The final concert of our 2017-2018 season, River Music: Bach & Telemann on Water’s Edge, features four outstanding vocal soloists. Read below for more on each of them, their artistry, and their collaboration with Tempesta di Mare.
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Laura Heimes, Soprano
How did you become a professional singer? What drew you to Baroque Music?
I came to singing by accident. I have always loved to sing and was always in choir and the musical productions but my main focus throughout school was sports and trumpet. I loved being one of only two female trumpet players in my school and enjoyed playing very much. However, in my Freshman year of High School my brother and I were in a car accident which resulted in my not being able to do either while I was recovering. It was then that I turned to singing more seriously, thus coming to it āby accident!ā I still wasnāt 100% sure that I wanted to pursue singing when I went to college and had every intention of being an English Major. At my choir audition the conductor encouraged me to sing for the voice teacher, which I did the very next day. And there went those plans! I declared myself a Voice Major and never looked back! As for what drew me to Baroque Musicā¦..when I was at Temple University getting my Masters in Choral Conducting I was in a rehearsal for Bach Cantata 106 that was life changing for me. I had never sung Bach before and could not believe how beautiful it was; the musical lines, the harmonies, the instrumental writingā¦..all of it. It spoke to me in ways no other music had before and I felt my soul opening up. I knew that was home for me.
Whatās your performance history with Tempesta? Do you have a favorite piece or memory?
This is my 4th or 5th time (I think!) performing with Tempesta. Gwyn and Richard program fantastic concerts which are always a pleasure to perform. And the musicians are all like family so having the opportunity to get together with them is always so much fun. A favorite piece? Hummmā¦.. thatās hard to pick. I loved doing Telemannās Ino. She was fierce! But I also really liked that crazy hard Bach duet cantata that we did a couple of years ago (BWV 173a, Durchlauchtster Leopold, which Bach composted for the birthday of his employer Leopold von Anhalt-Kƶthen). But, seeāI say that and then there is THIS wonderful cantata that weāre doing now! So, I guess I love them all!
How do you get into character – in this case a fictional identity as a river?
Each river definitely has its own personality and musical language. My aria in this cantata is stunningly beautiful and is accompanied by 3 flutes, which is unique for Bach. It is gentle but playful at the same time. I think of my character as being the peacemaker of sorts and the musical lines and harmonies of the flutes doing their best to work their magic to unite the two houses. Iām really looking forward to delving into this piece and creating our special sound color.
River Music is all about how water shapes our experiences. Is this something you can relate to in your own life? Does water, and rivers in particular, play a role in your day-to-day?
I am a Pisces, so I am all about the water. Iāve always been that way. Whether in it or just watching it I am the most content surrounded by it. I get lost watching and listening to the waves crash at the beach and/or hearing the water lap on the shore at night at our lake house in the Finger Lakes. Next to the the sound of my sonās laughter, for me, the sound of water is the most peaceful and beautiful.
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Meg Bragle, Mezzo-soprano
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How did you become a professional singer? What drew you to Baroque Music?
I always sang, but it wasn’t until I was in college that I considered singing professionally. I had studied the violin pretty seriously and was planning on a career playing in a symphony orchestra but I couldn’t ignore the combination of words and music together that drew me into singing full time. I found baroque music completely by accident. I had a friend who was only interested in singing early music and she asked me to sing a duet on her senior recital – the rest is history!
Whatās your performance history with Tempesta? Do you have a favorite piece or memory?
I have known Richard and Gwyn for many years as colleagues and friends and have loved being able to collaborate with them and Tempesta. I think my first performance with the group was a staging of Handel’s Clori, Tirsi e Fileno with Marguerite Krull and Drew Minter. I have many wonderful memories of that project!
How do you get into character – in this case a fictional identity as a river?
For me every performance begins with the text. The music also gives you clues of course, especially when you are working with a master craftsman like JS Bach.
