ARTS COUNCIL OF BIG SKY
BIG SKY – The Arts Council of Big Sky is presenting a
free holiday performance featuring the vocal group Aoide on Friday, Dec.
20, at 7:30 p.m. at the Big Sky Chapel. The concert, titled “Aoide: Path of
Miracles,” is underwritten by the ACBS’s Schwer-Toepffer Memorial Fund and is
free and suitable for all ages.
With performances described as “the best choral singing
we’ve ever heard in Bozeman (or almost anywhere),” the Aoide Chamber Singers
have established themselves as one of Montana’s premier chamber choirs. Founded
in the fall of 2012 at Montana State University by a small group of friends in
the Honors College, their high level of artistry and commitment to living composers
drew attention from others and membership quickly expanded. Aoide is a
dedicated advocate of contemporary composers, with performances concentrating
on music of the 21st century and its origins in earlier music.
“This is the third year we’ve brought Aoide to Big Sky for a
holiday concert,” said ACBS Executive Director Brian Hurlbut. “It’s become a
great tradition for many and the chapel is the perfect setting for this
beautiful choral music.”
Sought-after for collaborations, Aoide has appeared with
Grammy-Award winning choir The Crossing and with the Jitro Czech Children’s
Choir, and has sung across Montana, from Kalispell to Red Lodge, including a
performance at Big Sky’s Warren Miller Performing Arts Center.
The Aoide Chamber Singers are Hannah Anderson, Isobel
Anthony, Hannah Bares, Kaleb Biladeau, Kayla Bojkovsky, Mandy Bowker, Andrew
Cantley, Cordelia Cluett, Derek Conder, Adam Copeland, Emily Copeland, Patrick
Fischer, Lukas Graf, Erin Henke, Logan Henke, Eli Isbell, Ana Jarrett, Michael
Juel, Rachel Juel, Jacob Malczyk, Annie Marshall, Natalie Mills, Robert Nack,
Alan Newbold, Lera O’Sullivan, Matthew O’Sullivan, Jack Reeder, Cara Robertus,
Madison Stone, Zach Tomac and John Zirkle.
Conductor
Andrew Major is a Thomas R. Kasdorf
scholar in choral music in the second year of his Master’s in Choral Conducting
at Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music studying under
Grammy-Award winning conductor Donald Nally. At Northwestern, Andrew is the
instructor and conductor of NU Camerata, the choral department’s treble choir,
and sings with the Bienen Contemporary/Early Vocal Ensemble, University
Chorale, and in the Recital Chorus. He has also served as the graduate
assistant conductor of the University Singers and has conducted performances with
the Renaissance Singers and the Undergraduate Company of Opera Singers.
The concert is free and open to the public, and is
appropriate for all ages. Seating is on a first come, first serve basis.
Visit bigskyarts.org or call (406) 995-2742 for more information.