Topeka Festival Singers open 2004-05 season with 'Simple Gifts'

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Oct 10, 2004 by Bill Blankenship Capital-Journal

Topeka Festival Singers director Kevin Kellim directs the group Monday at First Presbyterian Church.

'SIMPLE GIFTS'

What: The Topeka Festival Singers, directed by Dr. Kevin Kellim, accompanied by Mark Pudwill

When: 7:30 p.m. Monday

Where: White Concert Hall, Washburn University

How much: $14 ($12 for seniors, $5 for students)

Buy where: At the door

Learn more: Call (785) 267-3500 or www.washburn.edu/cas/music/ festsing.html

By Bill Blankenship

THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

One of Topeka's treasures brings "Simple Gifts" to its audience Monday night.

"Simple Gifts," the opening concert of the Topeka Festival Singers' 2004-05 season, will begin at 7:30 p.m. Monday at White Concert Hall.

Since 1984, the by-audition-only mixed chorus has delighted crowds with music ranging from the classics to show tunes. The season- opening concert will be an eclectic one, said Dr. Kevin Kellim, the chorus' director since 1987.

"We're doing a wide range of styles of music from various periods," Kellim said.

It will begin with two of Aaron Copland's "Old American Songs": "Simple Gifts," the Shaker hymn, the music of which would become part of Copland's ballet, "Appalachian Spring," and "Long Time Ago," an old minstrel tune that received the Copland touch.

The concert will end with three spirituals: "Deep River"; "Walk in Jerusalem," featuring soloist Jeff Kready; and "Down by the Riverside."

In between, the composers of the mixed bag of "Simple Gifts" include songs by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Leonard Bernstein, Leo Delibes and Giuseppe Verdi. There is even a Gilbert and Sullivan song and a cricket song, too, by jiminy.

The choral selections are as follows:

- "Super flumina Babylonis," by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina.

- "Dixit Dominus," from Mozart's "Vesperae soloennes de confessore." Two Washburn University music majors, flutist Erica Seago and oboist Heather Kumlin, will assist the Singers' accompanist Mark Pudwill on this number.

- "Chorus of the Hebrew Captives," from "Nabucco," by Verdi.

- Finale from William S. Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan's "The Gondolier." Jane Anderson will join Pudwill to play the second piano part.

- "Let There Be Light!" by Gilbert Martin.

- "Make Our Garden Grow," from Berstein's "Candide."

- "Come to My Garden," from "The Secret Garden," by Lucy Simon.

- "When You Wish Upon a Star," by Leigh Harline, and made famous when Jiminy Cricket sang it in Disney's animated feature film, "Pinnochio."

The concert also will include a solo by Care Seltmann singing an R. Douglas Helvering arrangement of the spiritual "Give Me Jesus." Judy Coder and Jennifer Somers will sing "Agnus Dei," a duet based on "The Flower Duet" from Delibes' "Lakme."

- Sopranos --- Christine Anderson, Maureen Brogren, Judy Coder, Deb Johnson, Amy Lassiter, Jennifer Maner, Laura Pardue, Care Seltmann, Sarah Sharkey and Katie Weyhrauch.

- Altos --- Detria Anderson, Kerry Butterfield, Becky Crowl, Elizabeth Daniels, Marilyn Foree, Kathryn Franklin, Carole Hawkins, Pam Kellim, Sandy Lane, Lisa Mendoza and Jennifer Somers.

- Tenors --- Lonnie Cox, Robert Doole, Jim Hamilton, Stanley Hornbaker, Jeff Kready, David Lundry, Jayme Malsom, David Weyhrauch and Josh Yoho.

- Basses --- Matt All, Doug Bowen, Terry Bullock, Marlyn Burch, Nicolas Carr, LeRoy Dagg, Skip Ellis, Anthony Irwin, Lee Lassiter, David McIntire, Douglas Phenix and Brooks Reynolds.

McIntire, Sharkey and Katie Weyhrauch are new to the ensemble, while Doole, Seltmann and Pam Kellim are returning choristers.

The chorus will present three more concerts this season:

The other concerts are as follows:

- Dec. 12-13 --- "Merry Christmas," a holiday concert.

- March 7 --- "A German Requiem," the masterpiece by Johannes Brahms.

- May 16 --- "Showtime," the chorus' annual concert of music from the stage and screen.

Season tickets can be purchased at the opening show for $40 ($35 for seniors 65 and older or $20 for students).

Bill Blankenship can be reached at (785) 295-1284 or bill.blankenship@cjonline.com.

TOPEKA FESTIVAL SINGERS

Sopranos: Christine Anderson, Maureen Brogren, Judy Coder, Deb Johnson, Amy Lassiter, Jennifer Maner, Laura Pardue, Care Seltmann, Sarah Sharkey and Katie Weyhrauch.

Altos: Detria Anderson, Kerry Butterfield, Becky Crowl, Elizabeth Daniels, Marilyn Foree, Kathryn Franklin, Carole Hawkins, Pam Kellim, Sandy Lane, Lisa Mendoza and Jennifer Somers.

Tenors: Lonnie Cox, Robert Doole, Jim Hamilton, Stanley Hornbaker, Jeff Kready, David Lundry, Jayme Malsom, David Weyhrauch and Josh Yoho.

Basses: Matt All, Doug Bowen, Terry Bullock, Marlyn Burch, Nicolas Carr, LeRoy Dagg, Skip Ellis, Anthony Irwin, Lee Lassiter, David McIntire, Douglas Phenix and Brooks Reynolds.

McIntire, Sharkey and Katie Weyhrauch are new to the ensemble, while Doole, Seltmann and Pam Kellim are returning choristers.

3F

SUNDAY OCTOBER 10, 2004