Topic: News

Our New Music Director Invites You to Come Sing With Us!

Cappella Cantorum’s new Music Director as of July 2017,  is Simon Holt, founder and Artistic Director of Salt Marsh Opera and Music Director of the Old Lyme Congregational Church Choir, Old Lyme, CT.

We are excited to announce our Rehearsal Schedule with Simon and welcome you to sing with us!

Monday, September 11
Registration 7:00 to 7:30pm; Rehearsal: 7:30 to 9:30pm

Monday, September 18
Late Registration 7:00 to 7:30pm: Rehearsal: 7:30 to 9:30pm

John Winthrop Middle School,
1 Winthrop Rd., Deep River, CT

Concert: December 3, 2017 (7pm)
First Congregational Church in Madison, CT

 

Simon Holt, Cappella Cantorum’s New Music Director

About Simon Holt

Artistic Director Simon Holt has conducted numerous operas, operettas and musicals throughout his career. He is a sought-after performer in the eastern United States, and has recorded and produced several CDs. As founder of Salt Marsh Opera he has been the company’s Music Director since its inception in 2000, becoming Artistic Director in 2005 and General Manager in 2016.

A graduate of The Royal College of Music, London, and Goldsmith’s College, University of London, Simon was a prizewinner at The Royal College of Organists also in London. His credentials include four diplomas, two in performance and two in teaching.

Prior to joining Salt Marsh Opera, Simon was Director of Music at Bristol Cathedral School, the Bristol Cathedral School Choral Society, Bromsgrove Choral Society and the Birmingham University Chorus and Orchestra, with venues including Bristol Cathedral, Birmingham’s Symphony Hall and The Royal Albert Hall in London.

As an organist, Simon has performed in Westminster Abbey, York Minster, Selby Abby, St. George’s Chapel Windsor Castle, Reading Town Hall and the Cathedrals of Norwich, Carlisle, Portsmouth, Wells, Canterbury, Rochester and Gloucester. Simon has toured extensively in Europe performing at St. Mark’s in Venice, Sacré Coeur and Notre Dame in Paris, and venues in Holland, Austria, Germany, the Czech Republic, Belgium and Switzerland. He has appeared several times on British and American radio and television.

In 1999 he and his family moved to Connecticut, where he became Director of Music and Organist at Calvary Church. He founded and served as Director of Calvary Music School and was Organist and Director of The Anglican Singers. He was also Director of Music at Pine Point School for several years after which he served as Director of Music in School at the renowned Saint Thomas Choir School in New York City. In 2010 he was for two years the Director of Music and Chair of Fine Arts at Saint James Episcopal School in Hagerstown, MD. He is currently the Director of Music at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme, CT and Executive Director of the United Theatre in Westerly, RI.

Cappella Cantorum’s Co-Founder, Music Director, & Conductor Barry B. Asch Retires after 47 years and Simon Holt Appointed New Music Director

Barry Asch

Cappella Cantorum announces the retirement of its co-founder, Music Director, and Conductor Barry B. Asch, from the Cappella Cantorum MasterWorks Chorus. Asch has conducted the MasterWorks Chorus for forty seven years with over sixty five Major Choral Works. The initial performance was March 1970 with the Schubert Mass in E Flat. Asch formed the popular Cappella Cantorum Men’s Chorus in 1977, and the SummerSings series in 1987. Both events still continue. The Eighth Annual Messiah Sing or Listen in 2016 at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center was nearly filled to capacity. This favorite Holiday tradition was conducted and organized by Barry. The Kate will host the Ninth annual event on Sunday, December 17, 2017.

Group Sessions and Vocal Classes have been offered to Cappella Members with renowned Soprano Patricia Schuman and Tenor Brian Cheney.

Asch began Cappella Cantorum’s European Concert Tours in 1981. The Tours are currently organized by member Patricia Hill of Madison.

A highlight of Cappella Cantorum was performing six concerts at Carnegie Hall, New York City with Mid-America Productions. There also was one invitation from XXX to perform at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center. These opportunities were initiated by Conductor Asch.

Cappella Cantorum has represented twenty communities from three counties in southeastern Connecticut.

Simon Holt

Simon Holt, Artistic Director of Salt Marsh Opera and Director of Music at The First Congregational Church of Old Lyme will be the new Music Director of the Cappella Cantorum MasterWorks Chorus.

 

Release From: Claudia Epright, Past President, 860-526-1038; cepright@truevine.net

Introducing…Our New Website!

Here it is!  It’s LIVE!  Our brand new website!!!

Cappella Cantorum, Inc. does not have an office.  It operates as a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation out of Post Office Box 714 in Essex, through a network including its founding Music Director, Accompanist, volunteer Board of Directors and singers, making John Winthrop Middle School its “home base” for most rehearsals and most of its MasterWorks Chorus production performances.  This keeps our overhead costs very low, but also makes it challenging to connect with you, our audience.
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Simon Holt Guest Organist for April 6 Concert

Durufle Requiem, Simon Holt, organist photo

Simon Holt
Guest Organist

We are indeed fortunate to have pianist and organist Simon Holt as our guest organist for the Duruflé Requiem section of our concert on April 6.  Mr. Holt graduated from The Royal College of Music in London and received a postgraduate teaching certificate from Goldsmiths College, London University.  He was a prizewinner at the Royal College of Organists in London.  While in the United Kingdom, Mr. Holt performed organ recitals in Westminster Abbey, St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, numerous cathedrals and the Royal Albert Hall in London.
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Cappella Cantorum Invited to Sing at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center

Avery Fisher

Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center

Cappella Cantorum MasterWorks Chorus is once again honored to be invited to join with other major choruses to sing at a prominent New York City venue as we have at Carnegie Hall six times.  This time we’ll be participating in the Masterworks Festival Chorus singing Duruflé’s Requiem at Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center as part of their Masterworks Series.
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