government sponsorsconcert sponsors

Gerald Neufeldconductor

George Frideric Handel

MESSIAHMeredith Hall sopranoErica IrisaltoGraham ThomsontenorMatthew PaulsbassMusica Viva Orchestraon period instruments

Saturday December 22, 2012River Run Centre | 8 pm

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ProgramGEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL (1685-1759)MESSIAH

Part ISinfony Comfort ye my people . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tenor recitativeEv’ry valley shall be exalted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tenor ariaAnd the glory of the Lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ChorusThus saith the Lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bass recitativeBut who may abide the day of his coming? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Alto ariaAnd He shall purify the sons of Levi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ChorusBehold, a virgin shall conceive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alto recitativeO thou that tellest good tidings to Zion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alto aria and chorusFor behold, darkness shall cover the earth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bass recitativeThe people that walked in darkness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bass ariaFor unto us a child is born . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ChorusPifa (Pastoral Symphony)There were shepherds abiding in the field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Soprano recitativeAnd lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Soprano recitativeAnd the angel said unto them . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Soprano recitativeAnd suddenly there was with the angel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Soprano recitativeGlory to God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ChorusRejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Soprano ariaThen shall the eyes of the blind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alto recitativeHe shall feed his flock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alto & soprano ariaHis yoke is easy, and his burden is light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chorus

Intermisson

Part IIBehold the Lamb of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ChorusHe was despised . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alto ariaSurely He hath borne our griefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ChorusAnd with his stripes we are healed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ChorusAll we, like sheep, have gone astray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ChorusAll they that see him laugh him to scorn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tenor recitativeHe trusted in God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chorus

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Program cont’dThy rebuke hath broken His heart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tenor recitativeBehold and see if there be any sorrow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tenor ariaHe was cut off out of the land of the living . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tenor recitativeBut Thou didst not leave his soul in hell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tenor ariaUnto which of the angels said he any time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tenor recitativeLet all the angels of God worship him . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ChorusThe Lord gave the word . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ChorusHow beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace . . . Soprano ariaTheir sound is gone out into all lands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ChorusWhy do the nations so furiously rage together? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bass ariaLet us break their bonds asunder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ChorusHe that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn . . . . . . . . . . . . Tenor recitativeThou shalt break them with a rod of iron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tenor ariaHallelujah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chorus

Part IIII know that my redeemer liveth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Soprano ariaSince by man came death . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ChorusBehold, I tell you a mystery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bass recitativeThe trumpet shall sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bass ariaWorthy is the Lamb that was slain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ChorusAmen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chorus

Musica Viva Orchestra

Violin 1Valerie Sylvester Andrew Chung Elena Spanu

Violin 2George Willms Bethany Bergman Sophie Drouin

ViolaAnthony Rapoport Mary McGeer CelloLaura JonesRebecca Morton Contrabass Jeffrey Stokes

TrumpetShawn Spicer Paul Sanvidotti TimpaniJohn Brownell OrganChristopher Dawes

Program

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Guest ArtistsCanadian Soprano Mer-edith hall delights audiences internationally with her “lustrous sound and fluent legato” (San Francisco Chronicle) and “bravura musical perfor-mance matched by a rivet-ing (sense of the) dramatic” (Boston Globe) . Equally at home in Opera and Ora-torio, she is especially in

demand for Baroque and Classical works .Recent highlights include a performance at the

Göttingen Handel Festival in Germany, the Arizona Chamber Music Festival, the Grand Philharmonic Choir of Kitchener Waterloo and a Handel programme for the Grand Rapids Symphony in Michigan . She has also performed with the Philharmonia Baroque of San Francisco, Boston Baroque, Toronto Symphony, Toronto Masque Theatre, Pax Christi Chorale, the Elmer Iseler Singers, the Memphis Symphony, and Cleveland’s Apollo’s Fire, an early music group with whom she is closely associated for a number of performances and a recording of Celtic Christmas music .

For Toronto Operetta Theatre she performed the role of Nanine in the Canadian premiere of The Widow by Calixa Lavallee, and recorded songs by Robbie Burns for the ATMA label . Ms . Hall has also recorded for Deutsche Grammophon Archiv, Philips, Naxos, Dorian, NPR Records and CBC Records with such groups as Les Musiciens du Louvre, Le Concert Spiri-tuel, The Musicians of the Globe, The Toronto Consort and Tafelmusik .

