Continued...
After completing master’s degrees in music education and voice, I joined the faculty at Plymouth State College in Plymouth, New Hampshire. I performed in solo and collaborative recitals with other faculty members, and appeared as a soloist with New England choruses and orchestras.

At the suggestion of Susan Clickner, my voice teacher at the New England Conservatory, I moved to Boston, where I became a soloist and member of several of the most acclaimed musical groups in the city: The Boston Camerata, Cantata Singers, Emmanuel Music, and Cambridge Opera Theater. I taught voice part-time at Brandeis University, where I also occasionally was asked to give premiere performances of works by new composers.

I was getting classical musical experience that was arguably without equal in the country, but I also wanted to sing songs in other styles - from the American songbook, musicals and jazz. So, along with my classical work, I started performing a series of lead roles in Boston theaters: Guenevere in Camelot, Rosabella in Most Happy Fella, Abigail Adams in 1776, and Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance.

After a few years of very satisfying and diverse musical work, and a part-time real job on the side, I saw that my musician’s budget wouldn’t allow for many things I wanted, so I became a dual career professional. I became a high technology sale executive and was able to purchase a home in Boston, be relocated with the company to Jacksonville, Florida, and most recently back to my home state of Minnesota. I devoted myself to my new career, and was a little relieved to stop practicing for a few years.

But, once I settled in Jacksonville, I brought singing back into my life. I sang with the Jacksonville Symphony, performed solo classical music recitals at the University of North Florida, and I gave my first popular song concert, The Songs of George and Ira Gershwin. I felt fortunate to be singing in all the styles of music that I loved.


Galway Bay
When I returned to Minnesota, the people who “knew me when” wanted to hear the Irish songs I was raised with. After performing them many times with pianist, Tim O’Neill, we decided to record Galway Bay, 18 Irish Favorites. What a wonderful freedom it was to be able to perform for people without always having to appear publicly!

Personnel: Jim Johnson, Producer-Arranger, and Twin Cities based musicians: pianist Tim O’Neill, guitarist Dean Magraw, and Tim Lyles, synthesizer and acoustic backgrounds.

To enlarge upon my Irish immersion, I taught two courses that I developed for the Compleat Scholar program at the University of Minnesota: Music in Ireland's History, and Mythical Legends of Ireland. I also spoke to The Irish Heritage Society about Enchanted Ireland: Irish Mythology and Folklore, and hosted a tour group to Ireland. We saw the sights during the day and sang Irish songs in the evening. Irish songs are popular any time of year, and I generally include at least one in any performance where it’s appropriate.

I was honored to be able to repeat The Songs of George and Ira Gershwin concert with the esteemed Minnesota jazz pianist, Jeanne Arland Peterson. She was also a special guest during my 2001 course about the Gershwins at the University of Minnesota.


Abide With Me
For my second album I recorded some of my favorite sacred classics; Abide With Me was released in September 2002:

Personnel: Jim Johnson, Producer-Arranger, and Twin Cities based musicians: pianist John Carlson, guitarists Dave Malmberg and Jim Johnson, singers Paul Marino and Phil Reesnes, and Tim Lyles, synthesizer and acoustic backgrounds.

This is a very popular album; I’m invited to sing selections from it at many public and family centered events. Most of these beautiful songs can be considered universal in their appeal and ability to inspire people of varied spiritual persuasions. The message that I wrote for the liner notes summed up my feelings about the album:

These are songs for all our seasons; they soar with us in celebration, lift us when we falter, comfort us in sorrow, and speak for us, when we’re no longer able, on our final journey home.


NOEL
Now it’s the 2004 holiday season, and I’m proud to present my third album NOEL, Christmas Classics. It includes seven sacred and seven secular holiday songs, all done with simple accompaniments by the same production/musical team that appeared on Abide With Me.

Personnel: Jim Johnson, Producer-Arranger, and Twin Cities based musicians: pianist John Carlson, guitarist Dave Malmberg, and Tim Lyles, synthesizer and acoustic backgrounds.

For years I kept a wish list of holiday classics that I wanted to record; most of them made it to the album, but a few were new ideas. The Irish shops asked me to include at least one Irish song, and I was having a hard time finding one. Jim, the producer, found Wexford Carol. When I played the tune on the piano, I remembered the song, recorded by Julie Andrews, on an old Firestone Christmas album. It was my favorite song on that recording.

My music education required lots of study of languages, so, if I perform or record a song originally written in another language, I like to sing at least one verse of the song in its original language. On NOEL there are original language verses for: Silent Night (German), O Come Little Children (German), A La Nanita Nana (Spanish) and O Holy Night (French). Please check the lyrics on my website for the translations. When I sing in the original language of a song, I feel close to the composer and lyricist and the intended meaning of their song. It feels more personal.

For example, when I recorded Abide With Me, I was torn between recording Schubert’s Ave Maria in German or Latin. Everyone is familiar with the Latin version, but Schubert’s inspiration for writing the music, and the words he set to music, were a section of a German translation of Sir Walter Scott’s very popular poem, The Lady of the Lake. It was someone else that subsequently applied the Latin prayer, Hail Mary, to the melody. I decided not to choose, and put both versions on the recording.

My performances now grow out of public familiarity with my albums. Please check my Calendar on the website to see where I’ll be appearing throughout the holiday season. This page will be updated as new dates are set. All of my albums will be available at events.

The theme of NOEL and my Christmas performances is: Peace in Your Heart at Christmas


Very early in the NOEL recording process I researched the background of each song I had selected: the composers, lyricists, and the circumstances surrounding each song’s composition. I realized that several of the songs were written during previous times of conflict in the world. They are instilled with messages of comfort and longing that are as pertinent today as they ever were.

My personal message to listeners, which is on the back page of the CD booklet, is Peace in Your Heart. For those of us who would like to make a difference in our own quiet, daily way, we might remember that all peace starts within us as individuals. In our own behavior is the seed of the dream of all mankind: Peace on Earth, Good Will to Men.

Happy Holidays to you and yours….

Rosanne

Rosanne's CD's are available at cdbaby.com

Rosanne Halloran
P.O. Box 16103
Minneapolis, MN 55416