>> MICHAEL: WE'LL GET THE VOICES

WORKING INDIVIDUALLY, AND THEN

WE'LL DO A FEW EXERCISES TO GET

OUR KIND OF COLLECTIVE EARS AS

ALWAYS TUNED INTO EACH OTHER AND

OUR ENSEMBLE VALUES.

LET'S HAVE AN A AND A C JUST

SLIDING.

[SINGING VOICES WARM UP]

♪

GOOD.

>> TERRI: TODAY WE'RE GOING TO

CATCH UP WITH ONE OF THE

PREEMINENT COMMUNITY CHORUSES IN

THE REGION.

THIS GROUP HAS BEEN ENTERTAINING

AND INSPIRING US WITH REGULAR

PERFORMANCES OF CHORAL

MASTERWORKS SINCE 1968.

JOIN US TODAY AS WE HEAR FROM

THE ORATORIO SOCIETY OF

VIRGINIA.

COME ON!

♪

>> TERRI: SO MICHAEL, WHY IS IT

THAT WE LOVE SINGING SO MUCH?

>> MICHAEL: WELL, YEAH I

SUPPOSE THERE'S A LONG AND A

SHORT WAY TO ANSWER.

IT'S BEEN SHOWN THAT SINGING,

ESPECIALLY IN LARGE GROUPS

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, RELEASES

ENDORPHINS, SO PEOPLE GET THIS

NATURAL HIGH WHEN THEY SING

TOGETHER.

IT'S SHOWN TO REDUCE STRESS

LEVELS, BUT ACTUALLY THERE ARE

STUDIES THAT SUGGEST IT BINDS

PEOPLE IN SOCIAL GROUPS WHICH

BECOMES AN EVOLUTIONARY

ADVANTAGE.

I MEAN, IT'S AMAZING TO THINK

ABOUT THAT ACROSS TIME.

THERE'S REAL SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE

FOR THAT ALONG WITH WHAT WE ALL

CONSIDER AND KNOW AND LOVE TO BE

THE AESTHETIC VALUE OF IT.

>> TERRI: YEAH, AND TALK ABOUT

THE VITAL ROLE THAT A GROUP,

THIS GROUP PLAYS IN THE

COMMUNITY.

>> MICHAEL: SO THE ORATORIO

SOCIETY HAS BEEN IN THE

COMMUNITY ALREADY 50 YEARS PLUS

AND I THINK THAT IT'S A VERY

IMPORTANT PART OF ANY COMMUNITY

TO BE THIS KIND OF ARTISTIC

EXPRESSION, AND I THINK IT'S

GREAT WHEN YOU HAVE A CHORUS

THAT'S OPEN TO MEMBERS OF THE

COMMUNITY, AND THEY CAN COME AND

WITHOUT BEING A PROFESSIONAL

MUSICIAN STILL MAKE MUSIC AT A

HIGH LEVEL AND NOT ONLY OFFER

SOMETHING TO THE COMMUNITY,

RIGHT, OFFER SOME KIND OF UNIQUE

EXPRESSION OF ART

INDEED BUT SPEAKING TO THE

COMMUNITY IN WAYS THAT ARE

IMPORTANT. WE KNOW IN OUR

COMMUNITY THAT WE NEED THAT

AS EVER AND I THINK THAT

THE PROCESS OF SINGING TOGETHER

IS A GREAT MODEL FOR US

INTERACTING IN A HARMONIOUS WAY.

♪

>> ROWENNA: HOPEFULLY YOU CAN

LISTEN TO IT OR SING IT AND ONLY

THINK ABOUT THAT, AND YOU DON'T

THINK ABOUT THE BARRIERS THAT

SEPARATE YOU FROM THE PERSON

SITTING NEXT TO YOU OR SINGING

NEXT TO YOU OR SINGING OUT

THERE.

>> JOANIE: I THINK THAT PEOPLE

ARE SURPRISED AT THE BEAUTY AND

THE GLORY OF SINGING THIS KIND

OF MUSIC.

>> MARGARET: IF CONDITIONS ARE

RIGHT, IF YOUR GROUP IS IN GOOD

FORM, QUITE FREQUENTLY MAGIC

HAPPENS, AND THAT'S VERY SPECIAL

WHEN THAT HAPPENS.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN KEEP YOU

INSPIRED AND SORT OF ON A CLOUD

FOR QUITE A WHILE.

>> MICHAEL: SAME THING, MAKE A

LITTLE CRESCENDO TO THE MIDDLE

NOTE AND THEN TAPER DOWN THE

LAST TWO.

