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Melinda O’Neal featured as an “Achiever” in the Baltimore Sun

Handel Choir — Sun, 18 Dec 2005 20:22:01 +0000

Melinda O’Neal featured as an “Achiever” in the Baltimore Sun
Handel Choir’s Artistic Director, Melinda O’Neal, was featured as a Baltimore Sun “Achiever” in an article titled “Singing the Praises of 3 Music Leaders.” As the Sun states, thanks to O’Neal’s leadership, the Handel Choir is “one of the freshest” Baltimore choral groups, with its smaller size and new focus on baroque and classical style works. O’Neal’s “enthusiasm for adding musicians using period instruments to choral performances has been an appealing dimension of the choir’s work.” The choir’s performances under O’Neal’s direction have “won praise from local critics,” and the choir’s board has committed itself to an ambitious fund raising effort to expand its reach and resources.”
Baltimore Sun, December 18, 2005.

Hallelujah, the season of ‘Messiah’ is upon us

Handel Choir — Tue, 13 Dec 2005 20:23:47 +0000

In an article in the Baltimore Sun, Music Critic Tim Smith notes that the Handel Choir will continue the “valuable practice begun last year by new artistic director Melinda O’Neal – the use of a period instrument orchestra, which can reveal all sorts of wonderful textures in the score.” He also noted that “Accomplished baroque players from around the region and elsewhere are coming in for the performance.”
Tim Smith, Baltimore Sun, December 13, 2005.

Handel Choir to Sing at Monument Lighting

Handel Choir — Thu, 01 Dec 2005 20:20:55 +0000

The Handel Choir will sing at The 34th Annual Lighting of the Washington Monument on Thursday, December 1, 2005 at 5:00 p.m. The festivities at Mt. Vernon Place include multiple performances, food vendors, strolling entertainment and a spectacular fireworks finale.

Children Sing National Anthem at Orioles′s Camden Park

Handel Choir — Mon, 24 Oct 2005 20:33:09 +0000

graphic: http://www.handelchoirtemp.org/images/2005HCCOrioles1.jpg
On July 28th, the Handel Children’s Choir sang the National Anthem at Camden Yards for the Orioles game against the Texas Rangers. The Children sang from the bullpen area and stayed on to enjoy the game.
graphics: http://www.handelchoirtemp.org/images/2005HCCOrioles3.jpg

http://www.handelchoirtemp.org/images/2005HCCOrioles2.jpg

Casey Kolb to perform at Hippodrome in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Handel Choir — Mon, 24 Oct 2005 20:25:31 +0000

Casey Kolb, a member of the Handel Children’s Choir, will be performing at the Hippodrome (along with 19 other kids) during the upcoming production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. He will be singing in all 16 shows. It’s an wonderful musical with music that you can’t get out of your head! The show runs from January 24th – February 5th. See www.france-merrickpac.com for more information.

Melinda O’Neal appointed Artistic Director & Conductor of the Handel Choir of Baltimore

Handel Choir — Mon, 24 Oct 2005 20:16:58 +0000

Melinda O’Neal, Professor of Music at Dartmouth College, will assume leadership of the Handel Choir of Baltimore in September with the start of the Choir’s seventieth season. O’Neal brings to the Handel Choir 25 years of experience as a choral and choral-orchestral conductor in the New England area. She is especially well known for her work with the Handel Society, one of Dartmouth’s premier performance organizations. As the twelfth Artistic Director of the Choir, O’Neal assumes leadership from T. Herbert Dimmock III, now Director Emeritus.

O’Neal’s move offers new opportunities for her and the Choir. O’Neal said,”I am looking forward to getting to know the people of Baltimore, the city and its artistic and cultural personality, and to guiding the Handel Choir into a new era of heightened creativity and accomplishment. There is an astonishing treasure-trove of great choral and choral-orchestral music to be sung, played, heard—music to be experienced first-hand and understood. I’m honored to become a part of the wonderful artistic liveliness of the region and part of the Handel Choir with its mission of both excellence and outreach.”

Melinda O’Neal is a Berlioz scholar and holds both a Masters and a Doctorate of Music in choral-orchestral conducting from Indiana University School of Music. A Maryland native, she will be in residence in the Baltimore area during the concert season while returning to her tenured position at Dartmouth during summer months. In addition, O’Neal is conductor of Boston Vocal Artists, a 8-10 voice professional vocal ensemble and a young artists training program.

Handel Choir to sing at Red Mass

Handel Choir — Wed, 05 Oct 2005 20:20:07 +0000

A small ensemble from the Handel Choir will sing at the Red Mass on October 5, 2005 at the Loyola College Chapel. The Mass is sponsored by the St. Thomas More Society of Maryland. This year’s recipient of the Man For All Seasons Award is Fr. Timothy Brown, S.J.

The tradition of the Red Mass goes back many centuries in Rome, Paris and London. From time immemorial, this beautiful ceremony has officially opened the judicial year. In the United States, the tradition was inaugurated in 1928 in New York City where the Guild of Catholic Lawyers met with judges and members of law faculties for the Votive Mass in old Saint Andrew’s Church in the shadow of the towering State and Federal Courts. Since then, the Red Mass has been celebrated annually in St. Andrew’s Church and in many cities in the United States, attended by justices of the highest courts in the land and by men and women of all religious faiths.

Members of Handel Children′s Choir to sing in Opera Vivente production

Handel Choir — Sat, 10 Sep 2005 20:35:08 +0000

Elisabeth Bull and Nick Pazdalski of the Handel Children′s Choir will sing in Opera Vivente’s production of Benjamin Britten’s The Turn of the Screw. Performance dates are September 30, October 2, October 6 and October 8, 2005