What's Happening in Colchester, VT…

Each year, the Green Mountain Mahler Festival performs Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony to celebrate the new year here in Colchester. The symphony’s fourth movement is the famous “Ode to Joy” and marks the first time a composer used vocalists in a symphonic work.

Daniel Bruce will be conducting the orchestra, chorus, and soloists, who are Erik Kroncke, Kartik Ayysola, Nessa Rabin, and Stefanie Weigand.

Bass Erik Kroncke has appeared with companies including Opera Colorado, and Sarasota Opera where he has played roles such as Leporello in “Don Giovanni.”

Karik Ayysola is a tenor who has undertaken roles such as Orpheus in “Orpheus in the Underworld” by Offenbach, produced at Longwood Opera; and Monostatos in Mozart’s “Die Zauberflöte.”

Nessa Rabin is a voice actor and opera singer who has performed throughout the world for the last 40 years. She toured North Africa and Europe with Bread & Puppet Theater when she was seven years of age.

Stefanie Weigand is on the voice faculty of the University of Vermont, and is a vocalist, pianist, and conductor. She has served as music director for organizations such as the Vermont Philharmonic and the Burlington Civic Symphony.

This year, the orchestra will perform the symphony twice, on January 1 at 3.00 pm, and January 2, at 7.00 pm. The venue is the Elley-Long Music Center, and proceeds will help support the Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity. Events like this benefit from advertisements, which organizers can provide using poster printing.