June 2024: BWC at Carnegie
At Carnegie Hall, nationally recognized choral conductor Iris S. Levine directs VOX Femina, Los Angeles’s foremost treble chorus, which she founded in 1997. The concert, entitled “In Her Image,” featured choral works written by women composers and two world premieres. Courtesy National Concerts
Practice. Practice. Practice. That’s what they say about getting to Carnegie Hall. Forty BWC singers learned that and so much more while planning, preparing and, yes, practicing for our June 8 appearance at New York City’s iconic venue. It was 15 months in the making and the dream of a lifetime for many, especially those who had never been to the Big Apple, where we spent three glorious days enjoying the sites and preparing for the big night.
There were lots of rapt stares, photo ops, and a few tears when we first walked into the hall and got to experience Carnegie’s stunning acoustics firsthand. The concert featured hundreds of singers from several choruses, so we were just small potatoes! But the process made the experience feel huge: Rehearsing our advanced repertoire with world-class directors, learning newly commissioned works, and meeting dedicated singers from throughout the country.
Levine conducts the National Treble Chorus, one of several groups that performed on June 8, 2024, at Carnegie Hall. With piano, flute and vibraphone accompaniment, the group of all women’s voices here performs “Searching for Dark Matter,” by Jocelyn Hagen. Courtesy National Concerts
For me, the highlight was meeting composer Jocelyn Hagen, whose work, “Searching for Dark Matter,” was on our program. We had struggled with the music and lyrics for months, until Jocelyn provided the clarifying backstory: An astronomer diagnosed with cancer tries to make sense of the universe she would soon be departing.
“Measure Me, Sky” by Elaine Hagenberg, was BWC second soprano section leader Andrea Rane’s favorite. “The music leaves me feeling joyful and achy at the same time,” Andrea said. “It conveys more than words alone possibly can about the human experience.”
Lori Marie Rios conducts the National Concert Chorus, a group of more than 100 combined men’s and women’s voices. Here the group is singing “Arirang,” based on a beloved Korean folk song and set by one of Korea’s most prominent female composers, Hyo Won-Woo. Courtesy National Concerts
New York, being the melting pot it is, always presents unusual encounters with strangers. That was the case for first alto Keh McCracken, who met a Polish gentleman at “Cabaret,” the musical about Germany’s 1939 invasion of Poland. He told Keh that his family lived through this time, except for his grandmother, who died in a grenade explosion while doing laundry in her basement. “I was mesmerized by the show but felt sorrow for my new friend’s loss,” Keh said. “My experience was so much more real than just a Broadway show; I got art, history, and a true human encounter that will remain with me for a long time.”
The performance was programmed by National Concerts, which collaborates with musical groups nationwide to provide access to elite venues and enhance their musical experiences. Featured guest conductors were Iris Levine, founder and artistic director of VOX Femina Los Angeles, and Lori Marie Rios, director of Voices of the Canyon Community Chorus.
—Patricia Meagher