NORTHWEST CHORAL SOCIETY ANNOUNCES ITS 46TH CONCERT SEASON FOR 2011-12
DES PLAINES, IL August 22, 2011 – The Northwest Choral Society (NWCS) and its Artistic Director, Alan Wellman, are pleased to announce the schedule and programs for its 46th concert season in 2011-12.
The Northwest Choral Society presents three concerts each season, and following is a summary of the repertoire planned for 2011-12:
· The annual Holiday Concert, entitled Gloria, featuring the music of Vivaldi, will be performed on Saturday, December 3 at Grace Lutheran Church in River Forest, IL and Sunday, December 4 at Edison Lutheran Church in Chicago, IL.
· The Spring Concert will be presented March 31, 2012 under the title Songs and Psalms, and held at Trinity United Methodist Church in Mt. Prospect, IL. Bernstein’s “Chichester Psalms” will be the centerpiece for this musical exploration of several Psalm settings.
· Celebrate Shout!!! on June 9 and 10, with songs from the golden age of Motown, Jersey Boys and R & B selections. Locations will be announced at a later date.
The NWCS subscription drive for the 2011-2012 concert season runs from August 29, 2011 until December 2, 2011. Season tickets for the three concerts are offered at a discounted price of $45 for adults and $33 for students and seniors. Single concert tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students and seniors. To order tickets, call 224/585-9127 or visit the chorus’ website www.nwchoralsociety.org.
Auditions
Auditions will be held Tuesday, August 30 and September 6 from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, 1095 Thacker/Dempster Street in Des Plaines, IL. “If you are a bass, tenor, alto or soprano with previous choral experience, don’t miss the opportunity to be a part of the Northwest Choral Society this season,” said Penny Perles, NWCS President. “We offer a varied repertoire, strong vocal sections and effective performance skills, all in a friendly supportive atmosphere.”
Audition requirements are very relaxed, Mrs. Perles emphasizes. Candidates should be prepared to discuss prior musical experience and vocalize. “Bring a prepared audition piece if that is most comfortable, but it is not required,” she added. To schedule an audition, please call 224/585-9127 or see NWCS’s website.
The Northwest Choral Society is dedicated to encouraging the appreciation, study and performance of imaginatively programmed and carefully prepared choral literature. With approximately 45 members, the Northwest Choral Society annually performs concerts each December, March / April and in early June. A not-for-profit community organization, the NWCS has performed classical and popular music in northwest Chicago and the surrounding suburbs since 1965. For additional information about the Northwest Choral Society, visit the website.
Alan Wellman, Artistic Director
As an innovative conductor, Mr. Wellman has been responsible for the founding of one chorus, expanding and enhancing the vision of several community choruses, and collaborating with peers and colleagues for the benefit of music appreciation. He is on the faculty of The Catherine Cook School in Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood. He earned a Master of Music in choral conducting from California State University, Los Angeles, California, and Bachelor of Music from Roosevelt University, Chicago, Illinois.
This is Mr. Wellman’s second year as Northwest Choral Society’s Artistic Director and conductor.
Lori Lyn Mackie, Collaborative Pianist
NWCS pianist Lori Lyn Mackie is from Michigan, and now lives in the Chicago area. She has studied at Interlochen, the Bay View Conservatory, the Blossom Festival School and the Koninklijk vlaams Musiekconservatorium van Antwerpen, Belgium. She holds Bachelor Degrees in Piano Performance and German from Albion College and a Master Degree in Piano Performance/Chamber/ Music/ Accompanying from Northwestern University.
Frequently heard in concerts across the Midwest, Ms Mackie often plays with Lira Ensemble, a group dedicated to the performance of Polish music. She served nine seasons as rehearsal pianist for the Chicago Tribune Charities’ production of “The Nutcracker”. Ms Mackie was featured in 1991, 1993, 1999 and 2008 as piano soloist with the NWCS chorus and orchestra.
Ms Mackie has served on the staffs of the Latin School of Chicago, Lyric Opera, Chicago Opera Theatre and Light Opera Works of Evanston. She is currently director of music at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Burbank, IL and is pianist for Anshe Tikvah in Arlington Heights.