Director's Notes

Greetings, friends of the GEWC!

The last time I wrote something in this space was just before Christmas. The Chorale was preparing to release our Wintersong 2020 virtual concert. I hope that you were able to view it! If not, you'll find it still available to stream on our YouTube channel.

Since our Chorale has still not been able to gather in person, we have been meeting weekly in online sessions. I'm pleased to tell you that we will be releasing another virtual concert this spring. It will feature a combination of virtual choir productions (with singers contributing from their own homes) and some archived performances from live concerts. Something special this concert: We'll be collaborating in a virtual piece with Doc Hampton and his singers! Many of you will remember Doc from our spring concert CELEBRATE! in 2019. You won't want to miss it!

I invite you to "like" the Chorale at our Facebook page. And stay tuned to our Chorale website for further updates about this virtual concert. We plan to release it on Friday, May 14. 

Stay well, and keep singing!

Greg Wheatley
Music Director, Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale

One of the most memorable and poignant images to emerge from the early days of the worldwide COVID pandemic was that of people gathered on their balconies, singing to one another. One video, shared on Twitter in March, just a few weeks after the outbreak, showed people in the Italian town of Siena, filling the streets with their socially distanced voices.

Singing is ingrained in the human spirit. In these difficult times, when so much seems to be so disrupted, we still find ways to express ourselves in song. That has been true of so many choral ensembles around the world, and it has been true of the Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale. While COVID has meant that we have been unable to meet for in-person rehearsals and concerts, the Chorale has been meeting virtually in our regular Tuesday evening time slot. The singing isn't the way we'd like, of course. But we still can sing, and we can stay connected with one another.

We in the Chorale love Christmas! And we love the music of Christmas! This year, we are sorely missing our opportunity to see you at our annual Wintersong Christmas concerts. But we want to invite you to join us for Wintersong 2020 virtual style! The Chorale and Ensemble have been working on producing some virtual choir pieces which allow us to sing "together but from our own homes." How's that for a paradox? We'll present these virtual pieces and some in-person favorites from our video archives on Friday, December 11 at 7:00 p.m. CT. You'll be able to watch free of charge from the comfort of your own home. After that initial release, the video will remain available for your viewing through Christmas and beyond.

I hope you'll plan to join us! Look for further details in the coming days right here on our website. And please help us spread the word to your friends and family around the world!

Greg Wheatley
Music Director, Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale

The Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale
presents

WINTERSONG 2020
A Virtual Christmas Concert
Friday, December 11 at 7:00 p.m.
(Available on demand after that date)

As the Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale began its regular spring season in January, who of us could have envisioned that, come early May, we wouldn't be seeing you, our friends, at our spring concert? In fact, our last rehearsal was March 10. I'm sure that you, like I, have been seeing the outpouring of musicians on social media . . . some of them collaborating as best they can through virtual space, and many of them lamenting just what we're missing in this time. This outpouring tells us something about the importance of what we do when we sing. If we were a business, I'd say we'd qualify as an "essential business."

And so we wait. I read a book a few years ago by Stacy Horn titled Imperfect Harmony. It's Stacy's account of the vital role that choral singing played in her life. Like most of us, she is an amateur musician, singing for the love of it. As we approach this week which would ordinarily be filled with singing, I wanted to share the closing paragraph of Imperfect Harmony with you. This is Stacy's account of a rehearsal of the choir of which she was a member:

Rehearsal was in the church that night. It was a little on the dark side, but there was enough light to see. John [the choral director] raised his arms. I looked down at my music, the page covered in my handwritten asterisks, and we began. Voices sparked into life all around me, like matches being lit, but gently, as if someone's hands were slightly covering and protecting the flame. The music we made was as lyrical and angelic as anyone could have hoped for. John made a few comments about how we could do it even better and once again raised his arms. I couldn't believe my luck. We were going to sing it again. While he concentrated on getting our voices just right, we sang that section over and over, reveling in the warm glow of our voices, and the magic current of potential that comes to life whenever people are drawn together by the astonishing and irresistible power of a song. [Imperfect Harmony. Stacy Horn. 2013 Algonquin Books]

When will we sing together again as a Chorale? When will we get to share the gift of music with you, our audience? None of us knows. But we do know—and we need to hold on to this fact—that when we sing together, something better than any one of us alone happens. Let's remember that!

We look forward to the next time we see you in our audience!

Greg Wheatley
Music Director, Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale

I am writing this blog on Labor Day. For many, Labor Day marks the unofficial gateway out of summer into our regular fall routines. There's school for many, the startup of activities that have been suspended for the summer. For those of us in the Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale, it signals the beginning of a new season of singing together!

