Valley Consort next on roster for Music at Messiah

MADISON – A vocal group that reintroduces centuries-old music to new audiences will perform for the Music at Messiah Classical Concert Series on Nov. 16.

Valley Consort, a 17-voice choral ensemble, will present works by English composers at this concert that starts at 7 p.m. in Messiah Lutheran Church’s sanctuary, 7740 U.S. 72 W. in Madison.

This concert program will feature musical traditions from the Anglican Church. The concert is free and open to the public, Music at Messiah spokesperson John W. Shriver said. Donations from the audience will be welcome.

Valley Consort began as Huntsville Collegium Musicum in 2012, and their performances emphasize the music of composers before the year 1750. The group has grown and evolved, and the chamber ensemble now presents music from all time periods, including recent compositions from the last five years.

The group’s interests focus on excellence through both repertoire and performance.

For their Music at Messiah concert, Valley Consort has prepared Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “Mass in G minor” as their central work.

Works by renaissance composers William Byrd, Thomas Tallis and Peter Philips bookend the “Kyrie” and “Gloria.” The “Three Motets of Charles Villiers Stanford” will serve as an offertory before the communion portion of the mass. (A motet is a brief piece of sacred choral music.)

A new work written for the Choir of Trinity College Cambridge by Owain Park will complete Valley Consort’s program with the same text as the second of the Stanford motets, “Caelos ascendit.”

Christian Crocker serves as Musical Director for Valley Consort, while Dr. Michael Weinberg is Assistant Director. Members of Valley Consort include these musicians:

* Soprano — Gianna Gimenez, Sarah Meister, Kathy Heim and Gina Aramburu.

* Alto — Caitlin Brown, Camilla Pruitt, Liza Q. Wirtz, Audree Sisk and Julia Herda.

* Tenor — Christian Crocker, Caleb Waters, Michael Mondoskin and Shane Bloemetjie.

* Bass — Ben Tieslau, Michael Weinberg, Ben Stroup and David Caine.

Valley Consort will reprise this concert on Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. at the Church of the Nativity in Huntsville.

For more information, visit valleyconsort.org. For details about Music at Messiah, visit musicatmessiah.org or Facebook/Music at Messiah.