December 2001 Newsletter

December, 2001 Volume 14 Number 2

Letter from the President

Dear Bach Friends,

Sitting here composing this letter I can’t help but wonder how you will be experiencing these coming weeks. Will you be observing Hanukah, Ramadan, Christmas, will you stay at home, go and visit family, take a vacation?

Whatever your intentions I trust that one of them includes coming to hear our Advent concert. Choir and orchestra are eager to perform the music of Buxtehude, Kuhnau and Bach for you. Please note the time: 3 p.m. in the afternoon of December the 2nd at St Matthew’s United Church, 2039 - 26A Street, S.W.

The marathon, which took place this past month, was again most successful, especially considering the high quality of performances. However the financial rewards were not overwhelming bearing in mind the time and energy that go into putting these 6 hours together. So our collective thoughts wondered toward trying to obtain a corporate sponsor for next year’s event. Can it be that sponsor would be you? Or are you able to suggest a name to us?

Do not worry, it’s not that the Bach Society has lost track of its main goal, which is preparing and presenting wonderful music from the Baroque period to Calgarians, but we have to be realistic

Allow me to return to the event of October 27 one more time and thank all who took part: front and back stage, your involvement was/is so much appreciated.Come February we anticipate, with so much pleasure, our children’s concert. This is always such a happy event. Bring the young ones, have them try out different instruments before the concert and then be entertained, with their participation, for about an hour. Our hope is that throughout their growing years they will realise that

Baroque music need not be regarded as stuffy, for older folk only, but to be enjoyed at any age, in any place, enriching their lives.Now all that remains is for me to wish you a good end of this year and a healthy, contented 2002. We have so much to be grateful for, may we be aware of this every day.

Maijke van Wijk. President, CBFS

Calendar of Events

Calgary Bach Festival Society Concert Season 2001-2002

With Calgary Bach Festival Choir, under conductor Janet Youngdahl

The Bach Children’s Concert Saturday, February 2, 2002 - 2 p.m. Rozsa Theatre, University of Calgary

Bach Birthday Celebration Sunday, March 24, 2002 - 3 p.m.St. Matthew’s United Church - 2039-26a Street SW

Calendar of Events

Other organizations

Early Music Voices Soprano Extravaganza (Baroque Arias and Cantatas) Saturday, January 5, 2002 – 8 p.m. Christ Church Elbow Park 3602 – 8 Street SW For further information call 232-2332

Celebrity Series: La Notte D’Amore, Music for the Medici Wedding of 1608 Victor Coelho, artistic director Friday, February 1, 2002 Rosza Centre, University of Calgary For further information call 220-5089

Profiles

Profile - Karen Fowlie

by Anna Carnell

Karen Fowlie, mezzo-soprano with the Calgary Bach Festival Choir, has also agreed to serve as Media Relations Director. This is her first year with the CFBS and she is thrilled with the sound and feel of the choir, and with the density and inspiration of Bach’s music.

A folk-singer and songwriter, she has written and performed her work at folk festivals and folk clubs. Her own songs, though introspective, have a strong social conscience. “I want to write for the world”, she says, and is, in fact, performing a benefit concert for CUSO on November 25, 7:30 p.m. at the Garry Theatre. It’s called

‘The Chile Concert’ and features Karen and special guests, including an opening with Rodney Guitar and Rock B.B.The concert was inspired by 10 months spent in Chile working for CUSO, helping schools set up their computer / internet links. “I saw the best and the worst of life”, she says, “but I came back looking at the world with more colour”. It is not her first benefit. She has also volunteered her services and her musical talents for Amnesty International and Oxfam.

Her social interests solidified in University and she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Sociology from the University of Calgary. Her musical interests began with her mother’s purchase of an old Wurlitzer organ. School musicals and bands (French Horn) supplemented the organ lessons. Song writing led to folk singing where she also developed proficiency on the guitar. One day, I’m sure Karen will realize her dream of recording CDs.

She has always been interested in classical music and the audition notice advertised in the newspaper has brought the CBFS a new, enthusiastic choir member. Her energy and heart-felt love for music will serve the CBFS well in concert and with the media.

Profile - Lisa Baxter

by Anna Carnell

Lisa Baxter, soprano with the Calgary Bach Festival Society, could read music as soon as she could read English. Inspired by a folk singer/guitar-playing teacher, Lisa’s parents arranged guitar lessons when Lisa was 6, followed by voice lessons at 13.

Lisa studied Kodaly in school and followed the Kiwanis performance path until she entered the University of Victoria, where she continued her music studies and sang with the University Chorus and the Vancouver Chorale. After earning her Bachelors in music performance she intended to follow up with a teaching degree so she could teach music in high school. She was sidetracked however by a new career as wine importer with the Bacchus Group.

When she moved to Calgary this year, she was pleased to audition for and be accepted by the CBFS. “My Mom can hear my voice gaining strength after a few years of not singing, and I can feel the change and growth of confidence.” Lisa loves singing in choirs, in fact, she says, “Some of my best friends are from choir days. Everyone has a similar passion, you get a chance to travel and there is a real sense of bonding.” She loves early music in particular, though she’s sung some more contemporary work with choirs, a favourite being Prokoviev’s oratorio ‘Alexander Nevsky’.

Lisa is looking forward to her volunteer position as Media Relations Director with Karen Fowlie. “It’s another fun way to sink into the music community here in Calgary.” She’s also looking forward to giving a recital in June. With colleague Angela Cavar, they’ve prepared a program of French and Italian art songs.Lisa might yet teach in the future, but for now, she is happy to be “right where I am”, in the heart of the city at Eau Claire Apartments, and in the heart of Bach, with the CBFS.

Editor's Website Picks

Interested in contacting other choral groups in Calgary? You will find the Calgary Region Arts Foundation client list at http://www.craf.org/clients4.htmlThe Academy of Ancient Music at http://www.aam.co.uk/ has program notes on works and shows pictures of artists, such as Bach. To find these, click on News and Features.A little embarrassed that you don’t know some musical term like appoggiatura? You won’t be if you check out the Glossary page of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem at http://www.bach.org/bach101/suites/glossary.htmlThe Denton Bach Socety revisits Bach’s first Leipzig Christmas at http://www.dentonbach.com/archive/magnificat9.htm where you can find program notes, commentaries, pictures and the full texts of the Magnificat in Latin and English.Don’t forget our own http://www.bachcalgary.org with newsletters back to September 2000, pictures of the choir and orchestra and profiles of our conductors.

Membership Information

The Calgary Bach Festival Society has a large library of cantatas which can be rented. If interested, please contact us at 282-8525 or e-mail Bill Zdep tcprint@cadvision.com.

Volunteers are welcome and needed for several positions and projects. If interested, please contact us at 282-8525 or e-mail Bill Zdep tcprint@cadvision.com.