Mezzo-soprano erica iris emerged into Toronto’s music scene with credits to “a gorgeous big voice, seamless from top to bottom, dramatic, and highly expressive.” (Howard Dyck)

Praised for her stage presence of warmth and character, Erica has cap-tivated audiences with her

sensitivity and vocal timbres, which lend their hands in the new music repertory . She was featured in Igor Cor-reia’s Three Great Songs of Range (2008 Karen Kieser Prize in Canadian music), “gave the best singing of the evening as the sympathetic Aunt Adelaïde” in Charles Wilson’s Kamouraska with Opera In Concert in 2009 (Ken Winters of The Globe and Mail), and made her New Music Concerts debut with the premiere of Paul Steen-huisen’s Supplice and Demand, with an “intense beautiful opacity” (Robert Everett-Green of The Globe And Mail) .

Winner of the 2011 Eckhardt-Gramatté National Music Competition, she was awarded an E-Gré Tour across Canada that was graciously funded by Canada Council for the Arts . For the 2012/2013 season, she is the featured mezzo in Naomi’s Road, written by Ramona Luengen with Vancouver Opera’s School Touring Ensemble .

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Prince Edward Island native GrahaM thoMson is recognized as a sensi-tive and intelligent per-former with a pure tenor voice noted for its beauty, warmth and flexibility: “half-velour, half-brass, gifted with a beautiful roundness”. His singing has been called “engaging, expressive effortless, and

perfectly pitched.” Recent concert highlights include the Evangelist in

St. Matthew Passion; soloist in performances of Mes-siah by the Highlands Festival Singers, Confederation Singers, the Elmer Iseler Singers, the Pax Christi Cho-rale, and the Stratford Symphony; recitals at the Bayfield Festival of Song and the Aldeburgh Connection; tenor soloist in Carmina Burana with the Indian River Festival; and tenor soloist in Opera Lyra’s Italian Garden Party . Mr . Thomson is currently studying towards his Doctor-ate in Musical Arts at the University of Toronto under the direction of Professor Lorna MacDonald and was delighted to be a Fellow in Art and Song for the Toronto Summer Music Festival 2012, where he worked with pre-eminent artists such as Gerald Finley, Stephen Philcox, Craig Rutenberg, and Sanford Sylvan .

Baritone Matthew Pauls is currently working on his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Voice Perfor-mance at the University of Western Ontario . He made his operatic debut with Saskatoon Opera as Marullo in a production of Rigoletto . Other stage credits include Frank Maurant in Street Scene,

Masetto in Don Giovanni, which he performed with UWOpera and La Musica Lirica in Italy, Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro, the Mysterious Man in Sondheim’s Into the Woods, and Dr . Falke in Die Fledermaus . He has also performed as a soloist in various cantatas and oratorios including Handel’s Alexander’s Feast and Messiah, Bach’s cantata BWV 106, Gottes Zeit is die allerbeste Zeit, Haydn’s Creation, Mozart’s Requiem and Vesperae solennes de confessore, and Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem .

UNIVERSITY SQUARE PHARMACY

(519) 763-3301 987 GORDON STREET (KORTRIGHT ROAD)

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Dedication

Tel 519-822-0160 | 800-263-1032240 Victoria Road N. Guelph, ON

www.sutherlandinsurance.com

It is with gratitude for the many years of service that Murdo MacKinnon gave to the Guelph Chamber Choir that we dedicate tonight’s concert to his memory . Murdo’s death on July 8, 2012, marked the end of an era in which he contributed so much to the arts in Guelph . Perhaps it was fitting that the Guelph Chamber Choir, on tour in England and Wales at the time of his death, earned a third prize in the prestigious International Musical Eisteddfod in Llangollen, Wales, on July 6th .

My introduction to Murdo was in 1978 when I became the conductor of the University of Guelph Choir . He was the former Dean of the College of Arts as well as the faculty advisor to the university choir . A stalwart pillar of the bass section, Murdo’s enthusiasm for choral music was more than matched by his enthu-siasm for the students with whom he interacted every day . Murdo’s ceaseless energy and superb organiza-tional skills were a priceless gift to the university choir . For many years he organized the choir’s overseas tours to Britain, Germany and Sweden as well as choir tours in Ontario and Quebec .

