Events

Home for Christmas | Noonday Concert Series

Liz Lang, Soprano

Meghann Vaughn, mezzo-soprano

Erik Rasmussen, Tenor

Christopher Judd, Baritone

Christopher Johnson, piano

Gloucestershire Wassail              

Traditional English Carol

Arr. by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872—1958)

Away in a Manger                                        

Tune by W.J. Kirkpatrick (1838—1921)

Arr. by David Willcocks (1919—2015)

Adam lay ybounden                                    

Boris Ord (1897-1961)

Words anon. 15^th century

Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella           

Traditional French Carol

English Text by E. Cuthbert Nunn (1868—1914)

O Little Town of Bethlehem       

Traditional English Carol

Arr. by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872—1958)

Descant by Thomas Armstrong (1898—1994)

Text by Bishop Phillips Brooks (1835—1893)

What Sweeter Music     

John Rutter (b. 1945)

Text by Robert Herrick (1591-1674)

Es ist ein Ros entsprungen         

Michaël Prætorius (1571—1621)

The Little Road to Bethlehem

Michael Head (1900—1976)

Text by Margaret Rose

What is this Lovely Fragrance?

Traditional French Carol

Arr. by Healey Willan (1880–1968)

Text by Ysobel

Jesus Christ the apple tree

Elizabeth Poston (1905-1987)

Words by Joshua Smith (1760–1795)

Opera News has applauded soprano Liz Lang for her “comedic timing and clear resonant tone.” She is known for her crossover ability into many genres including music theatre, jazz, and blues. Credits: Annina, Violetta u/s, La Traviata (Lincoln Center), Soloist, The Constitution (VPR Opera), Iris, Semele (Opera Omaha), Savannah VOICE Festival Artist, Sherrill Milnes Opera Award (ATC). Soloist: Carnegie Hall, The Juilliard School, Bard Summerscape, Voices of Ascension, Riverside Choir and Orchestra, American Symphony Orchestra, New American Songbook Orchestra, The Salzburg Festival, Hawaii Performing Arts Festival, and various venues in Italy and Germany. Eastman School of Music (MM), Oklahoma City University (BM).

Mezzo-soprano Meghann Vaughn, a versatile performer, is equally comfortable in operatic, solo, and ensemble repertoire. Ms. Vaughn has performed various solo and ensemble works with the Interchurch Center Choir and The Riverside Choir at The Riverside Church in New York City, where she has been an active member of the choir for twelve seasons. A North Carolina native, Ms. Vaughn is a graduate of The University of North Carolina at Greensboro’s School of Music and holds a Master of Music degree in Voice from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.

Erik Rasmussen‘s unique and colorful tenor voice has been described as “youthful, amusing, and crowd-pleasing.” (Brooklyn Discovery) Hailing from Brentwood, New York, he has appeared as a featured soloist in operatic and concert performances with Spotlight on Opera, Amadeus Opera, the Arnold Schwartz Memorial Concert Series, the Lake Junaluska Singers, SingThrough Central, and SongFest. A member of the Riverside Choir for one year, Mr. Rasmussen holds a Bachelor of Music from SUNY Fredonia. He is currently completing his Master of Music at the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College, where he studies with critically-acclaimed baritone Sidney Outlaw.

A native of Highland Falls, NY, baritone Christopher Judd has been heard at the Interchurch Center in solo recitals and in ensemble works with the Interchurch Center Choir. A current member of The Riverside Choir at The Riverside Church and the Kinnara Ensemble, he holds a Pre-College Diploma from The Juilliard School, a Bachelor’s of Music from Westminster Choir College, a Master’s of Music from Indiana University, and completed two summers of study at the Académie Internationale d’Été de Nice with Dalton Baldwin.

Pianist Christopher Johnson is a native of Tulsa, Oklahoma and completed undergraduate and graduate studies at The Cleveland Institute of Music, Manhattan School of Music, and Yale University. He serves as Director of Music and Organist at The Riverside Church in New York City and as Director of Chapel Music at The Interchurch Center.

The April selection for our monthly book club is His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie. We’ll be meeting Thursday, April 15th at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom, join us! Register here.

About the Book:

“Elikem married me in absentia; he did not come to our wedding.”

Afi Tekple is a young seamstress whose life is narrowing rapidly. She lives in a small town in Ghana with her widowed mother, spending much of her time in her uncle Pious’s house with his many wives and children. Then one day she is offered a life-changing opportunity—a proposal of marriage from the wealthy family of Elikem Ganyo, a man she doesn’t truly know. She acquiesces, but soon realizes that Elikem is not quite the catch he seemed. He sends a stand-in to his own wedding, and only weeks after Afi is married and installed in a plush apartment in the capital city of Accra does she meet her new husband. It turns out that he is in love with another woman, whom his family disapproves of; Afi is supposed to win him back on their behalf. But it is Accra that eventually wins Afi’s heart and gives her a life of independence that she never could have imagined for herself.

A brilliant scholar and a fierce advocate for women’s rights, author Peace Adzo Medie infuses her debut novel with intelligence and humor. For readers of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Candice Carty-Williams, His Only Wife is the story of an indomitable and relatable heroine that illuminates what it means to be a woman in a rapidly changing world.

Register Here!

Building Bonds through books and conversation. Our club reads a wide range of authors and genres. Books that Bind is the official Book Club of the Interchurch Center located in the Morningside/ Harlem area of New York City, NY. The club was established in 2011 to build bonds and friendship through a shared love of books among the various tenants of the building and neighbored. Due to the Pandemic the Club is currently meeting on Zoom until further notice.

New members are always welcome! Click here to join the club.