The Chaminade Club of Jackson Mississippi,  2023-2024 season , October through May 

May 1, 2024 Chaminade Program

Lawrence Goldman, piano,  Jessica Nelson, organ

at St Andrew's Episcopal Cathedral

Lawrence Goldman has headed up the keyboard program at Mississippi Valley State University for the past forty-four years and will be retiring at the end of the current semester. He has become well known for his many appearances both as a solo recitalist and collaborating artist. He holds degrees from the University of California, Santa Barbara and the University of Michigan, and he received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Southern California. He is the founder and director of the annual MVSU Piano Festival and often serves as an adjudicator for festivals and competitions. He has received the HEADWAE award, conferred by the Mississippi State Legislature for academic excellence, and the J.H. White Preeminence Award in the Arts.

Chaminade members and guests were treated to a delightful afternoon of music on Wednesday, May 1st at St. Andrews Episcopal Church.  Lawrence Goldman presented Mozart’s Sonata in C Major, K. 330, with skilled nuance and articulation of the beautiful lines and harmonies represented in Mozart’s music.  The Prelude by Rota proved to be an unexpected gem.  Goldman’s musical sensitivity and expressiveness delighted the audience as he shared this lesser known work.  The final selection of de Falla’s Ritual Fire Dance proved to be a vigorous, enlivened finale to a varied and delightful program.  Goldman spoke with the audience following the musical portion, sharing some of his musical history and that he studied with the George Sandor at Michigan….the same teacher as Sandra and Frank Polanski. 

Jessica Nelson’s carefully planned and artfully executed performance at the organ of St. Andrew’s Cathedral included spirituals arranged by living composers Marianne Kim and Eurydice V. Osterman which book-ended the full musical feast.  Selections represented an older work by Buxtehude, but also sacred settings by more contemporary composers, some of whom are personal musical friends of the performer.  Several times during the program, additional comments gave us greater insight to assist in our listening.   Organ settings chosen for each piece enhanced the moods created as we were carried through each selection.  As the audience stood and participated through song in the hymn “Sing we of the blessed mother” Chaminade members and guests were engaged in a moving musical experience. 

 notes by Chaminade member Cheryl Coker

April 17, 2024  Chaminade Program  

Gena Everett, soprano, with Nick Perna, tenor and Lynn Raley, piano

Sandra Polanski , piano

at St Philips Episcopal Church

Chaminade Program April 17, 2024

Once again, Chaminade members and guests were treated to a professional recital whose ticket price in a large city would make one blanch.

Gena Everitt, Nick Perna, and Lynn Raley enchanted us with two Schubert duets. Certainly, these are two of the finest voices in the area! Helpful, concise program notes and clear translations enhanced the listeners’ enjoyment. Sensitive accompanying made a satisfying ensemble.

Lynn Raley played a Liszt song transcription showcasing all the expressive palette required by the “wizard of the piano.” A wide range of dynamic color, beautiful phrasing, excellent voicing of melody and foundational bassline, and effortless figuration underscored Lynn’s confident command of this piece.

Gena returned to delight us with a set of pieces by Hispanic composers. She had a comfortable relationship with the language which came through in her presence and facial expression. Flexible tempos and crafted phrases accentuated the musical style. From dramatic changing moods to liquid peaceful settings, these pieces took us on a journey of love poetry. Lynn’s outstanding accompanying never overshadowed the voice yet always supported the dynamic level of the moment. Confidently prepared and thoroughly rehearsed, this program was exceptional.

Sandra Polanski presented a program for Jean Vaughan. Her bravery began with a Mozart sonata, the pianist’s equivalent of walking a high wire without a net. The first movement’s beautifully melodic, singing tone, impeccable phrasing, fine balance, directed phrases, pearly runs, dynamic colors and a finessed ending displayed Sandra’s love of and command of Mozart. Her long-breathed, arched phrases showed drama and sadness contrasting with sweetness in the Adagio. Her effortless ease in the technical passages of the playful, dancing third movement made the articulation come alive.

