Aoide choral ensemble delivers seasonal performances to Bozeman, Big Sky
Returning for the holiday season, the Aoide Chamber Singers are pleased to present their annual winter showcase with back-to-back performances in Big Sky and Bozeman on December 20th and 21st. This year’s program features Joby Talbot’s epic choral odyssey Path of Miracles.
The concert-length work which follows the physical, emotional and spiritual journey of pilgrims on the 500-mile Camino de Santiago. Each of the four movements is named for a cathedral, the major staging posts along the way, concluding when “they cast into the sea at Finistere” as the pilgrim repeats prayers to St. James in celebration of the end of the journey and the beginning of a new life. The libretto includes selections from medieval manuscripts and Roman Catholic liturgy and is sung in Greek, Latin, Spanish, Basque, French, English and German. The music incorporates styles ranging from Pasiputput of the Taiwanese Bunun people to the pilgrim’s hymn ‘Dum Pater Familias’ – all set within a postminimalist musical framework.
The first performance will take place at 7:30pm on Friday, Dec. 20th at Big Sky Chapel, located at 510 Little Coyote Rd. The evening is sponsored by the Big Sky Arts Council and is free of admission. Bozeman’s Holy Rosary will host an additional concert the following evening, Saturday, Dec. 21st. Also beginning at 7:30pm, this performance includes an admission of $20 or $10 for students at the door. The church is located at 220 W Main.
With performances described as “the best choral singing we’ve ever heard in Bozeman (or almost anywhere),” the Aoide Chamber Singers have established themselves as one of Montana’s leading vocal ensembles. This year’s program features a diverse program including works from Bo Holten, David Lang, Herbert Howells, Gabriel Jackson and more.
Founded in the fall of 2012 at Montana State University by then freshman Andrew Major, Aoide humbly began with seven singers. Their high level of artistry and commitment to modern music drew attention from others and membership now exceeds 20. Aoide is a dedicated advocate for contemporary composers, with an overwhelming majority of their repertoire encompassing the last decade of choral writing. Learn more at www.aoidechambersingers.org. •