♪

MOVING FORWARD, RIGHT, MOVING

FORWARD, NOW TURN THE CORNER.

>> TERRI: TELL US A LITTLE BIT

ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND.

>> MICHAEL: WELL, I STARTED AS

A CHILD AS A PIANIST, AND WE HAD

MUSIC IN THE HOME, AND MY DAD

ESPECIALLY WAS A PIANIST AND HE

DID SOME CHURCH MUSIC SO THERE

WAS SINGING AND MUSIC AND I WAS

BLESSED TO COME THROUGH SOME

WONDERFUL CHORAL PROGRAMS.

IN HIGH SCHOOL I SANG IN, WAS AN

ACCOMPANIST, COLLEGE AT CORNELL

AND AT THE INDIANA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF MUSIC WHERE I STUDIED

CONDUCTING, HAD A CHANCE, HAVE A

BROAD EXPERIENCE IN CHORAL,

CHORAL ORCHESTRAL, OPERA ETC

MUSIC, AND IN ALL PHASES I THINK

WHEN IT'S DONE RIGHT AND IT'S A

SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE, YOU

DEVELOP A REAL LOVE.

>> TERRI: AND YOU COULD BE, YOU

DEFINITELY COULD BE WORKING IN A

LARGE CITY, SO WHY

CHARLOTTESVILLE?

>> MICHAEL: THAT'S A GOOD

QUESTION.

I SUPPOSE IT'S TRUE. FIRST OF

ALL A JOB IS A JOB AND I WAS

BLESSED TO GET HIRED HERE AT UVA

AND SO THAT BROUGHT ME HERE AS A

PROFESSOR AND A CONDUCTOR.

>> TERRI: OF THE?

>> MICHAEL: OF THE UNIVERSITY

SINGERS, OF THE CHAMBER SINGERS,

AND A GUEST CONDUCTOR OF OUR

SYMPHONY HERE, THE

CHARLOTTESVILLE SYMPHONY HERE

AND THAT'S A WONDERFUL

EXPERIENCE, WORKING WITH OUR

STUDENTS AND MY FACULTY

COLLEAGUES, BUT THEN ALSO I FEEL

LIKE WE'RE BLESSED TO LIVE IN A

TOWN OF CHARLOTTESVILLE THAT IN

A SENSE PUNCHES ABOVE ITS WEIGHT

CULTURALLY, AND WE HAVE PEOPLE

IN THIS TOWN THAT REALLY SUPPORT

THE ARTS EITHER AS PERFORMERS OR

BENEFACTORS, OR OTHER KINDS OF

SUPPORTERS OF THE ARTS.

AND AUDIENCES TEND

TO BE VERY WARM IN THE RESPONSE

THE RECEPTION OF WHAT WE OFFER.

AND WE ARE ABLE TO DO THINGS

CULTURALLY. I MEAN WE HAVE HAD

PARTNERSHIPS FOR EXAMPLE

WITH ORATORIO SOCIETY RECENTLY

WITH ASH LAWN NOW

CHARLOTTESVILLE OPERA

AND WITH CHARLOTTESVILLE BALLET

AND WITH THE CHAARLOTTESVILLE

SYMPHONY, WE SUNG WITH THE

ROANOKE SYMPHONY

I THINK IT'S EXCITING WHEN YOU

CAN GET TOGETHER DIFFERENT

ARTISTIC FORCES IN THE COMMUNITY

MAKE SOMETHING EVEN LARGER THAN

ANY OF YOU COULD MAKE ON YOUR

OWN.

♪

>> JOANIE: I LOVE BEING A PART

OF THIS BECAUSE IT'S SO RARE TO

BE ABLE TO WORK WITH A BIG GROUP

OF PEOPLE TO ACHIEVE A COMMON

GOAL AND TO DO IT WITH ENJOYMENT

AND GRACE AND FUN.

>> KIM: I ALWAYS THINK OF

CHORAL MUSIC AS BEING SORT OF

THE ULTIMATE TEAM SPORT.

SO IT'S OUR WAY OF GETTING

TOGETHER AND REALLY REPRESENTING

THE COMMUNITY.

>> TERRI: TELL ME ABOUT THE

MEMBERS, WHO PARTICIPATES?

>> MICHAEL: SO WE HAVE PEOPLE

WHO ARE HAVE BEEN PROFESSIONAL

SINGERS OR ARE OR ARE MUSIC

TEACHERS, BUT WE ALSO HAVE

PEOPLE WHO ARE TEACHERS IN OTHER

SUBJECTS, LIKE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

TEACHERS, OR WE HAVE SOME OF

CHARLOTTESVILLE'S LEADING

LAWYERS, WE HAD A GUY WHO IS A

WORLD CLASS ASTRONOMER, AN

ASTRO-PHYSICIST IN THERE.

