Nov
22
3:00 PM15:00

Philly Street Strings: Holiday with Strings (Guest Soloist)

As the features Mezzo-Soprano soloist, Dr. Koolman will sing beloved Alto solos “But Who May Abide” and “O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings to Zion” from Handel’s Messiah.

Indiana’s own chamber orchestra is ringing in the holiday season with a festive concert for the whole family.

On the program: Corelli’s festive Christmas Concerto, favorites from Handel’s Messiah, fun and jazzy selections from Charlie Brown’s Christmas, a Solstice Medley, + more.

Doors open at 2pm!

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Dec
6
10:00 AM10:00

2nd Week of Advent at Northminster Presbyterian Church of Indianapolis

  • Northminster Presbyterian Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Northminster Presbyterian Church of Indianapolis will offer J.S. Bach’s Jachzet, frohlocket! from his Christmas Oratorio, with orchestra under the direction of Director of Music Ministries, John Wright.

Dr. Koolman will sing the alto recit. and aria “Bereite dich, Zion.”

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Solo Guest Recital: University of North Georgia
Nov
2
7:30 PM19:30

Solo Guest Recital: University of North Georgia

Aruban American mezzo-soprano, Dr. Erin Leigh Koolman presents a recital expressing her love for art song and the written word. Starting with excerpts from Twelve Poems of Emily Dickinson, we explore how legendary North American composer Aaron Copland takes the melancholy, introspective words of poet Emily Dickinson and creates a song cycle that challenges the interpretive skills of the performer and audience alike. Continuing the theme of poetic analysis, we hear Samuel Barber’s Three Songs, Op. 45. All three, feature texts translated into the English language offering a thought-provoking exploration in finding meaning and connection with words that may not originate from our native language. Dr. Koolman shifts her recital to present a selection of songs from Colombian composer Antonio María Valencia. If we are willing to expand our musical boarders beyond the Western European canon, we will find that soaring melodies and contemplative poetry are human experiences found on all corners of the globe. While Meg March’s aria “Things change, Jo” from Mark Adamo’s Little Women doesn’t align with the art song theme of the previous selections, the conversation that Meg has with younger sister Jo, is just as reflective and heart-felt. As the eldest daughter and grandchild, Dr. Koolman has had the pleasure of watching her generation grow and follow their own paths to happiness and fulfillment. This aria explores the unconditional love of family and is the perfect ending for a recital built around the importance of language and introspection.

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Sep
6
8:00 PM20:00

The Mensch, Act 1 workshop performance (premiere)

From the website of Composer Lauren Bernofsky:

THE MENSCH is an in-progress grand opera about Sergeant Anton Schmid, an unsung hero from the Holocaust. Act I is set in Schmid's hometown of Vienna, Austria, where he runs an electrical shop. Act II takes place in Vilna, Lithuania, where he has been stationed after being drafted into the Wehrmacht. He uses his position and resources to save approxmiately 300 Jews of the Vilna ghetto, of course at great risk to himself.

This work is scored for numerous soloists and an opera chorus, including children. Lauren Bernofsky is both the composer and librettist. A piano-vocal score of Act 1 has been completed, and the finished opera will be scored for full orchestra.

For more from the composer visit their website here.

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Ainadamar (Closing Night)
Feb
11
7:30 PM19:30

Ainadamar (Closing Night)

Osvaldo Golijov’s Grammy Award Winning Opera will be presented by IU Opera and Ballet Theater. Erin will be stepping into the shoes of Federico García Lorca. Under the direction of Jeffery Buchman, the baton of David Neely, and choreographed by Rosa Mercedes, the cast will perform an artistic imagining of Margartia Xirgu’s final moments, during which she reflects on the love of her friend Lorca and the grief over his murder in the early moments of the Spanish Civil War.

Additional information, including tickets can be found here.

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Ainadamar (Opening Night)
Feb
3
7:30 PM19:30

Ainadamar (Opening Night)

Osvaldo Golijov’s Grammy Award Winning Opera will be presented by IU Opera and Ballet Theater. Erin will be stepping into the shoes of Federico García Lorca. Under the direction of Jeffery Buchman, the baton of David Neely, and choreographed by Rosa Mercedes, the cast will perform an artistic imagining of Margartia Xirgu’s final moments, during which she reflects on the love of her friend Lorca and the grief over his murder in the early moments of the Spanish Civil War.

Additional information, including tickets can be found here.

Live-streaming is provided during the first weekend. On February 3rd you can watch at 7:30 Eastern Time. Livestream Link here

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Nov
13
4:00 PM16:00

Choral Evensong

St. Paul’s Choir continues the longstanding Christian tradition of singing evening prayers. The October service will include works by John Joubert, Margaret Burk, Edward Naylor, and Gustav Holst. After the choral presentation will be a short organ recital featuring current students of Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University.

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Oct
9
4:00 PM16:00

Choral Evensong

St. Paul’s Choir continues the longstanding Christian tradition of singing evening prayers. The October service will include works by John Sheppard, Margaret Burk, K. Leighton, and H. Willan. After the choral presentation will be a short organ recital featuring current students of Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University.

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Oct
22
8:00 PM20:00

2nd Doctoral Recital: Liederabend with Erin Koolman

Round 2. This recital was originally meant to take place March of 2020, but due to Covid was postponed until now. I am thrilled to be able to perform this Liederabend alongside collaborative pianist, Claudia Santana-Nuñez. Featured in this recital is Robert Schumann’s Frauen-liebe und leben, a Fünf Lieder cycle by Alma Mahler, and another Fünf Lieder by Alexander Zemlinsky. Live streaming is provided by IUMusicLive! at the following link https://iumusiclive.music.indiana.edu .

Program Notes and Translations

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