News Release

Contact: Jennifer Bauer
612-547-1459
jbauer@vocalessence.org

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (October 21, 2009) – VocalEssence and the American Composers Forum are pleased to announce the two winners of the 12th annual Welcome Christmas Carol Contest. This year, the contest sought new carols for chorus and viola. Carols composed by Michael J. Glasgow (Raleigh, NC) and Robert Sieving (Minnetonka, MN) were selected from a total of 41 scores received from 23 states. In addition to having their works premiered by VocalEssence at the 2009 Welcome Christmas concerts, each composer will receive a $1,000 prize.

“Welcome the King,” by Michael J. Glasgow celebrates Christ’s birth, foreshadows his crucifixion and resurrection, and interweaves prophesy, doubt, and ultimately, hope. Glasgow explains, “I believe that a Christmas carol should have a touch of melancholy sadness in it, a foreshadowing of what’s ahead. The rich, haunting quality of the viola is the perfect accompaniment in both sorrow and joy.”  Michael J. Glasgow has written numerous choral, orchestral, and handbell compositions.  He earned first prize in the 2006 Soundprint Productions composition contest with his jazz handbell piece, “Celerity”; he was also awarded first prize in the Bells of Sound “Three Ring Circus” composition contest for his piece “Bumping Noses.”  Glasgow earned a Master of Church Music degree in both choral and handbell music from Concordia University in Wisconsin.
 
Robert Sieving (b. 1942) composed “See, Amid the Winter’s Snow” based on a poem by Edward Caswell (1814–1878), an Anglican clergyman and hymn writer who converted to Roman Catholicism. Sieving states, “The simple structure of Edward Caswall’s poem provided a welcome framework upon which to try my hand at creating a Christmas carol, as all my previous efforts in approaching the genre have been as an arranger.” He is a Minneapolis-based composer/arranger, following a career as a high school and college choral music educator.  Sieving is a past president of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) of Minnesota and a recipient of the ACDA of Minnesota Conductor of the Year Award and the VocalEssence Award for Creative Programming. 

The new carols for 2009 will be premiered at the VocalEssence Welcome Christmas concerts at Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis (Dec. 6 and 13), Normandale Lutheran Church in Edina, MN (Dec. 11), and Trinity Lutheran Church in Stillwater, MN (Dec. 12). For ticket information, call 612-371-5656 or visit www.vocalessence.org. Welcome Christmas 2009 will be recorded by Minnesota Public Radio for national distribution in 2010 by American Public Media.
 
For additional press information, contact Jennifer Bauer,
612-547-1459 or jbauer@vocalessence.org.

Composer Biographies

A native of Detroit, award-winning composer Michael J. Glasgow has written numerous choral, orchestral, and handbell compositions.  In 2001, his Requiem premiered at North Raleigh United Methodist Church with full orchestra and choir, while two of his musical plays were premiered in Charleston by the Sottile Theatre.  Michael earned first prize in the 2006 Soundprint Productions composition contest with his jazz handbell piece, “Celerity”; he was also awarded first prize in the Bells of Sound “Three Ring Circus” composition contest for his piece “Bumping Noses.” In addition to composing, Michael serves as full-time Minister of Music at North Raleigh United Methodist Church; as Bass Section Leader for the North Carolina Master Chorale under Dr. Alfred Sturgis; and is the Choral Conductor for the Tar River Orchestra and Chorus (Rocky Mount, NC).  He holds a B.A. degree from the College of Charleston (SC) and a Master of Church Music degree (summa cum laude) in both choral and handbell music from Concordia University in Wisconsin.

Robert Sieving (b. 1942) is a Minneapolis-based composer/arranger following a career as a high school and college choral music educator.  In addition to his choral activities he also writes music for strings, particularly in the area of string education and development. He is a past president of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) of Minnesota and a recipient of the ACDA of Minnesota Conductor of the Year Award and the Plymouth Music Series (now VocalEssence) Award for Creative Programming.  Mr. Sieving’s works are listed in and may be seen and heard in a number of publisher’s catalogs and on their interactive web sites.

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