Choralescence

Fourteen April days – just weeks to go

These words are written late at night, with maybe five or six hours to go before the first notes of the last major wave of the 2016-17 choral season. Those who read this won’t be using this to pick a service to attend to find a choir…so why write? Let’s call it an exercise in community. It’s good to note that there are choirs singing in a few hours in Cucamonga, Upland, Ontario, Claremont, Chino, Pomona, Diamond Bar and La Verne and (though not in this list) in Montclair, , Glendora, San Dimas and Walnut. It’s good to know that there will be Bach, and Mascagni, and Rutter, and maybe a bit of Handel sung by church singers before lunch rolls around.

It’s also good to note that some of our local choirs and chorales have healthy ties to others churches and choruses and colleges, from here to Riverside, to Pasadena, to Dominguez Hills, or just over the hill to Covina – so you can look, if you want for music to hear through the end of April, or maybe just sit back and consider the number of friends you have here that you haven’t met yet.

Sunday, April 16
7:30 a.m., St. Denis Catholic Community, Contemporary Choir, Diamond Bar
8:00 a.m., St Anthony’s Parish, children’s choir, Upland
8:00 a.m., Saint John’s Episcopal Church, La Verne
8:00 a.m., St Mark’s Episcopal Church, Upland
8:45 a.m., Rock of the Foothills Lutheran Church, worship with choir, La Verne
9:00 a.m. Claremont United Methodist Church music by Handel, Spevacek, Harrison, Claremont
9:00 a.m. Pomona Purpose Church, Easter at Fairplex with choir and orchestra, Pomona
9:00 a.m., St. Denis Catholic Community, Children’s Choir with trumpet and organ, Diamond Bar
9:30 a.m., St Anthony’s Parish, Mass with adult choir, Upland
9:30 a.m., First United Methodist Church of Upland, Music by Raney, Mock and Lopez, Johnson, Upland
9:30 a.m., United Methodist Church of Cucamonga, music of Martin, Kendrick, Rancho Cucamonga
10:00 a.m., Bethel UCC, Service with choir, music by Althouse, Fettke, Ontario
10:00 a.m. Claremont Presbyterian Church, CPC Sanctuary Choir, ”Gospel Mass” by R. Ray, Handel, Claremont
10:00 a.m., Claremont United Church of Christ, Chancel choir, trumpet, bells, includes music of Hopson, Handel Claremont
10:00 a.m., First Christian Church, Worship music featuring trumpet and choir, Pomonas
10:00 a.m., First Presbyterian Church, Service with choir and orchestra, Handel, Upland
10:00 a.m., St. Ambrose Episcopal Church, Choir and brass. Music of Rutter, other, Claremont
10:00 a.m., Saint John’s Episcopal Church, La Verne
10:00 a.m. St Mark’s Episcopal Church, Upland
10:30 a.m., Chino United Methodist Church, choir anthem by Lloyd Larson, Chino
10:30 a.m., First United Methodist Church of Ontario, with Choir, Children’s choir, Handbell Choir, Ontario
10:30 a.m., La Verne Church of the Brethren, music of Mascagni & Handel, La Verne
10:30 a.m., St. Denis Catholic Community, Adult Choir & Handbell choir, Diamond Bar
10:45 a.m., Good Shepherd Lutheran, Traditional Service, Claremont
11:00 a.m. Claremont United Methodist Church music by Handel, Spevacek, Harrison, Claremont
11:00 a.m., Pomona Purpose Church, Easter at Fairplex with choir and orchestra, Pomona
1:30 p.m., St Anthony’s Parish, Spanish mass with choir, Upland
1:30 p.m., St. Denis Catholic Community Filipino Choir, Diamond Bar
3:00 p.m., Pomona College Choir and Orchestra, “Elijah,” Mendelssohn, Claremont
5:30 p.m. St. Denis Catholic Community, Youth Choir, Diamond Bar

Saturday, April 22
7:30 p.m., Mountainside Master Chorale and University of La Verne Chamber Singers, with Covina UMC Aldersgate Chorale, “Big Blue Marble,” at Covina UMC, Covina

Sunday, April 23
3:30 p.m., Mountainside Master Chorale and University of La Verne Chamber Singers, with Covina UMC Aldersgate Chorale, “Big Blue Marble,” First Christian Church, Pomona

Thursday, April 27
8:00 p.m., Pomona College Glee Club, with music by Brahms, Hindemith, Rutter, Tchaikovsky, etc., Claremont

Saturday, April 29
1:30 p.m., Pomona College Glee Club, with music by Brahms, Hindemith, Rutter, Tchaikovsky, etc., Claremont
8:00 p.m., Claremont Concert Choir, Claremont Concert Orchestra, Chaffey College Chamber Choir, “Requiem” by Mozart, Claremont

Saturday, April 30
3:00 p.m., Claremont Concert Choir, Claremont Concert Orchestra, Chaffey College Chamber Choir, “Requiem” by Mozart, Claremont

Inside – Out

Here are one of the outside the target area connected to us inside, in this case by being directed by one our local chorale directors. There is also a concert by one of the chorales just ‘over the hill,’ (Kellogg Hill) where one of our inside groups (chorales) sings at their director’s home church.

