News
The Wallingford Chorus has been selected as a semi-finalist in the American Prize competition.
celebrating American excellence in the arts. Read more about this, and other winners.
The Wallingford Chorus performs at least two concerts a year. One in the fall and one in the spring. Our usual venue is St. Paul's Episcopal Church, NorthMain Street, Wallingford, Connecticut.
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Reviews
By Jeffery Kurz
Record-Journal staff
WALLINGFORD — The winter concert on Dec. 11 will contain both a first and a last for the Wallingford Chorus.
It’s the final concert as musical director for Theresa Diaz McGee, who has been at the helm since 2002.
And, in celebration of the 40th year of the Wallingford Chorus, the concert will feature the premiere performance of a new choral work, “The Lamp of Life,” by Christina Whitten Thomas.
Diaz McGee is leaving to pursue a number of projects, including recordings and compositions and the formation of a professional vocal and orchestral ensemble.
“I’m very grateful for my time with the chorus, and want to extend my appreciation to our devoted audiences for all the years of support,” said Diaz McGee in an e-mail message.
“I’m excited about the future, but I’m sad about leaving Wallingford,” said Diaz McGee, of Glastonbury, by phone the other day. “They’re my musical family.”
The chorus plans to begin a search for a long-term replacement in the spring, said Deborah Kellogg, president of the chorus board.
“We’re going to miss Theresa,” said Kellogg. “She’s a wonderful teacher, an absolutely wonderful teacher.”
The concert, which begins at 7:30 p.m. at the First Congregational Church on South Main Street, will include works that span the 40 years of the chorus, which started as the Wallingford Choral Society as part of the town’s tercentennial celebration in 1970.
Seasonal music will be performed, and the concert will end with an audience singalong of holiday favorites, Diaz McGee said. Also on tap are works by Brahms, Holst and Bach. Guest cellist Gabrielle Athayde will perform Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 in G major.
The singers will be accompanied by Wallingford resident Sandy Antonelli, who has been the chorus pianist for all 40 years.
The work by Whitten Thomas was selected from a dozen entries for what was considered a unique way of celebrating the anniversary. The selection was made by a committee of three chorus members and an independent judge.
Diaz McGee said the concert’s theme is light — from stars and moonlight to thelamp in Whitten Thomas’s new composition.
“I think it’s something very evocative of the season and it spans very different traditions and ways of celebrating the holidays,” said Diaz McGee.
Whitten Thomas, a California composer who grew up in Holden, Mass., plans to attend the premiere performance.
“It’s nice to be able to go and have a premiere close to my hometown,” she said.
“It’s important to show up,” she said. “It will be meaningful to the choir and it’s meaningful for me.”
The text of “The Lamp of Life” is from a sonnet of the same name by Amy Lowell.
“We wanted something that was positive and uplifting and had depth to it, and something that the chorus could perform in a variety of different settings,” said Diaz McGee, a member of the committee that selected the commissioned work, “so it’s not a Christmas piece, or a winter piece, per se.”
Diaz McGee described working with the composer as “a dynamic process.” It’s the first time the chorus has commissioned a work since she’s been musical director, at least, Diaz McGee said.
“This type of process is not so easy,” she said. “It really is a living process and it’s exciting to work with a living composer.”
Record-Journal (Meriden, CT) - Saturday, January 30, 2010 We liked this week Wallingford Chorus presents the community with chances to listen and chances to perform choral music of exciting variety. Like so many other choruses, they offer a warm welcome to new members and young people especially, who are now eligible for internships.
