Their Values

On August 6th, sixteen members of the Nightingale Vocal Ensemble made their journey from Boston to Vermont to grace the OCMF stage and entertain our local audiences. During their visit in Salisbury, this ensemble exemplified the following values listed on their website.

Meet The Musicians

Click on each photo to read their individual biographies.

The Review

The Composers

Click on each photo to read their individual biographies.

The Program

“Brine Pool” - Nathan Halbur (text from E/V Nautilus Expedition Team)

“A Certain Slant of Light” - Nicholas Ford (text by Emily Dickinson)

“Eingang” - John Haukoos (text by Rainer Maria Rilke)

“Stardust” - Kelvyn Koning

“Nebula” - Mason Bynes

“Night” - Benjamin Kapp Perry (text by Paul Laurence Dunbar)

“Ale” - Laura Nevitt (text by Edgar Allan Poe)

“Keen for the Teeming Dead” - Nicholas Ford

“When I Look at Bodies” - Angela Yam (text by Anthony Rogers)

“Birds of a Feather” - Kelvyn Koning

“Everyone Sang” - Kelvyn Koning (text by Siegfried Sassoon)

The Performance

“Brine Pool,” composed by Nathan Halbur, was an incredible start to the program. The text was taken from a YouTube video made by the Nautilus Expedition Team, which focuses on documenting marine biology. With the individual backgrounds of all of the performers in mind, it was no surprise that the blend of the ensemble was impeccable. The high-flying performance given by soloist Judah Coffman (they/them) reminded me of a delicate, warbling bird. Their resonance “zinged” all the way to the back of the house. There was a section of the piece where the sopranos created this atonal, wash of sound - organic, and perhaps improvisational. At several points in this piece the blend and composition was reminiscent of running water. The final resolution, a major chord, was a satisfying ending.

“A Certain Slant of Light,” composed by Nicholas Ford, reminded me of spinning glass. At several points there were phrases that would begin dissonantly, ending with a satisfying release. Tenor soloist Connor Vigeant gave a lovely, nuanced performance. He was dedicated in his interpretation of the text, and his tone was clear and resonant. Of the bunch, this piece was one of my favorites.

“Eingang,” composed by John Haukoos, featured a number of solo sections. Tenor Fausto Miro in particular stood out to me with his rich, warm tone. There were several high points in this piece that gave me goosebumps. The ensemble demonstrated incredible dynamic range throughout the piece. At times there were also pauses in between phrases that served well to create and build tension. There was a beautiful major resolution at the end that was a stark contract from the rest of the piece.

“Stardust,” composed by Kelvyn Koning, was given a touching introduction by the ensemble’s president. She talked about humanity and our connection to the cosmos, closing with “we all come from stardust.” In the beginning of the piece I thoroughly enjoyed how clear the diction was, I could understand every word. From the smiles on all of their faces, I could tell that this was a favorite of the Nightingales. This piece stood out to me with harmonies that felt like you’re being wrapped in a warm blanket. At one point there was a very impressively executed sforzando that took me totally off guard - a pleasant surprise. The poetry in this piece is beautiful, the line “I am you, and you are I… I matter and you matter” was particularly poignant. The soprano section sparkled high above the ensemble while managing to not pop out of the texture - an impressive feat!

“Nebula,” composed by Mason Bynes, really showed off the strengths of each of the ensemble’s sections. The bass/baritone section in particular stood out as they were solid as a rock, and maintained a very strong presence throughout. There was a spoken phrase in the piece given by the sopranos that I thought was a particularly cute moment. The chord of the word “galaxy” was absolutely gorgeous, and the resolution on “night sky” was deeply satisfying.

“Night,” composed by Benjamin Kapp Perry, delivered to the audience a cacophony of sound. The tenor and bass sections distinguished themselves with the fullness of their tone. Soloist Janet Stone expertly cut through the texture like a knife. I particularly appreciated this piece for introducing me to the black poet Paul Laurence Dunbar, whom I wasn’t familiar with until I attended this performance. The Nightingale Vocal Ensemble stands out from other professional choirs with their dedication to promoting, supporting, and showcasing diversity within the ensemble, with the composers they commission, and with the texts that are used.

“Ale,” composed by Laura Nevitt, was very different than the pieces that came before it. With its rhythmic refrains, call and response, and whimsical text provided by Edgar Allen Poe, this piece was another one of my favorites from the afternoon. The sopranos sounded like a vibrant brass section! Overall, the variety of tone and timbre put on display here was very fun to listen to. When I turned behind me to catch a glimpse of the rest of the audience, there were several people with smiles on their faces.

“Keen for the Teeming Dead,” the second piece composed by Nicholas Ford, is dedicated to grieving those that were lost during the Covid-19 pandemic. Janet Stone embodied this grief with what only can be described as passionate “wailing” in which she executed with incredible power and volume. Alto Chihiro Asano also stood out with her particularly beautiful timbre. I thought that the experimentation with nasality in this piece was fascinating and reminiscent of the aboriginal Australian didgeridoo.

“When I Look at Bodies,” composed by Angela Yam, features words from non-binary fashion designer Anthony Roger (she/him.) As a non-binary person that uses she/they pronouns, I was really excited to see representation of my own community. In the text Anthony Roger talks about her/his thought process on designing clothing for queer bodies, and touches on body dysmorphia as well. In the piece the word “body” is repeated over and over again, which reminded me of what it’s like to experience dysmorphia - the fixation and circular thoughts that come when you look at yourself in the mirror. This was my favorite piece in the program, and brought tears to my eyes.

From the Nightingales’ first season: “Birds of a Feather,” the second piece composed by Kelvyn Koning, was a stark contrast from the rest of their repertoire. It was reminiscent of a spiritual, and another one of their favorites to perform - evident by their enthusiastic smiles. The avian peeping and chirping sounds were rhythmic and fun to listen to. The piece ends abruptly with the word “tweet,” which earned some giggles from myself and the audience.

The final piece: “Everyone Sang,” another one of Kelvyn Koning’s works, gave us an uplifting ending to this performance and final day of the festival. The dynamic contrasts were stunning, particularly moving from the height on the word “lifted” which transitioned into a smooth pianissimo. The final phrase “the singing will never be done” ended with a beautiful closed “n.” Promptly after the cut off the audience applauded, and the Nightingale Vocal Ensemble was sent off with a standing ovation.

Conclusion

The Nightingales’ first tour was what I would consider an overwhelming success. I am thankful that they brought all of this new music to our community here in Vermont, and I hope that next year when the festival returns to Salisbury that they will return. I would like to leave the readers of this review with their video performance of “Night,” composed by Angela Yam with text by Paul Laurence Dunbar.