Saturday, April 29
10:00 a.m., Pasadena United Methodist Church, music of Courtney, Mitchell, Pasadena

A benediction

Here is a piece that a group of singers hailing from different local chorales and churches sang together a couple of weeks ago. Hope that you enjoy it.

Lutkin’s The Lord Bless You and Keep You

With a touch of the bard we begin, singing:

O mistress mine, where are you roaming?
O, stay and hear; your true love’s coming,
That can sing both high and low.
Trip no further, pretty sweeting;
Journeys end in lovers meeting,
Every wise man’s son doth know.

We began three days with William Shakespeare and music yesterday afternoon, with the Claremont Chamber Choir in a Friday’s at Noon concert. Day two, tonight in Rancho Cucamonga, Chaffey College also celebrates the Bard in the first of two performances of the same program. Tomorrow afternoon, the Chaffey College choirs return with the third concert in three days about Shakespeare, in tribute of the 400th year since his passing. This evening (Saturday), however the third college in action offers us Birds and Bees – no word if Shakespeare figures in tonight’s performance.

Friday, May 6
12:15 p.m., Friday Noon Concert, Claremont Chamber Choir, “A tribute to William Shakespeare on the 400th anniversary of his death,” Claremont

Saturday, May 7
7:30 p.m., Chaffey College Chamber Choir and Concert Choir, “Shakespeare in Song – Commemorating the 400th Anniversary of the Bard’s death” With music of Diemer, Morley, Harris, Porter and more, Rancho Cucamonga

Saturday, May 7
7:30 p.m., University of La Verne Choirs, The Birds and the Bees Concert, La Verne

Saturday, May 8
2:30 p.m. Chaffey College Chamber Choir and Concert Choir, “Shakespeare in Song – Commemorating the 400th Anniversary of the Bard’s death” With music of Diemer, Morley, Harris, Porter and more, Rancho Cucamonga

A string of concerts began with Brahms Friday night, and nearly ends with Orff on 1 May, six area concerts lying between, mostly at college if not all of college. The Brahms and the Orff seem curiously tied together – this spring, in 2016, Pomona College brings us the Brahms Requiem and the Joint Music Program and Claremont Chorale offer us the Carmina Burana; in 2008 the Claremont Chorale and La Sierra University gave their audiences the Requiem while the Mountainside Master Chorale sang Orff in the same space it will happen this month.

Another string ended last Sunday, with Mozart and Fauré connecting chorale, college and church, beginning with Mozart by one area chorale, then Fauré by the other on 12-13 March, then Fauré again on Good Friday with musicians from both chorales and two local colleges helping. Finally, last Sunday, parts of both of the same Mozart and Fauré gave a mixture of singers of the two chorales and soloists from our Pomona opera a chance to sing together. There will be more word of mixing opera and chorus later.

Besides these concerts close by, and a bit beyond, there is a Fullerton concert by a Los Angeles ensemble with a couple of local ties, and a couple of links to activity much farther away, offered today as food for thought.

‘SacSings!’ is a festival in Sacramento in which a score of choral ensembles and hundreds of singers perform on 23 & 24 April. This gathering is the work of the Sacramento Valley Choral Coalition, which has the mission of promoting choral music in the Sacramento Valley area. The other link is to the SeattleSings page, part of a still larger effort to support choral music up in the Seattle area. There are different links to different aspects of that consortium’s work, but perusing the page now shows how popular the Orff is – it’s being sung simultaneously to the concerts in Claremont.

One last word before the concert list. The Repertory Opera Company of Pomona is inviting skilled local choral singers to sing in Aida in May, either on stage in the opera chorus, or ‘on book’ for the Triumphal Chorus. Those who are interested can call the ROC contact number on its web site.

