THE ST. MARTIN’S VOICENEWSLET TER OF ST MARTIN’S CHAMBER CHOIR

22ND CONCERT SEASON 2015-2016 | OCTOBER 2016 - VOL. XVIII NO. 1

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Menotti’s Madrigal FableThis Season’s Full Ensemble Concerts are Sponsored by Robert Kniss and Pamela Kniss

In Loving Memory of Juanita Gamble Kniss

BY TIMOTHY J. KRUEGER, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

The theme for St. Martin’s Chamber Choir’s 22nd (2015-16) Season is “Stories in Choral Song,” where every concert

has a narrative of some kind built into the programming. In our first concert of the season, it’s a single work that tells its own

story, Menotti’s Madrigal Fable “The Unicorn, the Gorgon, and the Manticore; or The Three Sundays of a Poet.”

Gian Carlo Menotti (1911-2007) borrowed a Renaissance form called the Madrigal Comedy for his 1956 work, which, al-though it is comical in places, is definitely not a “comedy” in the sense of a happy ending. In this piece, which is made up of 14 choral movements (11 of which are a cappella) and 5 instrumen-tal movements, Menotti asks for dancers to act out the story as the musicians sing and play (St. Martin’s will be joined by danc-ers from Ballet Arts, choreographed by Paul Noel Fiorino). The story is of a poet (“The Man in the Castle”) who successively ap-pears in the town with the three mythical creatures of the title as pets (Menotti explains that they represent, successively, youth, prime of life, and old age). Each in turn becomes fashionable among the shallow and trendy townspeople; and when the next creature appears, they kill off the previous one on the assumption that this is what the poet did to his pet. In the end, the townspeo-ple are berated by the dying poet as they storm the castle and find that all three creatures are still alive and surrounding his bed as he dies. The libretto is by Menotti himself, and forms a critique of transient fads, the shallowness of those who blithely toss aside

that which is no longer considered stylish, and the unwitting cru-elty of many people towards artists in general.

Menotti’s original instrumentation calls for an odd assem-blage of 11 instruments. I have done my own arrangement of the instrumental parts for string quartet, which will be played by the the Confluence Quartet, a fine ensemble with which we have previously collaborated. Also on the program will be Samuel Barber’s “Reincarnations” (a set of three partsongs that set Irish poetry – Barber’s lifelong connection to Menotti is, I think, well known), and a whimsical instrumental piece called “Lullaby and Grotesque” by Rebecca Clarke. 8

THE MAMMEL FOUNDATION

MENOTTI’S MADRIGAL FABLE PERFORMANCESFriday, October 9, 2015, 7:30 PMSaint John’s Episcopal Cathedral1350 Washington St., Denver 80203

Sunday, October 11, 2015, 3:00 PMSt. Gabriel the Archangel Episcopal Church6190 E. Quincy Ave., Cherry Hills Village 80111

TICKETSPREMIUM (front and center) $35GENERAL ADMISSION $25STUDENT $10Purchase online – www.stmartinschamberchoir.orgOr - by phone – 303-298-1970Or - at the door (subject to availability)

“Menotti’s Madrigal Fable” concerts are sponsored by The Board of Directors of St. Martin’s Chamber Choir

22ND SEASON

T I M OT H Y J . K R U E G E R , A R T I S T I C D I R E C TO R

THE ST. MARTIN’S VOICE

Matthew Stewart, SJ, joins SMCC as 2015-16 Mark Sheldon Conducting InternBY MICAËLA LARSEN BROWN

St. Martin’s Chamber Choir is delighted to wel-come our newest Mark Sheldon Conducting Intern, Matthew (Matt) Stewart. Matt is from St. Louis, MO, where he grew up and did his undergraduate studies in music at St. Louis University. He was a high school teacher at Rockhurst High School in Kansas City for one year, and then six more years at St. Louis University High School in St. Louis, while he earned a Master’s degree in Theology. After that he entered the Jesuit order, which has taken him far and wide: 2 years in rural southwest Louisiana, some time on the Rosebud Indian reservation in South Dakota, and Nicaragua!

In 2011, Matt took his vows and began studies in Philosophy at Fordham University in New York. During that time, he got to practice his conducting at the Julliard School in the Evening Division. He is currently in his 2nd year of his Masters studies in conducting at Denver University, while also working in University Ministry at Regis University.

