Celebratory sounds of Christmas

The director of Northern Choral Society is finding praise to go all around these days, and it's not just the celebratory, high-spirited nature of this year's featured piece.

Michelle M. Rudd is in her first year directing the 55-year-old ecumenical group of about 160 vocalists, which is preparing for its annual Christmas concert Dec. 5 and 6 at Asbury United Methodist Church in Watertown. Longtime director Lorraine A. Revelle retired from the job last year to spend more time with her family.

When Mrs. Rudd stopped into Times offices a few days before a rehearsal, she was fighting a nasty cold. But a remedy to make her feel a bit better was at hand, and it wasn't the cough drop she fetched out of her handbag.

"The members of the choir are so dedicated, and it's energizing for me to see that," she said. "They really engage me. I enjoy working with them. And I'm asking them to learn an awful lot of hard music in such a short rehearsal schedule. It also brings me a sense of pride."

"Come Adore Him" is the theme of this year's concert. It will feature a full performance of John Rutter's "Gloria."

"I thought that would be an appropriate piece for my first year," Mrs. Rudd said. "It's very celebratory and exciting. Plus, Northern Choral hasn't done it for 15 years or so."

The 17-minute "Gloria," containing three movements, will be accompanied by an ensemble of brass instruments, percussion and organ.

Mrs. Rudd grew up in Binghamton and came to the north country from Illinois last year when her husband, Dr. Benjamin Rudd, a native of Lacona, Oswego County, accepted a primary care position at Samaritan Medical Center.

Mrs. Rudd, an adjunct professor at Jefferson Community College, earned a bachelor's degree in applied voice from Houghton College in Western New York and her master's degree in vocal performance from Bowling Green State University in Ohio.

The English composer John Rutter was born in 1945. According to his Facebook page, he's inspired by the spirituality of sacred verses and prayers, even though he told the CBS program "60 Minutes" in 2003 that he isn't a particularly religious man.

His "Gloria" was first performed in 1974; Mrs. Rudd said it's now considered a cornerstone of choral repertoire.

In her program notes, Mrs. Rudd said Mr. Rutter's "Gloria" is an energetic setting of an ancient Latin text from Mass services. She said it's based on a Gregorian chant, but Mr. Rutter incorporated modern harmonies and rhythmic shifts.

"The words have been used to worship God for millennia," Mrs. Rudd said.

Movement one's theme from "Gloria" is jubilant worship with lots of brass, percussion and organ. Movement two, Mrs. Rudd noted, reflects heartfelt addresses to God, and the music builds in intensity. In movement three, Mrs. Rudd said Mr. Rutter uses shifting rhythms to create "a sense of uninhibited praise."

Mrs. Rudd selected the works of another English composer, Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) for the concert. She noted his "This Little Babe," containing the text of 16th century poet Robert Southwell, has an "almost controlled unraveling nature."

Mrs. Rudd said that perhaps her favorite piece in the concert is "All That Hath Life and Breath Praise Ye the Lord" by American composer Rene Clausen, the conductor of Concordia Choir of Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn.

Mrs. Rudd said the song uses the aleatoric technique, which she described as "music by chance."

"All of the sopranos are given three different melodies to pick from," Mrs. Rudd said. "It sounds kind of chaotic, but it's really very beautiful. It's a very neat choral technique. I just let them go. At first they were apprehensive. They hated it. But they now find it very freeing."

Other selections will include "The Dream Isaiah Saw" by American composer Glenn L. Rudolph, which is dedicated to those who died on 9-11; "Infant Holy, Infant Lowly," by American composer Dale Wood; "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" arranged by American composers Robert Shaw and Alice Parker; and a nontraditional arrangement of the 16th French carol "Ding Dong! Merrily on High!" arranged by American composer Howard Helvey.

The concert will feature a small orchestra of local musicians, professors and students from SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music. Carl A. Bingle will serve his 33rd year as organist for the Northern Choral Society.

Sara D. Gleason is the director of Northern Choral Society's children's choir, which Mrs. Revelle created in 2000 and directed.

Not having the same director for both choruses has its advantages, Mrs. Gleason said.

"It's a little easier for the adults singing in the choir" who have youngsters singing with the children's group, she said. Both choirs now practice simultaneously in different parts of the church, making for a shorter rehearsal day.

Mrs. Gleason said there are 24 singers in her group, ranging from fourth to ninth grade. Its selections will include "Donkey Carol" by John Rutter and "Sing Ye, Sing Noel!" by Robert Wetzler.

Mrs. Gleason and her husband, John, live in Sackets Harbor. She is a graduate of the Crane School of Music and received a master of science degree in education from SUNY Potsdam in 2007. She teaches music at Copenhagen Central School.

Mrs. Gleason has directed the children's choir at Asbury United Methodist Church and, in 2007, the Jefferson-Lewis Elementary Bi-County Chorus. She is director of music at Watertown's First Presbyterian Church.