Friday, 15 April
8:00 p.m., Pomona College Choir and Orchestra, Ein deutsches Requiem, Op. 45, Claremont

Sunday, 17 April
3:00 p.m., Pomona College Choir and Orchestra, Ein deutsches Requiem, Op. 45, Claremont

Saturday, 23 April
8:00 p.m., Millennium Consort Singers, “Noises, sounds, and sweet airs,” Marking the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death, music by Arne, Flaherty, Gibbons, Hilton, Morley, Quilter, Vaughan Williams and others, Claremont

Sunday, 24 April
5:00 p.m., University of La Verne A Capella Barbershop Club, “Barbershop Meets the Beatles,” La Verne

Thursday, 28 April
8:00 p.m., Pomona College Glee Club, “A celebration of the choral art for the great ecclesiastical spaces of northern and central Italy,” Claremont

Saturday, 30 April
1:30 p.m., Pomona College Glee Club, “A celebration of the choral art for the great ecclesiastical spaces of northern and central Italy,” Claremont

8:00 p.m., Claremont Concert Choir, Claremont Chorale, Claremont Concert Orchestra, Carmina Burana by Carl Orff, Claremont

Sunday, 1 May
3:00 p.m., Claremont Concert Choir, Claremont Chorale, Claremont Concert Orchestra, Carmina Burana by Carl Orff, Claremont

6:00 p.m., ULV Music Department, “La Verne Live -The Best of ULV Music Department,” La Verne

Farther away, but locally tied

Thursday, 21 April
7:30 p.m., Jouyssance, “Jouyssance brings Iberia to Orange County” with music of Cardoso, Victoria, Morales, Fernandes, Encina, and more, Fullerton

We’ll begin today with message for directors, singers and non-singers alike, regarding a special event. Please read this and pass it on:

CHORUS BEING RAISED FOR BENEFIT CONCERT DEC. 28.
“San Bernardino Cares” is a benefit concert on December 28 at 8 pm for the people affected by the December 2nd tragedy with 100% of all donations going to the Arrowhead United Way.

Three of the performance numbers – the opening “Gloria” from Vivaldi’s “Gloria”, the fourth movement of the Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony (to be sung in the original German) and ‘How Lovely is Thy Dwelling Place’ (to be sung in English) from the Brahms Requiem – require chorus singers. Because of the limited rehearsal time, we need singers who have sung these pieces before and who can make all of our rehearsals. Please contact staci@prufrockmedia.com to join us or if you have any questions.

See website for music and rehearsal schedule. PLEASE NOTE rehearsal for Saturday, December 26 is at noon to 3 pm at First Christian Church in Pomona. //www.prufrockmedia.com/singer-resources/

Sponsors for this event are The San Bernardino Community College District, San Bernardino Valley College, Los Angeles Kings Sled Hockey, the City of San Bernardino, Prufrock Media, Inc, the Arrowhead United Way and other local agencies. Performances will be varied and they represent a gathering of the artistic community in tangible and emotional support for those affected by the December 2nd tragedy.

Christmas Eve is Here!

Thursday, 24 December
3:30 p.m.,Pomona Purpose Church Christmas Eve Candlelight Service with choir, Pomona
3:30 p.m., St. Anthony Parish, Lessons and Carols with Children’s choir 4:00 Mass with choir, Upland
4:00 p.m., St. Denis Catholic Community, Mass with Children’s Choir, Diamond Bar
4:00 p.m., St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Children’s Mass, English with Handbell Choir, Upland
5:30 p.m., Pomona Purpose Church Christmas Eve Candlelight Service with choir, Pomona
6:00 p.m., St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Spanish Mass with Choir, Upland
7:00 p.m., Bethel UCC, Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, with Bethlehem Joy by Pethel, Ontario
7:00 p.m., Chino United Methodist Church, Christmas Eve Candle Light Service, Chino
7:00 p.m., Claremont United Methodist Church, service with choir, Claremont
7:00 p.m., First United Methodist Church of Ontario ,Christmas Eve Candlelight Service with Chancel and Handbell choirs, Ontario
7:00 p.m., Rock of the Foothills Lutheran Church, Christmas Eve Service with choir La Verne
7:00 p.m., St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, Christmas Eve Candle Light Service with choir, Claremont
7:00 p.m., St. Paul’s Lutheran, Pomona, service with choir, Pomona
7:30 p.m., Good Shepherd Lutheran, Children’s Choir Performance, Claremont
8:00 p.m., First Christian Church, Lessons and Carols service with Chancel Choir, Communion & Candlelight, Pomona
8:15 p.m., Good Shepherd Lutheran, Adult Choir Performance, 9:00 p.m. Traditional Candlelight Service, Claremont
9:00 p.m., First United Methodist Church of Upland, Christmas Eve Service with choir, Upland
9:00 p.m., La Verne Church of the Brethren, Christmas Eve Service, Choir anthems arranged by Kirchner, La Verne
9:00 p.m., United Methodist Church of Cucamonga, Christmas Eve candlelight service with choir, Rancho Cucamonga
9:15 p.m., St. Anthony Parish, Cantata; 10:00 p.m. Mass with choir, Upland
9:30 p.m., Saint John’s Episcopal Church in La Verne, Christmas Choir Concert, 10:00 p.m. Christ Mass with choir, incense, La Verne
10:00 p.m., Claremont United Church of Christ, Chancel choir, Christmas Eve, music by Rutter, Claremont
10:30 p.m., St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Multicultural Mass with Tongan Choir, Carols at 10:00 p.m., Upland
10:30 p.m., St Mark’s Episcopal Church, 10:30 p.m. Overture with choir and instruments, 11:00 p.m. Candlelight Choral Eucharist, Upland
11:00 p.m., Claremont Presbyterian Church, CPC Sanctuary Choir Christmas Eve Lessons and Carols Candlelight Service, Claremont
11:00 p.m., First Presbyterian Church of Upland, Christmas Eve service with choir, Upland
11:00 p.m., Redeemer Lutheran Church, Candlelight Service with choir, Ontario
11:30 p.m., St. Denis Catholic Community, Christmas Carols; 12:00 a.m. Mass with Parish Choirs, Diamond Bar

