TREBLE CHOIR OF HOUSTON
AT CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL
CIRCLESONG
Bob Chilcott | Houston Chamber Choir | Treble Choir of Houston
A work filled with ambition, Circlesong is a musical portrayal of the human life cycle as captured in the indigenous poetry of North America. Composed by Bob Chilcott and based on poetry from the Chinook, Comanche, Dakota, Eskimo, Iroquois, Kwakiutl, Navajo, Ojibwa, Pueblo, Seminole, Sioux, and Yaqui traditions, the thirteen movements, in seven parts, mark the different stages of life, from birth and childhood to adulthood, middle age and death. With energetic percussion accompaniment, climactic moments for tutti choir, tender unaccompanied passages and solo song, Circlesong is a work of impressive drama, variety, and depth, performed here by the Grammy® Award winning Houston Chamber Choir under Robert Simpson and the Treble Choir of Houston led by Marianna Parnas-Simpson.
UPCOMING EVENTS, SERVICES & PERFORMANCES
ONGOING
SEPTEMBER 6, 2022
AUDITIONS FOR 2022-2023 SEASON
We are always eager to welcome new singers to our choir family! Please visit our Audition page for more information and download an application today!
2022-2023 ORIENTATION & PARENT MEETING
Join us on September 6th for the first Tuesday gathering of our 2022-2023 Season.
FEATURED MEDIA
"The Treble Choir of Houston is a first-rate group of young singers...Their sound is a fusion of all that is best in the North American and European traditions. They sing so musically and are mentored beautifully by their Director and Founder, Marianna Parnas-Simpson."
Bob Chilcott
Composer
ABOUT THE CHOIR
The Treble Choir of Houston at Christ Church Cathedral is an acclaimed ensemble of young women, grades 6-12, that provides outstanding musical training in a nurturing environment. Coming from widely diverse backgrounds, these young women are united in their pursuit of musical excellence.
The Choir's mission is to help each singer realize her full potential as a person and as a musician. Self-esteem, confidence, and leadership skills are cultivated through an environment of love, respect and support.
The Treble Choir was founded in 2006 by Marianna Parnas-Simpson. The Ensemble performs widely in the community and also serves as the resident children's choir at Christ Church Cathedral (Episcopal), Houston. Some of the Choir's performance highlights include Carnegie Hall, the International Choral Festival in Powell River, British Columbia, and the Washington National Cathedral. Treble Choir of Houston was named the finalist of the 2021 National American Prize Competition in Youth Choir Division. The Treble Choir is extremely proud of its association with the Houston Chamber Choir and the opportunities it has had to participate in many of its projects, including the 2020 recording of Bob Chilcott's Circlesong album with Signum Classics.
FOUNDER & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
MARIANNA PARNAS-SIMPSON
Marianna Parnas-Simpson is a graduate of the St. Petersburg Conservatory, Russia. She was the founder of KAMERTON, an award-winning St. Petersburg girls’ choir which she directed for ten years before coming to the United States. Since 1999, Ms. Simpson has taught at Parker Elementary School, a Houston ISD magnet school for music, where she has developed the choral program from 30 to 250 students. Parker Music Program received a Grammy® Award in 2002. In 2005, Ms. Simpson was named Teacher of the Year. From 2008 to 2010, Ms. Simpson served as the Artistic Director of the American Boychoir summer program in Princeton, New Jersey.
In 2006, Ms. Simpson founded the Treble Choir of Houston at Christ Church Cathedral. Her choirs have performed at Carnegie Hall and with the Houston Symphony Orchestra. They have been selected to perform at the national convention of the American Choral Directors Association, Texas Music Educators convention, Organization of American Kodaly Educators multiple times. In 2020, Parker Elementary School chorus was awarded 2nd place in the American Prize National Competition (Youth Choirs Division). Ms. Simpson is in demand as a clinician and guest conductor, offering masterclasses and conducting honor choirs throughout the United States and abroad. Additionally, she is a founding member of the Grammy® Award-winning Houston Chamber Choir. She recorded six CDs distributed by MSR and Signum labels.
ACCOMPANIST
MATTHEW DION
Matthew Dion, is a native of Somerset Massachusetts and a M.M. candidate in Sacred Music (organ) at the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music where he studies organ with Daryl Robinson. He also serves as a musicology teaching assistant under Dr. Matthew Dirst, department chair.
Matthew received his Bachelor of Music degree in Organ and a Minor in Music History at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Oberlin OH where he studied organ with Dr. Jonathan Moyer, James David Christie, and Arvid Gast.
His other teachers include Jean-Baptiste Robin, Dr. Steven Young, Madeleine Grace, and Normand Gingras for organ; Erik Thompson for piano; Mark Edwards for harpsichord and continuo; Dr. Steven Plank and Dr. James O’Leary for Musicology; and Dr. Tiffany Chang for conducting.
Some notable performance venues include; Old West Church, Boston MA, Kings Chapel, Boston MA, Village Church UCC, Wellesley MA, Grace Episcopal Church, Providence RI, Saint Anne's Church and Shrine, Fall River MA, Saint Anthony's Church, New Bedford MA, Saint Mary's Church, Newport RI, Saint Stanislaus Church, Cleveland OH, Trinity Lutheran Church, Cleveland OH, Church of the Covenant, Cleveland OH, and Olmsted Community Church, Olmsted Falls OH.
While Matthew's repertoire varies significantly, he specializes in the music of North German composers of the 17th and 18th centuries, French Classical Music of the 17th and 18th centuries, and 20th Century French music, especially the music of blind French composer and organist Jean Langlais. Matthew is considered one of the young leaders in the United States of the performance of his music.
Matthew is a 2019 winner of the Audrey Mollard Scholarship for Organ from the Tuesday Musical Association in Akron OH. He is also a 2019 Second prize winner of the AGO RCYO/Quimby Organ Competition (chapter round) held in Boston Massachusetts. Matthew is a 2015-16 recipient of the YOI (Young Organists Initiative) Scholarship from the Boston Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.
Appointed in September 2021, Matthew serves as Organ Scholar at Christ Church Cathedral (Episcopal) in Houston Texas. In addition to his duties as organist at the Cathedral, he also serves at accompanist of the Treble Choir of Houston. Most recently, Matthew served as organist and director of "Music under the Steeple" concert series at First Presbyterian Church in Huron OH.
He serves as sub-dean for the Southeastern Massachusetts Chapter of the American Guild of Organists term running from 2021-2023.
In his spare time, Matthew enjoys traveling, cooking, rollercoasters, spending time with his dog, an English Cocker Spaniel named Elizabeth, and his pet fish William Byrd.
CONTACT US
REHEARSALS
Tuesdays: 5pm - 7pm
Monthly Saturday: 10am - 12pm
SUPPORT US
Now giving is even easier! Make an online tax-deductible donation to the Treble Choir of Houston at Christ Church Cathedral.
The Treble Choir of Houston is unique amongst Houston's Youth and Children's choirs in offering the highest quality musical training and experience without charging tuition.
We strive to keep annual fees low for families, limiting out of pocket expenses to cover the cost of concert dresses, and food provided for the choir. Our goal is to be accessible to all singers and families and spread the love of choral music without financial barriers.
Your generous support can help in our mission, enable participation and program growth.
Thank you for you generous support of the Treble Choir!
You may also send a check, payable to Christ Church Cathedral and reference Treble Choir of Houston in the memo line of your check.
Send your tax deductible donation to:
Christ Church Cathedral
1117 Texas Avenue
Houston, TX 77002