Hudson Chorale Concert at Maryknoll in Ossining
“Hudson Chorale Goes Classic”
Beethoven, Haydn and Mozart—Glorious music in a glorious space
Hudson Chorale returns to the Chapel at Maryknoll with full orchestra and soloists for two performances of great classical music Saturday, Jan. 25, and Sunday, Jan. 26 at 3 p.m. Concert details found here, including online and phone ticket purchase. Hudson Chorale and Maestro Ira Spaulding have embarked on an exploration of great German composers, with the support of a grant from the Westchester Community Foundation. The program includes masses by “Papa” Haydn and Beethoven, and Mozart’s little jewel Ave Verum Corpus. Maryknoll is at 55 Ryder Road in Ossining.
In this resonant space, the music will be presented by four guest soloists, a 35-piece orchestra and a chorus of 60 singers. “This program features extensive interplay between the soloists, orchestra and chorus,” says Spaulding. “They all get a chance to shine.”
We are delighted to introduce our four distinguished soloists here:
Jessica Kimple – Mezzo-Soprano
A native of Iowa, Jessica Kimple received her Master of Music degree in voice from Manhattan School of Music and has pursued additional voice studies in both Russia and Italy. She was a resident artist with Dicapo Opera Theatre for three years and has sung with numerous opera companies in New York including the extra chorus at The Metropolitan Opera. Some of her roles include Estrella in La Perichole; Second Lady in The Magic Flute; Mum in Albert Herring; Zita in Gianni Schicchi; Siebel in Faust; Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus; Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte; and Adah in Naughty Marietta.
Ms. Kimple also enjoys singing in concert works and has sung as a soloist with Hudson Chorale, The Astoria Choir, the Park Slope Singers, Church of the Redeemer Concert Series, City College of New York, The Church-in-the-Gardens, Marble Collegiate Church, and more. She is excited to be returning to sing with Hudson Chorale as the mezzo-soprano soloist in Haydn’s Mass in Time of War and Beethoven’s Mass in C Major.
Nils Neubert – Tenor
Tenor Nils Neubert was born and raised in Hamburg, Germany and maintains careers as a performer, educator, and scholar in the United States and abroad. He is a sought-after interpreter of song, oratorio, opera, and chamber music and has appeared as a soloist and small ensemble singer throughout North America and Europe. As a recitalist, he has performed nearly all of the major German song cycles and has presented programs in French, Italian, English, and Russian. As a concert soloist, he is particularly noted for his interpretations of the oratorios and cantatas of Johann Sebastian Bach, as well as works by Händel, Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, and Mendelssohn. His operatic repertoire ranges from principal tenor roles of Mozart, Rossini, and Donizetti to well- and lesser-known works of the Baroque; from operetta to modern and contemporary works, some of which he premiered. He is a founding member of New York’s Polydora Ensemble, which specializes in 19th to 21st century repertoire for vocal quartet and piano. Nils Neubert teaches German diction at the Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, and the Mannes School of Music. Since 2016, he has served as German coach at the Music Academy of the West. He has done German and Latin language preparation for soloists, opera ensembles, choirs, conductors, actors, and record producers, is a regular guest instructor for the Potomac Vocal Institute in Washington, D.C., and has led master classes and workshops across the United States, as well as in Europe and Canada. Previously, he served on the faculties of William Paterson University, the Kaufman Music Center, the Music Conservatory of Westchester, the International Academy of Music in Italy, the Summit Music Festival in New York, and the Puigcerdà and Burgos international music festivals in Spain.
Nils Neubert holds degrees from the Juilliard School (BM, Voice), Teachers College, Columbia University (MA, Music and Music Education), and the CUNY Graduate Center (DMA, Performance). He also trained at the Mozarteum, Bel Canto at Caramoor, the Scuola Leonardo da Vinci, the UMass Amherst Arts Extension Service, and the Harvard Extension School, and is an alumnus of the Walnut Hill School for the Arts and the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. He is a student of Dr. Robert C. White, Jr., and is married to concert pianist and pedagogue Yuri Kim.
