Calliope in the News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Boston’s growing collaborative choral/orchestral ensemble to open their fourth season

- PIOUS AND PROFANE -

09/11/10 – BOSTON, MA – Calliope, Boston’s collaborative choral/orchestral ensemble, will open their fourth season - PIOUS AND PROFANE - on Saturday, September 11th, 2010 at 7:30 PM at Old West Church, 131 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA. Individual tickets for this performance can be purchased for $30 (premium seating), $25 (general admission), and $15 (seniors and students) in advance through Calliope’s website: www.calliopemusic.org or by calling 617-759-2057, as well as at the door on the day of the performance. Discounted rates are available for groups of 10 or more. Season tickets, which include an upcoming benefit program for the Asperger’s Association of New England, also are available. Old West Church is T accessible. In addition, parking is available for 50 cents with a validated parking ticket at the Charles River Plaza underground garage.

This first program will focus on music pious in nature, works that highlight loyalty, reverence, virtue, religion, and implicit worth. It is planned to open with the Overture from Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, Max Bruch’s Kol Nidrei for solo cello and orchestra, and Copland’s In The Beginning featuring Calliope mezzo-soprano Jennifer Conant. Mendelssohn’s Athalia is planned to comprise the second half of the program.

In contrast, in February 2011 Calliope’s second program, a benefit for the Asperger’s Association of New England, will feature works by Sondheim, Menotti, among others that reflect the profane - contempt, vulgarity, abuse of the sacred, and desecration.
In a time when many arts organizations are struggling to survive, Calliope, a nonprofit, volunteer music organization of over 75 singers and instrumentalists serving Boston and surrounding communities, is growing. Just this season the number of participating singers has doubled, including the addition of five singers from Connecticut who recently discovered the ensemble.

Directed by its founder, Julia O’Toole, Calliope seeks to encourage collaboration between musicians, promote positive social change, and inspire young people to become listeners and participants in the world of music. Its musicians bring a great variety of choral and instrumental training and experience to their music making. Many also perform with such organizations as Back Bay Chorale, Berkshire Choral Festival, Boston Opera Collaborative, Cambridge Community Chorus, Cambridge Symphony Orchestra, Civic Symphony, Commonwealth School Orchestra, Charles River Wind Ensemble, Dedham Choral Society, Devil Music Ensemble, Elizabeth Seton Academy, Greater Boston Flute Consortium, Mass Theatrica, Masterworks Chorale, Metropolitan Wind Symphony, New England Conservatory, Newton Choral Society, Northeastern Choral Consortium, OperaHub, Oriana Consort, Sharon Community Chamber Orchestra, Tanglewood Festival Chorus, The Jumblies, Willow Flute Ensemble, and Worcester Opera Works. All soloists featured on this program are members of Calliope.
Since graduating from Boston University with a BFA in vocal performance, Ms. O’Toole has studied conducting with Scott Allen Jarrett and voice with Brett Johnson, Daniel Wyneken, Sharon Daniels and Jonathan Barnhart. Julia is a voice teacher who instructs singers of all ages. Her studio includes adults and students at several private area high schools. She also substitutes as conductor for local organizations.

To find out more about Calliope or this upcoming performance visit www.calliopemusic.org or contact:

Julia O’Toole
617-759-2057
juliarotoole@gmail.com