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Journey
INTRODUCTORY NOTES
From the Aritistic Director
This word conjures up a flood of thoughts and feelings, unique to each of us. There is also commonality in our journeys. The word also has deep meaning for the Turtle Creek Chorale as an organization at this time in its history.
The release of this CD has tremendous significance in the journey of the TCC. It is in celebration of the beginning of our 25th Anniversary Season. It is also a snapshot of five of the six groups performing at our fifth appearance at the International Festival of the Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses in Montreal. And finally, it contains some of the music that will be the backdrop for a moving documentary which will chronicle the evolution of the TCC as it mirrors that of gay people everywhere over the last 25 years.
So we have huge reasons to celebrate. And we are so honored that you have chosen to join us on a part of this journey by listening to our music.
The comment was made a couple of years ago somewhere, by someone, that music accompanies us from the first lullaby to the final requiem. It is with this knowledge and belief that we present music for every stage of life and with every emotion.
The Turtle Creek Chorale has been blessed in so many ways. We have been fortunate to perform our music for literally millions of people around the word in live performance, radio, television and through recordings, now numbering 32.
If we can strike a chord within you on your journey, our mission will have been met. We hope this is the case and that we will be joined forever through our music.
Timothy Seelig
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The Journey
The journey began in 1980 with a small group of very excited men joining together to sing and make a difference in the world. None of them dared dream very far down the road, because the phenomenon of a gay men's chorus was in its infancy. And it was Dallas, after all, the proverbial buckle of the Bible Belt.
As the chorus grew, the music and mission grew side by side. The chorus began to reach out and build bridges to incredibly diverse communities. In celebration of its 25th season, the chorus decided to change its 24-year old mission statement to reflect more closely what the organization had actually become.
It is with great pride that we reveal it to you, our listeners, here in this CD booklet.
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The Mission Statement
The mission of the Turtle Creek Chorale is to entertain, educate, unite and uplift our audiences through music distinguished for its innovation, diversity and artistic excellence.
Entertain - Presenting quality male choral music and other musical activities that make distinctive and significant contributions to the musical and cultural landscape.
Educate - Celebrating a positive image of the gay community and partnering with artists and organizations that share our values and mission.
Unite - Attracting a diverse audience and membership and building bridges to a greater awareness, understanding, and respect for our shared humanity.
Uplift - Touching hearts and changing lives in a nurturing and affirming environment through the universal and unifying power of music.
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The Turtle Creek Chorale
The Turtle Creek Chorale's 2003-2004 Season marks the Chorale's 24th Anniversary. Founded in 1980 by two gentlemen after church choir rehearsal, the first Turtle Creek Chorale concert took place on June 24, 1980, in Caruth Auditorium at Southern Methodist University when fifty-five men took the stage to present, "The Last Words of David."
Today, with 200+ members, the Chorale presents a four-concert subscription series while performing annually to live audiences in excess of 50,000. Few know that all members of the Chorale are dues paying volunteers who donate over 100,000 hours to rehearsals, service projects and many benefit performances. The TCC has four sub-groups: Chamber Chorus, ENCORE!, Turtle Soup and One Achord who perform over fifty benefit concerts a year.
The repertoire of the TCC can be described as eclectic in the finest sense of the word - creative, diverse, and original. The Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center serves as the primary venue for Chorale performances since its first performance there in October, 1990.
The Chorale has traveled to Europe, performing benefit concerts to sold out audiences in Barcelona, Berlin, and Prague. With a portfolio of thirtytwo CD's, the Chorale is the most recorded male chorus in history.
Turtle Creek Chorale milestones include:
2003 Guinness Book of Records holder for World's Longest Choral Concert
Performances include two Carnegie Hall appearances and a European Tour
In collaboration with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, created "Sing For The Cure: A Proclamation of Hope," narrated by Dr. Maya Angelou
Created and presented the world premiere of "Song of Wisdom from Old Turtle," based on the award-winning book Old Turtle. Narrated by Marlo Thomas, a portion of all recording proceeds benefits St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
The PBS documentary, "After Goodbye: An AIDS Story," featuring the Turtle Creek Chorale, received nine national awards, including an EMMY
Ranked in the top ten of Billboard Classical Charts based on the "Requiem" CD
Performed at the 2x2 Art Auction for AIDS with Liza Minnelli and Dr. Mathilde Krim
Performed for the inaugurations of Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk and Texas Governor Ann Richards
Holiday concert television aired on WFAA-TV each December since 2001
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Composer-In-Residence
The music of James Granville Eakin ranges from the wildly aggressive to the hauntingly beautiful. At age 30, James is an up-and-coming composer to keep your eyes and ears on. His most recent success, Stargazing, a 15-minute suite for men's chorus (TTBB), celesta and strings, was premiered at the 2003 MENC Southern regional convention in Savannah, Georgia by the Turtle Creek Chorale, Dr. Timothy Seelig conducting, and later performed and recorded by them at Meyerson Symphony Center.
James earned his B.M. degree from Centenary College, Shreveport, Louisiana. His O Bone Jesu, for mixed chorus (SATB) was commissioned by the Centenary College Choir, and performed by them during the 1996-'97 school year throughout Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma, and was performed during their 1997 European tour at venues in Germany, Italy, Greece, and in Austria at the Salzburg Cathedral.
