Vocal groups set to explore America's heritage in March concerts in Oak Park

Chicago Tribune

28-02-2025

William Chin will have a very busy month in March, leading four concerts by his two performing groups.
On March 8 at 7:30 p.m., the director of City Voices will lead the chamber chorus in 'Songs of Ourselves' at First United Church of Oak Park, 848 Lake St., followed by a performance the next day at St. Josaphat Catholic Church in Chicago.
On March 15 at 7:30 p.m., the founder and artistic director of The Oriana Singers will lead the acclaimed eight-voice vocal ensemble in 'Music of Heaven & Hell on Earth,' at the United Lutheran Church, 409 Greenfield in Oak Park, followed the next day by a performance at the Columbarium at Bohemian National Cemetery in Chicago.
Chin said his wife, Beth Albrecht, came up with the concept of 'Songs of Ourselves' for the City Voices concerts. 'The challenge was to think of something that was meaningful and clever about American choral music,' Chan explained. 'She was clever enough to think about Walt Whitman and his poem, 'Song of Myself.' We're basing the concert title on his poem and changing it a little to include all of us performing and all of us listening.'
The performance will feature 35 singers accompanied by pianist Bobby Nguyen.
In planning the concert, Chin made it personal.
'I purposely chose things that really appeal to me,' he said, 'I think it's a really good combination of things that covers a very wide span of American music.'
One of the highlights, Chin said, is 'America the Beautiful' by Shawn Kirchner, who once performed with The Oriana Singers.
'It's not the traditional 'America the Beautiful,'' Chin said. 'He is using his own melody and arrangement for it. We sing four verses. The first and last ones are the same as or practically the same as the Katharine Lee Bates text but he has replaced the middle two with words of his own which address in an honest and open way some of the challenges that we've faced in this country over the past two hundred and some years.'
The program also offers selections 'that acknowledge American music's debt to African American musicians,' Chin said. That includes gospel music, spirituals, jazz and R&B.
One, a spiritual called 'Bells' by Adrian Dunn, 'is a really powerful piece of music,' he said. 'It's an energetic version of the spiritual.'
Second bass Alan Hommerding is in his third year singing with City Voices. 'In addition to my professional musical pursuits, I love being in a musical group — that community of people who come together to make music and to put some beauty out into the world,' Hommerding said.
His professional pursuits include working as an editor for GIA Publications, Inc., a sacred music publisher, and serving as director of music at Edgebrook Community Church, a position he's set to retire from.
Hommerding said he enjoys singing with City Voices because of 'the real breadth of music that we do. We have sung music on every single program I've been a part of that I've never encountered before. It broadens my horizons.'
For the upcoming concert, the singer admitted, 'I'm surprised that for such a relatively young nation how many different styles and kinds of music there have been in the U.S.'
That includes one song about the expansion of the railways in which 'the second basses get to rumble, rumble, rumble like a train,' Hommerding said.
For The Oriana Singers concerts, Chin chose the title 'Music of Heaven & Hell on Earth.'
'It's really easy to find songs about heaven. It's not really easy to find songs about hell,' he said.
The program will begin with some Shaker music from that utopian movement. That will be followed by songs about things that cause misery for humans. 'It can be anything as straightforward as 'I'm in love and she doesn't love me' or everybody giving up their personal information to companies who are using that information not to help you but to use you,' Chin said.
The program also covers the hell category with a song about genocide.
Selections on the heaven side include Eric Whitacre's 'Alleluia.'
Soprano Stephanie Culica, who has sung with The Oriana Singers for 15 years, has performed professionally at a variety of venues since attending college in 2003. That includes singing at several churches, including St. John Cantius, and with the group Schola Antiqua.
'Bill is a joy to work with,' Culica said. 'He puts together great programs that are entertaining and rewarding. The different songs he picks are always really fun to sing and it's a really enjoyable group of singers as well.'
For the upcoming concerts, selections will include older pieces up to modern compositions.
'There is one piece with text by Mother Teresa which sounds really interesting,' Culica said. 'Another one of my favorites is the Whitacre 'Alleluia.' It's absolutely beautiful.'
Tickets to 'Songs of Ourselves' are $35; $30 seniors; free for under 18. Reservations are at cityvoiceschicago.org.
Tickets to 'Music of Heaven & Hell on Earth' are $35; $30 seniors; free to students 22 and younger. Reservations are at oriana.org.