FY16 Artistic Council & Education Outreach Reports
Communications – Matt Goinz
Cantus Activities Week by Week
• 1/25 Finalist auditionees notified; Peoria IL; Wingate NC; Spindale NC; Durham NC
• 2/1 Gaston NC; Norfolk VA; Washington DC; Canticleer at the bar in Newport News, VA
• 2/8 New York City (WQKR webcast concert); Danville KY; Maryville TN; Jonesboro, AR
• 2/15 Grand Rapids MI; Detroit, MI
Communication Highlights
• Initiate conversations for fundraiser with Chanticleer in Minneapolis
• World Choral Symposium invitation
Press, Media, and other Comments
• True Concord e-blast prior to and after concert
• Interview with KASU (Jonesboro AR)
• Social media video for Duke Performances
• Canticleer/Chantus Ave Maria video goes viral (1.4 million views)
• Paul Rudoi blogs about the experience (http://www.cantussings.org/2016/02/09/chantus-canticleer/
• WQXR webcast (hour long program hosted by Elliott Forrest)
• APM broadcast of Valentine’s Day special (hour long program hosted by Alison Young)
• CVNC Review (http://www.cvnc.org/article.cfm?articleId=7805)
Production – Matt Tintes
Since I wrote last month’s report, we have been on tour. Therefore there is little new news to report regarding spring home concert rehearsals and preparation. As we got to the second half of our current month of touring, we began incorporating rehearsals of our spring program music, and music for the St. Olaf Viking Choir collaboration, into our preconcert rehearsals. We look forward to diving back into rehearsal mode in early March.
Speaking of the St. Olaf collaboration, after consulting with Mark Stover (their director), I created a rehearsal schedule for Cantus and The Viking Choir that should work well for both ensembles. We will have a couple of days prior to that to rehearse the new Dale Warland piece that we’ll be premiering at the concert, as well as a few other joint pieces we will be performing together. I think that this will be a fun and enriching experience for both ensembles.
As we look forward to audition day, I have made sure that all the requisite rooms have been reserved at Westminster. So far there have been no issues, and hopefully we will have an easy to manage audition day this year. Mary has also been in touch with Westminster to make sure that they are aware that this is our audition day, so hopefully there won’t be any unforeseen interruptions.
Programming – Chris Foss
I had a few conversations with Mark Stover finalizing programming details for the March 4 concert with Viking Chorus. I also spoke with Dale briefly about his pieces and his involvement in the concert. I also thanked him for his efforts toward our (successful) application to the World Choral Symposium.
I spoke with Roger Treece on the phone, received congrats on our WQXR streaming show in New York (Roger watched it live in LA!). He stated several times he was very happy with our performance and interpretation, and offering 3 very small notes for improvement.
We had a successful presentation at IMEA about the composition/arranging process for Cantus, especially in regards to current and former members of the group. The reps for IMEA were very happy and were also very interested in having us back, possibly even for their events this summer.
Zac has finished the first draft of the media component for WYHM, and the group will review and refine in the next few weeks.
Otherwise, programming work has been light this month, mostly because we’ve been entirely on tour since the last report.
Education Outreach – Sam Green
High School Residency
Our Annual HSR Festival Day is coming up on Saturday February 27 at Zion Lutheran Church in Anoka. We’re expecting a full house of over 220 students, directors, and volunteers! Special thanks to the Board Members who are helping out this year! On this day, the mass choir will rehearse together for their performance at the End-of-Year culmination concert, and the students will be integrated with the other schools in interactive breakout sessions lead by the singers of Cantus. Pizza and impromptu student performances always make lunch memorable! We are very excited for a full day of fun and music making.
National Outreach
We had the pleasure of working with a phenomenal choir at Wingate University who is preparing for a spring ACDA (American Choral Director) performance. The other singers agreed that working with this group was like “driving a Ferrari”. These students were very responsive and implemented our feedback immediately during the masterclass.
Duke University’s pop acappella group, Rhythm & Blue, is preparing for their collegiate
a cappella contest, and we were fortunate to have nearly one-on-one instruction with their students. A very grateful e-mail from their student leader followed our work with them.
We had a full audience including middle schoolers and community members at our East Gaston NC masterclass. We worked on engaging the singers in emotional intent with their repertoire. We visited 5 different schools in Virginia as a part of the Virginia Arts Festival. Audiences ranged from pre-K students clapping along with the beat at a school concert, to Performing Arts High School students with thoughtful questions about life as a professional musician, and what it means to find your passion in performing.
Our final outreaches on this tour took place in Kentucky at Centre College, and Tennessee at Maryville College. We were contracted to provide a lecture demonstration for freshmen Humanities students in Kentucky, with the request from the presenter that we spend a considerable amount of time comparing and contrasting the Josquin Ave Maria and the Biebl Ave Maria. Unfortunately, what we presented to the students was not to the presenter’s liking, and he wrote us a lengthy e-mail in protest after our well-received concert two days later. This snafu has puzzled us all, and we are trying to rebuild trust with this particular presenter, who had wonderful stories to share with us about his relationship with Cantus in the past.
In Maryville College, we were contracted to do a lecture demonstration for music students. Ten minutes before our outreach began, the Director of Choral Activities told us they had 3 choirs who were ready to sing in a masterclass for us. Apparently, the Director changed the format of our outreach even after Matthew Goinz and I had been in contact with her spelling out our expectations for a lecture demonstration. It was frustrating at first that we were forced to change what we were prepared for. However, the ensembles sang well, and had a meaningful and productive masterclass with us. I am happy to explain any of these instances in greater detail, but for brevity, I will end my report here.
Spread the word that Cantus offers a variety of educational outreach opportunities locally and around the country each year. If you know educators/organizations interested in working with us, refer them to education@cantussings.org, or contact Sam at sgreen@cantussings.org.