Also in 1997, Eakin added film composer to his list of accomplishments. The Man Next Door (directed by Rod Spence) was released nationally in 2000. He also performed a small role as an actor in the film.
Eakin went on to earn his M.M. from Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, where he was inducted into Pi Kappa Lambda. While there, faculty member Dr. Timothy Seelig offered him a composer-in-residence position with the Turtle Creek Chorale, for whom he wrote "Stargazing" and is currently at work on other music. During this time he also wrote his emotionally-charged "Kyrie" for the SMU concert choir.
Today, Mr. Eakin is currently at work on a Doctorate of Musical Arts at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory under the instruction of Chen Yi, Zhou Long, James Mobberley and Paul Rudy. He previously studied composition with Kevin Hanlon and Robert Frank at SMU, and during two summers at the Aspen Music Festival with John Corigliano, Michael Czajkowski, Tom Haines, and Jeff Rona.
As a performer, James Eakin is a bass vocalist. He was a soloist with the Centenary College Choir during their 1997 tour of Europe, and sang solo during the 1998 Christmas Gala at the White House in Washington, DC.
James Granville Eakin III is a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). His music is published by Lux Nova Press.
REPERTOIRE
Repertoire
TRACK TITLE
1 THE QUEST UNENDING
2 A CHORAL FANFARE
3 THE VAGABOND
5 NO WORDS
6 ON CHILDREN
7 HARRIET TUBMAN
8 I AIN'T AFRAID
9 STAND BY ME
10 WE NEED OUR DREAMS
SERENADE OF LIFE
11 PROLOGUE
12 LULLABY
13 WHAT I WANT
14 MY SERENADE
15 WHAT I GOT
16 REQUIEM
17 EPILOGUE
Total running time: (65:09)
Recorded at the Meyerson Symphony
Center and Crystal Clear Sound
TURTLE CREEK CHORALE
SERENADE OF LIFE
PROLOGUE (04:24)
LULLABY (04:56)
Sam Bass
soloist
WHAT I WANT (02:40)
Doug Mitchell, Reed Hoke,
Kirk Bradford, Jonathan Fears
soloists
MY SERENADE (05:16)
WHAT I GOT (03:16)
Elijah Cardona, Gary Rifkin,
Mark Hawkins, Lonnie Parks
soloists
REQUIEM (05:04)
Don Kennedy
soloist
EPILOGUE (04:22)
J. Granville Eakin III
Words by Timothy Seelig
©2003 James G. Eakin III
THE QUEST UNENDING (05:57)
Joseph M. Martin
©2004 by Malcolm Music
A Division of Shawnee Press, Inc.
CHAMBER CHORUS
THE CIRCLES OF OUR LIVES (06:00)
David Brunner
©2003 David Brunner
THE VAGABOND (02:56)
Ralph Vaughan Williams
©1965 by Boosey & Hawkes, Inc.
A CHORAL FANFARE (02:12)
John Rutter
©1989 by Hinshaw Music, Inc.
TURTLE SOUP
ON CHILDREN (02:21)
Ysaye M. Barnwell
Words by Kahlil Gibran
©1980
ENCORE!
WE NEED OUR DREAMS (03:53)
Reed Hoke, Kirk Bradford
soloists
Craig R. Wilson
©1993 Craig R. Wilson
HARRIET TUBMAN (04:24)
Walter Robinson
Arr. by Kathleen McGuire
©2002 by Shawnee Press, Inc.
STAND BY ME (02:28)
Cody Woodfin, Steven Thomas
soloists
Ben E. King, Jerry Leiber
and Mike Stoller
Arr. by Deke Sharon and Anne Raugh
©2002 by Jerry Leiber Music,
Mike Stoller Music
and Mike & Jerry Music LLC
I AIN'T AFRAID (03:08)
Holly Near
Arr. by Steve Milloy
©2002 by Barton Rhodes Press
ONE ACHORD
NO WORDS (01:52)
Mauri Elizando
human trumpet
Rob Landes
©1988 by Hinshaw Music, Inc.
PRODUCTION NOTES
Reed R. Hoke, Producer
Meyerson Session:
Michael Hull, Recording Engineer
Scott Rodgers, Recording Engineer
Crystal Clear Session:
Crystal Clear Sound - Dallas, TX
Nolan Brett, Recording Engineer
Pax Recording Studios - Ft. Worth, TX
Michael Hull, Mixing and
Final Mastering
Scott Rodgers, Mixing
Joseph Rattan Design
Cover Design, Illustration and Layout
INSTRUMENTALISTS
Mark Trimble, flute
Mike Davis, trumpet
Ethan Alan Busteed, violin
Mark Hayward, cello
Dennis Brickman, oboe
Peggy Honea, bass
Ashley Chappell, percussion
Turtle Creek Chorale
P.O. Box 190137
Dallas, Texas 75219
phone: 214.526.3214 x101
fax: 214.528.0673
toll free: 1.800.746.4412
www.turtlecreek.org
