The Capella of Calvin College

The Capella of Calvin College (Capella) is the concert choir of Calvin College and based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Its current conductor is Dr. Joel Navarro. In the summer of 2008, Capella earned two third prizes in the Mixed and Free Category at the 37th Florilege Vocal de Tours Competition in Tours, France. Capella is committed to engage the broad choral spectrum of every age and nation, premiering new music, and seeking and communicating transformative experience and understanding of the musical diversities of the Christian faith worldwide. It aims to serve Christ and community through music and worship that is cross-cultural, countercultural, transcultural, and contextual.

History

The Capella was founded by Prof. Seymour Swets in 1935. This combined choir became first known as the A Capella Choir and began touring in 1937. In 1942, a fifty-four voiced choir toured the East Coast and met such dignitaries as Mayor LaGuardia and Governor Lehman of New York. In 1957, Prof. Swets led the choir at the International Amphitheatre of Chicago during the centennial of the Christian Reformed Church.

Dr. Howard Slenk became Capella's second conductor in 1967. During his thirteen-year tenure, the choir became known as the Capella, based on the pattern of the German Kapella, which meant that the choir sang literature that called for accompaniment by various instruments. In avoiding the redundancy of the Capella Choir, the proper reference became, simply, Capella.

Under their tutelage, Capella performed choral literature from every historical era. The choir became known as one of the leading choirs among the Christian liberal arts colleges in the United States. Dr. Slenk brought the choir to England in 1975. While there, the Capella was asked to sing Evensong at Westminster Abbey, and subsequently invited to be the Resident Summer Choir. During this tour, Capella worked with Sir David Willcocks and sang for Herbert Howells in a private session.

Prof. Merle Mustert succeeded Dr. Slenk as Capella’s third conductor in 1981. During his tenure, the Capella continued touring the United States and Europe. Upon invitation of the Hungarian Reformed Churches, Capella visited communist Hungary in 1988. Elsewhere, the choir performed in England at Clare College in Cambridge, the Cathedral of Canterbury, and Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Church in London. Prof. Mustert led the choir at regional conventions of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) in 1987 and 1995 at Ann Arbor and Cincinnati. In 1996, the choir toured California and Arizona and made a guest appearance in Garden Grove for the Hour of Power telecast. In 2000, the choir presented a concert for the American Choral Directors Association at the Regional Convention of the Central Division. In 2001, the choir performed in Boston’s Church of the Advent and at the Church of Heavenly Rest in New York City. Prof. Mustert arranged for Capella to work with several choral luminaries such as Sir David Willcocks, John Rutter, John Alldis, Jester Hairston, and Alice Parker.

Dr. Joel Navarro was appointed Capella’s fourth full-time conductor in 2002 upon Prof. Mustert’s retirement. Bringing his extensive background in European choral competitions and festivals, Dr. Navarro sought to introduce multilingual and multicultural repertoire from across Europe, Africa, South America, and Asia to reinforce the choir’s solid hold in challenging and thoughtful repertoire across the ages. Under his leadership, the choir performed in the state convention of the Michigan ACDA in 2004; workshopped with Masako Suzuki of the Bach Collegium of Japan; and performed with Karl Hochreither of Berliner Kirchenmusikschule, Dr. Joseph Flummerfelt of Westminster Choir College, and Maestro Scott Speck of the West Shore Symphony. The choir toured in December of 2004 to sing for the Christmas Festival of Lights in Gouda and several other churches in The Netherlands and Germany. In the spring of 2006, Capella gave a series of acclaimed performances in Chicago, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis.

Among those who directed Capella during the sabbaticals of its full-time conductors were Trena Haan (1971), vocal pedagogue and therapist; Robert Talsma, erstwhile conductor of the King’s Choraliers; and Anton Armstrong (1980), now conductor of the St. Olaf College Choir. [http://www.calvin.edu/academic/music/ensemble/capella/] [http://www.florilegevocal.com/files/File/palmares_37eme_edition_GB.pdf]

Awards

Capella has performed in state (2004, 2007) and regional (1987, 1995, 2001) ACDA conventions.

In the summer of 2008, Capella toured and competed in western Europe. In addition to concerts and church services in the Netherlands and France, the Capella took part in an international vocal competition: the 37th annual Florilege Vocal de Tours Competition, in Tours, France. There were 21 choirs from 20 countries whom competed over three days in a variety of categories. The youngest choir among the competing adult choirs, the Capella bested far more experienced choirs and earned a pair of third-place medals, being so honored in both the Mixed Choirs category and the Free Program category. This was the first international choral competition for Capella. [http://www.calvin.edu/academic/music/ensemble/capella/] [http://www.florilegevocal.com/files/File/palmares_37eme_edition_GB.pdf]

Discography

Capella’s discography lists significant recordings in LPs, cassettes, and CDs under the three previous full-time conductors and which have merited a devoted following. The two-disc “2002 Spring Tour and the Music of Handel and Duruflè,” was Prof. Mustert’s valedictory CD. The choir’s fifth CD, “Jubilate!” under the direction of Dr. Navarro, was released in the fall of 2006.

"I Saw the Lord" (1999)
"2002 Spring Tour" (2002)
"Jubilate" (2006)

References