Cantus Activities Week by Week
• 1/25 Finalist auditionees notified; Peoria IL; Wingate NC; Spindale NC; Durham NC
• 2/1 Gaston NC; Norfolk VA; Washington DC; Canticleer at the bar in Newport News, VA
• 2/8 New York City (WQKR webcast concert); Danville KY; Maryville TN; Jonesboro, AR
• 2/15 Grand Rapids MI; Detroit, MI
Communication Highlights
• Initiate conversations for fundraiser with Chanticleer in Minneapolis
• World Choral Symposium invitation
Press, Media, and other Comments
• True Concord e-blast prior to and after concert
• Interview with KASU (Jonesboro AR)
• Social media video for Duke Performances
• Canticleer/Chantus Ave Maria video goes viral (1.4 million views)
• Paul Rudoi blogs about the experience (http://www.cantussings.org/2016/02/09/chantus-canticleer/
• WQXR webcast (hour long program hosted by Elliott Forrest)
• APM broadcast of Valentine’s Day special (hour long program hosted by Alison Young)
• CVNC Review (http://www.cvnc.org/article.cfm?articleId=7805)
Production – Matt Tintes
Since I wrote last month’s report, we have been on tour. Therefore there is little new news to report regarding spring home concert rehearsals and preparation. As we got to the second half of our current month of touring, we began incorporating rehearsals of our spring program music, and music for the St. Olaf Viking Choir collaboration, into our preconcert rehearsals. We look forward to diving back into rehearsal mode in early March.
Speaking of the St. Olaf collaboration, after consulting with Mark Stover (their director), I created a rehearsal schedule for Cantus and The Viking Choir that should work well for both ensembles. We will have a couple of days prior to that to rehearse the new Dale Warland piece that we’ll be premiering at the concert, as well as a few other joint pieces we will be performing together. I think that this will be a fun and enriching experience for both ensembles.
As we look forward to audition day, I have made sure that all the requisite rooms have been reserved at Westminster. So far there have been no issues, and hopefully we will have an easy to manage audition day this year. Mary has also been in touch with Westminster to make sure that they are aware that this is our audition day, so hopefully there won’t be any unforeseen interruptions.
Programming – Chris Foss
I had a few conversations with Mark Stover finalizing programming details for the March 4 concert with Viking Chorus. I also spoke with Dale briefly about his pieces and his involvement in the concert. I also thanked him for his efforts toward our (successful) application to the World Choral Symposium.
I spoke with Roger Treece on the phone, received congrats on our WQXR streaming show in New York (Roger watched it live in LA!). He stated several times he was very happy with our performance and interpretation, and offering 3 very small notes for improvement.
We had a successful presentation at IMEA about the composition/arranging process for Cantus, especially in regards to current and former members of the group. The reps for IMEA were very happy and were also very interested in having us back, possibly even for their events this summer.
Zac has finished the first draft of the media component for WYHM, and the group will review and refine in the next few weeks.
Otherwise, programming work has been light this month, mostly because we’ve been entirely on tour since the last report.
Education Outreach – Sam Green
High School Residency
Our Annual HSR Festival Day is coming up on Saturday February 27 at Zion Lutheran Church in Anoka. We’re expecting a full house of over 220 students, directors, and volunteers! Special thanks to the Board Members who are helping out this year! On this day, the mass choir will rehearse together for their performance at the End-of-Year culmination concert, and the students will be integrated with the other schools in interactive breakout sessions lead by the singers of Cantus. Pizza and impromptu student performances always make lunch memorable! We are very excited for a full day of fun and music making.
National Outreach
We had the pleasure of working with a phenomenal choir at Wingate University who is preparing for a spring ACDA (American Choral Director) performance. The other singers agreed that working with this group was like “driving a Ferrari”. These students were very responsive and implemented our feedback immediately during the masterclass.
Duke University’s pop acappella group, Rhythm & Blue, is preparing for their collegiate
a cappella contest, and we were fortunate to have nearly one-on-one instruction with their students. A very grateful e-mail from their student leader followed our work with them.
We had a full audience including middle schoolers and community members at our East Gaston NC masterclass. We worked on engaging the singers in emotional intent with their repertoire. We visited 5 different schools in Virginia as a part of the Virginia Arts Festival. Audiences ranged from pre-K students clapping along with the beat at a school concert, to Performing Arts High School students with thoughtful questions about life as a professional musician, and what it means to find your passion in performing.
Our final outreaches on this tour took place in Kentucky at Centre College, and Tennessee at Maryville College. We were contracted to provide a lecture demonstration for freshmen Humanities students in Kentucky, with the request from the presenter that we spend a considerable amount of time comparing and contrasting the Josquin Ave Maria and the Biebl Ave Maria. Unfortunately, what we presented to the students was not to the presenter’s liking, and he wrote us a lengthy e-mail in protest after our well-received concert two days later. This snafu has puzzled us all, and we are trying to rebuild trust with this particular presenter, who had wonderful stories to share with us about his relationship with Cantus in the past.
In Maryville College, we were contracted to do a lecture demonstration for music students. Ten minutes before our outreach began, the Director of Choral Activities told us they had 3 choirs who were ready to sing in a masterclass for us. Apparently, the Director changed the format of our outreach even after Matthew Goinz and I had been in contact with her spelling out our expectations for a lecture demonstration. It was frustrating at first that we were forced to change what we were prepared for. However, the ensembles sang well, and had a meaningful and productive masterclass with us. I am happy to explain any of these instances in greater detail, but for brevity, I will end my report here.
Spread the word that Cantus offers a variety of educational outreach opportunities locally and around the country each year. If you know educators/organizations interested in working with us, refer them to education@cantussings.org, or contact Sam at sgreen@cantussings.org.