Iowa ensemble takes sounds of home on road

DES MOINES, Ia. – The Des Moines Vocal Arts Ensemble and Dr. Timothy A. McMillin proudly present “En Route: A Traveling Celebration,” with performances on Saturday, February 20, at 7:30 p.m. on the campus of Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln, Neb., and on Sunday, February 21, at 2:00 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Hastings, Neb.

The concerts will feature works from Iowa native, Ben Allaway, as well as long-time artistic director of the Nebraska Choral Arts Society, Z. Randall Stroope. The ensemble will share Saturday evening’s stage with the Lincoln Civic Choir, under the direction of Dr. William Wyman. Admission to all concerts is free.

The program appropriately centers on the themes of travel and home.

“There are multiple representations of each concept,” said McMillin, the ensemble’s artistic director. “From the spiritual home found in the song, ‘Precious Lord,’ to the more immediate home found in Mark Hayes’ arrangement of ‘Home on the Range,’ the performance is filled with sacred and secular selections that promise to be simultaneously entertaining and sumptuous.”

McMillin accepted the position of artistic director in the fall of 2008, and under his leadership, the community-based auditioned choir from Iowa’s capital city has continued to find unique ways to share its music with local constituents, as well as those a little further afield.

“We are excited for this opportunity not only to interact with other fine choirs in the region, but also to convey our love for music and the sense of community it brings,” McMillin said.

Concert Repertoire:

• Britten: Hymn to the Virgin
• Kverno: Ave Maris Stella
• Allaway: My Soul is a River
• Allaway: Kyrie on "Logan Dell"
• Allaway: Angus Dei: The Lambs of Belfast
• Barber: Reincarnations
  • Mary Hynes
  • Anthony O'Daly
  • The Coolin
• Paulus: The Road Home
• Paulus: Pilgrims' Hymn
• Hayes: Home on the Range
• Whitacre: Water Night
• Stroope: Homeland
• Quick: Loch Lomond
• Paulus/Sevier: Precious Lord
  

The Des Moines Vocal Arts Ensemble was established in 1992 as a community-based choir that seeks to provide serious musicians with opportunities to pursue excellence in a variety of choral literature and styles that are not otherwise available, to share this music with the community, to encourage the musical development of our youth, and to foster cooperation with other fine arts organizations. The 30- to 40-member choir consists of auditioned adult singers of various ages, backgrounds and occupations from the Greater Des Moines area. To find out more, please visit www.dmvae.org.

Timothy A. McMillin accepted the position of Artistic Director for the Des Moines Vocal Arts Ensemble in the fall of 2008. In addition to his work with the DMVAE, Tim is Director of Choral Activities at Simpson College, where he directs three choral ensembles, is on the voice faculty and teaches classes in conducting, music literature and choral studies. Dr. McMillin is also the Director of Music at St. Timothy's Episcopal Church in West Des Moines where he conducts the St. Timothy's Choir and coordinates the musical aspects of the parish's worship experience.

Dr. McMillin earned his DMA in Choral Conducting at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. He completed a Bachelor of Music degree at Simpson College and a Master of Arts degree in Music Education with a choral emphasis at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. His professional affiliations include ACDA , where he currently serves as Repertoire and Standards Chair for Four-Year Colleges and Universities for the Iowa Chapter (ICDA), NCCO, CMS and NATS.