St. Charles Singers Host Festival of Folk Songs in Concert This Weekend

The St. Charles Singers' final concerts of the 2014-15 season will feature famous choral arrangements of folk songs from the British Isles and North America in performances at 7:30 p.m. tonight, June 13, and at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 14, at Baker Memorial United Methodist Church, 307 Cedar Ave., St. Charles, Ill. Over the course of two different concert programs, the acclaimed professional chamber choir, conducted by its founder and music director Jeffrey Hunt, will perform all 25 works from the two-volume collection "Folk-Songs for Choirs." These are traditional songs from England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, the United States, and Canada, arranged for unaccompanied mixed choir by noted British composers. The volumes were edited by renowned contemporary English choirmaster and composer John Rutter and published by Oxford University Press.

The two-concert series, titled "Bushes and Briars," takes its name from one of the songs.

The June 13 concert will feature the complete "Folk-Songs for Choirs 1." On June 14, concertgoers will hear "Folk-Songs for Choirs 2."

In addition, the St. Charles Singers will perform the world premiere of a newly commissioned work by one of its resident composers, Nathaniel Adams of Chicago. The three-minute piece is an unaccompanied choral arrangement of singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell's "I Don't Know Where I Stand," from her 1969 album "Clouds." The work will be sung at both concerts.

Although the English choral tradition has been a cornerstone of the St. Charles Singers' repertoire for decades, this will be the first time that the choir has performed the entire Oxford folk-song series.

"It's extremely rare for an American choir to perform the complete set," Hunt says. "Offhand, I can't think of anyone else who's done it." Hunt and the St. Charles Singers will record the "Bushes and Briars" program in sessions at St. Michael Catholic Church in Wheaton a week before the St. Charles concerts for a commercial CD release.

"Bushes and Briars," the finale to the St. Charles Singers' 31st season, will include composer John Byrt's arrangements of "Among the Leaves So Green, O," "Faithful Johnny," and "The Keel Row"; Edward Bairstow's "The Oak and the Ash"; Edward T. Chapman's "She's Like the Swallow" and "The Three Ravens"; Percy Grainger's "Londonderry Air" and "Brigg Fair"; Gustav Holst's "My Sweetheart's Like Venus," "I Love My Love," and "Swansee Town"; Donald James' "Bushes and Briars" and "Strawberry Fair"; E. J. Moeran's "The Sailor and Young Nancy"; Rutter's "Black Sheep," "Dashing Away with the Smoothing Iron," "O Waly, Waly," and "Sourwood Mountain"; Peter Warlock's "Yarmouth Fair," adapted by Cecil Armstrong Gibbs; David Willcocks' "Bobby Shaftoe," "Early One Morning," and "Afton Water"; and Ralph Vaughan Williams' "Greensleeves," "Ca' the Yowes," and "The Turtle Dove."

Hunt notes that the program offers a rich variety of arrangements by famous composers as well as lesser-known names who are masters of the folk idiom.

Each song has a distinct character, Hunt says. "We will thoroughly inhabit the story line of each piece to give it a life of its own."

He adds, "I believe audiences will be enchanted by the music. They might even find themselves whistling the tunes as they leave."

"The arrangers have done an amazing job of word-painting," Hunt says, referring to how the music reflects the subjects and moods depicted in the song texts.

Painting, in the literal sense of the word, also will take place during the performances. For the first time, the choir has hired accomplished local artists to attend concerts and paint scenes inspired by the music. Greg Chapman will paint during the June 13 concert, Robert Pennington on June 14. Each will work at an easel set up on one side of the sanctuary, visible to concert audiences. Their paintings will be on view immediately after each concert.

Hunt calls it an experiment in bringing a visual fine-art dimension to the concert experience. "It's as if the artists are silent members of the choir, expressing the music in acrylic paint and watercolor."

St. Charles Singers ensemble members performing in "Bushes and Briars" include sopranos Jeanne Fornari, Batavia; Jen Haseltine, Campton Hills; Ingrid Burrichter, Chicago; Mary Kunstman, DeKalb; Jennifer Mamminga, Geneva; Laura Johnson, Hanover Park; Cynthia Spiegel, La Fox; AnDrea James, St. Charles; Suzanna Mathews, Wheaton; and Karen Lukose, Winfield. The alto section will include Sarah Underhill, Aurora; Margaret Fox and Valerie Heinkel-Bollero, Batavia; Amanda Brex-Castillo, Cary; Bethany Nelson, Crystal Lake; Julie Popplewell, North Aurora; Bridget Kancler, Oak Park; and Debby Wilder, Wheeling.

Tenors are Rob Campbell and Bryan Kunstman, DeKalb; Bradley Staker, Elburn; Gregor King, Sycamore; David Hunt, Wayne; Joel Visker and Steve Williamson, West Chicago; and Bob Boyd, Westmont.

The bass section will comprise Phil Nohl and Michael Thoms, Aurora; Doug Peters, Batavia; Anthony Quaranta, Carol Stream; Nate Coon, Crystal Lake; David Hartley, Lake in the Hills; Ernie Klapmeier and Mike Popplewell, North Aurora, and Drayton Eggleson, Sycamore.

Tickets and Information Single tickets for the June "Bushes and Briars" concerts are $30 adult general admission, $25 for seniors 65 and older, and $10 for students.

Tickets and general information about the St. Charles Singers are available at www.stcharlessingers.com or by calling (630) 513-5272. Tickets are also available at Townhouse Books, 105 N. Second Ave., St. Charles (checks or cash only at this ticket venue). Tickets may also be purchased at the door on the day of the concert, depending on availability. Group discounts are available.