WE HAVE DOCTORS, AND MOMS, AND

WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE GRADUATE

STUDENTS, SO IT'S A VERY

INTERESTING ECLECTIC MIX, AND I

THINK IT ONLY SERVES TO

INVIGORATE THE REHEARSAL PROCESS

WHEN YOU HAVE ALL THESE

DIFFERENT, INTERESTING PEOPLE

WHO HAVE A COMMON SHARED LOVE OF

MAKING MUSIC TOGETHER.

♪

>> MICHAEL: BEAUTIFUL!

>> JIM: I RESISTED AT FIRST.

I SAID OH, I'M TOO BUSY, BUT I

WAS SWEET TALKED BY ONE OF THE

ALTOS, SARAH FISHBACK, AND IT

WAS REALLY SUCH AN EXPERIENCE I

WOULD NOT HAVE GIVEN IT UP FOR

ANYTHING.

>> KIM: THIS IS WHAT I DO FOR

ME, SO THIS GROUP HAS BEEN AN

AMAZING OUTLET AND A LOT OF MY

FRIENDS ARE ACTUALLY IN THIS

GROUP AS WELL.

>> STEVE: IT IS A VERY WARM

GENEROUS GROUP, AND I JUST

COULDN'T BE AMONG A NICER BUNCH

OF PEOPLE.

>> ROWENNA: I SIT THERE IN THE

CORNER AND I LISTEN TO THESE

PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY DIFFERENT,

BUT WHEN THEY SING TOGETHER

THEY'RE A WORK OF ART BECAUSE

THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL.

♪

>> TERRI: TELL US ABOUT SOME OF

THESE PERFORMANCES AND THE

PIECES THAT YOU ALL LIKE TO DO.

>> MICHAEL: SURE, SO IT'S A

GROUP THAT LOVES TO SING MAJOR

WORKS WITH CHORUS AND ORCHESTRA

BUT ALSO HAS OTHER LOVES IN

TERMS OF SHORTER CHORAL PIECES.

PIECES THAT REACH IN TO THE

COMMUNITY IN DIFFERENT WAYS, AND

A TYPICAL SEASON WILL INCLUDED

CHRISTMAS CONCERTS AT THE

PARAMOUNT WHICH HAS BEEN A

TRADITION DATING BACK BEFORE MY

TIME AS DIRECTOR.

WE'VE DONE COMMUNITY SING-INS IN

THE LAST FIVE OR SEVEN YEARS

WHERE WE'VE PUT A PIECE OUT

THERE AND OFFERED IT TO THE

COMMUNITY, LEARN THIS PIECE,

COME SING WITH US

AND WE'LL HAVE A BIG WHIP IT

TOGETHER REHEARSAL AND THEN

PRESENT IT.

>> TERRI: THAT IS FANTASTIC.

>> MICHAEL: THAT'S A GREAT

EXPERIENCE, AND WE'VE SOMETIMES

HAVE HAD AS MANY AS 60-70 JOIN

OUR 85 OR 90, AND WE'VE

ALSO DONE THIS SOMETIMES AS A

BENEFIT FOR COMMUNITY GROUPS SO

THAT'S ANOTHER WAY TO KIND OF

SERVE THE COMMUNITY THROUGH

MUSIC.

IN THE SENSE OF CELEBRATING A

50TH THERE HAVE BEEN SOME

CONCERTS.

WE DID PART OF HANDEL MESSIAH AS

AN ECHO OF THAT VERY FIRST

PERFORMANCE IN 1968 THAT THE

ORATORIO SOCIETY DID, BUT WE

ALSO HAVE CONCERTS WHERE MOZART

C MINOR MASS IS ON THE PROGRAM AS

A MAJOR WORK, A KIND OF STAPLE

OF THE REPERTOIRE TOGETHER WITH

A COMMISSIONED NEW WORK FROM AN

AMERICAN COMPOSER, IN FACT FROM

A VIRGINIAN, ADOLPHUS HAILSTORK,

AN AFRICAN AMERICAN COMPOSER

WHOSE JUST DOWN THE ROAD AT OLD

DOMINION WHO IS SETTING A RITA

DOVE TEXT, TESTIMONIAL WHICH IS

THE POEM WHICH IS SO BEAUTIFULLY

INSCRIBED ON THE MURAL ON THE

GRADUATE HOTEL HERE IN

CHARLOTTESVILLE, AND SO I, I

THINK IT'S VERY EXCITING TO HAVE

THAT BECOME VOICED AS A PIECE OF

MUSIC AND HAVE THESE ARTISTS

COLLABORATE SO THAT IS ALSO PART

OF THE 50TH CELEBRATION.

