Saint Mary's College Women's Choir
Nancy Menk, Conductor
THE SAINT MARY'S COLLEGE WOMEN'S CHOIR , a select 40-voice ensemble, regularly commissions and performs new works for women's voices. An outgrowth of this emphasis is the publication of the Saint Mary's College Choral Series, a collection of new works for women's voices, published by earthsongs of Corvallis, Oregon. The Choir has performed throughout the United States and has appeared before state and division conventions of the Music Educators National Conference and the American Choral Directors Association. In February 2005, the Choir appeared before the national convention of the American Choral Directors Association in Los Angeles, performing in Wilshire Christian Church and the new Walt Disney Concert Hall. Each November the Choir hosts the annual Saint Mary's College High School Women's Choir Festival, in which 20 choirs from neighboring states perform for each other and a panel of commentators. The Choir tours nationally every other year, and regularly performs with the University of Notre Dame Glee Club in joint performances of major works with the South Bend Symphony Orchestra. They have appeared in concert at Carnegie Hall in 1999 and 2001, and returned there in November 2005 to perform music by Gwyneth Walker for women’s voices and orchestra. The Women’s Choir has recorded four compact discs on the ProOrgano label: Ave, Ave!, recorded in 1997, Amazing Day!, recorded in 2002, Anima mea!, recorded in 2004, and Across the Bar..., recorded in 2007.
Laurel Thomas, Director
 Scene from Witness by Zae Munn |
The Saint Mary’s College Opera Workshop, taught by Laurel Thomas, provides an unusual opportunity for undergraduate students to learn operatic vocal preparation and stage technique. The opera is chosen each year on the basis of the students’ talents and vocal types, taking the vocal health and maturity of each student into consideration. Students prepare a complete role throughout the semester and perform the full opera at the end of the experience. Weekly rehearsals focus on musical preparation, blocking, and character development. The class is open to members of the Women’s Choir, most often vocal majors. Men’s roles are awarded by audition or invitation, and are often sung by graduate students from a neighboring university.
|
The Soul (Megan Bolander) struggling with the Devil (Richard Baxter)
Suor Angelica (McKayela Collins) meets her son (Lucas Meyer-Lee) in heaven
Suor Angelica curtain call
Collegiate Choir Nancy Menk, Conductor
The Collegiate choir rehearses 21/2 hours per week and performs primarily on campus, giving at least one concert per semester and performing in the annual Service of Lesons and Carols.
The goals of the Collegiate Choir are as follows:
Each December, the departments of Music, Campus Ministry, and Dance combine to present an interdenominational service of music, dance, scripture, and candlelight to a capacity crowd in the Church of Our Lady of Loretto. Central to the ritual, which is based on the Anglican Christmas Eve service, is the assembly’s singing of traditional Advent and Christmas carols. The Saint Mary’s Women’s Choir, the Collegiate Choir, the Loretto Schola, Liturgical Dancers, and Moreau Chamber Ensemble participate.
A Saint Mary’s holiday tradition, the annual Madrigal Dinner is a reenactment of a Renaissance-era holiday feast, replete with colorfully attired singers, instrumentalists, jugglers, a jester, and a lord of the manor. The Madrigal Singers are made up of students selected from the Saint Mary's Women's Choir.
Sodexho Food Service prepares a meal fit for a king, with each course introduced by trumpet fanfares and served by costumed waiters in the Regina North Lounge. Presented on the first weekend of December, the four performances sell out far in advance. For ticket information, call the Saint Mary’s Box Office at (574) 284-4626. Go to Special Events for more information on the dinners.
The Saint Mary's Theatre produces a full-scale musical theatre production in conjunction with the Music Department every four years. To the right is a production photo of the stars of our April 2005 production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Cinderella." Past productions include "West Side Story," "Oklahoma!," and "Gypsy."
The Spring 2009 production will be Leonard Bernstein's Candide.
Music majors and minors may fulfill their ensemble requirement by playing in this Notre Dame ensemble for credit. Click here to go to the Notre Dame Symphony website.
Music majors and minors may fulfill their ensemble requirement by playing in this Notre Dame ensemble for credit. Click here to go to the Notre Dame Bands website.
Contact Sr. Betty Smoyer in Campus Ministry for more information.
Contact Sr. Betty Smoyer in Campus Ministry for more information.
Taken from singers of the Women's Choir, the wildly popular Bellacappella is a student-run, a cappella group that performs popular music in a variety of settings--see them on UTube! For information contact Director Stacey Koziel.
