Dec. 24, 2014

The Northern Adirondack Vocal Ensemble will give two performances of a Festival of Lessons and Carols.

Anthems, carols, and hymns illuminate the Christmas story along with community readers and congregational singing in the tradition of King's College, Cambridge:
• Dec. 27 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Peter's Church in Plattsburgh
• Dec. 28 at 4:00 p.m. at St. Agnes Church in Lake Placid

NAVE, under the musical direction of Andrew M. Benware, is a mixed chamber choir of professional and amateur singers who perform choral music from a variety of periods and styles with harmonies of four to eight parts.

NAVE's membership is indicative of its nomenclature, “Northern Adirondack,” being comprised of membership from points in Clinton, Essex, and Franklin counties. Distinct from other choral groups in the region, NAVE is essentially an a cappella chamber choir focusing on the rich and historical repertoire composed specifically for chamber choir unaccompanied by instruments.

NAVE's Festival of Lessons and Carols follows the traditional model of those performed annually on Christmas Eve (since 1928) at King's College Chapel in Cambridge, England.

The customary format is built around nine short Bible readings from the Old and New Testaments that trace the story of the fall of humanity and the promise of a Messiah to the birth of Jesus. Anthems, carols, and hymns are liberally interspersed throughout to musically illuminate the narrative.

Community members will read the texts, which include passages from Genesis and the Gospels, as well as a contemporary poem, "Annunciation," by Denise Levertov. The audience is invited to join with the choir in congregational singing accompanied by University of Notre Dame organist and Potsdam native Benjamin A. Stone.

Admission is a suggested donation of $10. Further information is available on Facebook or from drew.benware@gmail.com.

Benware is currently the Director of Choral Activities at Saranac Lake High School, where he conducts the Festival Chorus, Concert Choir, Men's Ensemble, Women's Ensemble, and teaches small group vocal instruction.
Additionally, Benware has served as Lecturer in the field of Music Education at the Ithaca College School of Music in Ithaca, where he taught summer graduate courses in Band Methods as well as conducting the Summer Graduate Choir and Band.

Benware is active as a lecturer and clinician, having recently presented at the NYSSMA Winter Conference in Rochester, and is in demand as a guest conductor for honors ensembles throughout New York State.

He is also active as a performer, taking part in the Upstate New York Chorus (UNYC) and as a church musician, holding positions at both St. Bernard's and St. Agnes Catholic Churches in Saranac Lake and Lake Placid, respectively.

He holds both a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education with a concentration on the Trumpet and a Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from the Ithaca College School of Music