When the Greenbrier Valley Chorale presented the West Virginia premiere of Elaine Hagenberg’s Illuminare in their 2025 spring concert, little did they imagine that in a little over a year, nine of the singers and Artistic Director Barbara Lutz would take part in a performance of that work at Carnegie Hall in New York.
The experience was something they will never forget.
The performance on June 8 was part of Carnegie Hall’s Masterworks Series, through which qualified ensembles collaborate on major choral works alongside a renowned guest conductor, the New York City Chamber Orchestra and professional soloists.
“It was a bucket list item for most of us. For me, performing at Carnegie in New York only hadn’t made my bucket list because I never considered it possible,” commented long-time Chorale member Bob Thompson. “I found the experience of singing at Carnegie to be life-alteringly cool,” agreed Eric Fritizus.
Michelle Hughes echoed their sentiments, stating “When we sang Illuminare the first time, I loved it. I never dreamed that we’d be able to sing it on the stage of the Carnegie Hall in New York. It was an exhilarating experience that I will never forget.”
The singers traveled to New York by train from Charlottesville and had three rehearsals with director Dr. Derrick Fox, who received high marks for his skill in melding together a large group of singers who have never performed together into a cohesive ensemble.
“Thanks to the extraordinary coaching, teaching, and educational experience with our very own highly skilled choral conductor, Barbara Lutz, we were well prepared to be among our fellow singers,” noted Mary Thompson.
Lutz often spends time during rehearsals moving singers around to achieve the optimum blend of voices. Thompson was impressed that Fox was equally dedicated to achieving perfect harmony.
“There was a ‘tense like’ sound coming from some of the soprano section and the tenors. He took about 15 minutes to select three or four singers and have them sing ‘ah’ so he could isolate the sound issue. He shuffled them, had them sing again, shuffled again,” Thompson explained. “At one point I could clearly hear the sound tenseness, and as he moved them around it got better and better until it was totally perfect. I turned around and looked at Barbara, who smiled and nodded at me. It was just so cool to experience that in such a large group.”
“Dr. Fox was exactly the right soul to direct Illuminare, not only for his connection and friendship with Elaine Hagenberg herself, but his entire approach to directing, which he does with equal doses of professionalism, playfulness and humor,” Fritzius observed. “The various choirs may have known the music beforehand, but he sculpted and refined our performance of it. He paid particular attention to our visual performance—encouraging us to move our bodies with the music, allowing it to influence us as much as our voices influenced it, and to feel the emotions that the text and style of the music intends.”
“Our conductor was not only very accomplished in his field, but he was also very engaging as a teacher. The practices were a dive into the deep end from the first measure until the last,” remarked GVC President Brian Stewart. “I struggle to find the words that express what I felt on the stage at that other Carnegie, but it was moving emotionally and the music sounded nothing short of amazing in that room. Now I want to go back and do another one!”
Lutz said that singing this piece again affirmed her affection for the composition and for the beautiful work Elaine Hagenburg has given singers and audiences everywhere.
As much as she enjoyed singing under the director of Dr. Fox, the experience gave Mary Thompson a new appreciation for Lutz, whose artistry and dedication to practice, practice, practice took the singers all the way to New York’s Carnegie Hall.” We have the greatest choral conductor right in our own community,” she said. “She deserves all our gratitude and our best efforts every single time we gather. What a gift.”
