GO BIG OR GO HOME! You have made the 2011-2012 season our best one yet! Changing our name to the “Byrd Ensemble” (from the Renaissance Singers) symbolized a metamorphosis that took place during our most ambitious season ever.
In October 2011, we released a CD of unrecorded music that Clifford Bartlett from Early Music Review calls “immensely impressive.” Early Music America is also raving about it saying,
“This choir of 11 young singers under the artistic direction of Markdavin Obenza makes a splendid impression here. The sound is rich, full-voiced, and perfectly blended, the sopranos soaring, the lines beautifully sustained, the vowels ringing, and the musica ficta perfectly in tune—in other words, this is a choir at the level of the very best English choirs. (International concert management, take note!)… The engineering is first-rate, and the design of the informative booklet attractive.” —Tom Moore, Early Music America (Spring 2012)
Also in October 2011, we toured to the East Coast with guest conductor Peter Phillips (director of the Tallis Scholars) and gave performances in New York, Bethesda, MD and Boston, MA. Reviewer Steven Ledbetter from the Boston Musical Intelligencer had nothing but great things to say about the concert, for example, “…the Byrd Ensemble provides a beautiful balance between the parts and elegantly shaped renderings of the rhythmically flexible lines.”
In February 2012, we presented a unique modern program called “Afterlife,” the first multimedia concert we’ve done, with aerialist Naomi Hummel, 4 cellos and pianist Cameron Sharif.
Strike while the iron is hot! With all this exciting press and new recognition, we plan to follow up this successful season with another CD and tour, but we need your support. About 65% of our revenue comes from your individual donations and only about 35% comes from ticket sales. We need your support. Here are the exciting concerts and projects planned for our 2012-2013.
RECORDING PROJECT
William Byrd
Cost: $10,000 (Full Amount Pledged)
Our last CD of unrecorded music from the Peterhouse Partbooks has turned some heads. Now that we have the early music community’s attention, we want to follow up that recording with some of the great music of William Byrd. This CD will be produced and released through Scribe Music, LLC.
FALL CONCERT 2012
Byrd, Tomkins, White
Cost: $4,000
A CD release concert for the William Byrd CD.
CHRISTMAS CONCERT 2012
What Sweeter Music
Cost: $12,000
Everyone loves our Christmas concerts! This concert will feature music by John Rutter (b.1945), 10 singers, string quartet and a reader. The cost is for two performances – Saturday evening and Sunday matinee on thanksgiving weekend.
SPRING CONCERT 2013
Modern program
Cost: $4,000
Featuring music by John Tavener.
SUMMER CONCERT
Italian Renaissance
Cost: $4,000
This program will feature composers Palestrina, Allegri’s “Miserere” and Victoria.
SUMMER TOUR TO EAST COAST
Italian Renaissance
Cost: $25,000
We need to capitalize on the success of our last tour by repeating our performances in the same cities. We are looking for a review from the New York Times and the Boston Globe. National recognition is one of the best ways for a performing ensemble to gain sustainability. We plan to repeat our performances in New York and in Boston as part of the Boston Early Music Fringe Series (June 2013) with 12 singers and a guest conductor. Cost includes airfare, hotel, fees, two concerts, a guest conductor and touring assistant.
TOTAL COST: $59,000
We expect to receive about $20,650 (35%) in ticket sales and need to raise $38,350 (65%) for the 2012-2013 season. Off to a good start – we have already received $10,000 from a donor for the William Byrd CD project, but we still need to raise $28,350 for the remaining projects. Please show your appreciation by making a donation of any amount. You can also contribute to a specific project, just write that project in the memo so we know who to thank and where to allocate the donation. Donors are recognized on our website, facebook and on every concert program. Your donation is tax deductible. You can donate online at the bottom of this page.
Thank you so much in advance for your generous contribution. We are committed to presenting you with high-quality performances and recordings of chamber vocal music.
Sincerely,
Markdavin Obenza
Artistic Director
2012-2013 Donors
$10,000 and over
Nicholas J. Bez
$4,000 and over
Orrin Doyle
$3000 and over
Markdavin & Margaret Obenza
$1,000 and over
$500 and over
Ray & Julie Sharif
$200 and over
Gail & Doug Hilderbrand
J. Craig & Joyce Jackson
Mark & Giulia Johnson
Mark Lutz
Robert & Lindie Wightman
$100 and over
Anonymous
Anonymous
Elaine & Paul Everitt
David Madsen
$50 and under
Laura Onstot
Pamela Perrott
Gail Scheible
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*We acknowledge donors on this webpage and in our programs. If you prefer to be an anonymous donor, please indicate that in the “comments” box as you make your donation.