Master Chorale of South Florida - Among South Florida Artists

WHO'S WHO
AMONG SOUTH FLORIDA ARTISTS

Master Chorale of South Florida

The Chorus was conceived in 1987 by James Judd following his appointment as music director of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Florida, later renamed the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra. He believed that some of the world's finest music was written for symphony orchestra and chorus, and that a highly trained chorus was needed to support the orchestra in the performance in these works.

In 1988, Paul Eisenhart was hired as choral conductor. Under his guidance, the Florida Philharmonic Chorus grew from 28 singers the first season to an average of 160 professional-caliber, auditioned singers who volunteered their services for the love of music. For 11 months a year, Chorus members drove from as far away as Jupiter and South Miami for weekly rehearsals in Fort Lauderdale. At concert times, they sang as many as seven rehearsals and performances a week with the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra in popular masterworks including Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 and Missa Solemnis, Handel's Messiah, Orff's Carmina Burana, and Requiems by Verdi, Mozart and Brahms.

In addition to masterwork performances, a smaller ensemble from the Chorus known as the Florida Philharmonic Chamber Chorale, performed regularly for private functions throughout the tri-county area.

After seven years of hard work building a top-quality group capable of handling complex and demanding music, the Chorus performed Walton's Belshazzar's Feast for the first time in 1995. This piece, considered one of the most difficult in the choral-orchestral repertoire, was a favorite of Maestro Judd's and the impetus behind his desire to have a chorus capable of singing it. It is ironic Belshazzar's Feast was the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus' swan song, performed in April 2003 under the baton of a guest conductor.

Following the sudden death of Paul Eisenhart in 2000, Dr. Jo-Michael Scheibe was appointed chorus conductor and Jeffri Bantz assistant conductor. Dr. Schiebe, who is chairman of the choral music program at the University of Miami and a nationally renowned choral conductor, and Mr. Bantz, well known as former director of the Florida Singing Sons, made extensive changes in the Chorus to refine the sound and improve the balance of voices. Seeking perfection, the conductors were relentless in their pursuit of diction, musicality, artistry, purity of sound and heartfelt expression of emotion. It was a well-honed Chorus who looked forward to performing exciting works including Mendelsohn's Elijah with the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra during their 2003-2004 season.

It is 117 members of the same Chorus who will continue the tradition of choral excellence as the Master Chorale of South Florida.

Category/Instrument:  Chorus

City:  Ft. Lauderdale, FL

County:  Broward

Email:  info@masterchoraleofsouthflorida.org

Website:  www.masterchoraleofsouthflorida.org