Second (20th) Anniversary Concert

Jan Wilke's O God, thou art my God was first performed at the choir's second anniversary concert.

 

Graduation Ceremony 2010

The Anglistenchor accompanied the graduation ceremony in the Alte Aula of the Anglistische Seminar on June 12, 2010.

Amongst other pieces, I was Glad by C. Hubert Parry, and Ave Maria and Benedictus by Edward Elgar were performed.

 

Metropolis 2010

The 9th International Festival Silent Movie and Live Music at the German-American Institute Heidelberg was opened on January 29 2010 with Fritz Lang's Metropolis in a new score composed by Jan Wilke and Clayton Bowman, performed by the Anglistenchor Heidelberg and instrumentalists of the Musikhochschule Mannheim.

These are some excerpts from the premiere:

• Im Zentrum der Macht (Kapitel 8)
• Der Maschinenmensch (Kapitel 14)
• Verfolgung (Kapitel 18)
• Freder im Dom (Kapitel 19)
• Transformation (Kapitel 21)
• Die Zerstörung der Herzmaschine (Kapitel 26-27)
• Schluss (Kapitel 33)

Hyperion

In February 2009 the Anglistenchor gave the first performance of "Hyperion" by American composer Phil Acimovic:

 

Hyperion
after the poem by John Keats

1. In the shady sadness (2:28, 3,3 MB)
   
2. Where is Saturn? (1:38, 2,2 MB)
   
3. Cannot I Create? (1:42, 2,3 MB)
   
4. Hyperion (1:53, 2,5 MB)
   
5. Am I Too to Fall? (2:14, 3 MB)
   
6. Awaiting Hyperion's Command (2:21, 3,2 MB)
   
7. Into the Deep Night (3:45, 5,1 MB)
   

 

The Anglistenchor interviewed Composer Phil Acimovic about the Premiere of his work Hyperion on the 13th and 14th of February 2009

 

Let us start with some questions about you: where do you come from, what did you study?

I am from Boston and studied composition as well as musicology, theory and piano.

 

When did you start composing music, what got you into music in the first place?

When I was 16 or 17 years old I started to compose music. Still, I did not know that I wanted to become a musician and composer. I made that decision several years later.

 

What is your connection with Germany and in particular with this region, how did the project with the Anglistenchor come about?

I studied for one semester in the music conservatory in Mannheim. It was a great experience. I got to know Clayton Bowman, the conductor of the Anglistenchor in that year as well. Last year we spoke about the Anglistenchor and decided that the choir would be a good ensemble to compose a piece for.

 

Did you compose a choral piece before?

Hyperion is my first work for choir.

 

How long did it take you to write Hyperion?

It took about three months.

 

How do you like the context your piece is performed in (Copeland, Butler)?

Every piece is quite different, however they work well together. It is also an honor for me to be on a program with these other composers, in particular Copland.

 

Do you have any plans for another choral piece?

Yes, sure. After I heard Hyperion for the first time I suddenly started to get many new ideas for choir music.

 

Where is Clayton?

No clue.