Friday, 25 December
7:15 a.m., St. Denis Catholic Community, Mass with Contemporary Choir, Diamond Bar
8:00 a.m., St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, English Mass with Choir, Upland
10:00 a.m., St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, English Mass with Choir, Upland
10:30 a.m., St. Denis Catholic Community, Mass with Adult Choir, Diamond Bar
12:00 p.m., St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Spanish Mass with Choir, Upland
1:30 p.m., St. Denis Catholic Community, Filipino Choir, Diamond Bar
5:30 p.m., St. Denis Catholic Community, Youth Choir, Diamond Bar

The calendar declares Spring is nearly dead – but Spring isn’t ready to leave the stage. Beginning this weekend, local choirs, chorales, choristers and choir directors, and ensembles tied to them, will sing eleven times before June gives way to July, nine times before Father’s Day and the summer solstice, six times just this weekend. The events of the first list of concerts and shows below share the fact that, besides all being within the local area, one or more members of the two chorales will sing at each performance on that list. The second list is of concerts farther away, each tied as well to a local choral director, teacher or choral singer.

Between the two colleges

Saturday, 13 June
3:00 p.m., Claremont Chorale “Trees & Ph.D.s,” Claremont

Sunday, 14 June
2:00 p.m., Repertory Opera Company Il Barbiere di Siviglia, by Rossini, Pomona
3:30 p.m., Mountainside Master Chorale “A German Requiem” by Johannes Brahms, Claremont

Wednesday, 17 June
7:30 p.m., Repertory Opera Company Il Barbiere di Siviglia, by Rossini, Pomona

Saturday, 20 June
2:00 p.m., Repertory Opera Company Il Barbiere di Siviglia, by Rossini, Pomona
4:00 p.m., St Ambrose Episcopal Church “Musical Treasures of the Baroque Era,” music of Purcell, J.S. Bach, Telemann & Gorczcki, Claremont

Saturday, 27 June
2:00 p.m., Repertory Opera Company Il Barbiere di Siviglia, by Rossini, in Pomona

A bit farther away

Saturday, 13 June
8:00 p.m., Jouyssance “The Song of Songs: Music from the Garden of Love,” includes music of Josquin, Victoria, Palestrina and others, in West Los Angeles
8:00 p.m., Vox Femina Los Angeles “Side by Side by Sondheim,” in Los Angeles

Sunday 14 June
4:00 p.m., Jouyssance “The Song of Songs: Music from the Garden of Love,” includes music of Josquin, Victoria, Palestrina and others, in Pasadena

Sunday, 21 June
Meistersingers “…By any other name” music by Whitacre, Lauridsen, Mulholland & Bernstein, in Tustin

It’s Friday afternoon, almost at the end of the work week, near the end of the month of May, and almost the end of the college choir season. The last two of the college programs in the between two colleges area will finish their choral seasons in just six days, that being the choirs of Mount San Antonio College, tonight and tomorrow night, and the Cal Poly Pomona choirs giving us a rousing send-off to summer with Mr. Orff, on Thursday in La Verne.

These may be the last official words of the college season, but not the last words on the college and community combination. Contrary to the opinions held by some friends, these schools are members of a nascent music community, unrecognized but not unreal. Like all communities, the colleges are tied to us in many ways, and we’re tied to them.

Most of these ties are unknown, unrecorded. Not known here are all the college student ties with local church choirs, local high school choirs, or chorales… those details somehow fail to find their way into concert programs or web sites. Also unknown are all the current and former faculty and staff from nearby colleges who sing in our church choirs and area chorales, and all the local college alumni bringing their talents to chorale or church music activity.

