NCS Summer Community Sing

Featuring Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass and a pre-sing talk 

July 29, 2013, at 7 pm, Admission is Free

Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 7 Harris St., Newburyport MA

During Yankee Homecoming week

This program is supported in part by grants from the Amesbury, Newbury, Rowley, Salisbury, and West Newbury Cultural Councils, local agencies, supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

Music by Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) 

In Haydn’s case, we are singing a masterpiece from his maturity, the great Mass known as the “Lord Nelson.”  The Missa in Angustis, generally called the “Lord Nelson Mass” was composed in 1798 and was first performed about the time that word reached Austria that the British Admiral Horatio Nelson had defeated Napoleon’s French navy in the battle of the Nile – the first defeat of Napoleon’s forces.  Two years later, Nelson paid a ceremonial visit to Prince Esterhazy, Haydn’s patron, and was most impressed with the performance of this mass.  It is said that Nelson asked for the pen with which Haydn had written the mass, and he gave the composer a gold watch in return.  The work has an unusual strength and lofty earnestness about it, and it ranks as one of the favorites with choral societies and their audiences to this day.

Lord Nelson Mass:  Kyrie; Gloria; Credo; Sanctus and Benedictus; and  Agnus Dei

Dr. Gerald Weale

NCS Music Director and Conductor

The 2013-2014 Concert Season will mark an historical passage for the Newburyport Choral Society (NCS) –an 80^th Anniversary of bringing outstanding choral music to the Greater Newburyport area.  The  Choral Society’s dedication to the education and cultural enrichment of the many local communities it serves is evident in its 80 year history, during which time it has performed music spanning centuries,  featured up and coming artists, supported local students pursuing an education in music through the Betty Gillette Scholarship program, and involved high school students in concert performances.

In looking forward, NCS envisions even more engagement with the community through its We Sing Program” with a primary goal of engaging adults and children in choral music.  Key events will include its increasingly popular Open Community Sing during Newburyport’s Yankee Homecoming festivities, and the inclusion of the Molin Children’s Chorus in the  2013 Winter Concert. Music enriches our lives and NCS wishes to build upon its 80 year legacy by offering the community new opportunities to experience the richness of choral music.

It’s long been a favorite of mine said Dr. Weale. It’s wonderful music, which carries a magnificent message.  The whole approach to life and death, which Brahms has illustrated with selected Bible verses is, for me, a wonderful way to contemplate what we – all of us- are doing here on earth.  It moves me to think that Brahms was thinking this way and feeling this kind of music 150 years ago.”

Dr. Weale’s vision for NCS has far surpassed what community choruses are usually able to accomplish, and under his leadership NCS has performed the greatest of the choral masterpieces, commissioned new choral works, and went on three European tours.  Betty Gillette, a charter member of NCS 78 years ago, describes Dr. Weale as “the best conductor I’ve ever known and I’ve sung with a lot of them. He opened up a new era for NCS and has given us 25 years of superb music making. He is a master teacher and we have profited from his vast knowledge of music from all ages. I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to sing under his direction”

Dr. Weale cites some of the best moments of his years with NCS as “the great repertoire we were able to perform such as the complete Bach B Minor Mass, the Brahms Requiem and the Poulenc Gloria among others, but particularly the Verdi Requiem since most choruses never get the opportunity or have the finances to present that work.  And we did a spectacular job.”

NCS singers have come to know “Jerry” as a gifted storyteller who brings composers, their works, and their histories to life, and who radiates an enthusiasm for musical excellence that is captivating. It has inspired the Choral Society to achieve professional level performances of choral masterpieces from the Renaissance to the 20^th century.

In a quarter century of conducting the Newburyport Choral Society, I have been unusually blessed with the enthusiasm and commitment of the members.  This is a group of people who understand the power and exhilaration of making great music. It has been a great pleasure and a personal gift to direct this artistic force for good, and I am forever grateful for having the opportunity to conduct the great masterworks in Newburyport.

