>> 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.
♪