July 28, 2008
Legendary Choral Conductor-Composer Alice Parker Leads Concert and Community “Sing” in North County
La Jolla, Calif. (July 28, 2008) — The La Jolla Symphony and Chorus (LJS&C) presents a once-in-a-lifetime choral event – the “Alice Parker Festival” -- at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church in Carlsbad. The Festival begins with a performance of Parker’s Melodious Accord, sung by a consortium of six community, school and church choruses, followed by a “Sing” for the entire audience. Both the choral performance and Sing are led by Alice Parker.
The Festival takes place on Thursday, September 18, at 8:00 pm. Participating choruses are La Jolla Symphony Chorus, North Coast Singers (children’s choir), Palomar College Chorale, Palomar College Chamber Singers, San Dieguito United Methodist Church choir, and St. Elizabeth Seton choir. The Presidio Brass ensemble and a harpist provide accompaniment.
Several generations of choral groups have been raised on the classic folksong, spiritual and hymn-tune arrangements that carry the credit “Parker-Shaw,” written by Alice Parker with famed choral conductor Robert Shaw. In addition to her work with Shaw, Parker has published myriad works of her own, mostly church music, folksongs and spiritual arrangements, but also cantatas, oratorios, and operas.
Melodious Accord, written in 1974, is emblematic of the rugged American style of music close to Parker’s heart. It is a series of hymn-tunes taken from the hymnal Harmonia Sacra (1831) organized into a large structure incorporating numerous combinations of chorus, solo voice, brass and harp.
The Sing completes the evening with great fun for chorus and the entire audience. Parker is known for her unique approach to group singing that encourages improvisation and uses traditional hymns and folk songs from many cultures.
“The guiding principle to much of Alice’s music is that singing together creates a sense of communion,” says David Chase, organizer of the event and choral director of the La Jolla Symphony Chorus. “That has led her to develop a version of what some of us think of as old-fashioned “campfire singing,” the kind I remember from my early days when the elders added the countermelodies, and we kids had to listen harder and harder, or we’d add the fun, silly stuff.”
Parker, who lives in Massachusetts, actively conducts and teaches throughout the U.S. and Canada in addition to leading her own 16-voice professional chorus. She has written several books, including “Good Church Singing” and “The Anatomy of Melody,” and currently serves on the board of Chorus America, which named its Adventurous Programming Award after her.
“Alice has been one of the most beloved and revered figures in choral music for half a century,” continues Chase. “We are very pleased to present this Festival, which I recommend to anybody, at any level, who loves vocal music. I guarantee it will be a musical experience like none other, and choir singers and audience alike will feel musically gratified.”
St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church is located at 6628 Santa Isabel Street in Carlsbad. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for youth (18 years and under). For tickets or more information, please call the LJS&C office at (858) 534-4637. The performance and Sing last approximately one hour. There is no intermission.
The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus, San Diego’s oldest and largest community orchestra and chorus, is a non-profit musical performing group dedicated to enriching our lives with affordable concerts of ground-breaking, traditional, and contemporary classical music. Its members include a 110-person orchestra and 130-voice chorus under the artistic direction of Music Director Steven Schick and Choral Director David Chase.
