Radcliffe Choral Society News
Looking Ahead to 2008-2009
Fall 2008
In This Issue
RCS Events So Far
Join our Local List
A Letter from our President
Festival of Women's Choruses
Our New Assistant Conductor
Spring Tour News
Costa Rica Wrap-Up
An Update from FRCS
Erin portrait

RCS Events So Far!

RCS at Berryline
RCSers go to Berryline for some frozen yogurt after singing at Opening Exercises.

Sing-ins
RCS oldies and newies at sing-ins.

Retreat Breakfast
Kavita Kannan '09, Sophie Farrell G1, Colleen Lenahan '10, and Ali Giese '08-'09 in the kitchen of First Baptist Church in Hingham for breakfast before retreat.

RCS meet and greet
Introductions at RCS retreat.

Retreat Scavenger Hunt
Imitating a famous work of art: one of the many challenges in the retreat scavenger hunt.

'Cliffe Notes
The 'Cliffe Notes performed to kick off the retreat party with the Glee Club.

Join Our Local List!

Do you live in the Boston Area?  Are you interested in receiving short email reminders about RCS concerts and alumnae events?  If so, send your email address to the historians and we will notify you a week in advance of RCS events at Harvard.
 
It's A Small RCS World...
Recent alumna Jackie Granick '08, currently studying on a Fullbright Scholarship in Switzerland, met alumna Carolyn Magnani '89 while viewing a presidential debate with other expats at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland!

If you have any stories about RCS in your life after graduation that you would like to share, please send them to the historians.  We would love to hear them!

 
Need Entertainment for your Holiday Party?
'CN in Costa Rica
Why not book RCS' a cappella subset the 'Cliffe Notes? For more information on scheduling and fees, please contact 'CN manager Samantha DeGennaro at [email protected].
 
Beading Ceremony: Erin and Beth A Letter from our President
Dear Alumnae,

I am very pleased to let you know that our year has gotten off to a great start!  We kicked things off by giving a warm welcome to the newest members of RCS, a group of wonderfully talented women whose enthusiasm and musicianship have already added a new sparkle to the group.  I know that we are all getting excited to sing our first Sanders concert together this November!  RCS has many things on the horizon this year, including our tour to Georgia and Tennessee and Beethoven's Missa Solemnis in the spring.  Our biggest project right now is a Festival of Women's Choruses, to be hosted by RCS this February, which we could not be more excited about.  It will not only be a time for members of the women's choral community to join together and share music, but also a time to welcome back and reconnect with alumnae.  Be sure to look out for news about the Festival as the time draws closer!  As always, RCS greatly appreciates all of your kind support and we hope that you will share in our excitement for a successful start to the year.

Warmest wishes,

Erin McKenna '09
President, Radcliffe Choral Society

Image: President Erin McKenna '09 gives an RCS bead to our new assistant conductor, Beth Willer, at retreat.

Beth Willer Save the Date: Festival of Women's Choruses on February 27 and 28
This February, RCS will continue a proud tradition of promoting women's choral music by hosting a major Festival of Women's Choruses.  Over thirteen choirs from around the northeast, including the Cornell University Chorus, Elm City Girls' Choir, and Cappella Clausura, will perform and participate in a weekend full of panel discussions, master classes, and guest speakers.  The Festival will include three concerts: Friday, February 27, at 8pm in Lowell Lecture Hall, and Saturday, February 28, in Memorial Church at 4pm and 8pm.  Members of the Friends encourage you to join them in support of RCS and women's choral music, and they look forward to hosting a special event for attending alumnae.  Stay tuned for more details!

Image: Jessica Azani '09 (left) and Lucie Guo '09 (right) before a concert in Sanders Theatre.
 
Erin portrait RCS Welcomes Beth Willer!
RCS is very excited to welcome Beth Willer as our new assistant conductor!  Holding an M.M. in Conducting from Boston University and B.A. in Music education from Luther College, Ms. Willer has studied with Ann Howard Jones, David Hoose, Bruce Hangen and Weston Noble.  Beginning her third year as an active conductor in the Boston Area, Ms. Willer joins the vocal music staff at the Boston Arts Academy as Director of Choirs. As founding artistic director of Lorelei Ensemble, a women's chamber choir specializing in new and early music, Ms. Willer has collaborated with composers from the United States, Canada and Europe, actively commissioning and conducting U.S. and World premieres in their first season. Since 2006, Ms. Willer has conducted the Boston University Concert Choir and Women's Chorale, and has served as a teaching fellow with the Boston Children's Chorus.
Erin portrait 2009 Appalachian Spring Tour
For our upcoming spring tour, RCS will be embarking on an exciting Appalachian adventure through Atlanta, Chattanooga, Knoxville, and Nashville.  Our concert schedule is as follows:

  • Saturday, March 21: Concert with the Spelman Glee Club
  • Sunday, March 22: Concert with Georgia Tech
  • Monday, March 23: Concert with Lee University
  • Tuesday, March 24: Performance at University of Tennessee at Knoxville
  • Friday, March 27: Concert with Vanderbilt University's Concert Choir. 
Please keep checking our tour website for more details on our concert schedule as they are finalized.

If you are interested in helping us with housing, publicity, finance or any other aspect of our tour, please contact our Tour Manager, Nora Barr, at [email protected].  Any contributions would be greatly appreciated! 

Image: the Nashville waterfront

Costa Rica Wrap-Up

RCS had an incredible tour through Costa Rica and we couldn't have experienced it without your help and generosity.  In supporting RCS on this incredible tour, you enabled RCSers to travel to a new and memorable country, to share our music with the very special communities there, and to grow as a stronger musical ensemble and sisterhood.  Your support is invaluable to us.  Thank you!

zip liners    zip liners
   
Teatro Eugene O'Neill 2    zip liners

Images (clockiwise from top left): RCS and Puriscal's children's choir, taking on the waves at Samara, performance at Teatro Eugene O'Neill in San Jose, and zip-lining in the Monteverde rainforest.
Erin portrait An Update from FRCS
Earlier in the month the Friends of the Radcliffe Choral Society held a productive first meeting of 2008-9, discussing plans for the year and welcoming several new members from the classes of 2007 and 2008.  This year, FRCS hopes to  sponsor events-- like last June's Radcliffe Day Tea-- for alumnae to gather, as well as connect with current members of RCS.  We are planning our next Cambridge alumnae event for the weekend of the Women's Choral Festival, February 27-28.

If you would like to become involved with RCS alumnae events and with FRCS-- even long distance-- please contact Co-Presidents Liz Bedell or Wendy Coleman.  All levels of time commitment welcome!  The Friends thank you for your support of RCS!
 
Image: RCS gathers to welcome new members at sing-ins in the Adams Upper Common Room.

Upcoming Events
Autumn Evensong: A Concert with the Radcliffe Choral Society and the Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum
Saturday, November 8 at 8pm
Sanders Theatre, Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Christmas Concert with the Harvard Glee Club
Saturday, December 13 at 8pm
Pleasant Street Church, 75 Pleasant Street
Arlington, Massachusetts

Harvard Festival of Women's Choruses
Friday, February 27 at 8pm and Saturday, February 28 at 4pm and 8pm
Lowell Lecture Hall (Friday) and Memorial Church (Saturday), Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Tickets for these events can be purchased online at the Harvard Box Office website.
Contact Info
Historians Anne Lewandowski and Antonia Fraker
[email protected]
Radcliffe Choral Society
Holden Chapel
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA 02138