PAST CYCLES

Season 7, cycle 2: THE LIGHT OF LOVE

This heartwarming evening brought together voices and traditions from around the world, celebrating peace, joy, and love in multiple languages. From cherished carols to unique international pieces — plus a brass quintet and surprise guest vocalists — this concert delivered a rich tapestry of music highlighting the universal spirit of the season.

Season 7, cycle 1: Amendment

This performance centered on a larger work entitled “Amendment, Righting Our Wrongs” by Melissa Dunphy. Denver Choir League and a larger consortium of choirs commissioned the piece in 2020 in response to the divisiveness of the times. The amazing Erin Patterson joined us on cello!

Other pieces in this cycle included works about or with settings of texts by other righteous leaders such as Susan B. Anthony, Nelson Mandela, and Desmond Tutu.

Together, we raised our voices in harmony as a reminder to “...stand for, and with, one another… on our quest towards justice and equality,” as so eloquently stated by Stacey Abrams, and to embody progress as a nation remembering that, “...with each generation, we have revisited our fundamental truths, and where we falter, we make amends.”

SUMMER SING 2024

During July and August of 2024, DCL hosted three very special summer sing nights! Summer Sings give folks the opportunity to workshop one song from beginning to end and perform it for any friends and family (or just for ourselves!) by the end of the night!

July 29: “Hide and Seek” by Imogen Heap

August 12: “Light On” by Maggie Rogers

August 19: “I Sing the Body Electric” from the movie Fame

S.A.S. (South African Songs)

Of all the great singing choral traditions worldwide, South African might be the very best. Our director had the privilege and honor to see, hear, and feel first-hand how song is infused in the daily life of South Africans, specifically those living in the townships of Langa and Khayelitsha.

For three weeks during June of 2024, DCL learned some of the South African songs Kali learned during her time in Cape Town. This was a unique cycle as we learned these songs by rote! The mini cycle culminated in a main event on June 22 when we were joined by Bongani Magatyana himself, a man who lives in Khayelitsha and also has a long-standing relationship with Village Harmony in Vermont, for a 4-hour workshop. He is an amazing, warm, and fun teacher whom we all LOVED. Read more about Bongani HERE.

Season 6, Cycle 3: Wild Things

Wild Things was a harmonic meditation on the beauty of the natural world. For this concert, we were joined by singer, composer, and wild woman extraordinaire Moira Smiley — who has arranged and recorded many of her beloved heart-forward songs for choir and string quartet.

Premiering this concert was a piece by Jody Redhage-Ferber, NY-based cellist, composer, and friend, who set Wendell Berry’s poem, “The Peace of Wild Things,” for choir and string quartet. Other pieces in the program included the unbelievably beautiful “Earth Song” by Frank Ticheli, and two excerpts for choir, percussion, and hammered dulcimer from Malcolm Dalglish’s “Hymnody of Earth.”

season 6, cycle 2: Go tell it on the mountain

Go Tell It On The Mountain was a celebration and meditation on the Christmas season. This concert had our guests shouting from the mountaintops and provided moments of quiet heart-singing. The pieces ranged from an exuberant Engelhardt setting of the great spiritual “Go Tell It On The Mountain” to an arrangement of Joni Mitchell's “River” for choir and brass quintet. Of course, we were joined by some of Denver's finest musicians!

season 6, cycle 1: wide open spaces

Wide Open Spaces was a nod to purple mountain majesties and wide-open American spaces that have inspired Indigenous Americans, pioneers, artists, and composers for ages. Highlights from the program included Copland's "The Promise of Living," Dolly Parton’s "Light of a Clear Blue Morning," "Going Home" arranged by Rollo Dillworth, and an arrangement of one of Kali’s favorite Simon & Garfunkel tunes, among other delicious surprises.The repertoire was singable, oh so beautiful, and served as a reminder of the beauty of the land on which we live. We were also joined by some wonderful guest artists: Natural Bridge!

The concert was held at 1pm on October 22 at The Westfield Project at the Mission Ballroom Complex (4180 Wynkoop Street, second floor).

SUMMER SING 2023

Remember sing-a-longs at summer camp? S’mores by the fire and new friendship bracelets on your wrist? Choir League folks met for a community sing on Tuesday, July 25 to rekindle some of that sweet, summer feeling. We sang from 6–8pm at Western Sky Bar and Taproom, hanging out on their back patio and generally enjoying each other’s company. Songs included something old, something new, and at least a couple of songs we’ll learn “campfire style.”

Season 5, cycle 3: She

Choir League closed out its fifth season with “She.” Inspired by singer Laura Mvula’s song of the same name, this concert celebrated the music of female composers and arrangers. In addition to Mvula’s “Sing to the Moon,” the concert included “Sing My Child” by Sarah Quartel as well as pieces by Rosephayne Powell and Abbie Betinis.

The concert was held on Sunday, April 30 at 4180 Wynkoop Street (adjacent to Mission Ballroom) on the second floor.

Season 5, cycle 2: Bring us in good ale

This cycle was inspired by the quiet and boisterous moments that are the mixed bag of the holidays! We were joined by the mighty LaDamion Massey who sang two favorites: “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” and Donny Hathaway’s “This Christmas.” A cadre of musicians from the Denver Municipal Band brought the party and made us shine! Also on the program were choral pieces by Gustav Holst, Ola Gjielo, Phillip Stopford, an arrangement of the great spiritual “Over My Head;” as well as some holiday classics. Our concert was held on December 18 at 1pm.

Season 5, cycle 1: folk yeah!

Inspired by Kali’s love of welcoming in all things fall, Folk Yeah! was an afternoon filled with American Folk Music. The great local fiddle player, Enion Pelta, joined us on a few pieces, then played a set with her string band, Taarka. Gems in this concert cycle included: “Bright Morning Stars,” “Poor Wayfaring Stranger,” and “Bring Me Little Water, Sylvie.” Additionally, a friend arranged Paul Simon's most beautiful “American Tune” for Choir League and fiddle band. Finally, we rounded out the concert with a powerful arrangement of “Bridge Over Troubled Water.”

Our concert was held on Sunday, October 2 at 3pm at Bierstadt Lagerhaus.

VIRTUAL CHOIR PROJECT

Denver Choir League
Katy Maguire Lushman, Founding Artistic Director

Pledging Allegiance
Movement V from Amendment: Righting Our Wrongs
Music by Melissa Dunphy
Texts by Francis Bellamy, Astrid Silva, and Mary Church Terrell

Featuring Denver Choir League Singers
with Matthew Kingham, cello

Sopranos: Victoria Bailey, Valerie Epstein-Johnson, Cara Faliano, Mira Guha, Amy Hamill, Maggie Masciarelli, Elizabeth Speigle, Lesleigh Stabo, Lisa Stump

Altos: Whitney Bradford, Laurie Finnegan, Shawna Kelly, Katie Sakanai, Hadley Toth

Tenors: Phil Drozda, Marti Wedewer

Basses: Joe Edwin, Taylor Hamill, Matt Kingham

Amendment: Righting Our Wrongs by Melissa Dunphy was commissioned in 2020 by Denver Choir League as a member of the Votes for Women Consortium under the founding commissioning choirs: Chorosynthesis Singers, Santa Monica College, and Connecticut College under the direction of Wendy Moy and Jeremiah Selvey.

Post-production audio and video editing by Victoria Lipscomb