Musicata chamber choir will present a program titled Music & Mystery on December 7. The program includes a variety of seasonal works that span centuries of music.
The Hamilton-based chamber choir was founded in 1982 as The John Laing Singers, changing their name for the 2016/17 season. The choir has been led by Roger Bergs since 2011. Bergs, a graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University (BMus), The Juilliard School (MMus in composition), and the University of Toronto (DMA), has led the choir in adventurous directions, including several pieces that received their world premiere under his baton.
The choir presents a three concert season each year.
The Music
The program includes a variety of seasonal music from a variety of composers, and from various eras of music history,
- Johannes Schultz: Ein Kindelein so löbelich (1645)
- Ruth Watson Henderson: Music Comes (2007)
- Z. Randall Stroope: Psalm 23 (2003)
- Stephen Chatman: Thou Whose Harmony is the Music of the Spheres (2005)
- Traditional: Infant Holy (W Zlobie Lezy) Polish Carol, arranged by David H. Williams
- Traditional: Joseph Dearest, Joseph Mine German Carol; arranged by Walter Ehret
- Dale Warland: Nativity Suite: II. O Magnum Mysterium (2009)
- Dale Warland: Nativity Suite: III. A Boy was Born (2009)
- Felix Mendelssohn: Ehre Sei Gott in der Höhe (1846)
- Traditional: Quelle est cette odeur agréable? French Carol; arranged by Kevin Riehle
- Roger Bergs: The Christ Child
- Traditional: The Coventry Carol English Carol; arranged by John Leavitt
- Donald Patriquin: A Child’s Carol (1998)
- John Rutter: Shepherd’s Pipe Carol (1990)
- Traditional: Sleep, Little Jesus Polish Carol; arranged by Robert Preston
- Traditional: Night of Silence Daniel Kantor; arranged by John Ferguson
Guest Performers
Stephen Boda, organ
Stephen Boda earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Toronto. He continued his studies at Yale University, where he earned a Master of Music degree, and a diploma from the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, where he studied organ and improvisation. He also received an Artist Diploma in organ from McGill University. Boda is also an accomplished pianist.
Among his many accolades, he was the winner of the 2015 Royal Canadian College of Organists’ National Organ Competition, the 2016 Howard Fairclough Organ Competition hosted by the Hamilton RCCO and the 2014 Osborne Organ Competition.
Stephen is currently the Principal Organist at Timothy Eaton Memorial Church, and a frequent performer as a concert organist throughout North America. He was previously the organist at t Grace Church on-the-Hill and St. Paul’s Bloor Street, St. John the Evangelist in Hamilton, Ontario, and Noroton Presbyterian Church in Darien, Connecticut.
Isla-May Renwick, oboe
Isla-May is a graduate of Yale University. She is currently principal oboist of the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra, a position she has held for several years. She also performs as the principal oboe and English Horn with the Southern Ontario Lyric Opera and the Hamilton Concert Band.
The multi-instrumentalist was the pianist at Hamilton’s Grace Lutheran Church for 11 years, and recorded more than 150 hymns for the church. She frequently performs as both oboist and on the English Horn for the McMaster Chamber Orchestra and other regional ensembles.
Madison Deppe, flute
Madison studied the flute at the University of Western Ontario, where she earned a Bachelor of Music with Honours and Distinction. She has performed as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician with a variety of ensembles, including the Niagara Symphony, the Guelph Symphony, the Oakville Chamber Orchestra, the National Academy Orchestra, and the Hamilton Ballet.
She is the principal flute and coach for Sinfonia Ancaster, and frequently collaborates with various choruses in Georgetown, Woodstock, and Brantford. As a dedicated chamber musician, she co-leads Duo Petrichor (flute & guitar). The Duo performs at libraries, galleries, schools, and house concerts, and in chamber music series. In addition to her modern instrument, a custom-made gold, silver, and platinum Haynes flute, she enjoys playing early music on a baroque flute.
Madison teaches flute at Redeemer University, along with running elementary music at Laureate College. She also frequently works as a guest clinician at schools, camps, and youth orchestras across Ontario, in addition to maintaining a private flute and piano studio.
The Concert
The concert takes place on December 7 at the historic Church of the Ascension.
- Find tickets and show details [HERE].
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