Nova Singers' “Mother Earth" -- April 13 and 14.
Saturday, April 13, 7:30 p.m.
First Lutheran Church, 304 East Water Street, Galesburg IL
Sunday, April 14, 4 p.m.
St. Paul Lutheran Church, 2136 Brady Street, Davenport IA
Delivering songs about flowers, trees, mountains, and animals, as well as a call for rain to soothe a thirsty earth, Galesburg's professional vocal ensemble the Nova Singers concludes their 2023-24 season with two performances of Mother Earth, a beautiful repertoire of selections being performed at Galesburg's First Lutheran Church on April 13 and Davenport's St. Paul Lutheran Church on April 14.
With audiences invited to explore the peace that comes with time spent among wild things, a song about the spiritual power of nature, and a work by Cree composer Andrew Balfou, the Nova Singers' founder and music director Dr. Laura Lane says, "This is a program close to my heart. I believe in the power of nature to heal, inspire, and uplift human beings, and I hope when you hear this music you will feel healed, inspired and uplifted! Every song is completely different from every other song and creates its own, unique world of sound and meaning. I know our audiences will love Barber’s Reincarnations and Sean Ivory’s The Peace of Wild Things, featuring violist Dominique Archambeau. Plus, a team of percussionists will help us create an extremely dramatic performance of Eric Whitacre’s Cloudburst. Don’t miss it!”
Archambeau, who will accompany the Nova Singers on viola, began her musical training at the New Music School in Chicago and has performed across the United States and abroad, including an international tour with the Gabrovo Chamber Orchestra. She is currently completing a doctoral degree in Viola Performance and Pedagogy at the University of Iowa.
Founded by Lane in 1986, Nova Singers is a 17-voice ensemble with a nation-wide reputation for expressiveness, virtuosity, and innovative programming. Nova Singers has performed at state, regional, and national conventions of the American Choral Directors Association, has produced nine professional recordings (including five Christmas CDs), and has received numerous grants from the Illinois Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. From Byrd to Brahms to Arvo Pärt, versatility and flexibility have been hallmarks of the organization, and their uniqueness is frequently demonstrated in Nova Singers’ world premieres of commissions from composers such as Ruth Watson Henderson, Thea Musgrave, Bruce Polay, William Hawley, and Daniel Godsil.
Composing the Nova Singers in its 2023-24 season are: Madalynn Baez; Heather Beck; Patt Burr; Tom Clark; Hillary Erb; Curtis Fischer-Oelschleager; David Foster; Allison Good; Peggy Hamilton; Dakota Howard; Joel Kolander; Sarah Lounsberry; Libby Moore; Brandon Ouellette; Callen Sederquist; Rachel C. Vickers; and John Whitson.
The Nova Singers' Mother Earth concerts will be performed on April 13 and 14, with Saturday's concert at Galesburg's First Lutheran Church beginning at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday's event at Davenport's St. Paul Lutheran Church at 4 p.m. Admission is $17-20, with students admitted free, and more information and tickets are available by calling (309)341-7038 and visiting NovaSingers.com.