In 1980, Murdo MacKinnon and Eleanor Ewing rec-ognized the need for a community choir that would meet the needs of singers with musical training . They, with the assistance of several others, founded the Guelph Cham-ber Choir . Once again Murdo’s administrative skills were in evidence as a board of directors was formed with the mandate to hire a conductor, audition singers and admin-ister, fund and maintain the choir . Based on Murdo’s model, the Guelph Chamber Choir has had for 32 years a very competent, active board of directors that provides guidance, funding and the administration for one of the best-run community choirs in Canada .

We are the fortunate beneficiaries of Murdo’s work those many years ago . It was his commitment to music, his passion for people and his love of community that

inspired him to bequeath to us over three decades of wonderful music making .

Thank you Murdo for the many, many hours you gave to ensuring the success of the Guelph Chamber Choir and its contribution to the City of Guelph . If you can hear the hallelujahs in tonight’s performance, they are for your legacy of fine music in this community, for your generous spirit, your warm, effervescent person-ality and for the kindness with which you touched so many people .

Your work lives on in us as we sing the choruses in Messiah tonight . You have greatly enriched our commu-nity . We miss you Murdo . We will not forget you .

In loving memory,Gerald Neufeld

In Memoriam Murdo MacKinnon 1917 – 2012

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Our PeopleGerald Neufeld Conductor

Alison MacNeill AccompanistThe Guelph Chamber Choir was founded in 1980 to

foster the development and appreciation of choral music in Guelph and the surrounding area . Consisting of highly talented but mostly amateur singers from a wide range of occupations, the choir is proudly presenting its 33rd

season this year with four concerts . Its repertoire ranges from Renaissance masters to newly commissioned works, from classical styles to Broadway and vocal jazz, and from masterworks for choir and orchestra to choral gems for unaccompanied voices .

In addition to its regular series of concerts, the GCC has performed in numerous festivals, including the Llangollen International Eisteddfod in Wales (3rd place winner in the Mixed Choir Category), Toronto International Choral Festival, Guelph Spring Festi-val, Elora Festival, and festivals in Salzburg, Austria, and the Czech Republic . Exciting collaborations include working with Dancetheatre David Earle, professional choirs, regional choirs, community choirs, and orchestras such as the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony and Orchestra London . Some of our most engaging concerts have been accompanied by period instrument specialists from Toronto and southern Ontario .

The GCC has performed in England, Wales, Ireland, Austria, the Czech Republic, Holland, Germany, Sweden and Denmark, has been broadcast on CBC Radio, and has won prizes in the CBC National Competition for Amateur Choirs . Recordings include Noel, On Christmas Night; Songs of the New World; Good Cheare: Christmas Celebra-tions Old and New (with the Oliver Whitehead Jazz Ensemble), Christmas in the Royal City, and Remember .

Gerald Neufeld has been conductor of the Guelph Chamber Choir since its found-ing . He holds the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Iowa and is presently a professor in the Don Wright Faculty of Music, Western University, where he conducts choirs and teaches choral conducting . Previously, he taught in the music department of the University of Guelph and conducted the University of Guelph choir with which he toured in Britain and Europe on two occasions . Under his direction, the Guelph Chamber Choir, the University of Guelph choir, the Faculty of Music Singers, and the Thames Scholars from Western University all won prizes in the CBC National Competition for Amateur Choirs .

Gerald Neufeld is a previous winner of the Leslie Bell competition for choral con-ductors . He has served on juries for the Canadian recording industry’s Juno Awards, the Leslie Bell Competition and the Guelph Spring Festival national vocal competition . He is active as a choral clinician, festival adjudicator, and lecturer on topics of special interest in the choral field.

Alison MacNeill has been accompanist for the Guelph Chamber Choir for twenty-four seasons . She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Guelph and is the Director of Music Ministry at Harcourt Memorial United Church as well as an independent music teacher and adjudicator, accompanist and chamber musician .