The Chorale is excited to begin rehearsal on this year's Wintersong concerts—our annual Christmas offerings. I'm looking forward to some wonderful music this year! Let me give you just a sampling. Here is another rousing piece from Mack Wilberg:

Noe! Noe!
Shepherds, rise—look up and see new light yonder breaking,
Brighter than the noonday sun, all your sheep awaking.
Wonder, whisper, "Ah, Noe!" Christ is born this holy day!
He is come to you, lowly shepherds, true!
He is come unto you, Morning Star and New Day!
Wonder, whisper, "Ah Noe!"

For those of you who attended Wintersong 2018, you will remember the haunting beauty of Elaine Hagenberg's All Praise to Thee. This year, the Chorale will sing another of Elaine's settings—Wexford Carol.

Good people all, this Christmas time,
Consider well and bear in mind
What our good God for us has done
In sending His beloved Son.

From energetic processional to quiet candlelit conclusion, Wintersong 2019 promises to be a concert that will help you begin your Christmas season with joy! The Chorale will be joined by organist Dan Mattix and a chamber orchestra. And as always, we'll invite you to join us in singing some of the carols of Christmas! All of that, and of course, the Chorale's Ensemble directed by Mac Willaert. I hope you'll mark your calendar now and watch our website for ticket availability. We'd love to see you there!

Greg Wheatley
Music Director, Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale

WINTERSONG 2019:
CHRISTMAS WITH THE GLEN ELLYN-WHEATON CHORALE
WITH DAN MATTIX, ORGANIST
AND CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6 AT 7:30 PM
OR
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7 AT 3:00 PM
COLLEGE CHURCH IN WHEATON

"Dad, that was such a 'Southern' thing you just said!" I heard those words from my daughter more than once while she was growing up. My response—whether verbalized to her or not—was usually "What are you talking about?" I am a Midwesterner through and through—born in Michigan and lived all my life either in that state or here in Wheaton. It doesn't get much more "Midwest" than that!

But here's the thing: I do have a heritage that includes our nation's southland. My father was born and spent the first few years of his life in the tiny town of Big Sandy in west Tennessee. My mother is a Texan. So, it turns out my daughter was hearing things in some of my speech that even I couldn't hear. (As far as I know, I never called the kids to dinner the way I remember hearing it growing up: "Y'all come on.” That is an exact quote of the summons I heard many times from my mother and my grandmother.)

So what does all of this have to do with a choral concert? Just this: as I've grown older, I've come to appreciate some of the heart and soul contained in the music that has its source in our nation's South. There is a genuineness—a sort of earthiness—that you hear in much of this music. And so it is with the song Angel Band, one of my favorites from our upcoming concert.

Angel Band has an interesting history. It began its life as a song included in hymnals in the middle of the 19th century. Jefferson Hascall wrote the text in 1860, and it was set to music by William Bradbury (the man who also wrote Jesus Loves Me) in 1862. But here is where the influence of the South comes in. Angel Band has since been adopted into the repertory of bluegrass music, made most famous by the Stanley Brothers. The poignancy of the text is clear:

The latest sun is sinking fast, my race is almost run,
My strongest trials now are past, my triumph is begun.
O come, angel band, come and around me stand,
O bear me away on your snow-white wings to my immortal home.

And now, Shawn Kirchner has arranged this compelling song in a traditional choral setting, the one you'll hear in the Chorale's concert. But though the arrangement is made for a traditional choir, I think you'll still feel the wonderful emotion of this song coming through:

I know I'm near the holy ranks of friends and kindred dear,
I've brushed the dew on Jordan's banks, the crossing must be near.
O come, angel band, come and around me stand,
O bear me away on your snow-white wings to my immortal home.

Angel Band is just one of many songs from America that you'll hear in Celebrate! A Tapestry of American Music. I hope we'll see you at one of our concerts!

AND DON'T FORGET! Our special guest for this concert is Keith "Doc" Hampton, who will conduct his own song Celebrate! I know you'll enjoy it!

Greg Wheatley
Music Director, Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale

Click here for a preview of our concert.

The Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale presents:
Celebrate! A Tapestry of American Music
Friday, May 10 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, May 11 at 3:00 p.m.
College Church in Wheaton

In this edition of our Director's Notes, GEWC accompanist and Ensemble director Mac Willaert shares some thoughts on one of his favorite pieces in our upcoming concert Celebrate! A Tapestry of American Music. Enjoy reading, and then click on this website to order your tickets for May 10 or 11!

