St. Charles Singers to Present 42nd Season With Kontras Quartet
Jeffrey Hunt leads programs including Mass for the Endangered and more at Baker Memorial United Methodist Church.
The St. Charles Singers, led by founder and music director Jeffrey Hunt, have revealed details of their 42nd concert season, featuring programs tied to timely themes, a multitude of musical works new to their repertoire, and a first-time collaboration with Chicago's Kontras Quartet.
The critically acclaimed mixed-voice chamber choir opens its season in early October with 'North American Mosaic,' comprising songs of different eras and cultural perspectives from the U.S. and Canada to be performed at its home venue, Baker Memorial United Methodist Church, 307 Cedar Avenue, St. Charles, Illinois, as will all of the choir's 2026-2027 concerts.
Season Highlights
The choir's December 'Candlelight Carols' program, with guest artists the Kontras Quartet, will present seasonal songs for choir and string quartet, a cappella pieces, and string quartet works.
The St. Charles Singers will host their fourth annual 'Choral Connections' concerts in February. The ensemble's community-outreach initiative will showcase the professional-level choir alongside six accomplished choral ensembles from high schools in Cook, DuPage, Kane, and Lake counties, some of whose choral directors also sing with the St. Charles Singers.
Heralding Earth Day, the choir concludes its season with 'Earthly Echoes.' A highlight is Mass for the Endangered, a contemporary work for choir and chamber orchestra with an unusual array of instruments.
North American Mosaic (October 3–4)
Hunt describes the St. Charles Singers' season-opener concert, 'North American Mosaic,' as "a tapestry of American experience, with a respectful nod to Canada."
'Gimikwenden Ina' (Do You Remember?) is from Canadian composer Corey Payette's musical Children of God, about indigenous Oji-Cree children forced into boarding schools to erase their native culture and family connections. Payette is a member of the Mattagami First Nation. The St. Charles Singers will perform Elliot Vaughan's arrangement for four-part choir with piano and drum.
It's one of eight works on the program that the St. Charles Singers will be performing for the first time.
Another is 'The Bird,' by early American composer William Billings, considered the country's first professional choral composer. Written in 1790 and based on Psalm 11, the score includes Billings' characteristic fugues, melisma, and tone painting.
New England modernist Charles Ives wrote 'The Circus Band' in 1894 while still a student at Yale University. It's a humorous, nostalgic take on a young boy's excitement at the chaos and exuberance of a passing circus parade.
The program also includes William Dawson's arrangement of 'Ain'-a That Good News,' Florence Price's 'Resignation,' Aaron Copland's Old American Songs, Book 1, Ysaye M. Barnwell's 'We Are,' Arnold Sevier's arrangement of 'Precious Lord,' Brandon Williams' arrangement of 'Spirit of the Living God,' Craig Hella Johnson's 'Reaching,' and Kile Smith's 'Northland.'
'North American Mosaic' will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, October 3, and 3 p.m. Sunday, October 4, at Baker Memorial United Methodist Church in St. Charles.
Candlelight Carols (December 4–6)
The 42nd annual 'Candlelight Carols' features a first-time collaboration with Chicago's Kontras Quartet.
The St. Charles Singers and Kontras Quartet will perform together in seven works, including music by J. S. Bach, Ola Gjeilo, R. R. Terry, John Rutter, Caroline Shaw, and Nate Adams. In addition to the collaborative works, the choir will perform audience-favorite carols, while the quartet will present its own selection of pieces.
The concert concludes with the choir surrounding the sanctuary for a performance of 'Silent Night,' arranged by David Willcocks and Robert Boyd.
Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Friday, December 4; 7:30 p.m. Saturday, December 5; and 3 p.m. Sunday, December 6, at Baker Memorial United Methodist Church in St. Charles.
Choral Connections (February 12–13)
The fourth annual 'Choral Connections' concerts will showcase six area high school choirs across two different programs.
At each concert, the St. Charles Singers will perform alongside three suburban Chicago high school choirs before joining together for a combined finale.
The February 12 concert features choirs from Bartlett High School, Kaneland High School, and South Elgin High School. The February 13 concert includes Geneva High School, Lyons Township High School, and Stevenson High School.
Four of the six participating schools are making their Choral Connections debut, while Kaneland and Geneva return for another appearance.
Concert programs will be announced in early 2027.
Earthly Echoes (April 17–18)
A prelude to Earth Day, 'Earthly Echoes' concludes the St. Charles Singers' 42nd season with music centered on environmental awareness and conservation.
The centerpiece is Sarah Kirkland Snider's Mass for the Endangered, scored for choir and chamber orchestra. A companion video by artist Deborah Johnson will be screened during the performance.
The program also features Caroline Shaw's 'And the Swallow,' Ēriks Ešenvalds' 'Rivers of Light,' and Kyle Pederson's 'All Is Miracle.'
Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 17, and 3 p.m. Sunday, April 18, at Baker Memorial United Methodist Church in St. Charles.