Bagaduce Chorale conductor and singers

The Bagaduce Chorale

Mary Cheyney Gould, Founder,
and Bronwyn Kortge, Music Director
(Dec. 2007)

The Bagaduce Chorale is made up of 80-plus auditioned singers from the Blue Hill Peninsula, Deer Isle/Stoning-
ton, Ellsworth, Bar Harbor, Surry, Lamoine and Orland. The Bagaduce Chorale performs twice a year, in early December and in late April/early May. Often its music director and conductor, Bronwyn Kortge invites vocal and/or instrumental soloists as well as small instrumental ensembles to accompany the Chorale. Bronwyn Kortge says: "I love instrumental accompaniments; they support the Chorale in a way that enhances our sound, and add a thrilling texture to the music we create with our voices."






Performances

Our Fall Concert

A Celebration of the Chorale, a Celebration of our Founding Director, Mary Cheyney Gould.

The 2009-2010 performance season will mark the 35th anniversary of the founding of the Bagaduce Chorale – the brain-child of our beloved Mary Cheyney Gould. The Bagaduce Chorale was born of the inspiration of Mary Cheyney Gould, who served as its director and accompanist for the first 25 years. In the begin the Chorale was a small group of singers, gathered in Mary's home on the Bagaduce River coming together for the simple joy singing. From this simple gathering of friends Mary's vision and energy took the Bagaduce Chorale to a chorus of more than ninety voices, performing two concerts a year in the Blue Hill Congregational Church. It now serves as one of the major artistic institutions for the Blue Hill Peninsula and beyond with members of the audience traveling from the Bangor and Orono area or from further downeast beyond the singing bridge.

 

Mary Cheyney Gould retired as director of the Bagaduce Chorale in 1999. She continues to be deeply involved as the Chorale’s accompanist, working closely with the current director Bronwyn Kortge. As director emerita, Mary continues to serve as inspiration for Chorale members who continue to benefit from her vision. Not many organizations are so blessed.

 

In our upcoming season, the 35th season of the Bagaduce Chorale, we will dedicate our performances to Mary Cheyney Gould, in recognition and thanks for the remarkable gift that she has given us, as singers, to the audiences, to the community at large. As part of the recognition we will be commissioning two new choral works, works written by two highly regarded local composers, Anna Dembska and Paul Sullivan.

 

Plans are underway and still evolving but will include an expansion of our out-reach activities with local schools. In the Fall, for example, we will offer students the opportunity to meet with Anna Dembska, whose work will receive its world premiere at our December concert.

 

Keep coming back to this space for more information as a dates for events throughout the year become finalized.


The Bagaduce Chorale, under the direction of Bronwyn Kortge, will be performing Friday evening, December 11 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday afternoon, December 12, at 3:00 p.m. at the First Congregational Church in Blue Hill.


We are always looking for new voices. Rehearsals are between September 21-December 7, and mid-January-beginning of May, every Monday evening, 7PM to 9PM, at the First Congregational Church in Blue Hill.

If you're interested, please call our Music Director Brownyn Kortge at (207) 667-6084. Audition has been scheduled for Monday, September 14, at 7PM.


An Impression from dress rehearsal
for our spring production 2009.
Photo by Verena Stoll



Advertising Opportunities


For each concert, the Chorale produces a program booklet. Local businesses have the opportunity to advertise. We will son post here the Advertising Contract for the Fall concert. If you wish to receive more detailed information, please do not hesitate to call 207-326-9365 or send an email.


We thank everyone for your strong and continued support. It is important to us, and we very much appreciate it!