One listener described Sandra’s playing of the Chopin Nocturne as “cherishing every note.” Certainly the long phrases, singing and expressive, gave us that feeling. The supportive bassline provided a foundation for the beautifully paced fioratura (fancy fast notes) which stepped smoothly into the pulse. The emotionally heartrending climax wound down to a satisfying conclusion. notes by Chaminade member Carolyn Sachs

      LYNN RALEY                                                                                  

Pianist Lynn Raley has performed across the US and in Canada, The Netherlands, Thailand, and Taiwan. His commitment to new music has brought him engagements at contemporary music festivals in Texas, Florida, Alabama, and Tennessee. In 2012-13 Raley taught at the National Chiao Tung University Institute of Music in Taiwan as a Fulbright Scholar. BBC Music Magazine called his 2018 solo CD Maëlstrom “thoughtfully compiled and skillfully performed,” and “a highly commendable release, offering rich insight into contemporary American music for piano.” The NY Times praised the “powerful performances by the baritone James Martin and the pianist Lynn Raley” in their recent release on New World, Wide As Heaven: A Century of Song by Black American Composers. Raley can be heard on the Leonarda, Capstone, Nimbus, and New World labels.

  NICK PERNA

Tenor Nicholas Perna’s voice has been hailed by the Houston Chronicle as “an impressive sound,” and the South Florida Sun Sentinel praised his “emotionally driven performance.” Perna       was a recent finalist for the American Prize for men in opera, and has appeared multiple times in recent seasons with Opera Mississippi. Perna was twice selected as a Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Artist singer. Additional stage credits include Don José in Carmen, Rodolfo in La Bohème, The Duke in Rigoletto, Nemorino in L’Elisir d’amore, Alfred in Die Fledermaus, & Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, Ravenal in Show Boat, and Archie in the The Secret Garden. Symphonic soloist appearances include Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde, Beethoven's Symphony no. 9, Handel’s Messiah, & Orff’s Carmina Burana.

Dr. Perna is Associate Professor of Voice at Mississippi College and has been a voice research associate at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. He has publications in Journal of Singing, Journal of Voice, and VOICEPrints. A Presser Music Foundation awardee he has presented research on four continents at events such as the Voice Foundation’s Symposium, ICVT, NATS National Conference, and Physiology and Acoustics of Singing (PAS). Perna is currently Vice President for Outreach for the National Association of Teachers of Singing. He is the creator and co-host of the VocalFri Podcast, http://www.vocalfri.com. Perna holds graduate degrees from the University of Miami & the University of Houston. In 2024 Perna began his tenure as Executive Director of Opera Mississippi, expanding his artistic administrator duties which include Producer for Lyric Stage @ MC. In 2024 he will begin his new appointment at the University of Colorado – Boulder as Associate Professor and Director of Vocal Pedagogy.

April 3, 2024 Chaminade Program , 

Sarah Wade , soprano, with Eva Hart

at St Philips Episcopal Church

The Chaminade Club
April 3, 2024

What a pleasure to hear one of our new members perform! Sarah Wade, soprano, charmed us as the guest performer for Bebe Wolfe. Her opening Cesti aria displayed lovely tone, wonderful breath control, and expressive long lines. Eva Hart’s fine accompaniment supported Sarah’s excellent Italian.

Two Schubert lieder showed off a solid command of German. Effortless leaps across registers and a calm, quiet body stance confirmed Sarah as a polished and relaxed performer.

Two arias, one Mozart and one Bizet, were contrasting in style and language. Mozart always satisfies; the melodic lines are perfectly designed and the simplicity enhances the emotional import. The challenging Bizet was beautifully navigated, with lovely French, perfectly poised high notes, exciting vocal power, and a controlled gentle ending.

The musical theatre set captured us with Sarah’s comfortable ease. Her joy of presentation certainly spoke of previous performances! Notable was the excellent control of high notes in the Sondheim. Such a fine program called for an encore! “Love Look Away” closed Sarah’s program.

Sarah provided helpful program notes for each piece giving historical information, story line, and structural/theoretical comments. Eva Hart came “out of retirement” and overcame nerves to support her former student and friend.
Chaminade is fortunate to have Sarah Wade as a member of our club. notes by Chaminade Club Member Carolyn Sachs

March 20, 2024 Chaminade Program

Debra Padula, soprano, 

Annalee Crawford, mezzo soprano,

with David O'Steen, piano

  Sherrie Glass, Shirley Foster and Annalee Crawford,

with David O'Steen

at St Philips Episcopal Church

On Wednesday, March 20, 2024 The Chaminade Club met at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church. Member Sherrie Glass introduced her substitute guest artist, Annalee Crawford who will complete her Master of Music at Mississippi College this semester.