Better known are the churches with local faculty and staff serving as church musicians. There are churches in Upland, Ontario, Claremont, Pomona and La Verne with music staff they share with Mount San Antonio College, Cal Poly Pomona, Pomona College, and the Joint Music Program at the Claremont Colleges. There are other town and gown connections, where either the town or gown is tied to someplace a bit farther away, but are connected because of the connection here, making this community a common resource, which is part of being a community. The other ends of the ties this season that come to mind are at Azusa Pacific University, Cal State Los Angeles, Cal State Dominguez Hills and Chapman University.

You find no program details on the Mount SAC web site about the name music being performed at 7:30 p.m. tonight and Saturday. And it’s doubtful that their program will say much about their connections to the community, such as the Repertory Opera Company in Pomona, and a Claremont church, or about the occasion when their chamber singers came to sing for the hunger program at an Upland church. If you get the chance, why not ask the kids about their local ties?

The other local college finale is on Thursday, 4 June, at the La Verne Church of the Brethren, which shares its choir director with Cal Poly Pomona. The Cal Poly choirs are bringing us Carmina Burana by Orff, at 8 p.m.

Locally tied, but on a longer string
We want to support our community choral music connections even when they are not between the two colleges, and so draw your attention to the choirs and orchestra at UC Riverside, courtesy of its director’s connection to the Claremont Symphony. The UCR orchestra and choirs will offer you the Mozart Requiem at 8 p.m., Saturday, 30 May, and 3 p.m. Sunday, 31 May in Riverside.

More to come: Hope to be back in time to share, but you might want to note that local and locally connected performances involving the Claremont Chorale, the Mountainside Master Chorale, the Repertory Opera Company, Jouyssance, Vox Femina Los Angeles, and the Meistersingers of Orange County are all happening by the end of June. Someone you know is probably singing, so go to a show in June!

The end of the school year marks the coming end of the choral season, too. Season finales and choral ‘finals’ are already in progress with all six local college programs offering their end of season events from the 17th of last month to the 4th of June. Today’s list is only through the 19th, during which time college singers from Claremont to La Verne and Rancho Cucamonga will sing for the last time this school year.

This weekend begins with the Claremont Concert Choir & Claremont Concert Orchestra offering the Dona Nobis Pacem of Ralph Vaughan Williams at 8:00 p.m. in Claremont. Tomorrow, Sunday, 3 May, the program will be repeated at 3:00 p.m., both concerts in Garrison Theater. The other choral note for this weekend can be found at the 8th Celebration of the Arts in La Verne, with the Sanctuary Choir of the La Verne Church of the Brethren performing at 1 p.m.

On Friday, May 8th the Claremont Chamber Choir will sing a program of folksongs and madrigals in a ‘Friday Noon Concert’ at 12:15 p.m. in Claremont. The next day, in the eastern end of our area, the Chaffey College Concert Choir and Concert Ensemble Singers will present “Oy es día de cantar! Choral Music of Latin America,” at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, May 9th, in Rancho Cucamonga.

The third local college choral finale of May comes to us the following weekend, on May 17, in a tribute to long time University of La Verne professor Kathleen Lamkin. The ULV Chamber Singers will present “The Lamkin Legacy Concert” at 6 p.m. on Sunday, in La Verne.

As usual there is little word from the school ranks, but there is news of a year end high school chorale final in Claremont on May 18 – 19, as the Claremont High School choral department will hold “Joy In The Journey” at 7 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday evenings in Claremont.

Locally connected, but a bit more distant
We celebrate the work of local directors and singers with other groups outside our immediate area. The two that follow are connected to one of our Ontario church directors. On Friday the 14th of this month, there will be a Final Choral Concert at Jurupa Valley High School, at 7:00 p.m. Thursday evening, in Jurupa. Two nights later, at 8 p.m. on 16 May, the Inland Master Chorale will present the first of the two final concerts of their 35th Anniversary Season, “Aspects of Nature,” followed by its second presentation the next day, Sunday, at 3 p.m. Both concerts are in Redlands.

More to come soon
The events above are not the end of the season, just nearly so. The last colleges and other local ensembles have performances occurring from 29 May to late June, news of which should appear in late May.

The image is borrowed from a service for someone whose life was like a thread that appeared and disappeared from view, but who remained part of us. The different choirs and ensembles seem to be separate strings tying their own singers together, but each is also a thread in a larger cloth. Here are singers singing in both church and chorale; there is the college choir bringing both in to do a larger work; there and there are college faculty in or leading a church choir, while here are singers from different churches gathered to sing.