Board of directors

President Stephen PierceSecretary Dorothy FisherTreasurer Ken Carey Members at Large Lew Abbott, Barbara Friend, Brad Halls, Terry McDonald, Anne Monkhouse, Ann MurrayAdministration Patricia Eton-Neufeld Marketing Ken McRory Concert Promotions Brenda Lewis

GuelPh chaMBer choir 2012–2013

SopranosLaura HarpEllie HoganJane HouldingMarg McKenzie-LeightonMegan ParksPatricia Ramos WardSally StelterMonique SutherlandTammy teWinkelAnna TribeAlison Vicary

Altos Lynn BeathJanice ColesCarolynne Davy GodinJoanne GonsalvesNancy JacksonNaomi MatsuiLaurie McDonaldAnne McKenzieSusanne Schmidt-McQuillanSue Stephenson

TenorsNaoki ChibaChris FischerLanny FlemingKen FreyBrad HallsHarold JacksonGerald StephensonLawrence SugdenPeter Thompson

BassesKen CareyIan DickiesonMark HaslettBrian JanzenAndrew McLarenNeil McLarenKen McRoryGraham NancekivellMatthias Schmidt

Program

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Our ThanksWe would like to thank our supporters who made valuable financial contributions to the Guelph Chamber Choir.

Conductor's Circle ($1,000 & up)Mary Lou & Doug BrockPatricia Eton-Neufeld &

Gerald NeufeldHarry & Mary-Jane OussorenSpaenaurSusan & Gerald StephensonAnonymous

President's Circle ($500 & up)Urve & Lewis AbbottJanice ColesJames Ford & Brenda CoomberMark Haslett & Jane HouldingSandy & Ann MiddletonSally & Gil StelterSusan & Peter ThompsonRon WilliamsAnonymous

Chorister's Circle ($250 & up)Barbara Buttars Maxine & Ed CrispinBarbara FriendDerek HallBrad & Heather HallsSarah LoweMarilyn Robinson MurrayRuth TathamMargaret WadeAnonymous

Patrons ($100 & up)Carol AllisonFrank & Janet BrewsterGary & Wynne ChristieAnne ConnollyMary DinsdaleBen & Norma FearWayne & Daphne GatehouseJoanne GrodzinskiWilliam C . HamiltonGordon HarrisCas & JoAnne HeroldRhoda HolzRon & Mel MacDonaldJohn MacraeFran & Murray MathiesonMarta McCarthy & Randy SmithSheila & Neil McLarenAnne & John MonkhouseDavid & Ann MurrayHarold & Marilyn QuinnYvonne & Carl RosenquistJ . Douglas SandersonFrances SchwengerDavid & Marie SmithHeather ThompsonGreta UnternahrerLane & Sya Van GeestPieter & Anne WymingaSeveral Anonymous Donors

Friends ($50 & up)Douglas AuldDonald BarnumJohn & Rochelle BarnumJoan BowlandDavid & Carol Ann DouglasTony FosterSarah HayterKen & Isobel KingGerard LuyckxBlair & Elizabeth MacNeillCynthia MoseleyHenry OrrJane TweeddaleJanet WardlawWilliam WinegardVida WinegardenSeveral Anonymous Donors

Corporate Friends (under $500)Edinburgh Optometry ClinicSteele Bros . (Guelph, 1986) Ltd .

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Upcoming...

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InformationGuelPh chaMBer choir

P .O . Box 513, Guelph, ON N1H 6K9

Phone 519-836-5103Email info@guelphchamberchoir .caWebsite www .guelphchamberchoir .ca

Box officePhone (519) 763-3000On-line www .riverrun .caHours Mon-Sat 11am-6pm Administration (519) 837-5662

AccessiBilityRiver Run Centre is proud to be completely acces-sible for patrons and performers with special needs. Wheelchair locations are available in both halls. Please inform the Box Office when pur-chasing tickets. Infrared headsets for the hearing impaired are available at the Coat Check prior to the performances.

theAtre etiquetteSo that everyone can enjoy the performance, and in consideration of the artist, please note that latecomers will be seated at a suitable break; beepers and cellular phones and watch alarms must be muted; and the use of recording devices or taking of photos is prohibited.

scentsIn consideration of those who have allergies, please refrain from using perfume or cologne.

childrenWe welcome children, but please remember that everyone must have a ticket, regardless of age. In consideration of the audience, and for safety, babies will not be admitted to the performance.