Menomonie Singers present "When Silence Breaks" November 15 & 16

The theme for the upcoming autumn concerts by The Menomonie Singers is "When Silence Breaks." Breaking silence refers to discussing subjects that have previously been unaddressed or left unspoken for extended periods. Brian Klein, the choir’s conductor, suggests that engaging with works by lesser-known composers resembles exploring unfamiliar musical conversations. 

For example, few are acquainted with the French composer Lili Boulanger, who, at a young age was the first female winner of the prestigious music composition prize, the Prix de Rome. She remained relatively obscure compared to her renowned sister, Nadia, an influential composition teacher of several prominent figures in American music. Lili wrote music for voices, strings, piano, organ, and orchestra. The choir will perform her Hymn to the Sun which was composed in 1912. It is rich harmonically and demonstrates the shifting tonalities so prevalent at the time.

To continue the unique conversation, some of the other lesser-known composers on the program are three based in Minnesota – Jocelyn Hagen, Kyle Pederson, and Matthew Culloton. 

Hagen composes primarily for voice: solo, chamber and choirs, but has also composed for chamber, wind, and orchestral ensembles. She has explored large-scale multi-media works, electro-acoustic music, dance, and opera.  The piece on the choir’s program is On My Dreams which utilizes a poem by Yeats. It has a delicate and intricate accompaniment not often heard in choral music.

Kyle Pederson’s works have been commissioned and recorded by All State/Honors choirs, and youth, church, college, and professional choirs around the world. Kyle enjoys working at the intersection of the sacred and secular, and his lyrics and music invite the choir and audience to be agents of hope, grace, and compassion in the world. With Pederson’s piece, Hands Are Knockin’, the Menomonie choir is called upon to sing in Arabic, in a prayer exhorting all to open minds, hearts and reach out to others. 

Matthew Culloton conductor of The Singers in the Twin Cities, not only composes and conducts, he has also worked as a classical recording producer, and choirmaster. His tenor and baritone work featured on the program, Let the Music Rise, was commissioned by the Staples, Minnesota, Men’s Chorus with a poem by one of its singers, David Bengtson.  The piece speaks to the power and comfort of choral music in dark times. 

Performances are November 15 at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 1120 Cedar Street, Eau Claire; and November 16 at Our Savior’s Lutheran, 910 9th Street East, Menomonie. Both concerts begin at 2 p.m. There is no ticket fee but a suggested donation of $10 is greatly appreciated to defray expenses of the concerts.

Other works in this musical conversation include works by Marques Garrett, May Erlewine, a sacred work by Felix Mendelssohn, a finale from the musical, Titanic, and an arrangement of the old Scottish tune, Loch Lomond. 

The Menomonie Singers is a non-profit music organization started in 1989. This adult community choir performs at various venues in Menomonie and western Wisconsin. Singers are a mix of many professions, including UW-Stout faculty members. The group frequently sings four-part, a cappella music.

The choir is looking for new members to expand the group to 40. Auditions will be held again in January with rehearsals beginning again shortly after auditions for concerts in the spring. Interested singers should contact Juliana Schmidt, Executive Director and founder, at admin@themenomoniesingers.org.

Check out our website at www.themenomoniesingers.org.   The Menomonie Singers can also be found on Facebook.