Concordia Consort, Ensemble-in-Residence at Trinity Episcopal Church (Concord MA), presents a meditative concert on Sunday, March 4 as a prelude to the monthly Choral Evensong at Trinity Episcopal Church, 81 Elm Street in Concord. The prelude recital begins at 5 PM in Trinity's main sanctuary. Concordia's four members are joined by guest soprano Eileen Cecelia Callahan for "Teares of a Sorrowful Soule," a program of chorale melodies and contemplative psalms set by Renaissance and Baroque composers Bach, Byrd, Pedersøn, Alessandro Scarlatti, Hassler, Pachelbel and others. This is a FREE event and donations are welcomed. Following the half-hour prelude concert, Trinity's Parish Choir (Robert Barney, director) will sing Choral Evensong, featuring settings of the "Magnificat" and "Nunc dimittis" by English Renaissance composer Thomas Tomkins. The featured anthem in this service is Tomkins' "My shepherd is the living Lord." Concordia Consort will join the choir for these pieces. For further information, please call Trinity's Parish office, 978/369-3715 or e-mail trinity@trinityconcord.org. For further information on Concordia Consort, visit Concordia Consort on-line at http://concordiaconsort.com.
Concordia's program highlights music from Renaissance and Baroque masters from the Lutheran, Episcopal and Catholic traditions. The beautiful choral melodies "Vater unser im Himmelreich" (Our Father, set by Bach) and "O Lamm Gottes unschuldig" (O Lamb of God most holy, set by Pachelbel) open and close the program. Several of the seven "pentitential psalms" are featured, including Byrd's "Miserere Deus" (Have mercy, Lord) and Pedersøn's "Ad te levavi oculos meos" (To Thee do I lift up my eyes). The concert also features instrumental works by Bull, Lassus, Cato and Buxtehude.
Founded by Boston-area recorder teacher Sheila Beardslee in 1995, Concordia is the performance ensemble representing Recorders/Early Music Metrowest, the metroWest’s participatory early music program. Concordia has been heard in live broadcast on WCRB, WHRB and WGBH Radio and has performed in concert at historic King’s Chapel and Old North Church in downtown Boston, for the Concord Museum, at Middlesex Community College, MIT Chapel, Williams College and other venues. Named Ensemble-in-Residence at Trinity Episcopal Church in Concord, Concordia frequently shares programs with Ars et Amici vocal ensemble, and with guest soloists sopranos Eileen Cecelia Callahan and Harriet Bridges, and countertenor Andrei Caracoti. Concordia’s first CD, “Ay me, Ohime,” featuring English and Italian 16th-17th century music with guest soprano Ms. Callahan, was released in 2009. Concordia Consort members are Christine Alderman (Concord), George Mastellone (Arlington), Brian Warnock (Jamaica Plain) and Sheila Beardslee, director (Acton).
Soprano Eileen Cecelia Callahan began singing as a child in Concord, MA, where she was active in the Trinity choirs and later the high school chorus and concert choir. While studying at Haverford College for a BA in Russian Language, she sang with the Bryn Mawr Renaissance Choir. Now living in the Boston area, she has appeared with Capella Clausura, the Tufts Early Music Ensemble, Ars & Amici, Concordia, the Warner Consort, and Patelena Baroque Ensemble. She is the soprano section leader at Grace Episcopal Church in Newton. In 2003 she sang the role of "Anima" in Ars & Amici's production of Hildegard von Bingen's "Ordo Virtutum" which toured Italy under the direction of Cristi Catt. Ms. Callahan holds a Master of Music degree from Longy School of Music. She is also a registered Music Together™ teacher and is the Director of Music Together MetroWest in Framingham, which offers parent-child music classes for children from birth to age 5.
The service of Choral Evensong originated in 1549 with the first Book of Common Prayer for the Anglican Church. Composers have written settings of this liturgy and Anglican choirs throughout the world sing it regularly in cathedrals, churches and chapels. To some this service feels like a concert and others are drawn into the spiritual realm by the transcendent music. All are welcome to experience it in their own way. Trinity offers this service several times throughout the year.
