Sudbury Composer William Nicholson new work premiere

On Sunday April 29 at 3:00 PM, the Lincoln-Sudbury Civic Orchestra (LSCO) teams up with Memorial Congregational Church (MCC) of Sudbury and St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church in Acton to present Our Earth - Our Home, a concert to celebrate the Earth for Earth Day. Earth Suite - a new work by Sudbury resident William Nicholson, Jr, will receive its first performance.

LSCO Managing Director Nicholson is well known in Metrowest musical circles. He was the orchestra’s timpanist until 2013, and rallied the orchestra to survive and thrive after the sudden departure of the Pip Moss. He composed Earth Suite from 2010 through 2017, crafting it into a large work for mixed chorus, string orchestra, piano and percussion. He spoke about his inspiration and the work’s mission in a recent interview: “We so often take for granted the gifts we have been given in the form of our natural and renewable resources. I wanted needed to articulate the importance of these gifts in words and music.”

On the composer’s challenge: “As the composer of a new work needing both an orchestra and a big choir, the task of finding groups to perform it is twice as difficult. I was very happy that the LSCO conductor Benjamin Vickers liked the music and would consent to program it.

“All we needed to do is find a choir large enough and skilled enough to perform it. We found that choir right here in Sudbury. The MCC Spring Festival choir, directed by Cathy Meyer, performs major works every spring. She believed that the message in my Earth Suite could fit nicely in a program of similar choral works that praised the earth.”

A versatile and experienced musician, Mr. Nicholson has served as conductor, composer, music director, performer, drama director and music educator for many years in the Metro-Boston area. Mr. Nicholson has directed instrumental and choirs ensembles for the Newton Public Schools, Lincoln-Sudbury Regional HS, Middlesex Summer Arts, and Dedham Public Schools. He has worked with a number of locally and nationally recognized performing ensembles, including the NEC Youth Chorale; Central Bucks High School-West Honor Choirs, the First U.S. Army Band, US Coast Guard Academy “Idlers,” Bridgewater State University’s Chamber Singers, Sara Blacker (NE 2013 Vocalist of the Year) and numerous other vocal and instrumental artists and organizations.

A commissioned composer, with over 300 compositions to his credit, Mr. Nicholson has written for a wide variety of music ensembles, including orchestra, choir, concert and marching band, big band, contemporary jazz, rock, and pop ensembles, chamber ensembles, musical theatre, electronic media plus solo instrument and voice. As composer, he brings experience of directing these various ensembles as well. Most recently, he organized and conducted the well received the LSCO pops concert celebrating Sudbury’s 375th anniversary.

Mr. Nicholson received an MA in Music Composition/Theory from the Crane School of Music, Potsdam, NY, while studying with popular American composers, Robert Washburn and Arthur Frackenpohl. Mr. Nicholson recently retired as music director and drama director for the Dedham Public Schools in Dedham, MA.

The MCC Spring Festival Choir comprises the choirs of Memorial Congregational Church, directed by Minister of Music and Organist Cathy Meyer, and of St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church in Acton directed by David Potts, Director of Music Ministries. Mr. Pott’s group returns for its third collaboration with MCC. “I couldn't be happier working with Cathy and David and their choirs,” says Nicholson.

Mr. Vickers directs the musical forces in Earth Suite, the Te Deum by John Rutter, and Camille Saint-Saens Symphony #3,“The Organ Symphony”. Cathy Meyer is the organ soloist.

Ms. Meyer will conduct For the Beauty of the Earth by John Rutter. Mr. Potts will conduct Dem dunkeln Schoß der Heilen Erode by Johannes Brahms.

Admission is a suggested donation of $20, $5 for students. Memorial Congregational Church is located at 26 Concord Rd in Sudbury. You may contact the church at 978-443-3885 for more information, or visit http://www.mccsudbury.org.

LSCO is a volunteer community orchestra comprising high school students and adult community members who share a love for preparing and performing substantial orchestral repertoire. The members have classical music training at the intermediate to advanced level and rehearse weekly Tuesday evenings at LSRHS. Although the scores studied and performed are the original professional scores (not arrangements for school ensembles), professional performing experience is not a requirement for membership. Members are not required to reside in Lincoln or Sudbury; the orchestra welcomes musicians regardless of town of residence. Email lscivicorchestra@gmail.com, or visit http://www.lsrhs.net/sites/civicorchestra for more information.