Our 39th season: Major works, working partners, and a work in progress

The music always comes first. The 39th season of the Providence Singers, presented at VMA Arts and Cultural Center, will include:

• Beethoven: Missa Solemnis. A major choral work not heard in Providence for decades. Presented in collaboration with the New Bedford Symphony, with performances in New Bedford (Sunday, October 17) and Providence (Sunday, October 24, at VMA).
• Handel: Messiah. A Rhode Island holiday tradition, with the Rhode Island Philharmonic (Saturday, December 11, at VMA).
• Orff and Galbraith: Carmina Burana and a world première. Carl Orff’s own chamber version of this 20th century icon, for two pianos and lots of percussion. We also present the music of Nancy Galbraith, including a work we commissioned in 2007 and a work that will receive its world première (Saturday, April 9, at VMA).
• Mahler: Symphony No. 3. The women of the Providence Singers are guest performers for the Rhode Island Philharmonic’s presentation of Gustav Mahler’s Third Symphony (Saturday, May 7, at VMA).

Alice Parker receives New Rhythmus Award

Alice Parker, one of the world’s most accomplished and tireless advocates for singing and the choral art, received the Providence Singers’ New Rhythmus Award on Friday, June 4, 2010, at the Singers’ end-of-season Spring Gala. The award, first presented in 2008 to Dave and Iola Brubeck, honors composers, conductors, musicologists, performers and other national leaders of American choral music.

News release  |  Alice Parker  |  The New Rhythmus Award

Recordings of the Providence Singers

Just Released:
Dominick Argento: Jonah and the Whale
Copies have arrived at the Singers office and will soon find their way into stores and iTunes. Call the Singers office for more information. More ...

Lukas Foss: The Prairie
The Singers’ debut recording has been well received and is still available from vendors or through the Providence Singers. More ...

Lou Harrison: La Koro Sutro
The Singers joined the Boston Modern Orchestra Project and its American gamelan at Mechanics Hall in Worcester to record the entire work. BMOP will pair the Harrison with other modern works in an upcoming CD release.

National study: Choral singing improves communities, schools, lives

Choral singing continues to be the most popular form of participation in the performing arts. More than 42.6 million Americans of all ages sing regularly in one or more of the nation’s 270,000 choral organizations — and the benefits of that experience are far-reaching and profound. According to The Chorus Impact Study, conducted by Chorus America, choral singing correlates strongly with:

• Good citizenship: Chorus members are civic leaders, support the arts, take part in government and political affairs, are well-informed and well-read, and are more likely to volunteer in their communities.
• Success in school: Children who sing get significantly better grades, improve their performance in language and math. Children of parents who sing have good memory skills, more effective homework habits, higher levels of creativity.
• Greater involvement: Children in choruses are more likely to participate in sports and other extracurricular activities.
• Better life skills: Parents report that children with choral experience have more advanced social skills, are better team players, are better able to manage their emotions, and have qualities that support learning and development.

The report also warns that the decline of choral opportunities for children is a key area of concern. More than 25 percent of teachers and 20 percent of parents say there are no choral opportunities available. Many children who stop singing stop because their choral programs have been discontinued.

Executive summary (pdf)  |  Read the full report (pdf)  |  More about Chorus America