2008 Woodie Awards
Hometown Harmony
Nick Kepley
Issue date: 1/23/06 Section: Culture
- Page 1 of 2 next >
|
The Kansas City Chorale gave a stunning one-night-only concert Jan. 19. The program, which was completely free, proved that contemporary chorale ensembles have more to offer an audience than Italian lyrics and high-pitched arias.
The Chorale, one of America's premier professional vocal ensembles, comprises 23 singers led by director Charles Bruffy.
Bruffy has been artistic director of the Chorale since 1988 and has also directed the Phoenix Bach Choir since 1999. He received his master's degree in vocal performance from the Conservatory of Music at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where he completed all coursework for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in conducting.
The program featured all contemporary works, two of which were world premieres. The singers entered from the rear of the auditorium and proceeded onto the stage while chanting lyrics from Gerald Kemner's "Spirit Voices."
Bruffy explained that he hoped the singer's voices would evoke the spirits of Epperson House, which is historically thought to be haunted. The goal was certainly achieved. Hisses and moans mingled with English lyrics to create a melancholy, mystical feeling. Rebecca Lloyd started off a little unsure in her first solo but had regained complete control of her beautiful, clear soprano voice by the end.
Bruffy set the relaxed tone for the evening with his between-song anecdotes and comical moments. He invited each composer who was present to come on stage and introduce their respective pieces, creating "living footnotes" for the audience.
Bruffy then asked the audience to pause as the group's photo was taken with each composer.
Continuing through the program, "The News from Poems" by Susan Kander was a creative and effective setting of six poems by William Carlos Williams. Williams' work, characterized by sparse words and bare imagery, came to life in Kander's hands.
One especially interesting moment came when several singers exited the stage and re-appeared in the balconies in the audience to voice the sounds of the "rain" in "The Red Wheelbarrow." The shuffling of singers did take some time, however, and could have been done more efficiently to not to distract from the work as a whole.
