Thursday, Sept. 9th, 2010, at 7:00 PM
JP Concerts presents Carol Messina and Ellen Oak in a piano-vocal recital. Pianist Carol Messina will perform Deux Arabesques no.1 by Claude Debussy (1862-1918) and Nocturne in C# minor by Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849). Ellen Oak, accompanied by Carol Messina will perform If Music Be the Food of Love, by Henry Purcell (1659-1695); Love, by Ned Rorem (b.1923); Resurrexi (Introit for Easter; sung in Latin), a Gregorian Chant ; Spring, by Ned Rorem; Pascha Nostrum (Alleluia for Easter; sung in Latin), a Gregorian Chant; Clouds, by Ned Rorem (b.1923); Haec Dies (Gradual for Easter; sung in Latin), a Gregorian Chant; Mai, by Gabriel Faure (1845-1924); Beau Soir, by Claude Debussy (1862-1918); My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord, by Randall Thompson (1899-1984); and Come Let's be Merry, an English Folksong, arranged by H. Lane Wilson (1871-9115). Tickets are $10 at the door.
Carol Messina earned music degrees from Anna Maria College (BM) and the University of Connecticut (MA). She was as a music educator for the Lexington Public Schools and has taught piano privately for many years. Presently, she is a keyboardist at Holy Family Parish in Concord and also plays trumpet in the Concord Band.
Ellen Oak sings, conducts, composes, teaches, and serves at worship to inspire, educate, and celebrate through artistic excellence, cultural courage, and spiritual imagination.
Born and raised in New York City, Ellen Oak graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Swarthmore College with a major in music and a minor in religion. She holds a master's degree in choral conducting and voice from The Yale School of Music; a master's degree in music and worship from Yale Divinity School; and certificate of graduation and the faculty prize from the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, for the "student in whose being and work the ideals and values of the Institute are best exemplified."
Ms. Oak is an accomplished mezzo soprano, with a voice acclaimed as "luscious, soulful, expressive, angelic." She has performed as a soloist with the Schola Antiqua, A Joyful Noyse, the Seraphim Singers, Pandora's Vox, and the KAIROS Vocal Ensemble. Ms.Oak has been cantor and soloist at the Jazz Eucharist at Old South Church, Boston, MA; the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Boston, MA; at contemplative sung evening prayer at Holy Family Parish, Concord, MA; Saint Isidore's, Stow, MA; St. Anselm's, Frmaingham, MA; and First Church-Christ Scientist, Brattleboro, VT. She recently completed a three-year cycle of solo and chamber ensemble concerts for the three major feasts of the Christian year-Christmas/Epiphany, Easter, and Pentecost, in Concord, MA. Ms. Oak is an expert in the songs of Hildegard of Bingen, having studied and sung them for 25 years. In 1993 she was commissioned by the Yale Instituted of Music to create and perform a one-woman show about Hildegard, weaving together excerpts from Hildegard's writings and her songs. Ms. Oak has performed the show, Sounding the Living Light, at universities, churches, and contemplative communities throughout the country. She is currently producing a CD of a solo unaccompanied concert she performed last October in Chartres cathedral, France.
As a conductor, Ms. Oak has been founding Artistic Director for the KAIROS Vocal Ensemble, Boston, MA, and the Boston Women's Rainbow Chorus; guest conductor for the Boston Gay Men's Chorus; Director of Music for Vermont Academy, Saxton's River, VT, and the Middlebury College German School, Middlebury, VT; Associate Conductor for Marquand Chapel, Battell Chapel, and the Yale Camerata at Yale University. Her conducting has been described as "exquisite, magnificent, masterful, completely embodying the music;" and her directing as "overflowing with inventive imagery, inexhaustible energy, discipline, humor, and wholly respectful, constructive teaching methods, evoking from the singers far more than they ever imagined possible."
Ms. Oak is particularly gifted in preparing and leading Christian worship, and she has served a variety of faith communities as Director of Music and Liturgy, including: Church of the Immaculate Conception, Boston, MA; Visitation Parish, Kansas City, MO; Order of St. Anne-Bethany, Arlington, MA; Newton Highlands Congregational Church, Newton Highlands, MA; St. John's Seminary, Brighton, MA; First Church of Christ, Bethany, CT; United Methodist Church and Centre Congregational Church, Brattleboro, VT; and Saints Peter and Paul Church, Norwich, CT.
Ms. Oak has released numerous recordings of her work, including Sounding the Living Light (the Hildegard show); Harmony of Heaven (songs of Hildegard); Singing Light (KAIROS Vocal Ensemble performing music for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany); Earth and Sky (dramatic interpretation of Psalms 120-134 with spoken word, singing, and instrumental improvisation); Deep Within Deep, Pour Out Your Hearts, Dark Angels, and Songs of the Love of God (Oak's original compositions for meditation and worship).
For the last 15 years Ms. Oak has complemented her performing and composing with graduate level teaching in worship, theology, and the arts at Andover Newton Theological School, Newton Center, MA. Courses titles include: Praise, the Foundation of Faith; The Art of Faith; The Transforming Power of Ritual; and Hildegard and the Living Light. Ms. Oak is a founding faculty member and artistic director of the Institute for Arts and Worship at Andover Newton. For further information, please visit www.wisdomatplay.com or email ellenoak@wisdomatplay.com.