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Fine Chorus
Record-Journal (Mericen, CT) - Tuesday, December 16, 2008Editor: Once again I was entertained by the WallingChorus's Holiday Concert on Dec. 12, 2008. I begin my Christmas by joining my friends at this wonderful presentation. How fortunate we in Wallingford are to have this group of professional-quality entertainers from singers to pianists to the director. Thank you all for a wonderful evening. CAROLE GOLITKO, WALLINGFORD ------------------------------------------------
Wallingford Chorus Gears Up For Saturday's Show Record-Journal (Meriden, CT) - Friday, December 12, 2008 Author: Samaia Hernandez ; Record-Journal staff WALLINGFORD - It's a lot of hard work, but they love music, so it's worth it for the members of the Wallingford Chorus. Their payoff comes this Saturday when they sing for the community in their second annual concert, "This Winter Night." The diverse group of young and old meets every Tuesday night from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Lyman Hall High School September through May. They don't get paid, but rather they volunteer and pay dues, but for the opportunity to sing, members say it's worth it. "I think it's a wonderful opportunity. I'm a single dad and it's a great way to get out and sing," said Jim Divasto, who joined the group in September 2007 as a tenor. "I painstakingly put together a program. It's not just a grouping of arbitrary songs," said Theresa Diaz Mc Gee, music director since 2002. Mc Gee says the holiday concert will be lighter and more fun than other recent performances. The program will offer a combination of sacred and secular music. There are familiar Christmas standards such as "Baby, It's Cold Outside," and "Sleigh Ride." More classical selections include "Gloria" by Camille Saint-Saens, and "The Coventry Carol." Rehearsal took a lively turn when the ladies began to bounce and sway their hips while singing "Santa Baby." The chorus practiced very hard Divasto said, to learn how to sing "Si Me Dan Pasteles," a Puerto Rican Christmas song in Spanish. Mc Gee said it's not only challenging to find something for the audience, but choosing songs that work with the diversity of the chorus. The evening's lineup will include French, Spanish and English carols. When asked how the chorus has changed throughout the years, Beckert said, "We still bring that same energy and love for music. That just doesn't change."
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Fine Chorus
Record-Journal (Mericen, CT) - Tuesday, December 16, 2008Editor: Once again I was entertained by the WallingChorus's Holiday Concert on Dec. 12, 2008. I begin my Christmas by joining my friends at this wonderful presentation. How fortunate we in Wallingford are to have this group of professional-quality entertainers from singers to pianists to the director. Thank you all for a wonderful evening. CAROLE GOLITKO, WALLINGFORD ------------------------------------------------
Wallingford Chorus Gears Up For Saturday's Show Record-Journal (Meriden, CT) - Friday, December 12, 2008 Author: Samaia Hernandez ; Record-Journal staff WALLINGFORD - It's a lot of hard work, but they love music, so it's worth it for the members of the Wallingford Chorus. Their payoff comes this Saturday when they sing for the community in their second annual concert, "This Winter Night." The diverse group of young and old meets every Tuesday night from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Lyman Hall High School September through May. They don't get paid, but rather they volunteer and pay dues, but for the opportunity to sing, members say it's worth it. "I think it's a wonderful opportunity. I'm a single dad and it's a great way to get out and sing," said Jim Divasto, who joined the group in September 2007 as a tenor. "I painstakingly put together a program. It's not just a grouping of arbitrary songs," said Theresa Diaz Mc Gee, music director since 2002. Mc Gee says the holiday concert will be lighter and more fun than other recent performances. The program will offer a combination of sacred and secular music. There are familiar Christmas standards such as "Baby, It's Cold Outside," and "Sleigh Ride." More classical selections include "Gloria" by Camille Saint-Saens, and "The Coventry Carol." Rehearsal took a lively turn when the ladies began to bounce and sway their hips while singing "Santa Baby." The chorus practiced very hard Divasto said, to learn how to sing "Si Me Dan Pasteles," a Puerto Rican Christmas song in Spanish. Mc Gee said it's not only challenging to find something for the audience, but choosing songs that work with the diversity of the chorus. The evening's lineup will include French, Spanish and English carols. When asked how the chorus has changed throughout the years, Beckert said, "We still bring that same energy and love for music. That just doesn't change."
The Wallingford Chorus Members extend their very warmest thank you and highest regards to Dorothy Barnhart for serving as our interim Director. Thank you Dorothy !!!