When Dr. Weale walks down the aisle of Belleville Church, audience members know they are in for a resounding musical experience. So please join us in celebrating Dr. Weale’s 25^th Anniversary at the Spring Concert featuring the Brahms Requiem and Song of Destiny and come wish him Happy Anniversary at the post concert reception.

Mary Ann Lachat

NCS Member 1987–2012

Winning Tickets:

Ticket # 009 (February 1)  One Night Stay at the Compass Rose Inn, Bed and Breakfast, Newburyport

Ticket # 076 (February 2)  A Weekend Stay at a Vacation Home in the Berkshires

Ticket # 164 (February 3)  Two Tickets to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston

Ticket # 515 (February 4) Ould Newbury Golf Club 9 Holes Foursome, M-F & Two Village Pancake House $25 Gift Certificates

Ticket # 525 (February 5)  Wrist Watch from Winston’s Jewelers, (Exchangeable for Men or Women)

Ticket # 596 (February 6) Four Tickets to a Red Sox Game, Boston

Ticket # 397 (February 7)  Two Tickets to “A Raisin in the Sun” in March at the Huntington Theatre’s Main Stage, Boston

Ticket # 079 (February 8)  Private Voice Lesson w/ Martha Peabody or Piano Lesson w/ Penny Lazarus, Newburyport

Ticket # 045 (February 9)  Rosa Mexicano Restaurant, Boston $100 Gift Certificate

Ticket # 493 (February 10) Spa Paradiso & Salon $100 Gift Certificate , Newburyport

Ticket # 432 (February 11)  Valentine’s Day Bouquet from Flowers by Petros,  Ipswich, & Eat Cake $40 Gift Certificate, Newburyport

Ticket # 615 (February 12) Two Tickets to a Handel  & Haydn Society Concert, Boston

Ticket # 059 (February 13) Special Reserve Bottle of Beringer’s Wine & Two Riedel Wine Glasses, Valued at $150

Ticket # 007 (February 14) Dinner at the Top of the Newburyport Range Lighthouse & a $50 Gift Certificate from Andiamo Restaurant, Newburyport

Ticket # 046 (February 15) Vintage Chic Boutique Scented Massage Oil Candle; Two Lbs. of Winfrey’s Fudge; Wish Basket Bubble Bath; & Plum Island Soap Co. Bath Soap

Ticket # 212 (February 16) A Cruise of Gloucester Harbor On Board the Schooner Ardelle

Ticket # 597 (February 17) Four Tickets to the Peabody Essex Museum

Ticket # 189 (February 18) Dinner at Loretta’s Restaurant, NBPT w/ NCS Music Director Dr.Gerald Weale,  & Two Tickets to NCS Spring Concert & an NCS CD

Ticket # 709 (February 19) $25 Gift Certificate for Seafood from David’s Fish Market, Salisbury, a Bottle of Wine & a CD of Romantic Music

Ticket # 531 (February 20) Two Tickets to a Celtics Game on March 8th, Boston

Ticket # 661 (February 21) Beautiful Silk Scarf from Clothes Encounters, Millwalk & a $25 Gift Certificate for the Groveland Diner

Ticket # 785 (February 22) Four Tickets to the IMAX Theater at Jordan’s Furniture

Ticket # 500 (February 23) Case of Wine Selected by the NCS Board of Directors

Ticket # 068 (February 24) An Authentic Schooner Hoop (Replica of Old Ironside’s Mast Hoops) Chart Tray, with Mugs & Plum Island Coffee

Ticket # 695 (February 25) $25 Gift Certificate for Bernie and Phyl’s  & Two Hours of Handyman Services from David

Tickets # 488 (February 26) $50 Gift Certificate for Corliss Brothers Garden Center

Ticket # 469 (February 27)  Two Tickets to a Bruins Game, Boston 

Ticket # 452 (February 28) Two Tickets to Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman by The Boston Lyric Opera, Friday May 3, 2013

Tickets # 256 (Non-Leap Year Prize) Twelve boxes of Girl Scout Cookies donated by the Girls Scouts of Eastern MA

Thank you to the many local businesses and individuals for supporting NCS’ fundraiser and helping to bring music to our community!  To view the complete list of prizes click “The Season of Love” Raffle Calendar.