Annalee’s opening French set by Claude Debussy quickly showed her warm, rich tone and ease of language. She displayed control throughout her range and used effective dynamic color. Rachmaninoff followed with appropriate romantic treatment of line and phrase. David O’Steen had great voicing in the accompaniment. Annalee’s dramatic climax unveiled her power!
Annalee became Carmen for the next two pieces, using sultry chest voice and vowel colors. Such comfortable ease spoke to the preparation and performances these arias have had already.
The trouser role of Cherubino (Mozart) closed the first part of the program. Annalee gave a convincing performance, her voice carrying strongly even in the lower range.
This was a musically comfortable, flexible, and exceptional ensemble. The performer and accompanist always made present the most important musical ideas. I would have liked an announcement of the changed order from the printed the program, as some listeners may not have been familiar enough with the literature to recognize the revised order.

Member Debra Padula presented next, her colorful, bright, and full coloratura voice a delightful contrast to the first half. Clean passagework and fine breath control in the Handel aria was matched by David O’Steen’s lively runs. The Chausson was a gentle piece with an incredibly active accompaniment, so that it was very difficult for the bright sanctuary piano to be light enough. The Faure favorite, Apres en Reve, had such well-planned breaths that the expressive line was remarkably lengthened! Debra explored softer vocal colors, and this time the ensemble pianos were beautifully successful. Clair de Lune is quite challenging for ensemble, and this was a most convincing presentation.
Debra gave an exquisite performance of L’Heure Exquise with delicate control even on the highest notes! The Prodigal Son aria, full of dramatic dynamic contrasts displayed Debra’s vocal power and David’s fine accompanying skills.

To top off this already excellent program, a trio from Der Rosenkavalier showcased two Chaminade vocalists and the guest performer for the day. Accompanist David O’Steen admitted his weakness for this particular opera and its groundbreaking emphasis on the female voice. Annalee Crawford appeared in the trouser role of Count Octavian, Shirley Sanders Foster was the lyric Sophie, and Sherrie Glass was the dramatic spinto Princess von Werdenberg. The trio was delightfully presented in full costume and well suited to the different vocal colors and characters.

Thanks to all the performers for such a satisfying musical afternoon! notes by Chaminade member Carolyn Sachs

February 21, 2024 Chaminade Program

Anna McDonald, soprano, with Lynn Raley

Mandy Spivak, soprano, with Sandra Polanski

at Millsaps College, Christian Center, Yates Chapel 

The Chaminade Club met in Yates Chapel on the Millsaps College campus on February 21, 2024 at 3 PM. The chapel was filled with members and guests, many coming to support Anna McDonald. Galloway Memorial United Methodist Church was well represented.

Anna has previously displayed her formidable vocal abilities in countless performances, and this was no exception. Control, command of language, color, and poise were well presented. Italian, German, and English art songs and arias included soprano favorites! Accompanying her was Lynn Raley who gave a clinic on sensitive and nuanced playing, always supportive, accurate, and beautiful.

We expected that no one could follow such a lovely program, then Mandy Spivak defied expectations! Her superb vocal color and emotional command captivated us. Sandra Polanski played in enough different styles to have been three different pianists. Sensitive, musical, and navigating a huge number of notes, Sandra even played solo “breaks” as part of the popular standards set.

This was truly a special program. Thank you, Anna, Lynn, Mandy, and Sandra!

notes by Chaminade Member, Carolyn Sachs

About Duo Cintemani:  https://www.ciraldomusic.com/about-duo 

Adventurous in their programming and dynamic in their performance, Duo Cintemani (chin-tah-MAH-nee), has been offering creative and unique programming for more than 2 decades.  Nick Ciraldo, guitarist, and Rachel Taratoot Ciraldo, flutist, have grown a reputation for innovative and expressive programming and have shared their concerts nationally and internationally. Their wide range of stylistic and sensitive interpretation leads to colorful and engaging programs, featuring works spanning the centuries. Over their years of collaboration, they have used their talents to perform rarities such as George Rochberg’s “Muse of Fire,” and have set new standards for such music.

Nick is Full Professor of Guitar at the University of Southern Mississippi. Rachel is Principal Flutist of the Baton Rouge and Meridian Symphonies and is also a founding member of the Lagniappe Trio, comprised of flute, viola, and harp. Their accomplishments in their respective fields bring experience to the stage and offer a connected and intimate musical experience.

