VOCES8

• VOCES8
• WVU Chamber Singers
• About the Canady Chamber Series

Program

O Clap Your Hands	Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625)
Let My Love Be Heard	Jake Runestad (b. 1986)
Bogoroditse Devo	Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943)
Straighten Up and Fly Right	Nat 'King' Cole, arr. Jim Clements (1919-1965)
Fever	Otis Blackwell, arr. Jim Clements (1931-2002)
Denn er hat seinen Engeln	Felix Mendelssohn (1890-1847)
and the swallow	Caroline Shaw (b. 1982)
Lux Aeterna (Nimrod)	Edward Elgar, arr. John Cameron (1857-1934)

— intermission —

Bourrée	arr. Ward Swingle
The Road Home with the WVU Chamber Singers	Stephen Paulus (b. 1949)
As Vesta Was	Thomas Weelkes (1576-1623)
Dessus le marché d' Arras	Orlando Di Lasso (1532-1594)
The Sound of Silence	Paul Simon, arr. Alexander L'estrange (b.1941)
Vincent	Don McLean, arr. Jim Clements (b. 1945)
I get a kick out of New York	arr. Alexander L'estrange
Slap That Bass	George Gershwin, arr. Jim Clements (1898-1937)

VOCES8

Touring globally, the group performs an extensive repertory both in its a cappella concerts and in collaborations with leading musicians, orchestras, conductors and soloists. Versatility and a celebration of diverse musical expression are central to the ensemble’s performance and education ethos which is shared both online and in person.

VOCES8 has performed at many notable venues since its inception in 2005 including Wigmore Hall, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Berlin Philharmonie, Cité de la Musique Paris, Vienna Konzerthaus, Tokyo Opera City, NCPA Beijing, Sydney Opera House, Mariinsky Theatre Concert Hall, Victoria Concert Hall Singapore, Palacio de Bellas Artes Mexico City amongst many others. This season they perform over 100 concerts around the world, their 20th Anniversary season, including a birthday celebration concert at the Barbican, London.

They have collaborated in concert and in the recording studio with musicians including Paul Simon, Jacob Collier, Eric Whitacre, Christopher Tin, Olafur Arnalds, Cody Fry, Rachel Podger, Jack Liebeck, Bomsori Kim, Jonathan Dove, Chanticleer, The King’s Singers, the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra and others.

For more information on VOCES8, please visit voces8.com.

• Andrea Haines
  soprano

  Andrea began her career singing in her small parish church in Kent and as part of the Royal School of Church Music's youth choirs. She joined VOCES8 fresh from Cardiff University in 2008. As one of the ensemble's longest serving members, Andrea brings a level of mindfulness to the group environment, and always tries to find time on tour for a spot of yoga, watercolor painting and writing.

• Eleonora Poignant
  soprano

  Eleonora grew up singing in her local church choir, and continued her choral studies at Adolf Fredriks Musikklasser and Lilla Akademien in Stockholm. Since finishing her bachelor’s degree in classical singing from The Royal College of Music in Stockholm, she has been a member of the Swedish Radio Choir. As a soloist she has a broad repertoire encompassing both oratorio and sacred masterworks and art song. Eleonora enjoys spending time with her family, reading a good book and the occasional run. In her free time she might be found studying history as well as visiting historical sights.Click on the pictures below for more information on each singer.

• Katie Jeffries-Harris
  alto

  Katie discovered her love of choral music whilst part of the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain. An alumna of Chetham’s School of Music, she went on to study Music at Oxford University. Following university, Katie had the privilege of taking part in both VOCES8 and The Sixteen’s choral training programmes — the VOCES8 Scholars and Genesis Sixteen — coupled with freelance singing and working with amateur choirs, including the award-winning Peterborough Sings! charity.When not singing, Katie can usually be found in the garden, reading about plants or exploring new green spaces — a hobby she takes on the road with her when on tour.