Wallingford Chorus has a recipe for a spring concert
, By Samaia Hernandez
Record-Journal staff
WALLINGFORD — Artistic Director Theresa Diaz McGee has to take a variety of factors into consideration when planning two seasonal concerts for the roughly 45 men and women that make up the Wallingford Chorus. While brainstorming for a concert this spring, things fell neatly and ironically into place. The four-part show to be held at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 8, isn’t food themed, though the chorus is in the midst of selling a custom cookbook for its 40th anniversary and the final song is entitled “Recipe for a Song.” So, McGee thought it fitting to make the last song the title of the spring concert. “Partly, I thought, ‘how can we help their effort to raise funds for this cookbook,’ ” McGee said, “although we’re not singin g anything about food.” The concert this year can be considered eclectic, as it will feature a sampling of romance and enchantment songs, nocturnes and hits from Broadway shows such as the 1950s musical “Kismet.” Some tunes will be familiar to many attendees, McGee said of titles including “Over the Rainbow” and “Double Trouble,” the latter of which is from the movie “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.” Women will take the reins to perform an assortment of songs such as “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend,” while the men will chime in for lively tunes “My Money Goes to Liza” and “Get Me to the Church on Time.” As the group celebrates four decades as a community chorus in town, it can also relish being selected as a semifinalist in several categories of the national American Prize contest. Winners will be announced in the coming months. Town resident Robb Camm, one of the chorus’ newest members, already has a favorite in the lineup. “I really like our version of ‘Love Potion No. 9,’ ” said Camm, who joined last year and performed his first concert in December. The chorus is comprised of residents, many who became members for similar reasons as did Camm. At 50 years old, Camm decided to take up his passion for singing after abandoning the interest after grade school. Confident after several years of voice lessons, he joined the chorus, which meets weekly for two-hour rehearsals at Lyman Hall High School. It has helped him fine-tune his skills, he said. “If people have been thinking about singing and that’s their thing, we’d be happy to have them,” Camm said. The concert will take place at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 65 N. Main St. Tickets will be sold at the door for $17 for general admission, $15 for seniors and $5 for students. Advanced discounted tickets may be purchased from Wallingford Center Inc., 261 Center St.; Serenity Day Spa and Salon, 118 Center St.; and at the Wallingford Senior Center, 238 Washington St. For further information, call (203) 634-1077. shernandez@record-journal.com (203) 317-2266
Record-Journal staff
WALLINGFORD — Artistic Director Theresa Diaz McGee has to take a variety of factors into consideration when planning two seasonal concerts for the roughly 45 men and women that make up the Wallingford Chorus. While brainstorming for a concert this spring, things fell neatly and ironically into place. The four-part show to be held at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 8, isn’t food themed, though the chorus is in the midst of selling a custom cookbook for its 40th anniversary and the final song is entitled “Recipe for a Song.” So, McGee thought it fitting to make the last song the title of the spring concert. “Partly, I thought, ‘how can we help their effort to raise funds for this cookbook,’ ” McGee said, “although we’re not singin g anything about food.” The concert this year can be considered eclectic, as it will feature a sampling of romance and enchantment songs, nocturnes and hits from Broadway shows such as the 1950s musical “Kismet.” Some tunes will be familiar to many attendees, McGee said of titles including “Over the Rainbow” and “Double Trouble,” the latter of which is from the movie “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.” Women will take the reins to perform an assortment of songs such as “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend,” while the men will chime in for lively tunes “My Money Goes to Liza” and “Get Me to the Church on Time.” As the group celebrates four decades as a community chorus in town, it can also relish being selected as a semifinalist in several categories of the national American Prize contest. Winners will be announced in the coming months. Town resident Robb Camm, one of the chorus’ newest members, already has a favorite in the lineup. “I really like our version of ‘Love Potion No. 9,’ ” said Camm, who joined last year and performed his first concert in December. The chorus is comprised of residents, many who became members for similar reasons as did Camm. At 50 years old, Camm decided to take up his passion for singing after abandoning the interest after grade school. Confident after several years of voice lessons, he joined the chorus, which meets weekly for two-hour rehearsals at Lyman Hall High School. It has helped him fine-tune his skills, he said. “If people have been thinking about singing and that’s their thing, we’d be happy to have them,” Camm said. The concert will take place at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 65 N. Main St. Tickets will be sold at the door for $17 for general admission, $15 for seniors and $5 for students. Advanced discounted tickets may be purchased from Wallingford Center Inc., 261 Center St.; Serenity Day Spa and Salon, 118 Center St.; and at the Wallingford Senior Center, 238 Washington St. For further information, call (203) 634-1077. shernandez@record-journal.com (203) 317-2266