As I sit at my desk on a sunny April day, the breeze gently coming in through the window and birds chirping in the trees, I can't help but be thankful – spring has finally sprung! One can never take that for granted with Illinois weather, and it may disappear once or twice more before arriving on a more permanent basis, but this is a very literal breath of fresh air, and it has me feeling ready for all that spring brings. This, of course, includes our upcoming spring program, Celebrate! A Tapestry of American Music, which will cover myriad genres and periods of the American choral tradition. Topically, one of the songs I am most fond of from the upcoming program is a piece the Ensemble will be singing, a setting of the famed poet E.E. Cummings' "i thank You God for most this amazing."

For those unfamiliar, Cummings was an esteemed American poet with an unorthodox use of grammar and sentence structure, hence the seemingly strange title of the poem. He was prone to using a lower-case "i" to address himself as a show of humility, while giving proper noun capitalization to other words and subjects he wished to emphasize or show deference towards, such as in this instance, "You God." Cummings goes on throughout the piece to express (in his own avant-garde fashion) a gratitude and thankfulness for God's creation; "the leaping greenly spirits of trees, and a blue true dream of sky," "live and love and wings," "everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes."

There have been countless settings of this text for choral work, but the version I am perhaps most fond of was written by American composer and singer Elliot Z. Levine. In the span of one piece of music, he captures the playfulness and whimsy of nature alongside the marvel of being part of something greater than yourself. The music paints the picture in a way that complements the text tremendously, and it never fails to put me in a good mood. If it is possible for a song to sound like spring, Levine has nailed it. It is perhaps the trickiest piece for the Ensemble to tackle in this program, but we are diligently at work and are so looking forward to bringing it to our audiences in May.

I like to picture Cummings writing this poem on a day much like today, where you can't help but pause and appreciate the beauty around us. No matter your faith, your background, or your beliefs, we have all experienced that wonderful sensation of a most amazing day, and with any luck, May 10^th and 11^th will be just that. See you then!

Celebrate! A Tapestry of American Music
Friday, May 10 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, May 11 at 3:00 p.m.
College Church in Wheaton (corner of Washington and Seminary)

Now let's be honest. Most of us, with few exceptions, actually choose to live here in the Midwest. So I guess we're without excuse. But knowing that doesn't make this winter weather much easier to bear. Snow, ice, extreme cold. We've had it all these past several weeks. And I'm ready for spring! How about you?

Let's go ahead and assume that spring will be here by the weekend of May 10 and 11. (I know. You can never be too certain in Chicago.) That's the weekend that the Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale presents our spring concerts Celebrate! A Tapestry of American Music. Ah, think of it! We could be enjoying temperatures in the 60s by then . . . or maybe even warmer! Maybe we should just pause right now and think on that a few minutes.

Now, let me ask you to do something. Why not go ahead and mark Friday, May 10 and Saturday, May 11 on your calendar? I think you'll find it an afternoon or evening well spent, as the Chorale takes you on a musical tour of some wonderful music by American composers. Here's just a sampling:

Shenandoah
James Erb's classic setting of this beloved American folk song

Ain'-a That Good News!
A lively setting of a standard in the spiritual genre

Long, Long Ago
Dan Forrest's setting of this Fosteresque song

Bound for the Promised Land
This American folk hymn comes alive at the hands of arranger Mack Wilberg

Route 66
Take the famous road that stretches from Chicago to Los Angeles!

And many more! We'll be enjoying the warmth before you know it! Take a minute now, mark your calendar, and stay tuned to this website for more information about tickets!

Greg Wheatley
Music Director, Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale

Celebrate! A Tapestry of American Music
Friday, May 10 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, May 11 at 3:00 p.m.
College Church in Wheaton (corner of Washington and Seminary)

One of the thrills of being the guy who gets to stand in front of the Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale is hearing a piece of music come to life. Weeks of rehearsal pay off as a piece that was once brand new becomes an old friend.

There is another moment of joy when we get together for the first time with our orchestral friends. This fine group of players raises everything to a new level. What was already a beautiful piece of music now shimmers with the added sounds of musicians—strings, percussion, organ—all of whom are highly skilled in what they do.

Let me share just one of those moments with you. My friend and colleague Howard Whitaker lends his saxophone artistry for two pieces in our upcoming Christmas concerts. One of those pieces is Dan Forrest's memorable setting of O Little Town of Bethlehem. I'm fairly certain that you've never heard this familiar carol set quite this way! Forrest's imaginative harmonies are brought to life by the Chorale, Mac Willaert's piano accompaniment, the strings, and Howard Whitaker with a very soulful soprano saxophone.

I hope you'll take a moment and listen to the Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale, along with piano, strings, and saxophone, as we sing this wonderful music. Then, may I invite you to get your tickets now for Wintersong 2018? There's lots more where this came from!

Greg Wheatley, Music Director
Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale

We do not want merely to see beauty, though, God knows,
even that is bounty enough.
We want something else which can hardly be put into words — to be united
with the beauty we see, to pass into it, to receive it into ourselves,
to bathe in it, to become part of it.

