Accustomed to celebrating the Christmas holidays with dignity, the Montclair Vocal Ensemble continues rehearsals… while preparing for a rich year 2025. Meeting.
It is a firmly established tradition for the choir to offer a complete weekend dedicated to choral singing and to perform in different places in the department, during the end-of-year celebrations.
So, in a few days, exactly from December 6 to 8, three concerts will be given successively in Biesles, Andelot and Langres. A highlight that the Ensemble nevertheless approaches with the greatest serenity, as its members are so used to it.
Indeed, 2025 will be the year of his fortieth birthdayas Patricia Berthelot, one of the choristers present from the beginning and current treasurer, recalls: “the association was created by Bernard Collin, then director of the Chanterelle, with the aim of forming a group more engaged in a slightly different repertoire in order to participate in major regional projects. Thus, it was immediately decided to call on professional musicians, in particular, at the beginning, with the Haut-Marnais native William Dongois”.
From Vivaldi to traditional Christmases…
A guarantee of seriousness and quality which has brought the Ensemble through the decades, led by choir directors with a solid reputation, like Terry Mac Namara for many years. Today, and for ten years, Stefano Intrieri has been in charge. Thus, the good twenty choristers meet once a monthalternately in Langres and Chaumont, for a complete weekend dedicated to singing.
Intense moments (Friday evening, Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning), but so beneficial to achieve the desired degree of perfection. Because the Ensemble Vocal Montclair likes to offer works from a very specific niche, that of baroque music.
…and in Fauré's repertoire.
At the end of the year Vivaldi will be in the spotlight with, among other things, pieces frequently hummed by the general public, often without even knowing that they come from the Venetian composer from the beginning of the 18th centurye century ! The Christmas concerts, accompanied by three instrumentalists, will therefore review, in addition to traditional songs, some of Vivaldi's works.
Furthermore, theMontclair Vocal Ensemble will have little time to breathe, because the festive periods have barely ended before they will have to get busy with the concerts next spring. Because in April 2025, invited by Rotary International which is celebrating its 120th anniversary, the Haut-Marnais Choir will participate in a program dedicated to Gabriel Fauréfor the hundredth anniversary of his disappearance.
Services that will be carried out in collaboration with the Connexion choirs of Cannes and Nancywith the Les Madrigales vocal ensemble (Lorraine Youth Choir) and the Voix Plurielles Choir, all accompanied by the Franco-German orchestra Chüt.
Directed by Elisabeth Renaudin and Jean-Jacques Titon, the Montclair Vocal Ensemble will open its anniversary year with two exceptional concerts : April 26 at Metz Cathedral and April 27 at Langres Cathedral.
Christmas concerts Friday, December 6, at 8:30 p.m. at the Church of Biesles Saturday, December 7, at 5 p.m. at the Church of Andelot Sunday, December 8, at 5:30 p.m., at the Church of Saint-Martin de Langres