While growing up, he didn’t sing, but played the saxophone. Matt attended an all-boys parochial high school in St. Louis. While there, he played on the racquetball team (because “they didn’t cut players from the team!”) The racquetball coach was also the choral music teacher, and he suggested that Matt should be in choir. Matt said he didn’t know how to sing and the coach’s response was, “Well that’s what choir is for!” The school used to pair with an all-girls’ school for a yearly musical review. Once, while watching the director enthusiastically leading a rehearsal, Matt thought “That’s what I want to do!” and as they say, the rest was history.

Matt sees himself someday teaching in a Catholic high school or college as well as leading church or community choirs. Matt strongly believes that one of the best ways to minister to people is to get them singing and to sing with them. “Music is a way to plug in to beauty and creativity, and to connect with others.”

When not busy elsewhere, Matt loves to cook and watch movies. His favorite thing is to create big, multi-course dinners, but with a touch of whimsy (e.g. pairing beers with each course and cooking with them, or creating dishes designed for/ inspired by the personalities of the different guests). He is also a big St. Louis Blues hockey fan.

Matt is a fi ne addition to the roster of Mark Sheldon Conducting Interns, dating back to 2006 . He seems honored and humbled by this opportunity. But at his fi rst rehearsal, after seeing him sight-read and conduct at the same time, it’s clear he’s also more than up to the job! We look forward to working with him. Welcome, Matt! +

Th e ReSound SingersBY TAYLOR MARTIN

The ReSound Singers were formed in 2013 out of a desire to bring choral music to Denver’s disenfranchised and under-served populations, particularly those af-fected by homelessness.

As an extension of the St. Martin’s Chamber Choir Education and Outreach program, the ReSound Singers work to diversify SMCC’s connections within the Denver metro area. The program brings choral music of many genres to its par-ticipants with the belief that through en-semble singing, personal growth and so-cial change can be achieved.

St. Martin’s Chamber Choir volunteer singers spend time rehearsing and per-forming with the ReSound Singers, with the goal of developing positive relation-ships through the act of making music together.

The ReSound Singers believes that choral music has the power to unite peo-ple, build self-confi dence, and bring hope to those who need it, and that everyone deserves an opportunity to make music. +

MOZART REQUIEM A LA CZERNY 3MOZART - REQUIEM, CZERNY ARR.

Friday, November 6, 7:30 Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church, DenverSaturday, November 7, 7:30 Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Wheat RidgeSunday, November 8, 3:00 Saint Paul Community of Faith, Denver

A BAVARIAN CHRISTMAS 3HEINRICH VON HERZOGENBERG - DIE GEBURT CHRISTI

Friday, December 18, 7:30 Saint John’s Episcopal Cathedral, DenverSaturday, December 19, 7:30 Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church, DenverSunday, December 20, 3:00 Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Wheat Ridge

CHANT: MYSTERY AND MYSTICISM 3NIN-CULMELL - SYMPHONIE DES MYSTÈRES

Friday, February 12, 7:30 Saint John’s Episcopal Cathedral, Denver Sunday, February 14, 3:00 Saint Paul Community of Faith, Denver

THE PASSION STORY 3CHARLES WOOD - ST. MARK PASSION

Friday, March 18, 7:30 Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Wheat Ridge Saturday, March 19, 7:30 St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, DenverSunday, March 20, 3:00 St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Denver

SHORT STORIES IN SONG 3STORIES BY KODÁLY, VAUGHAN WILLIAMS, HARRIS, HOLST

Friday, June 3, 7:30 Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church, DenverSunday, June 5, 3:00 St. Gabriel the Archangel Episcopal Church,

Cherry Hills Village

3 Full Ensemble: 24+ singers 3 Cameo Ensemble: 5-12 singers

22ND SEASON

T I M OT H Y J . K R U E G E R , A R T I S T I C D I R E C TO R

DAVID BEATTIE & PHILIP VAN HOEVENBERG

ROBERT KNISS AND PAMELA KNISS

MICHAEL AND CARLYN SMITH

JUNE TRAVIS SAINT JOHN’S EPISCOPAL CATHEDRAL

CARSON-PFAFFLIN FAMILY FOUNDATION

HUGH AND MICHELLE HARVEY

FAMILY FOUNDATION

SCHRAMM FOUNDATION