— C.S. Lewis in The Weight of Glory

This may seem at first like a strange quote with which to begin a blog about Christmas music! But as I sit thinking about some of the beautiful music being prepared by the Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale for Wintersong, I think it may be rather relevant after all.

Christmas has long been my favorite season of the year. One of the reasons for this, I think, is the great beauty it brings. Think of it—what could be more beautiful than God stooping to become one of us? Here is a Love that is beyond understanding—a Love that has moved artists and musicians through the years to create some of the most beautiful works imaginable. From Handel's Messiah to Bach's Magnificat, artists have found in the Incarnation inspiration to create works that literally soar to the heights.

As the Chorale prepares for our Wintersong 2018 concerts, we're anticipating sharing the joy of this music with you! In this post I'd like to share just two of the pieces on our concert that have made it to the top of my "Beautiful Music" list.

First, there is Ecce Novum, by Ola Gjeilo. The framework for this piece is really quite simple: it moves through several keys, but the harmonies remain basic. And so, it is a bit difficult to describe just why this piece is so moving. The Latin text paints the picture of Jesus' birth, and perhaps it is the simplicity of the music matching the bare simplicity of a birth in a manger that moves us. Gjeilo has given the piano the role of a straightforward accompaniment, and the strings whispering above it are marvelous.

The second piece I want to mention here is All Praise to Thee by Elaine Hagenberg. The Chorale is singing two of Hagenberg's pieces on these concerts, and this will be the first time that the music of this young composer has been sung by the Chorale. Once again, this piece is not complex, but has melodies and harmonies that are easily accessible. It too brings together the piano and strings for a striking and beautiful accompaniment. The text is by Martin Luther:

All praise to Thee, eternal God,
Who, clothed in garb of flesh and blood,
Dost take a manger for Thy throne,
While worlds on worlds are Thine alone.

And then, what I think is one of the most beautiful features of this piece, a refrain that recurs throughout, consisting of a single, beautiful word: Alleluia. This Alleluia is first sung quietly, but gains intensity, and in the final moments of the piece, is sung with rapturous joy!

I am looking forward to sharing this beauty with you! And these are just two of many more pieces that I think you will find bring you great joy this Christmas season.

In addition to the full Chorale, Wintersong 2018 features the Ensemble, directed by Mac Willaert (who also serves as the Chorale's accompanist), the College Church pipe organ played by Daniel Mattix, and our wonderful string ensemble. In addition, saxophonist Howard Whitaker will join the Chorale for two selections. I certainly hope you'll put the dates on your calendar and order your tickets by visiting our Tickets page. I think you'll find Wintersong to be a wonderful way to begin your Christmas season!

Greg Wheatley
Music Director, Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale

Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale
Wintersong 2018
Friday, November 30 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, December 1 at 3:00 p.m.
College Church in Wheaton

Behold, a new joy,
Behold, a new wonder!

So begins the English translation of Ola Gjeilo's Ecce Novum. This hauntingly beautiful piece is just one of several that the Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale is preparing to sing in our upcoming Christmas concerts, Wintersong 2018. This work for chorus, piano, and strings shimmers with the wide-eyed wonder of the Incarnation that is Christmas. And it's just one of many other pieces you'll hear. Here are just a few more to whet your appetite:

O Little Town of Bethlehem is set by Dan Forrest (recall Dan's wonderful See Amid the Winter's Snow sung by the Chorale in a recent Wintersong concert). O Little Town of Bethlehem features the choir, piano, strings, and—of all things—a soprano saxophone!

Rejoice and Sing! by John Rutter. You'll need to be able to count to seven for this one! That's right—it's I Saw Three Ships in 7/8 time!

Sussex Carol in a setting by Elaine Hagenberg. Elaine is a young composer who is writing some absolutely beautiful music! We'll also sing her setting of All Praise to Thee, with  text from Martin Luther.

O Come All Ye Faithful. But wait a minute! Not exactly as you may be thinking of it! This is a rollicking setting by Jacob Narverud of the Pentatonix version of this favorite Christmas music.

Sound like Christmas? It does to me! It's not too early to get one of our concerts on your calendar! We'll present two concerts, each featuring the Chorale, the Ensemble under the direction of Mac Willaert, the pipe organ, and strings. And as always, you'll be singing along too in several carols of Christmas.

So . . . mark your calendar for Friday, November 30 at 7:30 p.m. or Saturday, December 1 at 3:00 p.m. Our concerts, as always, are at College Church, corner of Washington and Seminary in Wheaton. Watch this website for ticket availability and other information pertaining to the Chorale.

We hope to see you in our audience this Christmas!

Greg Wheatley
Music Director, Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale