Enjoy the sixth and final concert in the On the Journey Lent series for 2022:
Marnie Setka-Mooney (soprano), and Sara Partridge (mezzo soprano), accompanied by Curt Bergen (piano) perform Pergolesi's ‘Stabat Mater’, and Kim Greenwood (mezzo soprano), accompanied by Jim Hill (piano), performs Robert Fleming's ‘The Confession Stone’.
NOTE: This is an in-person concert as well as live streamed.
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About the Performers
Marnie Setka-Mooney is active in Victoria as both a performer and teacher. She has her AVCM (voice), and BMus-Vocal Performance from UBC, having studied with Catherine Young in Victoria and French Tickner at UBC. A believer in professional development, Marnie has also sung in Master Classes for Richard Miller, Edith Wiens, and Cornelia Prestl. See the event posting for last week's Pilgrimage concert for Marnie's full bio.
Sara Partridge: Over the past 55 years, Sara has expressed her passion for music and theatre in her involvement in numerous productions both on and off stage. She has enjoyed playing leading roles in community theatre productions. She continues to perform in Victoria and the Gulf Islands as a singer and actor. Sara has been teaching students of all ages from beginners to professional singers and actors for the past 36 years. She is currently on faculty at the Canadian College of Performing Arts in Victoria, BC, where she has taught for the past 14 years. Sara holds a Bachelor of Music (with distinction), University of Victoria, AVCM diplomas in Voice Performance and Vocal Pedagogy, and is a Certified Life Coach.
Kim Greenwood is a multi-faceted performer and educator. She is an actor at heart, and this comes shining through in all her repertoire, engaging audiences at every turn. Kim regularly collaborates with many fine jazz musicians on the west coast of Canada and has formed her own ensembles. In 2017 Kim created and produced the highly successful "Ella at 100" tribute show and she has produced a number of shows at Hermann's Jazz Club since 2015, all to capacity crowds. Kim has a strong classical performance history with the VCM Opera Studio, Pacific Opera Victoria chorus and as a solo artist with the Victoria Civic Orchestra and The Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra. When asked in 2011 if she would like to learn “The Confession Stone” by her friend and mentor Catherine Young, she was deeply moved by this work and honoured that she was asked to perform it. Kim has been on faculty at The Canadian College of Performing Arts since 2012 and has taught privately since 2000. Most recently, she has joined Singdaptive.com as an instructor, a very exciting and innovative online learning platform. For Kim, performing and teaching have always gone hand in hand, each influencing and informing the other. www.kimgreenwood.ca
About the Programme
Stabat Mater Dolorosa, by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710-1736)
The "Stabat Mater" is a 13th-century Christian hymn to Mary, which portrays her suffering as Jesus Christ's mother during his crucifixion. Its author may be either the Franciscan friar Jacopone da Todi or Pope Innocent III. The title comes from its first line, "Stabat Mater dolorosa", which means "the sorrowful mother was standing" [from Wikipedia]
Text and translation of Pergolesi's Stabat Mater Dolorosa (external link, opens in a new window)
The Confession Stone (Songs of Mary) by Robert Fleming (1921-1976) Poetry by Owen Dodson (1914-1983)
This classic song cycle came about when John Newmark, mentor and collaborative pianist of Maureen Forrester phoned Robert Fleming. The composer was in the midst of wallpaper hanging when called to the phone where he was told by Newmark: “I have found a wonderful set of poems, The Confession Stone, in the collection Beyond the Blues – New Poems by American Negroes (1962). You must set them to music for Maureen.” Newmark had become familiar with this poetry through Bernard Diamant, Ms. Forrester’s original vocal coach. The poems are by the black playwright and teacher, Owen Dodson (1914 – 1983)
This cycle became one of Forrester’s most frequently performed works. After The Confession Stone had been published by Leeds Music in 1968, she always took several copies of the score with her on tour. Whenever a person expressed genuine interest in learning and performing the work, Ms. Forrester would give out a copy.
By Dodson’s own account, his best work was The Confession Stone written in the voice of Mary about the life of her son, Jesus; the piece is often performed at Easter.
- Oh, my boy: Jesus...
- Don’t pay attention to the old men in the temple...
- Jesus, did you know that Lazarus is back?...
- There’s a supper in Jerusalem tonight...
- Cold and icy in my bed....
- Bring me those needles, Martha...
- Everything is black...
- Oh, my boy: Jesus...
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