Paradise Valley. For pictures of the video shoot click here.

Baby Charles Bruffy

It was during the editing process that I learned that one of the challenges with shooting a video is figuring out what to use and what to cut. During the video shoot, Artistic Director Charles Bruffy reminisced about his winters in the Midwest as a child.  “I would get all bundled up and sit in the back seat of our family station wagon, sing Christmas carols to myself, and look out the window at the snow and… cows… they had cows in Michigan.”

I don’t know what it was but the way Charles said “cows” was absolutely hilarious! It was then that we had to decide – add the sound bite about cows or not. Would that memorable story in Charles’s interview make the video? I was bummed that the reminiscent sound bite of his spotted bovine friends didn’t make the final cut — but in its place are two especially warm interviews: one with Charles and the other with soprano Danya Tiller.

Danya Tiller & Charles Bruffy

Danya is in her sixth season with the Chorale. She is Artistic Director of the Phoenix Girls Chorus and she teaches at Chandler Prep Academy.  In her interview, Danya speaks about her experience with Arizona music educator and arranger Ed Hughes. The Chorale is singing his arrangement of Ave Maria on “A Chorale Christmas.” She also shared about what it’s like to sing with the Phoenix Chorale.

Check out the finished product!

Some of the gorgeous sound clips are featured on the “A Chorale Christmas” concert series and can also be heard on the Chorale’s CD “Of a Rose: A Chorale Christmas.” In his interview, Charles also gave us this PERFECT 60 second spot for the new CD:

You can read more about our new CD “Of A Rose” here or just buy it here.

“A Chorale Christmas” concert tickets can be purchased here.

Hope to see you at our upcoming concerts!

- Katie Paetz, Marketing & Communications Intern

December 17-20, 2011

An Arizona tradition! The Phoenix Chorale celebrates the spirit of the holiday season with music by René Clausen, Ola Gjeilo (including his O Magnum Mysterium from our upcoming CD release) and much more. We’ll also continue our holiday tradition of performing two special evenings at the gorgeously decorated Brophy Chapel.

December 17, 2011 – Saturday afternoon at 2:00 pm
American Lutheran Church (17200 Del Webb Blvd., Sun City – map)
Tickets for this concert are still available and can be purchased at the door starting at 1:00 pm.

December 17, 2011 – Saturday evening at 7:30 pm
Trinity Episcopal Cathedral (100 W. Roosevelt St., Phoenix – map)
* KBAQ 89.5 FM Talks at Trinity starts at 6:30 pm
Tickets for this concert are still available and can be purchased at the door starting at 6:00 pm.

December 18, 2011 – Sunday afternoon at 3:00 pm
Christ Church of the Ascension (4015 East Lincoln Drive, Paradise Valley – map)
Tickets for this concert are still available and can be purchased at the door starting at 2:00 pm.

December 19, 2011 – Monday evening at 7:30 pm
Brophy Chapel (4701 N. Central Ave., Phoenix – map)
Tickets for this concert are still available and can be purchased at the door starting at 6:30 pm.

December 20, 2011 – Tuesday evening at 7:30 pm
Brophy Chapel (4701 N. Central Ave., Phoenix – map)
This concert is now SOLD OUT.

The Phoenix Chorale is seeking a Marketing & Communication Intern for the Spring 2012 Semester.

As Marketing & Communications Intern, you will gain a broad range of experience in a variety of areas including (but not limited to) patron services, concert operations, volunteer coordination, media relations, social media, fundraising, box office, event planning, concert promotion, administrative support, and special projects as assigned. Previous experience in any of these areas is a plus – but not required – as you will receive on-the-job training. More details on the internship available here.

To apply, submit your cover letter and resume by email to:
Jen Rogers, Director of Marketing & Communications
jen@phoenixchorale.org

December 2, 2011

Our next Free Open Rehearsal is coming up on Friday, December 2, 2011. Free Open Rehearsals are held throughout the season and offer an opportunity for anyone (anyone!) to experience the Phoenix Chorale for free – and to get a special behind-the-scenes look at music in the making.

No tickets, no reservations, just come as you are, whenever you want, and stay as long as you like!

Free Open Rehearsals take place inside Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in downtown Phoenix. Trinity Cathedral is located on the northwest corner of Roosevelt and 1st Avenue, just west of the Roosevelt Arts District light rail stop. Or, if you drive, free parking is located on nearby streets and in the garage north of the church.

FREE OPEN REHEARSAL
Friday, December 2 – 6:30 – 9:30 pm
Trinity Episcopal Cathedral
100 W. Roosevelt St., Phoenix – map