>> TERRI: OH, THAT IS EXCITING.

OKAY, BUT WE GOT TO TALK ABOUT

REHEARSAL THOUGH, HOW OFTEN DO

YOU ALL REHEARSE AND WHAT IS

YOUR GOAL, WHAT'S YOUR FOCUS

WHEN YOU'RE DOING THAT, YOU GUYS

MUST WORK REALLY HARD.

>> MICHAEL: I HOPE WE DO, AND

THAT'S OUR GOAL AS MUSICIANS,

OUR JOB.

WE TYPICALLY REHEARSE ONCE A

WEEK, AND I THINK THAT'S PRETTY

STANDARD FOR MANY COMMUNITY

CHORUSES IN BIGGER AND SMALLER

CITIES, AND THE SINGERS MEET FOR

USUALLY TWO HOURS TO WORK ON

SPECIFIC REPERTOIRE TO

WHICH ALLOWS US TO NOT ONLY

EXCEL AT THAT, BUT TO EXECEL

A BROADER MUSICAL VALUES

RIGHT.

SO YOU WANT TO CREATE A GROUP

THAT STARTS TO FORM HABITS

MUSICALLY.

IT'S ALSO A PROCESS OF BECOMING

SOME SORT OF MUSICAL FAMILY, A

COMMUNITY RIGHT?

AND THAT AFFECTS THE WAY YOU

SOUND ON STAGE.

♪

>> MARGARET: I HAVE BEEN SINGING

WITH THE ORATORIO SOCIETY SINCE

THE FALL OF 1975.

PREPARING THAT KIND OF EFFORT

AND INPUT AND COMING OUT WITH A

GOOD PRODUCT IS, THAT'S ONE OF

THE MORE SATISFYING THINGS IN

LIFE, I'VE ALWAYS FELT.

>> JOANIE: HE TEACHES YOU ABOUT

DICTION, ABOUT BREATHING, ABOUT

YOUR INSTRUMENT AND HOW TO USE

IT CORRECTLY.

AS WE'RE REHEARSING, YOU GROW AS

A PERSON AS WELL AS A CHORAL

SINGER.

♪

>> TERRI: WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE

TO SEE FOR THE NEXT 50 YEARS?

>> MICHAEL: THAT'S A GREAT

QUESTION, AND IT'S NOT ONLY UP

TO ME, I MEAN THERE'S A WHOLE

WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION THAT HAS

TO DETERMINE THAT, BUT FIRST OF

ALL, I THINK MUSICALLY WE NEED

TO KEEP PURSUING EXCELLENCE, AND

THAT WOULD MEAN BOTH IN TERMS OF

DRAWING MEMBERS AND RAISING THE

MUSICAL STANDARD AS WE HAVE

ALREADY AND ALWAYS CONTINUING TO

LOOK AT REPERTOIRES FROM SEVERAL

DIFFERENT ANGLES RIGHT?

FROM RESPECT FOR HISTORY AND

THIS INCREDIBLE TRADITION WE'VE

INHERITED.

SO WE CAN KEEP SHARING WITH

GENERATIONS, THAT'S VERY

IMPORTANT, THAT MUSIC IS FOR

EVERYONE, BUT ALSO TO CREATE NEW

MUSIC AS WE'RE DOING IN

COMMISSIONING, AND THAT'S VERY

IMPORTANT THAT THERE'S A CERTAIN

DIVERSITY IN THE REPERTOIRE AND

THE THINKING ABOUT THAT AND ALSO

WHO YOU WANT TO SHARE IT WITH

BOTH IN YOUR SINGING MEMBERS AND

AUDIENCE MEMBERS.

CAN WE EXPAND THE DEMOGRAPHIC?

BECAUSE I THINK IT OFFERS

SOMETHING VERY VITAL TO THE

COMMUNITY.

>> STEVE: WE CONTINUE TO RISE IN

THE WORLD OF CHORAL MUSIC, AND

IT'S SO FUN TO HAVE THAT LEVEL

OF AMBITION AND EXPERTISE RIGHT

HERE IN CHARLOTTESVILLE.

IT'S REALLY AMAZING.

>> ROWENNA: WE'RE BUILDING A

MUSICAL MONUMENT TO THE BEAUTY

AND DIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA AND OF

CHARLOTTESVILLE.

THAT'S OUR NEXT 50 YEARS.

♪