Choir to Host Concert & Slideshow of Wales From the GMC Journal Week of March 15, 2010 The Green Mountain College Choir will present an informal concert, discussion and slideshow of their recent tour to North Wales at 3:30 p.m. on March 20 at the Welsh Church on Route 30 in Poultney. As the only college choir in the United States that maintains a Welsh music repertoire, the choir reflects the rich Welsh heritage of the College’s location in Vermont’s Slate Valley. In recent years, the choir and its smaller a cappella group, Cantorion, have performed in Welsh-American communities in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Delaware and New York. The choir’s director, Prof. James Cassarino (music), has pursued extensive research in Welsh music at the University of Wales at Bangor, where he has been making annual visits since 2005. Through his research he has become well-known in Wales as an authority of Welsh-American musical traditions.
Music Performances on Tap at Green Mountain College From the GMC Journal Week of November 19, 2009 Green Mountain College hosts three concerts this month to help kick off the holiday season. The college & community concert band, the Cantorion and the jazz ensemble will all be taking the stage. All performances are free and open to the public. The schedule is as follows:
College and Community Concert Band November 20, 7:30 p.m. Clara Hitchcock Fitzpatrick Jones Concert Hall The College and Community Concert Band fall performance is conducted by Prof. James Cassarino (music). The concert will feature works by Moussorgsky, Anton Bruckner, Billy Joel, Paul Opel, and Cassarino.
GMC's Vocal Ensemble Cantorion November 22, 4 p.m. Feick Fine Arts Center GMC's Cantorion will present a concert of English madrigals. Directed and accompanied on harpsichord by Prof. James Cassarino (music), the ensemble will sing works by Thomas Morley, John Hilton, Thomas Ford and Henry Purcell. Tea will be provided.
The Green Mountain Jazz Ensemble November 30, 7:30 p.m. Clara Hitchcock Fitzpatrick Jones Concert Hall Under the direction of Don Goodman, the ensemble will perform jazz standards by Miles Davis, Art Blakey, Arturo Sandoval and Dizzy Gillespie. The band features students and professional musicians from the community.
Cassarino Hosts Lecture on 1928 Pipe Organ From the GMC Journal Week of October 26, 2009 On October 10, Prof. James Cassarino (music) presented a lecture to thirty German organists on the history of the 1928 Ernest Skinner pipe organ at Trinity Episcopal Church in Rutland. The group of parish, cathedral and university organists were on a tour of the East Coast and invited Cassarino to present a demonstration of the organ in Rutland.
Skinner Pipe Organ Restoration Complete From the GMC Journal Week of October 5, 2009 Prof. James Cassarino (music) is pleased to announce the completion of the 1928 Skinner pipe organ restoration at Trinity Church in Rutland. Cassarino oversaw the $150,000 project that included his guidance on the tonal work, placement of pipes and voicing distribution. In addition to the existing instrument, he assisted in the design of the new gallery organ that sits in the church balcony. The dedication recital will take place October 11 at 3:30 p.m. It is open to the public.
GMC Hosts Annual Fall Foliage Concert From the GMC Journal Week of September 28, 2009 The Green Mountain College Choirs and Concert Band performed their annual Fall Foliage Concert September 26. Special guest musicians included alumni choir members and their director, Mark. L. Parsons (pictured), who participated in the reestablishment of the College choir during the 1990s. Prof. Jim Cassarino (music) also directed during the concert. The Concert Band performed works by Tielman Susato, Gustav Holst, Kenneth Alford and the recently commissioned setting of the college anthem Calon Lan, set by Paul Erwin. A free will offering will be accepted to be used toward the choir’s spring concert tour to north Wales. Photo by Pat Mahoney '10
Green Mountain College Concert Tour Features Welsh Favorites From the GMC Journal Week of May 4, 2009 The Green Mountain College Choir performed a concert tour for large and enthusiastic audiences in Bangor, Penn. and Utica, N.Y. from April 17-19. Singing from its American and Welsh repertoire, the choir performed works by Welsh and Welsh-American composers, including selections used at Welsh-American eisteddfodau during the nineteenth century. The choir, under the direction of Prof. James Cassarino, also led audiences in the singing of Welsh hymns. In Bangor, members of the Bangor High School Band accompanied the choir. John Reinhart, Superintendent of Bangor Public Schools and President-Elect of the National Welsh-American Foundation, presented the choir with a slate plaque commemorating the event. A repeat performance took place in Utica at the New Hartford First United Methodist Church. Photo by Maxx Steinmetz '09
Four Hands Piano Music Featured in Ackley Theater From the GMC Journal Week of December 15, 2008 On Tuesday, December 16, Marina (Hwang Seok-mi) and Paul Opel are presenting their term's work with a recital of piano four hands music. This is an interesting format for piano music - two people share the keyboard and work together to cover many more notes than either could handle alone. The 45-minute program includes music of Mozart, Mussorgsky, and John Philip Sousa. The concert begins at 8 p.m. in Ackley Theater.
GMC Applied Music Recitals Tuesday and Thursday From the GMC Journal Week of December 8, 2008 Over 60 students in the Applied Music Program will perform in recital this week. The first group of musicians will appear in the Coffee House on Tuesday, December 9 at 7 p.m., with the Green Mountaineers String Band opening the recital. The second group will perform on the stage in Ackley Theater on Thursday, December 11 at 7 p.m. The Applied Music Program offers students instruction in voice and virtually every instrument.