The string of our local college choirs doing year’s end music begins with Fauré and Mozart on Friday, and appears to end with Orff in early June. This weekend we have Pomona College and University of La Verne choirs in concert, and a church visit from APU to Rancho Cucamonga. In fact, this Sunday will be a particularly good day to catch a choir singing, with more people singing here than any day since Easter.

The ties that bind us will be on display this Sunday and next. In Upland, first, will be church choirs and others, including the Repertory Opera Company, in ‘Bread On The Waters,’ a benefit at the First UMC of Upland in support of local hunger relief work. The choirs and ensembles involved hail from Chino, Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, Upland and Pomona. Exactly a week later some of these same singers will join a hundred voice choir in Claremont, as the Pilgrim Chorale and guests from both church and chorale join in “Gather Up the Years,” a concert celebrating the centennial of Pilgrim Place. The singers at this event will come from Claremont, Pomona, La Verne, Upland and San Marino.

The last two Thursdays in April, the 23rd and the 30th, offer more of the work of local college choirs, but on a smaller scale. The Claremont Chamber Choir will be first, on 23 April, and then the Pomona College Glee Club will close out April, chorally speaking, on 30 April, both times in Claremont. Information on all of these events can be found below.

When and where
(for locations follow the links)

Friday, 17 April
8:00 p.m., Pomona College Choir and Pomona College Orchestra, Fauré: Pavane, Fauré: Les Djinns, Mozart Mass in C Minor, Claremont

Sunday, 19 April
3:00 p.m., Pomona College Choir and Pomona College Orchestra, Fauré: Pavane, Fauré: Les Djinns, Mozart Mass in C Minor, Claremont
3:30 p.m., At First United Methodist Church, Upland, Multiple ensembles, Bread On The Waters, benefit concert, Upland
6:00 p.m., University of La Verne All Ensembles Concert, La Verne
6:00 p.m., Azusa Pacific University Choir and Orchestra, Flipside Church, Rancho Cucamonga

Thursday, 23 April
8:00 p.m., The Claremont Chamber Choir, Folksongs and madrigals, Claremont

Sunday, 26 April
3:30 p.m., The Pilgrim Chorale, Winsor Brass & guests, “Gather Up the Years,” Claremont

Thursday, 30 April
8:00 p.m., Pomona College Glee Club, “Choral music from across the centuries,” Claremont

The four days in April are today through Sunday, some of the busiest days for choir on the calendar. Below are listings of services for over two dozen places of worship in the between two colleges area (from about Walnut to Rancho Cucamonga). At a guess, there are at least five hundred singers participating in the listed services attended by thousands of congregants at more services than I have had time to count. These choirs and churches come in all sorts of sizes and shapes from churches where a couple of dozen worshipers may be found most days to at least one church whose choir this Sunday is said to number more than a hundred singers by itself. Just note that these are by no means the only churches with choirs singing this week, just the ones that a little research could find.

Among those people for whom apologies may be in order, the first of those apologies are to people who sent in information on Palm Sunday. An old fashioned virus came in about the time to work up that schedule, and you may note the results. Another apology goes to those people who find gross errors, along with a request that you make contact with the error soon, while correction is possible.

If you have information on a church or temple with a service with choir that has been missed, which could be dozens, you too are encouraged to make contact with such information very soon. This information should be of a service with choir from Walnut on the west to Rancho Cucamonga on the east, or involve a director or singer in this area in an event not too far away in either time or distance.

One last note before going to the schedule is that a fair number of the churches below will be contributing voices to collaborative events in two to three weeks. Those events are a centennial celebration in Claremont and a combined choir benefit for hunger. Both should have mention on this page, after some rest and recuperation.

Thursday, 2 April 2015
6:00 p.m./6:40 p.m., First Christian Church, Pomona 6:00 p.m. meal, 6:40 p.m. service with choir, Pomona
6:00 p.m., St. Ambrose Episcopal, Claremont, meal, then worship service with Credamus choir
7:00 p.m., Chino United Methodist Church, anthem “How Beautiful,” by Courtney, Chino
7:00 p.m. Claremont United Church of Christ, choir anthem “Be still my Soul.” Arr. Hopson/Sibelius, Claremont
7:00 p.m. Claremont United Methodist Church, anthem “I Will Not Leave You Comfortless,” by Nelson, Claremont
7:00 p.m., First United Methodist Church of Upland, anthem “The savior prays alone,” by Medema
7:30 p.m., St. Denis Catholic Community, Adult choir singing with oboe, Diamond Bar.
7:00 p.m., St. Mark’s Episcopal, Agape meal and footwashing, anthem “A New Commandment” by Shephard, Upland
7:00 p.m., St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, bilingual Mass of the Lord’s Supper, with choir, Upland
7:00 p.m., United Methodist Church of Cucamonga, service with choir, Rancho Cucamonga
7:30 p.m., Pilgrim Congregational Church, anthems by Stainer, Mendelssohn, Pomona

