More About the Chamber Choir

The Brandeis Chamber Choir, a select ensemble of dedicated sight-readers will perform under the direction of James Olesen.

The Chamber Choir has performed cantatas and motets of Bach, Buxtehude, and Schutz and trios and quartets of Haydn, Schumann, and Brahms, both as a choir and as soloists. It offers regular solo opportunities to its members and often challenges itself with music of the 20th Century, performing music of Pulitzer Prize winner Donald Martino (former Brandeis faculty), Pulitzer Prize finalist Yehudi Wyner (current Brandeis faculty), Marjorie Merryman, Halsey Stevens, Irving Fine, Samuel Barber, Stefan Wolpe, and Charles Ives. Its past repertory ranges further into Kenyan and Bantu folksong and arrangements of William Grant Still, George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, Rodgers & Hart, and Jerome Kern

The ensemble recently performed a concert of Spanish Renaissance music with guest director Sarah Mead and Cantata No. 196 of J.S. Bach. Cantatas and motets of, Buxtehude, and Schuetz with a Boston viola da gamba ensemble, and trios and quartets of Haydn, Schubert, Schumann, and Brahms, both as a choir and as soloists, comprised the repertory in two recent major concerts.

The group offers regular solo opportunities to its members and often challenges itself with music of the 20th Century, performing in the last two years music of Pulitzer Prize winner Donald Martino (former Brandeis faculty), Pulitzer Prize finalist Yehudi Wyner (current Brandeis faculty), Marjorie Merryman, Halsey Stevens, Irving Fine, Samuel Barber, Stefan Wolpe, and Charles Ives. Its repertory ranges further into Kenyan and Bantu folksong and arrangements of William Grant Still, George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, Rodgers & Hart, and Jerome Next year, Kern.

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The Chamber Choir had the honor of performing Gershwin songs for the Brandeis 50th Anniversary Gala. On April 1, 2000, the ensemble performed choral songs of Stravinsky, Schumann, and DiLasso as well as excerpts from the Mozart Requiem under guest conductor Jonathan Hirsh of Smith College at its annual appearance at the American Choral Directors Association Festival held at Regis College. The group has often sung at the Faneuil Hall Holiday Celebrations in Winter.

The ensemble accepts members from the student body by a two-part audition, including sight-reading and independent learning.
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