How Can I Keep from Singing?

quot;Vesper Chorale sang with strength and precision. ...truly astounding ...swept up by the majesty, the mystery, the tranquility and the excitement ...the outstanding Vesper Chamber Orchestraquot; --South Bend Tribune VESPER CHORALE INC a 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation in South Bend, IN, provides performance and educational opportunities for singers and instrumentalists throughout northern Indiana and southern Michigan. Beginning in 1993 as Vesper Chorale, the company now sponsors four performing organizations: Vesper Chorale, Vesper Chamber Orchestra, Vesper Octet, and the Children's Choir of Michiana. Under the leadership of Artistic Director and founding Conductor Wishart Bell, the company has become a major artistic and educational influence in the community. Since it's founding Vesper Chorale has focused on unique, collaborative, educational and performance programming. Through it's Mentoring Program, the choir offers exceptional high school singers the opportunity to experience professional level rehearsal and performance. Vesper Chamber Orchestra began in 1998, creating it's Basically Baroque Concert Series, which partners the choir and orchestra with music departments from colleges and universities, to explore and perform oratorio, with a view toward authentic performance practice. Following a critically acclaimed Handel's Messiah at Andrews University, this series has included such works as Haydn's Creation, Mozart's C Minor Mass, and Fauré's Requiem. In 2004 the Basically Baroque Concert Series presented the regional premier of Robert Levin's Mozart's Requiem completion. The company has travelled to Grace College, Southwestern Michigan College, Lake Michigan College, Indiana/Purdue University Fort Wayne, Manchester College, Grace United Methodist in Kokomo, IN, and St Augustine Cathedral in Kalamazoo, MI. Vesper Chorale has also explored 20th Century French composers such as Fauré, Duruflé, and Poulenc, and has performed and recorded 20th Century American choral repertoire. In November of 2008, Vesper Chorale launched a new initiative, known as Diverse Journeys Concert Series, aspiring to partner with ethnic communities in celebrating the music and history of their respective cultures. An invitation and grant from the Kurt and Tessie Simon Fund for Holocaust Remembrance led to a command performance of the Holocaust Cantata as part of commemoration of the 70th Anniversary of Kristallnacht (The night of broken glass). The choir has been recognized with awards form the Elnora Stickley Foundation, Indiana Arts Council, Indiana Council for the Humanities, the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County, and the Josephson Music Trust. In 2008, in commemoration of the organization's 15th Anniversary, Vesper Performing Arts Inc. Received a citation from the Mayor of South Bend for it's contribution to the community through the arts.