Friday, 3 April 2015
7:00 p.m., Rock Of The Foothills Church, anthems “Behold the Savior of Mankind,” “ In Pilates’ Hall,” La Verne
7:00 p.m. St. Ambrose Episcopal Church Chancel choir (CREDÁMUS), “Rutter On Good Friday,” Requiem by Rutter, Claremont
7:00 p.m. St. John’s Episcopal Church of La Verne, Service with choir, La Verne
7:00 p.m., St Mark’s Episcopal Church, Veneration of the Cross service anthem O Vos Omnes by Casals, Upland
7:00 p.m., San Dimas United Methodist Church, Choir cantata, San Dimas
7:00 p.m. United Methodist Church of Cucamonga, service with choir, Rancho Cucamonga

Saturday, 4 April 2015
7:00 p.m., St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, The Great Vigil, Choir anthems “Easter Fanfare,” Fetler, “The Lord of Life Is Risen Today,” Shephard, Upland
7:30 p.m. St. Ambrose Episcopal, Claremont, Vigil with Credamus choir, Claremont
7:30 p.m., St. Denis Catholic Community, Easter Vigil, with Youth and Adult choirs, trumpet, Diamond Bar
8:00 p.m., St. Anthony Parish, Mass with choir, Upland

Sunday, 5 April 2015
8:00 a.m., St. Anthony Parish, Mass with choir, Upland
8:00 a.m., St. Mark’s Episcopal Upland, “Easter Fanfare,” Fetler, “The Lord of Life Is Risen Again,” “Now the Green Blade Riseth,” trad. French carol arr. by Lindley.
8:00 a.m., St. John’s Episcopal Church, Choral Eucharist, La Verne
8:30 a.m., Grace Lutheran Church, anthems “Come thou fount of every blessing,” Arr. Robinson, “Walk in the light” Thomas, Upland
8:45 a.m., Rock of the Foothills Church, service with choir, La Verne
8:45 a.m., Upland Brethren in Christ, service with choir, Upland
9:00 a.m., Claremont United Methodist Church, service with choir, Claremont
9:00 a.m., Ontario First Church of the Nazarene, anthem “The Highest Place” by Clydesdale, Ontario
9:00 a.m. Pomona First Baptist Church, Choirs and orchestra; “Easter at Fairplex,” Pomona
9:00 a.m., St. Denis Catholic Community, Children’s Choir, Diamond Bar
9:00 a.m., St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, English Mass with choir, Upland
9:00 a.m., United Methodist Church of Cucamonga, service with choir, Rancho Cucamonga
9:15 a.m., St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, English Mass with choir (Parish Hall), Upland
9:30 a.m., First United Methodist Church of Upland, Selections from “Our Father,” by Choplin, Upland
9:55 a.m., La Verne United Methodist Church, service with choir, La Verne
10:00 a.m., Bethel United Church of Christ, anthems “Resurrection Alleluias,” by Fettke, “Alleluia. Christ is Risen” by Althouse, Ontario
10:00 a.m., Claremont Presbyterian Church, CPC Sanctuary Choir with brass ensemble, Gloria by Rutter, Claremont
10:00 a.m., Claremont United Church of Christ, anthem “Hallelujah Chorus from the Mount of Olives,” Beethoven, Claremont
10:00 a.m., First Christian Church, service with choir, Pomona
10:00 a.m., First Presbyterian Church, service with choir, Upland
10:00 a.m., Northminster Presbyterian Church, services with choir, Diamond Bar
10:00 a.m., Pilgrim Congregational Church, choir anthem by Hayes, Pomona
10:00 a.m., St. Ambrose Episcopal Church, Credamus choir & instrumentalists, Worthy is the Lamb, Handel, Claremont
10:00 a.m., St. John’s Episcopal Church, Choral Eucharist, La Verne
10:00 a.m., St Mark’s Episcopal Church, “Easter Fanfare,” Fetler, “The Lord of Life Is Risen Again,” “Now the Green Blade Riseth,” trad. French carol arr. by Lindley, Upland
10:00 a.m., Walnut United Methodist Church, anthem ‘Christ the Lord is Risen,” Walnut
10:30 a.m., Chino United Methodist Church, anthem “I Know that my Redeemer Lives, Alleluia,” by Larson, Chino
10:30 a.m., First United Methodist Church of Ontario, choir with handbells, organ, service based on Handel’s Messiah
10:30 a.m., La Verne Church of the Brethren, “Morning Like This,” by Kirchner, Sanctuary with bell Choir, La Verne
10:30 a.m., San Dimas United Methodist Church, service with choir, San Dimas
10:30 a.m., St. Denis Catholic Community, Adult Choir, Diamond Bar
10:30 a.m., Upland Christian Church, service with choir, Upland
10:45 a.m., Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, portions of the Requiem, by Rutter, Claremont
11:00 a.m., Claremont United Methodist Church, service with choir, Claremont
11:00 a.m., Grace Lutheran Church, anthems “Come thou fount of every blessing,” Arr. Robinson, “Walk in the light” Thomas, Upland
11:00 a.m., Ontario First Church of the Nazarene, Choir anthem “The Highest Place” by Clydesdale, Ontario
11:00 a.m., Pomona First Baptist Church, choir and orchestra, “Easter at Fairplex,” Pomona
11:00 a.m., St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, English Mass with choir, Upland
11:00 a.m., Upland Brethren in Christ, service with choir, Upland
11:15 a.m., St. Anthony Parish, Mass with choir, Upland
11:15 a.m., St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, English Mass with choir (Parish Hall), Upland
1:00 p.m., St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Spanish Mass, Spanish Adult Choir, Upland
1:15 p.m., St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Spanish Mass, St. Joseph Spanish Youth Choir, (Parish Hall), Upland
1:30 p.m., St. Denis Catholic Community, Filipino Choir, Diamond Bar
5:30 p.m., St. Denis Catholic Community, Youth Choir, Diamond Bar

