History
On September 23, 1981, several members of the Carmel
Bach Festival Chorus met to discuss the idea of forming an independent choral group on
the Monterey Peninsula. From the beginning, the
emphasis was on gathering together quality singers who would be dedicated to the pursuit
of excellence in choral performance.
The charter group of 27 singers began the search for a Musical Director who would meet
their high performance standards. They found Dr. Sal Ferrantelli, new
to the Monterey Peninsula and the music department at Monterey
Peninsula College. Dr. Ferrantelli's love of choral music, his extensive knowledge of
choral literature, his sensitivity to both the technical and emotional dimensions of the
music, and his high expectations for artistic mastery were a good match for the group.
The singers chose a name I Cantori di Carmel and gave their inaugural concert
on March 28, 1982. The first program included several 16th and 17th
century madrigals and motets and selections from works by Mozart, Mendelssohn, Schubert,
Brahms and Fauré. The review of that concert by Scott MacClelland, then music critic for
the Monterey Herald, set the tone of critical acclaim for which the group has since been
known. He described the performance as "displaying clear articulation, true
intonation and, more important, vital spirit, with Ferrantelli leading with vivid
attention to shape, phrase and dynamics, and an abiding commitment to his art."
In the next few years the members established a formal structure for the organization.
A Board of Directors was selected and By-Laws were developed, with a mandate for annual
election of Board positions by the membership.
The group grew in size and was eventually limited to approximately 60 members. The
semi-annual concerts have embraced choral/orchestral selections from the Renaissance,
baroque, classical, romantic, and contemporary periods. Major works performed have been
Mozart's Requiem, Beethoven's Mass in C Major, Haydn's Lord
Nelson Mass and Theresa Mass, Handel's Messiah, Brahms's Deutsches
Requiem, J. S. Bach's Magnificat, and Verdi's Te Deum.
Other works have included Vivaldi's Gloria; J. S. Bach's Cantatas
nos. 106 and 150; Handel's Coronation Anthems nos. 2 and 4 and Chandos
Anthems; Britten's Te Deum, Jubilate Deo, and A
Ceremony of Carols; opera choruses by Verdi; and additional works by Brahms,
Bruckner, Rutter, and Mendelssohn.
In 1994, I Cantori undertook a successful summer concert tour of Great Britain. We
performed in St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, Salisbury Cathedral, Worcester Cathedral,
Ripon Cathedral, Great St. Mary's Church in Cambridge, and St. James's Church, Piccadilly,
in London. We were invited to share a concert in Harrow with the Apollo Male Voice Choir,
and joined with choruses from around the world to participate in the International Church
Music Festival at St. Michael's Cathedral in Coventry.
In the summer of 1997, I Cantori made its second European concert
tour. We sang the music for masses in Florence and Strasbourg, and also performed both
formal and informal concerts in Darmstadt, Innsbruck, Salzburg, Vienna, and Venice.
Since then, we have completed three more tours in Europe.
Dr. Sal Ferrantelli
is professor of choral music at Monterey
Peninsula College, where he has taught since 1981. He has led I Cantori di Carmel
from its inception. An arranger and composer as well as educator, conductor,
and singer, Dr. Ferrantelli is a member of the American Choral Directors
Association and has performed with the Robert Shaw Choral Workshop. He
received his bachelor and master of arts degrees from San Diego State
University and his doctorate in music from Indiana University. San Diego
State University recently honored him as their Music Alumnus of the Year,
1996.
Pauline Thomas Troia has a wide range of experience in choral accompaniment, chamber
music, opera, musical theater, and symphony performance. She studied piano at the
Conservatory of the Chicago Musical College under Rudolf Ganz, and at Northwestern
University. Pauline has been the accompanist for I Cantori since 1991.
Return
to I Cantori Homepage
Page last updated
09/26/2007