River Music is all about how water shapes our experiences. Is this something you can relate to in your own life? Does water, and rivers in particular, play a role in your day-to-day?
I consider myself mostly an ocean person, however it occurs to me that I grew up near a river (the Hudson) and am now living near a river again (the Schuykill)! My son shares my love of the ocean and for him that includes most of the creatures that live there, so I read a lot of books about sharks in particular, and sea creatures in general almost every day with him.
Aaron Sheehan, Tenor
How did you become a professional singer? What drew you to Baroque Music?
The first time I wanted to become a singer was when I heard my sisterās college choir. She went to a little college in Minnesota that is known for choirs and the second I heard them sing I knew that I wanted to be at least a musician (or a choir director) which led to me being a singer. As far as a Baroque Musician, itās what my voice is lent to, since itās a sweeter sound and smaller than opera singing and its also the music I love the mostāso I guess I lucked out!
Whatās your performance history with Tempesta di Mare? Do you have any favorite piece or memory?
I donāt know how long Iāve been singing with you guysāI feel like itās been maybe eight years. Iāve done maybe four or five performances, including a recital with the orchestra called āA Secret Flame.ā My favorite was probably the recital I did with just my husband, Adam Pearlāmy own āSecret Flameā.
How do you get in characterāin this case a fictional identity as a river?
I donāt really go into character per seāwhen I do Bach I donāt think of myself as a character so much. Iām just going to sing it the way itās written, and the text and music speaks for itself. I think if we just sing it, taking on the characteristics of the river in our voices, thatāll be enough.
River Music is all about how water shapes our experienced. Is this something you can relate to in your own life? Does water, and rivers in particular, play a role in your day-to-day?
Iām from MinnesotaāāThe Land of Ten Thousand Lakesāāso Iām not from an ocean area, but being outdoors and near water is important to me. I donāt know that it shapes my life as a person, but itās certainly something I want to be near, to be able to experience.
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RAndall Scarlata, Bass
How did you become a professional singer? What drew you to Baroque music?
I am a recovering violist, actually! I played viola for many years, but didnāt start singing until I was in high school. Once I found that I had a voice that could be developed, the connection between text and music was very interesting for me. Also, my first viola teacher placed me in a string quartet at an early age – so I think this connection to chamber music held over into my singing. My first serious studies of Baroque music (outside of repertoire classes, etc.), were at the Marlboro Music Festival, studying Bach with Ernst Haefliger and Blanche Moyse. This was old-school Bach, often slow and sometimes heavy, but Haefligerās attention to text and pacing of recitative was remarkable – and I found Moyse to be eternally devoted to trying to find the right way to approach Bach. She was flexible and really steeped herself in Bach – until well over 100 years old!
Whatās your performance history with Tempesta? Do you have a favorite piece or memory?
I first sang with Tempesta di Mare two years ago (I think!) when they collaborated with The Brandywine Singers for performances of Handelās Messiah. Julainne Baird was singing, as well as Emily Bullock and Stephen Ng. From the first rehearsal, I loved the pure chamber music being made – listening more than talking – and such a great positive energy from all the players. Iāve very much been looking forward to working with everyone again!
How do you get into character – in this case a fictional identity as a river?
I take most of my ideas from the music – of course there is text, set as recitative, so we need to think about pacing and inflection to reflect our specific rivers. But Bachās rhythms in my aria are very informative, as are the shapes of the melismas (ornamental runs on a single syllable of text). The character of my aria is very robust and noble – I will do my best to match that in my general bearing on stage, as well vocally.
River Music is all about how water shapes our experiences. Is this something you can relate to in your own life? Does water, and rivers in particular, play a role in your day-to-day?
They often say people are either āmountain peopleā or ābeach people.ā Iād hate to choose, myself, as I find both very inspiring and freeing! The idea of water, however- as something that is constant yet ever changing is beautiful and very musical. Water can take on so many characters – from tranquil to playful to menacing. Certainly many composers have been inspired by this idea.
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