Singer Registration is held in September and January.

Rehearsals are Monday evenings from 7:15-9:30pm.

For more information about joining NCS Chorus, visit  Join the Chorus page. 

NCS on YouTube

Take a peek of the The Newburyport Choral Society in rehearsal on YouTube. Enjoy a sample of the Brahms Requiem as the chorus practices at an evening rehearsal. It promises to be a wonderful concert celebrating our Music Directors 25th Anniversary and we look forward to sharing it with you.

Click here to listen Newburyport Choral Society – YouTube

The winner of the 2013 NCS Betty Gillette Scholarship is Sophie Israelsohn, a senior at Beverly High School.  Sophie plans to study music education, vocal performance, and general music.  She has been accepted to four school and plans to attend Ithaca College School of Music.

For non-profit music arts organizations, ticket sales and membership dues only pay half of the cost of a performance.  The other half comes from our loyal business and individual sponsors.  Today we honor The Elliott, Woodworth & Rogers Funeral Home as our longest business patron.  This family-owned business began their patronage of the Newburyport Choral Society in 1947 with a sponsorship from the Robert J. McKinney Funeral Home at 124 High Street in Newburyport, and their generous support has continued to the present even as their business grew as the result of mergers with other Newburyport funeral homes, including Robert J McKinney, William McKay, Todd Woodworth, Ted Elliott and Steve Cashman.  Back in 1947 the Newburyport Choral Society (NCS) performed only with piano or organ accompaniment and the only patronage category was an associate level of $5.   NCS had just returned to a pre-World War II membership of 100 choristers.

Paul C. Rogers, Jr. and his wife Rose (who Paul calls the “heart and soul” of the business) continue this tradition of patronage and increasing support of the Newburyport Choral Society that is now going on 66 years. We spoke with Paul whose sons Cyrus and Joshua are also directors of the businesses that have served four generations of customers in the Haverhill, Amesbury, Merrimac, Southern New Hampshire and Newburyport communities.

Paul attributes his interest in choral music to his late mother, Agnes Rogers, who was a pianist and sang in the Unitarian Church Candlelight Choir for much of her life.   For the past 20 years Rose and Paul have been driving their 1917 Model T hearse during the Yankee Homecoming Parade, passing out long stemmed roses to women standing along the parade route.  Less known is that Paul still plays both the electric and acoustic guitar, performing at local fundraisers. While Master of the St. Johns Masonic Lodge, he often organized an evening at the NCS holiday concert for his Lodge brothers.

Until her death, Paul fondly remembers accompanying his mother Agnes, to every NCS concert.  Paul and Rose continue to be in our audience as often as possible and have  “never left a Newburyport Choral Society concert disappointed!”  Paul remembers when the Robert J. McKinney Funeral Home at 124 High Street celebrated the Christmas season with style; as it was one of the first homes in the twentieth century in Newburyport to be decorated with outdoor electric lights.  People came from miles around to see these festive and unusual decorations of the holiday season.   And because of loyal and generous sponsors like Paul and Rose Rogers, our community will be able to celebrate the December holidays in style, with the Newburyport Choral Society, for years to come.

Penny Lazarus, BOD, Development Director & Joanne Johnson, BOD, Treasurer

The Newburyport Choral Society wishes to extend our sincere appreciation to all our Individual and Business Sponsors who have helped us to bring choral masterpieces to the community for 80 years. As an NCS sponsor or advertiser in the concert program you are helping to keep our musical heritage alive and accessible. Join us in preserving these incredible works that touch each of us in unique and meaningful ways.

Select Sponsorships, Advertisement or Business Sponsors for more information and a complete listing.