Jonathan Woody – Bass-baritone
Bass-baritone Jonathan Woody is a sought-after performer of early and new music in New York and across North America. He has been featured with historically-informed orchestras such as Apollo’s Fire, Boston Early Music Festival, Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, Bach Collegium San Diego, Portland Baroque Orchestra, and New York Baroque Incorporated, earning praise as “charismatic,” “riveting,” and “wonderfully dramatic.” Recent highlights include Handel’s Samson with Pacific MusicWorks, Handel’s Acis & Galatea with Opera Idaho, and appearances with Washington Bach Consort, the English Concert, and Opera Lafayette. Jonathan is also committed to ensemble singing at the highest level and has performed with the Choir of Trinity Wall Street, TENET, the Clarion Music Society, and New York Polyphony, among others. An avid performer of new music, Jonathan has premiered innovative works including Ted Hearne’s The Source, Ellen Reid’s
p r i s m (winner of the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for music), and Du Yun’s Angel’s Bone (2017 Pulitzer Prize winner). He has appeared with Staunton Music Festival, Aldeburgh Festival, Portland Bach Festival, Carmel Bach Festival, Oregon Bach Festival, Gotham Chamber Opera, and Beth Morrison Projects. Jonathan has recorded with the Choir of Trinity Wall Street (Musica Omnia), Boston Early Music Festival (RadioBremen), and New York Polyphony (BIS Records). Jonathan’s musical pursuits extend beyond his voice. He has been commissioned as a composer for groups including Lorelei Ensemble, the Handel & Haydn Society, and the Uncommon Music Festival.
Currently based in Brooklyn, New York, Jonathan holds degrees from McGill University and the University of Maryland, College Park and is represented by Miguel Rodriguez of Athlone Artists.
Jianing Zhang – Soprano
Soprano Jianing Zhang was described by Opera News as “particularly affecting in the role of Servillia, with sensitive singing and alert, in-the-moment acting” when she performed in Mozart’s last opera, La Clemenza di Tito.
Previous credits include operas La Clemenza di Tito (Servillia), Così fan tutte (Despina), Giulio Cesare (Cleopatra) with Manhattan School of Music; Falstaff (Nanetta), L’elisir d’amore (Adina), Tolomeo (Seleuce), Orlando (Dorinda) with the Classic Lyric Arts program; Le Nozze di Figaro (Susanna), La Bohème (Musetta) with Shanghai International Opera Program; Don Pasquale (Norina) with Shanghai Conservatory of Music. Zhang is a member of the Baroque Aria Ensemble directed by world-famous harpsichordist Dr. Kenneth Cooper. She has performed as a soloist in concerts with this ensemble and has also presented a recital with Dr. Cooper.
Zhang is a semi-finalist of the Oratorio Society of New York-Lyndon Woodside Oratorio Solo Competition. She is also a soloist and choir section leader of Musica Viva NY, and has performed Hildegard von Bingen O Splendidissima, Maurice Duruflé Requiem, Leonard Bernstein Chichester Psalms, J.S. Bach Magnificat, and Joseph Turrin’s New York premiere ‘And Crimson Rose Once Again be Fair’ with orchestra. Her other solo works include working with Ensemble 212, the China International Art Festival, and Shanghai Concert Hall. Her future engagements include Beethoven Mass in C and Haydn Paukenmesse as soprano soloist with Hudson Chorale; Josef Rheinberger Mass in E flat major, Sergei Rachmaninoff All-Night Vigil and other choral pieces with Musica Viva NY. Zhang will also present concerts and solo recitals for art songs and chamber music as well as new compositions at Columbia University and Spectrum NYC.
Zhang holds two Master degrees; one from Manhattan School of Music and one from Shanghai Conservatory of Music. She was a recipient of merit scholarships from both conservatories.