GMC Choir to Ring in the Holidays with Concert From the GMC Journal Week of November 24, 2008 The Green Mountain College Choirs and guest musicians, under the direction of Prof. Jim Cassarino, will present their annual spirited holiday concert on Saturday, December 6, at 7:30 p.m. in Ackley Theater. This year’s seasonal music will include selections from the United States, Wales, Germany, Poland, Porto Rico and Russia. There will be plenty of audience participation, including an old-fashioned Christmas carol sing-a-long. A festive reception will follow. Admission is $5.00 for adults and free for seniors and students.
GMC Hosts College & Community Band Fall Concert From the GMC Journal Week of November 17, 2008 The Green Mountain College and Community Concert Band will perform their annual fall concert on Friday, November 21 at 7:30 p.m. in Ackley Theater. Conducted by Prof. James Cassarino (music), the band includes students, faculty, staff and members of the community. Their concert will include works by Elliot Del Borgo, Camille Saint-Saens, Elgar, and Ralph Vaughan Williams. The concert is free and open to the public.
GMC Performers Win at Really Big Show From the GMC Journal Week of November 3, 2008 GMC’s Cantorion won Best Group Song and student Cameron Steinmetz won Best Adult Solo and Overall Winner at the Really Big Show XIII held at the Paramount Theatre in Rutland November 1. The winners receive a plaque and the overall winner receives a $100 cash prize and a trophy. The show is an annual event sponsored by Chittenden Bank. All proceeds benefit the United Way of Rutland.
Cassarino Garners Grant for Welsh Music Research From the GMC Journal Week of May 12, 2008 Prof. James Cassarino (music) recently returned from Delta, PA, where he served as conductor of the annual Rehoboth Gymanfa Ganu (a Welsh music festival). The well-attended event represents one of the many traditional Welsh activities that take place in Delta, one of the most active Welsh-American communities in the United States. During the festival weekend, Cassarino was notified by the president of the National Welsh-American Foundation that he is the recipient of their $5,000 grant, to be used toward his ongoing research in Welsh music at the University of Wales, Bangor. Cassarino is the first recipient in the history of the foundation to receive the grant award more than once.
GMC Concert Band to Perform From the GMC Journal Week of April 14, 2008 "Music for the Stage and Screen” is the theme for this year’s spring concert from the Green Mountain College and Community Concert Band. The concert is scheduled for Friday, April 18, at 7:30 p.m. in Ackley Auditorium. It is free and open to the public. Directed by Prof. James Cassarino, the concert band is composed of GMC students, faculty and community members. The April 18 performance will include highlights from “The Music Man,” “West Side Story,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” “The Patriot,” “Narnia,” “Harry Potter,” “Titanic,” and “The Godfather.”
GMC Choir to Perform at National Cathedral From the GMC Journal Week of March 24, 2008 The Green Mountain College Choir will provide the prelude music to the Evensong Service at the Washington National Cathedral on Vermont State Day, Sunday, March 30. The performance takes place at 3:30 p.m. Vermont State Day will be observed in conjunction with the Cathedral's “Racial Reconciliation and Justice Week,” March 30–April 6. The week, and particularly the Sunday morning service, will celebrate the ministry and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the 40th anniversary of his last sermon, “Remaining Awake through a Great Revolution.” King preached the sermon at the National Cathedral March 31, 1968, just days before he was assassinated. The preacher at the 11:15 a.m. worship service will be the Honorable John Lewis, a living legend of the civil rights movement and Georgia 's representative for the 5th Congressional District. Other events will include a 10 a.m. Sunday forum, a Vermont Day Coffee Hour and a tour featuring the ways Vermont is represented in the Cathedral. The Green Mountain College Choir and Cantorion is directed by Prof. James Cassarino.
Choir to Perform Baroque Concert From the GMC Journal Week of April 9, 2007 The Green Mountain College Choir and Cantorion will present an all-Baroque concert on Saturday evening, April 14 at 7:30 in Ackley Theater. Professor of music James Cassarino will lead the choirs and guest chamber orchestra in a concert of ceremonial music by Buxtehude, Bach and Handel. In recognition of the 300th anniversary of Dietrich Buxtehude’s death, the choir will sing his celebratory cantatas ‘Rejoice, Earth and Heaven’ and ‘Cantante Domino.’ An important figure of Baroque era, Buxtehude had tremendous influence on Bach and Handel. The concert will open with selections from Handel’s majestic ‘Utrecht Jubilate’ and his well-known ‘Zadok the Priest’ will conclude the evening of Baroque ceremonial music. Admission is $5.00 for adults and free for students.
Wales 2006 Choir tour Music The Green Mountain College choir had an ambitious schedule in spring of 2006. In early March, 50 choir members along with Professor Jim Cassarino made their third concert tour of Wales. The 2006 tour featured three concerts. The first was with the Adlais Choir from the island of Angelsey. Adlais had previously performed at Green Mountain College in 2002 on their U.S. tour. The Green Mountain choir also performed with the Anglesey-based Lobscows Choir at the Galerie Performing Arts Center in Caernofon. This performance included a pre-concert lecture by Dr. Jerry Hunter, a professor at the University of Wales, Bangor, who specializes in the Welsh-American cultural links. Finally, the choir performed with the Bethesda Women’s Choir in Bethesda.