Together, they have built their lives in Hattiesburg, MS, since 2005, where they are raising their son, Luca, and enjoying friendships of a lifetime. 

notes from thier website

Dec 6, 2023 Chaminade Program, 

Mary Margaret Culpepper, soprano and Don Messer, organ,

At St James Episcopal Church

Mary Margaret Culpepper, soprano 

Becky Brown, pianist,  Bonnie Brown, violinist

Song of the Wanderer.......Dan Forrest (b.1978) 

A Cradle Carol.......Dan Forrest 

Christmas Lullaby.......Jason Robert Brown

 from Songs for a New World (b. 1970)

O Holy Night.....Adolphe Adam (1803-1856)

 arr. David Cullen (b. 1959)

 See, Amid the Winter’s Snow....John Goss (1800-1880)

 arr. Dan Forrest 

Presented for Chaminade Music Club of Jackson 

St. James Episcopal Church, 3921 Oak Ridge Dr, Jackson, MS 

December 6, 2023 3:00 P.M. 

Mary Margaret was assisted by Becky Brown at the piano and Bonnie Brown, violin.  Mary Margaret is a winning, charismatic singer with a warmly resonant voice of great beauty and control through which she is deeply expressive, both musically and spiritually, unimpeded, poised, giving.  Becky was supportive in every way through the piano accompaniment, and Bonnie provided the perfect duet to the vocal lines.

Don’s program, “Eine Kleine Adventmusick,” was an homage to familiar Advent hymn tunes and titles through compositions such as chorale-preludes based upon them by one or more composers from three centuries.  As part of the final group, the audience sang the hymn as published in the hymnal with our Chaminade sopranos singing a beautiful descant on the last stanza.  Don was creative in his choices of registration as he communicated the varying styles and textures of the music directly and sensitively.

Performers and programs were well-received and appreciated by our audience, who responded with extended enthusiastic applause inspired by the generous and sweet gift of music of the season from Mary Margaret and Don on December 6 at St. James’. 

notes by Chaminade member, Sandra Polanski

November 15, 2023 Chaminade Program, 

 The Wilhurst Piano Quartet,

 and Kamron Glover, tenor,

 at St Philips Episcopal Church

    Chaminade member, Sandra Polanski, with  Perry Combs, Vince Massimino, and Matthew Warren presented Mozart’s Piano Quartet No. 1 in G Minor at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church on November 15, 2023. The opening of the Allegro was dramatic and warm with crisp, clean piano. The ambitious tempo was exciting and very successful! Sandra showed her sparkling runs, and each string player rose to Sandra’s professional playing with strong presentations of their roles. The ensemble playing was excellent with fine balance and beautifully finessed phrase endings. The lovely lyric second theme provided contrast, and the dramatic return enhanced the satisfying ending.

    The lyric piano opening of the Andante was expertly voiced, using a full sound to keep the melody alive through the long phrases. The string answers and accompaniment along with the piano showed an expressive dynamic range. In song form, the pianist and strings traded material throughout.

    The concluding Rondeau was playful but controlled with clean, consistent articulation and satisfying phrasing. The happy piano theme was answered in the strings, and Sandra once again showed off her lightning-fast scales! The C section was in minor, a perfect dramatic contrast, and continued to highlight virtuosic piano passagework. The piano even had a cadenza before the final thematic return! An unforeseen and unfortunate draft at the end created page turning challenges for the pianist, but Sandra handled it professionally and masterfully with a smooth recovery and no loss of musical intent.

    It was such a treat to have an ensemble for Chaminade!  We hope to have this quartet return to delight us again.

notes  by Chaminade member Carolyn Sachs

The Chaminade Club of Jackson

Music for Piano Quartet

 Vince Massimino, violin

Perry Combs, viola

Matthew Warren, violoncello

Sandra Polanski, piano

     Piano Quartet No. 1 in G Minor, KV 478. . . . .   Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

I.         Allegro   II.     Andante   III.    Rondeau

St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, Jackson, Mississippi

November 15, 2023

3:00 p.m.

