Flint Hills Masterworks Chorale |
|
Flint Hills Masterworks Chorale
was founded in 1994 and sponsored by Manhattan Christian College until the onset of the pandemic in 2020. The Manhattan Arts Center then obtained a three-year Deihl grant for the choir. That grant expired in fall 2023.
Flint Hills Masterworks Chorale is Manhattan's community choir and is now one of three programs of Side by Side Theatre & Music. All singers are eligible to join the choir. Email [email protected] for information or just come to rehearsal. There are no formal auditions, but new members should be prepared to sing a few bars for the conductor.
Just before the pandemic, the choir had around 70 members. Registration has been growing again, and is now at pre-pandemic levels again. Yay!
Rehearsals take place on Tuesday evenings, generally from 7-8:30 pm. In spring, rehearsals start the Tuesday immediately after Martin-Luther-King day and run through early May. In Fall, rehearsals start in early September and run through early December.
The choir performs a variety of choral music, ranging from J.S. Bach and W.A. Mozart to Zoltán Kodály and John Rutter (see 'Works Performed' page.)
Conductors have included Ian Coleman, Reg Pittman, Julie Yu, Jeff Ward and now Arianne Thomas. Mary Ann Buhler played for the choir for its first 25 years, Norma Roozeboom is the current pianist.
Singers from the choir have been on two European tours, one to Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic in 2009, when we also visited Manhattan's sister city Dobrichovice, the second to Italy in 2012.
The Chorale is a now program of Side By Side Theatre & Music.
was founded in 1994 and sponsored by Manhattan Christian College until the onset of the pandemic in 2020. The Manhattan Arts Center then obtained a three-year Deihl grant for the choir. That grant expired in fall 2023.
Flint Hills Masterworks Chorale is Manhattan's community choir and is now one of three programs of Side by Side Theatre & Music. All singers are eligible to join the choir. Email [email protected] for information or just come to rehearsal. There are no formal auditions, but new members should be prepared to sing a few bars for the conductor.
Just before the pandemic, the choir had around 70 members. Registration has been growing again, and is now at pre-pandemic levels again. Yay!
Rehearsals take place on Tuesday evenings, generally from 7-8:30 pm. In spring, rehearsals start the Tuesday immediately after Martin-Luther-King day and run through early May. In Fall, rehearsals start in early September and run through early December.
The choir performs a variety of choral music, ranging from J.S. Bach and W.A. Mozart to Zoltán Kodály and John Rutter (see 'Works Performed' page.)
Conductors have included Ian Coleman, Reg Pittman, Julie Yu, Jeff Ward and now Arianne Thomas. Mary Ann Buhler played for the choir for its first 25 years, Norma Roozeboom is the current pianist.
Singers from the choir have been on two European tours, one to Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic in 2009, when we also visited Manhattan's sister city Dobrichovice, the second to Italy in 2012.
The Chorale is a now program of Side By Side Theatre & Music.
Our Conductor
|
Arianne Thomas became our conductor in Fall 2022.
Ari is a devoted conductor, educator, and performer, and she is very excited to be directing Flint Hills Masterworks Chorale! A native of Colorado, born into a musical family, her passion for music began at a young age. She studied voice and flute at Colorado State University, where she earned her Bachelor of Music degree with a concentration in Education in 2011. While at CSU, Ari was principal flute in CSU’s Symphony Orchestra and Wind Symphony and soprano in Concert Choir and Chamber Choir. Ari has experience working with musicians of all ages, from preschool to adulthood. She taught elementary general music and high school choir in Lewis-Palmer School District in CO. Additionally, Ari directed the adult choir at Tri-Lakes United Methodist Church and taught private lessons. An advocate for music education, she has been an active member of CMEA and NAfME, and she served on the Colorado All State Choir Board. Ari has performed as both a singer and a flute player in elite ensembles, including the Colorado Springs Chorale, Colorado Bach Ensemble, Colorado Vocal Arts Ensemble, and Master Chorale of Tampa Bay. In addition to musical activities, Ari enjoys spending time with her husband, Ray, and their 5-year-old identical twin boys, Tre and Rowan. |