Remembering Rev. Maestro Robert Bergt
Rev. Maestro Robert Bergt, one of the stars of the St. Louis music community, passed away on June 26th. Bob was a highly respected Bach scholar, ordained Lutheran minister, and Music Director and Conductor of the American Kantorei. Bob was also a close friend of ACC Artistic Director, Stephen Morton, often attending Chorale concerts. Bob and his wife, organist Joan Bergt, were also contributors to the Chorale. Bob made a lasting impression on all those who worked with him. His positive spirit and passion for music were an inspiration to countless singers and instrumentalists. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him.
Kathryn Garrett | ACC Singer Spotlight | Soprano
We’re starting a new feature in the ACC Blog that we like to call “Singer Spotlight”. Periodically we will feature information on one of the ACC’s members so that you can become more familiar with the people behind the beautiful music performed by the ACC. We hope you enjoy this new feature and encourage you to introduce yourself to our members at our next concert.
Kathryn Garrett
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How long have you been signing in choral groups and the American Chamber Chorale specifically?I’ve been singing in choral groups for a little over 11 years now. I’ve been with the ACC since it was formed in 2001, so just over 10 years. What do you like best about performing with the American Chamber Chorale?I love the variety of music we sing. Seasons are never boring when we sing everything from folk songs to Mozart. Let’s just say I never thought I would be making train sounds in Chinese or singing the Requiem with orchestra when we first started out. Every concert is unique and fun and musically challenging all at the same time. What makes the American Chamber Chorale unique from other choirs in the St. Louis area?The chorale sings a variety of music from Baroque to modern, but also employs other artistic mediums like instruments and dancers, and pre-concert lectures to make the concert-going experience more meaningful to our audience. What is your favorite piece of music performed by the American Chamber Chorale since you’ve been a member?I love Classical choral works, but surprisingly my two favorite pieces are modern compositions: Soft Are The Soles and Lauridsen’s Lux Aeterna. The best word to describe Lux Aeterna is sublime. It is both gentle and powerful; truely a musical peek into Heaven. Soft Are the Soles holds a special place in my heart because we sang it the year my grandmother, my greatest fan, died. The text and musical setting perfectly encompass the gentleness of her spirit and the gracefulness of her death. |
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Congratulations to Richard and Patricia Gill!
Congratulations to Richard and Patricia Gill!!! A few members of the Chorale recently helped the Gill’s celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in a special mass at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Maryland Heights, MO. The Gill’s are long-time patrons and Friends of the ACC.
Chorale members who sang were Brendan Lally, Marty Hughes, Kate Garrett, Cindy Moeller, Wesley Burns, and Stephen Morton.
2011-2012 Concert Season Schedule Announced
Chorale audiences have come to expect unique programming and the highest artistic standards and Season Eleven promises to be our best ever. Four unique concerts are scheduled as we explore new music , new venues, and new collaborations to inspire our patrons. New performance venues for this season are Memorial Presbyterian Church and Shaare Emeth Temple, while the Chorale also returns to two of our favorite venues from previous seasons: Concordia Lutheran Church and Salem In Ladue United Methodist Church. Among our new collaborators this season will be Caston Chamber Ballet as the Chorale combines classical ballet and great choral music. Get full details including dates, concerts descriptions, directions to venues, and ticket prices by clicking on each concert below.
A Very Special Evening With The Chorale | September 24, 2011
A Candlelight Christmas | December 3, 2011
A St. Louis Family Christmas | December 4, 2011
Psalms, Canticles & Love Songs | March 24, 2012
Music At An Exhibition | May 19, 2012
A Special Evening with the Chorale
The Chorale’s special event on September 24th will be a great way to begin an evening out with friends or family. This informal concert will include a live performance by Elsie Parker and the Poor People of Paris. Members of the Chorale including Artistic Director Stephen Morton, will also perform. While enjoying the music, patrons can bid on great auction items as they enjoy the wine, beer, and appetizers included in the admission cost.
