The Chambersingers
The Assabet Valley Chambersingers is a small ensemble selected from the Assabet Valley Mastersingers. The Chambersingers perform unaccompanied madrigals and motets from all periods as well as Broadway show tunes and vocal Jazz standards.
Organized in 1989 by Director Robert Eaton as a civic outreach program in the greater Worcester area, the Chambersingers provide entertainment for a variety of audiences. They are annual performers at venues such as the Nashoba Valley Winery, Tower Hill Botanic Gardens and First Night Worcester.
Programs are designed and revised to suit the occasion. Christmas programs include a variety of traditional choral settings; other programs may be developed around particular themes. A demonstration CD is available upon request. Some examples of the standard repertoire are:
Sample Concert Program
- All Ye Who Music Love ……….………………………. Baldsassare Donata (1548-1603)
- El Grillo (The Cricket) …………...………………………... Josquin Des Prez (1450-1521)
- Il bianco (The Silver Swan) …….………………………… Jacques Arcadelt (1505-1568)
- April Is In My Mistress' Face ….…………………………………………….. Thomas Morely
- Weep O Mine Eyes ………….………………………………………………….. John Bennet
- I Am in Need of Music …….....………….. Text Elizabeth Bishop, Music David L. Brunner
- At the River ……………………...……………………………...… American, Aaron Copland
- Ching a Ring. …………………....………………………………. American, Aaron Copland
- Breaths ………………………......…………… Text Birago Diop, Music Ysaye M. Barnwell
- Sure On this Shining Night ….......…………. Text James Agee, Music Morten Lauridsen
- The Seal Lullaby …………….....………………….. Eric Whitacre Text by Rudyard Kipling
- Ain'-a That Good News ……....……………………….……. Spiritual arr. William Dawson
- Yesterday ……………………......….………………….. John Lennon and Paul McCartney
- You Are the New Day ……….....…………………………….. John David, arr. Peter Knight
- Ain't Misbehavin' ……………......………………………. Thomas Waller and Harry Brooks
- At Last ………………………..........……………………….. Harry Warren, arr. Teena Chinn
- And So it Goes ………………......……...……………………….. Billy Joel, arr. Bob Chilcott
- Java Jive ……………………….......…………….……………. Ben Oakland arr. Kirby Shaw
Fees for performances range from $200 - $500, and are negotiable upon the type of performance. (Funding is often available through Local Arts Lottery Councils or private foundations.)