With appreciation to St. Philip’s Episcopal Church,

David O’Steen, Organist and Choirmaster

A member of Opera Mississippi Outreach for two years, Kamron performed several times over the past year with the Chaminade Music Club’s outreach at Campbell Cove in collaboration with Opera Mississippi Outreach.  He has participated in Young Artist programs such as the International Performing Arts Institute and the Kansas City Vocal Arts Intensive. For the 2023-2024 season, Kamron is excited to join Opera Mississippi as a member of the Young Artist program where he will cover Tamino in the mainstage production of The Magic Flute and perform as Tamino in the touring children’s production.

October 4. 2023 Chaminade Program, Cheryl Coker, soprano and Carol Durham , organ

at Northminster Baptist Church

 Cheryl Coker's program, called “Friends and Family” in a generous inclusion of her accompanists was a lesson in itself as well as a rare sort of listening. The Family included her husband, Tim Coker, piano, and their daughter, Chrissy Coker Hrivnak, piano, while The Friends included Sandra Polanski, piano, and David Moak, guitar.  Cheryl has pursued music all her life, and on a deep level lives to explore and mine the vocal literature of the world, old and new. Through networking and research she has developed special interests in music of living composers, particularly women composers, and lullabies.  All you need do is ask

     Cheryl and Chrissy opened with the long-awaited (by both Cheryl and Chrissy) World Premiere of composer Elizabeth Alexander’s loving lullaby, “As You Close Your Eyes,” for which she also wrote the text.  Cheryl sang the words with the vocal and lyrical clarity we’ve come to expect of her to Chrissy’s equally clear accompaniment.  The final musical couplet, somewhat set apart, encapsulated the tenderest of moments, drawing the listener into the very breath of that moment.

    Tim joined Cheryl in another lullaby, “Cradle Song,” words by William Blake set to music by Twentieth-Century American composer Theodore Chanler.  I suspect they were making this music from their own truth! Again, there was a sparkling clarity from both singer and pianist, and a prayerful ending couplet. 

   In the center of the program were songs set to words of French poets by the Boulanger sisters, Lili and Nadia.  Lili’s songs seem to be imbued with life experience itself.  I’m not sure if her songs are sensuous or sensual, but I think maybe both!!   There is such a complete melding of elements into a highly chromatic musical line that no particular one can be imagined in the same way apart from the others.  Nadia is well-known as a teacher of composers and preserver of Lili’s legacy and far less for her own contributions as composer.  “Cantique” remedied that oversight for this audience. Cheryl and Sandra collaborated musically in service of the inherent qualities of these songs.

   Next came a special treat with Cheryl’s voice continuing to delight, this time to the sensitive guitar accompaniment of David Moak in two songs in Italian by Domenico Puccini, melodious and poetic in an expression of symbolic communion with Nature. Voice and guitar together create their own atmosphere and magic.  David provided notes about his instrument, a reproduction of an 1830 guitar, though his playing and the instrument spoke for themselves. 

   Tim returned to the piano for the concluding two songs by Domenico’s grandson Giacomo, one a good-humored lullaby and the other, “Morning Song,” letting us in on a germ of his later successes as composer of operas and calling for Cheryl’s voice to soar full strength to the rafters -- altogether a fitting conclusion for this captivating program. The audience responded with their hearty applause.

   Carol Durham took the bench, again to the applause of the audience, and played as we’ve not heard her before in Chaminade!  Her program was well-conceived, the colorful Hakim Chorale-Prelude being the perfect opener.  She followed that with a master lesson on the hymn tune, “Deck Thyself, My Soul, with Gladness,” speaking about it and playing it so that the listeners had an aural reference for the two succeeding Chorale-Preludes based upon it.  Organists are known frequently for their compositions and improvisations, and the Hakim and J. S. Bach Chorale-Preludes demonstrated imagination and contrasting treatments of the original hymn.  While Hakim’s was an imaginative chromatic harmonization, Bach’s was in three voices.  Lebanese-born organist-composer Naji Hakim (b. 1955) is a new name to me, and I rejoice in his works.

   In a sense J. S. Bach defined the Chorale-Prelude and for all practical purposes preludes and fugues as well.  Carol chose his Prelude in C Minor, a magnificent challenge which she met with confidence, riding the wave as the piece built to that glorious cadence ending on a Picardy Third as J.S.B. himself has taught us to anticipate and be thrilled by, simplicity and resolution on the other side of complexity. 

notes by Chaminade member , Sandra Polanski