We will also draw the winning raffle ticket for “Dinner For Eight”. This incredible raffle item includes dinner in your home provided by St. Louis Wine Girl, Angela Ortmann! Angela provides all the ingredients, prepares the meal, and serves the appropriate wine with each course while informing you and your guests of the reason for the pairings of food and wine. All you do is relax and enjoy the dinner party. Angela even cleans up after the meal! (Check out this video feature on Angela’s In Home Tastings.)
Raffle tickets are available from any Chorale member beginning in August. You don’t have to be present on September 24th to win, but we hope you will be. It promises to be a great evening!
Patrons are invited to arrive any time beginning at 6PM. Musical performances will continue to 8:00PM with and refreshments served continuously during the event while you browse auction items and enjoy the music.
| EVENT: | A Very Special Evening with the Chorale | |
| DATE: | Saturday, September 24th, 2011 6-8 PM |
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| ADMISSION: |
Admission Donation | $15.00 |
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| LOCATION: | The Chapel (venue website) 6238 Alexander Drive St. Louis, MO 63105The Chapel is located on Alexander immediately adjacent to Memorial Presbyterian Church. Ample parking is available on street in the area surrounding The Chapel. |
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Ten Year Anniversary Celebration! Recap
Thanks to everyone that came out and joined us for the Ten Year Anniversary Celebration! concert held on Saturday, May 21, 2011. We had wonderful time performing various works spanning our 10 years of concert performance in the St. Louis area. We would like to offer special thanks to our guest performers: Elsie Parker, the Mayer-Torno School of Irish Dance and St. Louis Osuwa Taiko.
We hope that you’ve enjoyed the 2010-11 Concert Season as much as we have. We look forward performing for you again next season and encourage you to check back to our website often for chorale updates over the summer.
Dr. Leonard Naeger Arts Fund
Dr. Naeger’s wife, Betsy Naeger, along with Stephen Morton, Artistic Director at the Soul’s Journey Concert – October 2010.
The American Chamber Chorale – Dr. Leonard Naeger Arts Fund is specifically created to ensure that the name and legacy of Dr. Leonard Naeger lives on in his support for the arts and, specifically, his support of the American Chamber Chorale. Donations to this fund assist the American Chamber Chorale in fulfilling the mission of this diverse community of non-professional singers to bring music of the highest quality to the St. Louis metropolitan area. This fund helps to offset the expenses associated with this non-profit organization and provide additional opportunities for the community to experience the blessings of the American Chamber Chorale performances and recordings.
Dr. Naeger and the American Chamber Chorale
Leonard Naeger can be described in many ways – “idle” not being one of them. As a professor of pharmacology at St. Louis College of Pharmacy, he was described as “enthusiastic with a dramatic flair,” and in the statement that, “everything he did, he did with gusto.”
In his role, Professor Naeger formed a relationship with Matthew Ramsey, a student and member of the American Chamber Chorale. Dr. Naeger supported Matthew’s volunteer work through verbal support and encouragement as well as lending financial support to the Chorale itself. After graduation, Dr. Naeger and Dr. Ramsey continued to develop that relationship into that of colleagues and friends. The passing of Dr. Naeger has left a huge void in the St. Louis community – even for those who have never met him. His kindness and generosity with a variety of charitable organizations has helped many individuals, as well as organizations, survive. It is with this in mind, that we, the American Chamber Chorale are especially honored and touched to have been blessed with the generosity of Dr. Naeger’s family, and in particular, his wife Betsy in creating this arts fund.
In Tribute Concert
Salem was indeed a great venue for this concert. The concert was divided into two parts: Mozart’s Requiem was absolutely wonderful! The soloists chosen for this concert were ideal and sang beautifully. The unique color of the basset horns provided contrast with bassoon, trombones, and strings just as Mozart surely intended. The Chorale sang with nuance and emotion often missing from performances of this work.
The setting of Stabat Mater by Arvo Pärt was a great contrast to Mozart and proved to be deeply moving. Candles purchased by Chorale Friends and patrons provided the only lighting during this austere piece and it was truly beautiful visually and musically.
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