Artistic Director Ryan Heller celebrates fifth season New season includes Mendelssohn’s Elijah, John Blow’s baroque opera Venus and Adonis, a program of Southwest composers and two special concerts with The Austin Symphony Chorus Austin today announced its 2013-2014 lineup of concerts featuring its two ensembles: Austin Civic Chorus (ACC) and Austin Vocal Arts Ensemble (AVAE). [...]
Chorus Austin Wins Chorus America/ASCAP Alice Parker National Award
May 7, 2013 by
Chorus Austin is winner of the 2013 Chorus America/ASCAP Alice Parker Award, given to recognize a chorus for programming recently composed music. Announcement of the award, which is given annually by Chorus America, was made today (May 7). The award honors Chorus Austin for its March 31, 2012, “In Remembrance” concert featuring The Unutterable, a [...]
Chorus Austin at KMFA’s Spring Pledge Drive
March 20, 2013 by
On Tuesday, March 19, the first day of the KMFA spring pledge drive, members of the Chorus Austin board of directors volunteered to answers the phones and conductor Ryan Heller was on air from 10 a.m. to noon with KMFA’s Dianne Donovan. Ryan and Dianne talked about Chorus Austin, music, the importance of having a [...]
An Impression of Sing-it-Yourself Messiah
December 11, 2012 by
For 23 years running, the annual winter tradition of “Sing-It-Yourself Messiah” is Chorus Austin’s popular rendition of Handel’s Messiah featuring chorus, soloists and an audience invited to sing along. Another tradition is the raffle for a chance to conduct the spectacular Hallelujah Chorus encore. This year, Rachel, our youngest conductor to date, won and led [...]
Chorus Austin Visits KXAN Studios
December 11, 2012 by
Early Saturday morning, December 8, a group from Chorus Austin and Ryan Heller, Chorus Austin’s Artistic Director and Conductor, appeared on KXAN-TV on the station’s News Today. Morning anchor Brian Sanders interviewed Ryan, and the group sang “Winter Wonderland.”
Program Notes: Voices of Light (November 2012)
November 13, 2012 by
Concert Notes Voices of Light Presented by Austin Vocal Arts Ensemble November 17-18, 2012 Austin Vocal Arts Ensemble’s concert, “Voices of Light,” was inspired by the Brahms motet Warum ist das Licht gegeben? which poses the question: Why is light given to those in misery? As the piece develops, themes of joy, love, faith, endurance [...]
Program Notes: All-Night Vigil (October 2012)
October 10, 2012 by
Concert Notes All-Night Vigil (Vespers) Sergei Rachmaninoff Presented by Austin Civic Chorus October 20-21, 2012 Rachmaninoff’s All-Night Vigil, or Vespers as the work is commonly called, was composed during a two-week period in January and February 1915. The preceding years had been particularly successful. He was acknowledged throughout Russia, Europe and the United States as [...]
Chorus Austin 48th Season Offers “Perspectives” on Choral Landscape
July 23, 2012 by
Bold and vibrant. Comforting and thrilling. “Perspectives,” the 48th season for Chorus Austin ensembles, offers programs that reflect a multitude of choral landscapes. “This season, our year of “Perspectives” explores the emotional depths and heights of choral works from master composers such as Rachmaninoff, Vivaldi, Brahms and Beethoven,” said Ryan Heller, Chorus Austin artistic director [...]
Chorus Austin Garners 7 Austin Critics’ Table Awards Nominations
May 26, 2012 by
Chorus Austin received seven nominations for awards in the Classical Music field from the Austin Critics’ Table May 24. One was for a Choral Performance, five in the category of Singers and one for Instrumentalist. Austin Civic Chorus, the 120-voice symphonic ensemble of Chorus Austin, was nominated in the Choral Performance category for its concert [...]
New Robert Kyr Work Commissioned by Chorus Austin
February 28, 2012 by
A new work by noted American composer Robert Kyr has been commissioned by Chorus Austin for its chamber ensemble. The Unutterable is a multimedia work Kyr is creating for Chorus Austin’s 32-voice Austin Vocal Arts Ensemble. The piece will be premiered March 31 at AVAE’s “In Remembrance” performance, which is part of Austin’s “Light / [...]