A little farther out A late addition to the list is a Good Friday service (at this point only a few hours off) at Pasadena Presbyterian Church – the “18th Annual Good Friday Devotional Concert” with Lauridsen and Bach, with the Pasadena Presbyterian Kirk Choir and Pasadena Singers. Held at Pasadena Presbyterian Church at 7:30 p.m. Update 3 April

Where is the middle of the choral season? Is it half way between Labor Day and the 4th of July? Is it right between Christmas and Easter? Or is it about where the middle concerts are of the groups with three concert seasons?

This year it feels right to say we turn the corner at the middle of our course during March, with the apex very close to the spring equinox. Eight days ago, the Cal Poly choirs held their winter concert, followed by concerts with local choral connections a bit out of our area, those being of the Inland Master Chorale. The Repertory Opera Company of Pomona, a friend of local choruses (and with several local chorale members singing) began their Puccini Extravaganza the same weekend.

This weekend, only hours from now, the two non affiliated chorales most known to the denizens of Claremont and surrounding cities are offering their mid season concerts, as the ROC Puccini continues at the FCC in Pomona. As we lean into the corner, we pass by Thursday, when another out of the area but locally connected concert by Jouyssance, the early music ensemble will sing in Orange County (let us hope they bring their music closer someday, to one of the acoustically friendly venues we have right here).

Then we have the equinox, and Spring, followed by one more taste of a cappella choral singing as part of the Musicians Club of Pomona Valley program on Tuesday evening at Trinity UMC of Pomona and, suddenly, we’re speeding towards Holy Week, when there should be plenty of choirs doing all sorts of music on four different occasions. It is the hope here that not only there will be much about which to write, but that word of all this special music finds its way here to be shared.

Saturday, 14 March
2:00 p.m., Repertory Opera Company, Puccini Extravaganza, Ill Tabarro & other Puccini scenes, First Christian Church, Pomona
3:00 p.m., Claremont Chorale, “Elegy,” Music by Vaughan Williams, Bach, Fauré, Claremont
7:30 p.m., Mountainside Master Chorale, “California Voices,” Music by Diemer, Lauridsen, Whitacre, Kirchner, Winckler and others, Pomona

Sunday, 15 March
3:30 p.m., Mountainside “California Voices,” Music by Diemer, Lauridsen, Whitacre, Kirchner, Winckler and others, Pomona

Thursday, 19 March
7:30 p.m., Jouyssance, “Music of the Court of Mantua,” with music by Monteverdi, Rossi, Wert and others, Fullerton

Saturday, 21 March
2:00 p.m., Repertory Opera Company, “Puccini Extravaganza,” Ill Tabarro & other Puccini scenes, First Christian Church, Pomona

Tuesday, 24 March
7:30 p.m., Musicians Club of Pomona Valley, with Choralescence and others, Trinity United Methodist Church, 676 N Gibbs St., Pomona, CA 91767

Needing news from you
Please send word of any special services with choir at nearby churches from 29 March, Palm Sunday, through Easter Sunday, so that this news maybe shared with others.

Last Word Tonight we give the last words to several composers whose music will be sung soon in this area.

Libera me – Fauré

My Lord what a morning – Burleigh

Sa nui d’ete – Morten Lauridsen