Heartland Men's Chorus Turns 21

For most, a 21st birthday is a milestone event: a rite of passage marked by taking risks, exploring boundaries and a developing sense of maturity. As Heartland Men's Chorus enters its 21st year, these same hallmarks are evident. The Chorus has announced an ambitious and varied season, and increased its performance schedule.

HMC's 2006-2007 subscription series, sponsored in part by Bank Midwest, runs the gamut from popular programs filled with splashy spectacle, to challenging works featuring new commissions, to topical issueoriented concerts.

After performing to sell-out crowds last year, the Chorus has added an additional performance of its holiday program for the upcoming season.

Global Destinations: A Non-Stop Flight (March 24-25, 2007) will bring audiences on a musical journey to faraway cultures and exotic sounds. Nadeau views this world music program as a natural extension of HMC's mission. "Two important parts of our Mission Statement are 'advancing men's choral music' and 'reaching out to diverse audiences.' This program achieves both, through new commissions and truly unique choral sounds."

"It's a concert that will stretch not only our singers, but our audiences as well. We're asking them to travel outside the box of the usual Western European choral repertoire, and that's exciting. With unusual music from other cultures, it's going to be a thrill ride."

Currently completing his doctorate in choral conducting at the University of Kansas, Nadeau looked to his colleagues to provide many arrangements for Global Destinations. New commissions and arrangements will be provided by fellow doctoral students Douglas Helvering and Dan Forrest. Helvering's new work is a collection of African tribal songs arranged for men's chorus, and Forrest will arrange "Amen," a piece from a larger work originally performed by the KU Chamber Choir. Paul Tucker, associate professor of choral studies at KU, will also be represented with a new arrangement of "My Country 'Tis of Thee."

Included in the program will be a repeat performance of "Past Life Melodies," a piece HMC performed at the GALA Festival, a quadrennial convention of gay choruses from around the world. Originating from aboriginal chant, "Past Life Melodies" features overtone singing that weaves a hypnotic effect on the audience. Other highlights will include "Naduri," an Eastern Russian work that utilizes a singing technique similar to yodeling. "It's going to be a visceral thrill for our audience," says Nadeau.

The Pink Carpet: Gays and Lesbians in Hollywood (June 9-10, 2007) is the latest in a line of "musical documentaries" created by HMC. It follows the success of two other issue-oriented concerts: The Few, The Proud, which examined gays in the military, and All God's Children, which explored the spiritual experiences of the GLBT community. The Pink Carpet will trace 100 years of Hollywood history as it reviews the contributions and portrayals of gays and lesbians in film.

The songs performed in The Pink Carpet will illuminate the narration in a number of ways: some will be songs from films, while others will illustrate an issue or establish a particular time period. The narration for the concert was drawn from several sources, including the book and documentary The Celluloid Closet. Chorus member Ames Hall penned a script that takes audiences from the silent film era to Brokeback Mountain. "We're hoping to have a celebrity narrator for this concert," hints Nadeau. "I can't say anything yet, but expect a big announcement soon."

"This type of topical concert has really become our niche. Gay and lesbian choruses have often been called 'cultural warriors' as a positive voice for the GLBT community. Topic-driven concerts like this prove we are still a relevant voice." -- www.hmckc.org