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Check back soon for more
exciting news! 
Bella Voce Premieres New
Walker Cantata
Lessons from
the Sea, a new work by the acclaimed Vermont composer, Gwyneth Walker,
premiered in Montpelier, Saint Johnsbury
and Shelburne, Vermont April 4-6, 2008.
The texts Walker selected for this work were drawn from the words of Anne
Morrow Lindbergh’s inspirational book, Gift from the Sea. Bella
Voce was honored to have the author’s daughter, Reeve Lindbergh, join them
for these performances as the Narrator.
Listen to a segment on VPR.
 New DeCormier Commission
Recorded
In January 2008 Bella Voce recorded it's
second CD, featuring a new commission by Vermont composer Robert DeCormier.
In December
2007 Bella Voce premiered his new work “Mary had a Baby – a Suite
of Christmas Spirituals”, a cantata of four spirituals influenced by
African-American and Afro-Caribbean cultures with woodwind instruments and
double bass. The CD will feature a variety of holiday music
accompanied by harp, flute, clarinet, bassoon and French horn.
Bella Voce Performs at
Gwyneth Walkers 60th Birthday Celebration
October 2007 marked the
celebration of Chandler Hall's 100th anniversary and composer Gwyneth
Walker's 60th birthday, when choirs and musicians around the nation joined
to participate in a two-day festival in Randolph, Vt. Bella Voce was
featured singing selections by Gwyneth Walker for women's voices and
joined other area choirs in performing a varied repertoire based on the
composer's works.
Now Let Us Sing! CD Now
Available (read more)
We are excited to produce our first CD, with
brass quintet, percussion and piano. Selections by composer Gwyneth
Walker include:
Now Let
Us Sing!
How Can I Keep From Singing?
Peace, I Ask Of Thee O River
Songs for Women's Voices:
Women Should Be Pedestals, Mornings Innocent, The Name is Changeless,
Love is a Rain of Diamonds, In Autumn, I Will Be Earth
I Thank You God
Crossing The Bar
Hebrides Lullaby
Let
Evening Come
The Spirit of Women:
So Many Angels, Walk That Valley, Never
Sit Down
Gifts
from the Sea
Reviews from our May,
2007 Concert
The Tenth Muse
Bella Voce's concert: a gift to the community, by Dan
Wolfe, Vermont Times, May 23, 2007
Bella Voce concert Friday
evening:
Songs of strength and Spirit come to St. Albans,
by Tammy Jo Sellers, St. Albans Messenger, May 17, 2007.
New Music for Women's
Voices Commissioned
Bella Voce has engaged
Vermont composer Gwyneth Walker to write a
cantata, “Lessons from the Sea,” based on Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s
inspirational book “Gift from the Sea”.
“Gift from the
Sea” is one of the most beloved classics of inspirational literature.
Through these essays, Lindbergh shares her
meditations on youth and age; love and marriage; peace, solitude and
contentment. Drawing inspiration from the shells on the shore, Lindbergh’s
musings on the shape of a woman’s life bring new understanding to both men
and women at any stage of life. Bringing this
inspirational work to music will reach a new audience for choral music –
lovers of this treasured book. Bella Voce intends to perform this work
April 4-6, 2008. See
the performance schedule for more details.
Bella Voce Performs on
Vermont Public Radio
On December 21 Bella Voce
performed a holiday concert on the air with VPR, featuring a set of French
Carols and other pieces accompanied by a brass quintet. The music of
Vermont composer Gwyneth Walker, including her delightful arrangement
entitled "So Many Angels" was a special highlight. Festive songs of the
season rounded out the concert!
Bella Voce Performs at Special
Birthday Celebration
On June 22, 2006, Bella Voce was invited
to perform at a very special 100th birthday tribute to author and
aviator Anne Morrow Lindbergh at the Athenaeum in St. Johnsbury. Reeve
Lindbergh, daughter of Anne Morrow Lindbergh and famous aviator Charles
Lindbergh, hosted the event.
Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh in 1931
Bella Voce performed a piece by composer
Gwyneth Walker based on an excerpt from Lindbergh's well-known novel
"Gift from the Sea". As a special treat - Gwyneth joined Bella Voce for
the performance! What a great day!
Winner of the 2006 Quilt Raffle. Thank you
Caroline, for crafting such a beautiful quilt!
Bella Voce in NYC!
 On
February 17, 2006 Bella Voce Women's Chorus and Kaleidoscope (Essex
Junction High School's women's chorus) perform at the Eastern Division
American Choral Director's Assoc. Convention held in New York City. The
choirs performed during an Interest Session presented by Dawn Willis and
Glory Douglass.
The hour-long session
entitled DISCOVERING COMMON GROUND THROUGH COMMON SOUND consisted of the
two choirs singing some double choir music for SSAA choirs. In addition,
the conductors and various choir members talked about building
relationships between community and school choirs.
A Visit From Robert DeCormier
On November 14, 2005, we were honored by
a visit from world-renowned Vermont composer and arranger,
Robert DeCormier. He stopped by to
hear us perform (for the first time!) his newly commissioned piece
written for Bella Voce and Kaleidoscope entitled "Hold On!" an
arrangement of an African-American spiritual. He spent some time with
the combined choruses helping us to understand the sound he wanted us
to achieve for this piece. We were thrilled when he decided to stay
for the entire rehearsal.
Composer/Arranger Robert DeCormier and
Dawn Willis, Bella Voce Music Director
And another great
Vermont composer,
Gwyneth Walker
stopped by a on October 24 to sit in on a rehearsal and attend an
October 26th fund-raising concert that included Bella Voce and
Kaleidoscope performing several of her pieces including "Let Evening
Come" and "Hebrides Lullaby " at our December 3rd, 2005, concert.
Ms.
Walker works directly with Glory Douglass and the women of
Kaleidoscope - Essex High School's women's chorus, as they listen
intently to her artistic interpretation of "Don't Sit Down", a piece
she composed about women's rights. The audience at the October 26,
2005
concert loved every minute and were really excited to
have the composer present. We were too!
Composer Gwyneth
Walker and Dawn Willis
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