The Nova Singers' “When We Love" -- October 21 and 22.
Saturday, October 21, 7:30 p.m.
First Lutheran Church, 364 East Water Street, Galesburg IL
Sunday, October 22, 2 p.m.
St. Paul Lutheran Church, 2136 Brady Street, Davenport IA
For their first performance of the 2023-24 season, Galesburg's professional vocal ensemble the Nova Singers will explore one of the most complex and beautiful of human emotions in their October 21 and 22 performances of We Are Love, enabling audiences to experience the exhilaration of young love, the comfort of mature love, the longing for a love who is far away, love of home, love of one’s art, and the power of unconditional love to transform our world.
Nova Singers' founder and artistic director Dr. Laura Lane says of the repertoire, “I’m thrilled to be able to share this program with audience members! I love every single piece on the program. Ravel’s Three Songs are short, exquisite gems that are so rarely performed you may never have heard them. Morten Lauridsen’s Mid-Winter Songs are my top favorite works by this iconic composer—each of the movements is brilliantly written, deeply expressive of the words, and just plain exciting. Every piece on the second half is a gem too, but each in its own way. At this unique concert, I believe you will laugh, cry, smile with contentment, and perhaps feel a bit surprised.”
Pianist Polly Brecht will accompany the ensemble for the two When We Love performances. Brecht has a degree in piano, organ, and harpsichord performance from Indiana University and Florida State University, and also boasts extensive experience in solo and collaborative work across the United States. She is currently the organist/choirmaster at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Peoria, and also works at Knox College and Bradley University.
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, 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' When We Love concerts will be performed at 7:30 p.m. on October 21 and 4 p.m. on October 22, with Saturday's engagement at the First Lutheran Church in Galesburg, and Sunday's at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Davenport. Admission is $17-20, with students admitted free, and more information and tickets are available by calling (309)341-7038 and visiting NovaSingers.com.