• Barnaby Smith
  alto and artistic director

  Barnaby Smith is Artistic Director of the internationally renowned vocal ensemble VOCES8, LIVE From London digital festivals, and the UK and US branches of The VOCES8 Foundation charity including its Digital Academy and Milton Abbey Festival. He is in demand as a conductor, choir trainer, teacher, countertenor and arranger. With a schedule that takes him around the world, Barnaby has performed at many of the world’s prestigious festivals and halls including BBC Proms, Royal Albert Hall, the Barbican Centre, Wigmore Hall, Bridgewater Hall, Sydney Opera House, Muziekgebouw Amsterdam, La Seine Musicale and Cité de la Musique in Paris, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, BOZAR in Brussels, Tokyo Opera City, NCPA Beijing, Mariinsky Theatre Concert Hall, Victoria Concert Hall in Singapore, Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City and Vienna Konzerthaus.Barnaby has conducted orchestras including the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Academy of Ancient Music, Australian National Academy of Music, English Chamber Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, Monte Carlo Symphony and he directed the music for the Olympic Mascots Film Scores at Abbey Road Studios with the British Film Orchestra. Barnaby’s collaborations have included projects with Rachel Podger, Roderick Williams, Christina Pluhar, Masaki Suzuki, Jacob Collier, Ola Gjeilo, Eric Whitacre, Jonathan Dove and Christopher Tin amongst others.

• Blake Morgan
  tenor

  Blake is a native of Detroit, Michigan where he studied both Classical and Jazz singing. After a very successful career in American A Cappella, singing with supergroups Chanticleer and Cantus, Blake moved to the UK to take up his position in VOCES8. When he isn't indulging in madly improvised scat singing and barbershop tags, Blake's serene and easy high tenor voice floats him into the hearts of the group's audience. Away from singing he loves to write and record his own music, in which he not only sings but also plays the guitar and drums.

• Euan Williamson
  tenor

  Euan joined VOCES8 after completing music degrees at Newcastle University and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Originally from Edinburgh, his love of choral singing began as part of the National Youth Choir of Scotland, continuing with the award-winning chamber choir Voices of Hope and, during the 2018/19 season, the VOCES8 Scholars. Euan is also an avid football fan, following his adopted hometown club, Newcastle United, from afar whilst on tour.

• Christopher Moore
  baritone

  Chris' love of singing began as a chorister in his local church choir and at school. He joined VOCES8 soon after graduating from the University of Cambridge, where he read music and sang in Trinity College Choir under Stephen Layton. In addition to singing, he enjoys conducting and composing, and when not on stage with VOCES8 he can probably be found either in the kitchen, up a mountain or looking at trains.

• Dominic Carver
  bass

  Dominic first explored choral music with local boys’ choir ‘The Bromley Boy Singers’ in southeast London. He went on to study music at the University of Manchester, and, concurrent with his first six months in the group, completed his graduate’s diploma at the RNCM, studying with Matthew Best. While at university, he benefitted from being part of the Genesis Sixteen young artists’ programme. Away from group rehearsals, Dom enjoys exploring city culture, playing his saxophone, and losing at a game of backgammon. He is excited to see where his journey with the group takes him.

WVU Chamber Singers

The WVU Chamber Singers, a 30-voice mixed choir, represents the highest level of ensemble singing at West Virginia University. The choir presents performances that represent a wide range of choral literature. In addition to their on-campus concerts, choir members regularly perform with the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, participate in the WV American Choral Director’s Association Collegiate Honor Choir, and participate in study abroad programs. In 2022, the choir was invited by National Concerts to sing at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Former members of the choir have gone on to complete graduate degrees at prestigious institutions, gain professional singing positions, and many are teaching in middle schools, high schools, and universities throughout the United States.

• Alanna Burden
• Alex Desai
• Ava Formaini
• Ben Seabolt
• Brady Dent
• Cal Chacalos
• Cayleb James
• Chris Soria
• Elijah Baker
• Elizabeth Owens
• Emily Plunkett
• Evan Turner
• Fiorella Alarcon
• Gavin Lusk
• Hailee Merritt
• Haley Orcutt
• Isaiah Albertus
• Jacob Smolkin
• Kathleen Fritter
• Kaylee Saldaña
• Maria Carmona
• Maxwell Miyashita
• Reagan Corliss
• Riley Dalton
• Riley Slusher
• Ryan Derifield
• Sarah Dawson
• Sarah Fox
• Tyler Hiestand
• Zora O. Muhammad
• Conductor: Dr. Kym Scott
• Collaborative Pianist: Matty Hoover

About the Canady Chamber Series