Arrowhead Chorale

Our mission is to bring fine performances of distinctive vocal ensemble literature to the Arrowhead Region of Minnesota, Northern Wisconsin, and beyond. Our repertoire spans five centuries of Western Music traditions - sacred and secular, folksong and art song, opera chorus and vocal jazz, music with humorous texts and occasional full operetta performances.

New concerts, coming soon!

Put us on your calender!

We will be performing at Sacred Heart Music Center in Duluth

on Saturday, May 12 at 7:30, and Sunday, May 13 at 3:00.

http://www.sacredheartmusic.org/

 You will find, once again, a wonderful opportunity to have a meal at Valentini’s and get a discount on the concert–and you can do this both days, on Saturday and Sunday!  Call Valentini’s http://www.valentinisduluth.com/ for reservations  (they have a wonderful Mother’s Day brunch) and join us for great music.

(No bus available–everyone wanted to drive this time!)

From the Land

We are singing music from our immigrant roots, from our local Anishinaabe tribe, music that celebrates the good earth, and our life in this beautiful place.  Lyz Jaakola, from the Fond du Lac Ojibwe, http://www.lyzjaakola.com/ will be bringing her musicians to sing with the Chorale on several of her stunning compositions.  Gene Koshinski, professor of percussion and extraordinary performer  http://www.genekoshinski.com/live/ is also bringing guests to join the Chorale in rousing music using the sounds of many percussion instruments!  So celebrate spring in this wonderful place with fine music.  We will see you there!

 

You should join us today!

The March 3rd concert of the Arrowhead Chorale went well, in spite of the relentless snow.  Songs of the Sea were our gift, and to read a bit more about this concert, check out this link: http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/224710/publisher_ID/36/     and read about it in the Duluth News Tribune.

But you can still hear us!  March 4, 7:30 PM at the Sacred Heart Music Center, join us for “From the Sea”.

 

 

We are going on, in spite of the snow!

Being the tough Minnesotans that we are, we are going ahead with our concert tonight, Saturday, March 3rd, in spite of the snow. Come come warm up with some beautiful music at 7:30 at Sacred Heart!  There will be dessert available… (this is a bribe!).

From the Sea

Tall Ships in Duluth
Tall Ships in Duluth

THE ARROWHEAD CHORALE CONCERT “FROM THE SEA” MARCH 3-4

You should be keeping an eye on the dates.  The reason? On March 3-4 you will want to plan to attend one of the performances of the Arrowhead Chorale concert “From the Sea” .  Performances are Saturday, March 3 and Sunday March 4 at 7:30 PM each evening.  Join us at Sacred Heart Music Center  http://www.sacredheartmusic.org/  for a lovely evening.  Tickets are $16 for adults, $6 for college age, and are free for K-12 children.

Join us in celebrating our Great Lakes, the people who work and live on them, and the wonder of the mighty oceans of our globe.  We will share music with you ranging from sea shanties to ballads, classic works about those gone to sea, anthems in honor of our seafaring military, and a special piece, commissioned for the Arrowhead Chorale called “Ships of the Great Lakes”.  

You have a special opportunity on Saturday, March 3, to have dinner at Valentini’s Vincino Lago  http://www.valentinisduluth.com/  at a discount, take a free bus up to the concert, have concert and dessert there, and take the bus back to your car at Valentini’s.  Contact the restaurant for reservations!  218-728-5900.

We hope to see you there!  Any questions?  Call us!  We are happy to answer them.   You will find us at 218-733-7521.

A trip with the Coast Guard on the Alder

The Arrowhead Chorale is in the process of working on its repertoire for the March 3-4 concerts “From the Sea”.  As we are working on these concerts, we are also talking to various groups in the area that actually work on our Great Lakes.  The Coast Guard has been very helpful in communicating with us, and last week board members were invited to join them for their last ice-breaking cruise for the season on the Duluth Harbor.  Needless to say, we were very excited! 5 of us ended up joining them at 6:45 AM January 18th.

The USCG Alder

The USCG Alder on the Duluth Harbor

The Alder is a beautiful, sturdy ship of 125 feet.  We were very impressed with the careful, thorough, precise work of the 50 person crew.  Commander Ellen Durley answered dozens of questions with grace, and her crew showed us what they were doing, pointed out interesting activity of ice (who knew that physics was so essential to all this?), how the instruments worked,  and various activities on deck  (we mostly stayed warm on the bridge).  We watched the Edwin H. Gott come under the lift bridge, as the last incoming vessel for the shipping season.  We had already made several passes through the harbor, and made it possible for the Gott to come to the dock near the windmill area.  The Gott will now winter in Duluth.

 

We will be singing the Coast Guard anthem, Semper Paratus, and an arrangement of “Home From the Sea” that is a special favorite of the Coast Guard personnel.  There will be other wonderful repertoire with a focus on water, the ocean, the Great Lakes, and all those who live and work on them.  Included will be our own especially commissioned piece by Janika Vandervelde called “Ships of the Great Lakes”, which uses names of various lakers, salties, and other Great Lakes vessels in the lyrics.

So you will want to join us!  Stay tuned for more information about this special concert!

A few more photos…

Ice in Duluth Harbor

Ice at the mouth of the St Louis River, about 10 inches thick

The Edwin H Gott arriving in Duluth

The Edwin H. Gott arriving early morning, January 18, 2012, in the Duluth Harbor

Commander Durley from the Bridge of the Alder

Commander Durley from the Bridge of the Alder

Alder

Archive photo of the Alder with the James Barker

Post holiday fun!

The Chorale had a wonderful time singing glorious holiday music, and hope that you enjoyed the show, as well.  The women are pretty glad to not have to wear boned bodices and long trains most of the time, but we all had fun dressing up and presenting something with charm and warmth for your holiday enjoyment!  Thanks still go to Allete, the Depot Foundation, and ARAC for their support.

Some photos for the fun of it…

The singing was gorgeous!

Some choral work...

Mr. Theodore Hartfield conducting the audience in "Deck the Halls"

Uncle John and Horatio are plotting!

A Delightful Victorian Holiday!

It is always a charming and quirky time when the Arrowhead Chorale starts rehearsals each season. Usually the leaves are crisp and orange, the smell of smoke and apples and fall is in the air, and we are singing Christmas music!

But things are changing now. We have had some snow, some bitter winds, and those grey skies of Minnesota that tell us that Christmas really is upon us. And so singing about the waiting and the hoping that are as much a part of the holiday preparations as the joy and the wonder seems just about right.

We have wonderful music to share with you this December. We also have a delightful story to tell! “A Victorian Holiday Dinner” is a theatrical charmer. The young Hartfields will be entertaining in their new mansion in Duluth, on Christmas Eve of 1897. They have invited Theodore Hartfield’s important business colleagues, as well as close friends and family. But Elizabeth Hartfield is known for having catastrophes at her parties, and this is no exception. Everything that can go wrong does. The saving grace for the party is the scheming of their butler, Merriman (although he does moan about his former employer, Lord March, a great deal) and their housekeeper, Mrs. Anderson. Between them, a lovely and musical time is had by all, and the dinner does, in fact, get served! Fully staged, with all the detail and grace of the Victorian era, this special music and theater in the Depot Great Hall is a must for this holiday season.

So get dressed up—put on that suit or tux, that long skirt, maybe even a little sparkle. Join us for a four course evening of good food, beautiful music, and a party that you will be happy you have attended!