Choral group to perform at Christ Episcopal Kinnara Ensemble brings 32 singers to this event

By Laurie Gordon
NEWTON — Christ Episcopal Church will host the choral group The Kinnara Ensemble this Sunday, April 2 at 4 pm. The audience will be treated to a performance that will include works by Brahms, Poulenc and Ginastera.
The mission of the Kinnara Ensemble is to “engage the public in exemplary choral experiences that speak to the modern soul.” The Ensemble, is a professional choir based in the Princeton, New Jersey, area and musicians hail from all over the country for a week of residency together as they rehearse for each concert series.
J.D. Burnett, DMA, the group's artistic director and associate director of Choral Activities at The University of Georgia said, “We are very much looking forward to singing at Christ Church Newton, having sung there three prior times. We are connected to Christ Church through several of our singers- most notably Allison Mello and Cory Klose.”
Mello is the daughter of Joe and Debra Mello, who have served at Christ Church for many years.
“It's a beautiful room to sing in, and we always love coming there,” Burnett said.
Vocalists in the Kinnara Ensemble also perform with other professional groups, such as Conspirare, Seraphic Fire, Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Handel & Haydn Society, and Skylark Ensemble.
Of the Ensemble's program, Provenance, Burnett said, “It will be recorded next week and released as our first commercial recording. It will be released on the Affetto label, and distributed internationally through Naxos.”
Burnett explained that the word "provenance" means "origins." He said the name is "is symbolic of our journey as an ensemble and organization over the last nine years. Next year is our tenth season, and the CD will be released during that time. The repertoire is all selected from past programs, and will include some virtuosic choral music by Brahms, Ginastera, and Lassus and some lighter hymns and folk songs.”
There are 32 singers for this concert hailing from (literally) all across the country: the very finest professional choral singers in the U.S. Burnett said, “It promises to be very special. I think the people of Newton and Sussex County will find this a real treat- to have a world-class professional ensemble in their town for a lovely concert! I can't wait.”
Christ Church is well known for its musical program which is directed by Joe Mello. His wife, Deborah Mello, directs the Children's Choir. The Mellos came to the church in 1979 and have been instrumental in bringing in many brilliant musical groups including the Kinnara.
Christ Church is located at 62 Main Street (on the corner of Church and Main Streets) in Newton and the concert is open to the public. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at the door. For further information about the Ensemble, visit www.kinnaraensemble.org/. For further information about Christ Church, visit <URL destination="http://christchurchnewton.org/ ">christchurchnewton.org/