Bella Voce (It., ''beautiful voice'') is a Chicago-based chamber chorus specializing in classical a cappella music. It has been called "Chicago's premier professional chamber choir."
"Joining in Jamestown celebration," Daily Herald, South Elgin, IL., May 9, 2007. retrieved May 14, 2007 The group was founded in 1982 by countertenor Richard Childress as ''His Majestie's Clerkes''.
Singers.com In 1990, His Majestie's Clerkes was awarded National Public Radio's Lucien Wulsin Award for best small ensemble. The group was renamed in 2001. The group's performances are usually of early and contemporary European music. Originally performing music of the English

Tudor period The Tudor period occurred between 1485 and 1603 in England and Wales and includes the Elizabethan period during the reign of Elizabeth I until 1603. The Tudor period coincides with the dynasty of the House of Tudor in England that began with t ...

, the name ''Bella Voce'' was chosen as the performances of ''His Majestie's Clerkes'' took on broader interests. Noted guest conductors of the group have included

Sir David Willcocks Sir David Valentine Willcocks, (30 December 1919 – 17 September 2015) was a British choral conductor, organist, composer and music administrator. He was particularly well known for his association with the Choir of King's College, Cambridg ...

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Simon Preston Simon John Preston (4 August 1938 – 13 May 2022) was an English organist, conductor, and composer.
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and Alice Parker. In 1990, HMC was awarded NPR's Lucien Wulsin Award for best small ensemble Bela Voce won the Alice Parker-ASCAP-Chorus America Award for adventurous programming in 2004. The group has released many CDs of choral music. It has been described as "an innovative and superbly polished a cappella ensemble." Like other classical music ensembles, it has experienced funding difficulties, alleviated in part by grants from organizations sponsoring the arts. The group was led for many years by Anne Heider, artistic director, and Tamara Schupman, managing director. Heider is a choral conductor at the

Roosevelt University Roosevelt University is a Private school, private university with campuses in Chicago and Schaumburg, Illinois, Schaumburg, Illinois. Founded in 1945, the university was named in honor of United States President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Frankli ...

's ''

Chicago College of Performing Arts Chicago College of Performing Arts is a performing arts college that is housed at Roosevelt University in Chicago, Illinois, United States. While the school is officially a part of Roosevelt University, it has its own distinct personality. The ...

'', sings alto with the Chicago

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singers and researches shape-note singing related to the Midwest. Schupman is a Choral Assistant for the Northwest Bach Festival, and a member of the Chamber Singers of Chicago.

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music critic John von Rhein praised the group's "fine musicianship, careful blending of voices, burnished sound and stylistic versatility' as exhibited on their 2006 CD "American A Capella," recorded from concerts in 2004 and 2005. Following Heider's retirement, Andrew Lewis became the artistic director, starting with the 2005–06 season. Lewis is musical director of the

Elgin Elgin may refer to: Places Canada * Elgin County, Ontario * Elgin Settlement, a 19th-century community for freed slaves located in present-day North Buxton and South Buxton, Chatham-Kent, Ontario * Elgin, a village in Rideau Lakes, Ontario ...

Choral Union, a former artistic director of the Lutheran Choir of Chicago, founder and artistic director of The Janus Ensemble, and cantor of Immanuel Lutheran Church of

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. He also is a member of the conducting faculty at the University of Illinois, Chicago.

Chicago Sun Times The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has the second largest circulation among Chicago newspapers, after the ''Chicago T ...

critic Dorothy Andries described the sound of Bella Voce under Lewis as "like honey, rich and shining, with soprano voices soaring above the altos, tenors and basses, like light through darkness." Von Rhein praised the group in 2007 as "singing with the pure tone, clear vowels and firm blend of an English cathedral choir" and said that "melodic leaps, intricately laced part-writing and other musical hurdles were met most handsomely by the 23-member chorus."
Von Rhein, John, "Double helping of choral delight; Bella Voce rates notch above Chicago a cappella in weekend performances." Chicago Tribune, April 17, 2007. Retrieved May 14, 2007

References

External links

Bella Voce home pageArt of the States: His Majestie's Clerkes
{{Authority control Musical groups established in 1982 A cappella musical groups Musical groups from Chicago 1982 establishments in Illinois