With One Accord: S4 E2: Behind the Music| Franco Basili, Deborah Edquist, Robert Simpson.

Welcome to Season 4 of our podcast. In episode 2 of With One Accord, our host, arts and culture expert St. John Flynn, showcases Houston Chamber Choir 2023/2024 Choral Intern Franco Basili, Member of the Uh Concert Chorale Deborah Edquist, and Houston Chamber Choir's Artistic Director Robert Simpson as they prepare the concert "Byrds of a Feather". Marking the 400th anniversary of the great composer’s death, the Houston Chamber Choir sings works by William Byrd and his contemporaries Thomas Weelkes, Orlando Gibbons, and Thomas Morely. Concluding the concert, members of the University of Houston Concert Chorale join the Chamber Choir in a rare performance of the celebrated 40-voice motet Spem in alium by Byrd’s teacher, colleague, and friend, Thomas Tallis.

Join us as we explore new pieces, share captivating stories behind the music, and feature relevant artists. Whether you're a long-time listener or new to our show, Episode 2 of Season 4 is the perfect place to start your adventure. Tune in, subscribe, and embark on this captivating journey together!

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About St. John Flynn:
Arts and culture expert St.John Flynn worked for more than twenty-five years at top U.S. public TV and radio stations. His blog, A Life With Culture, is online at https://stjohnflynn.com.
Facebook:   / st.john.flynn  
Twitter:   / stjohnflynn  

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About Franco Basili:
Franco Basili is a second-year DMA student in Choral Conducting at the University of Houston under the instruction of Dr. Betsy Cook Weber and Mr. Alexander Kopple. Originally from Tandil, Argentina, Franco is a choral director, pianist, and choral singer.

Franco completed his Master’s of Music in Choral Pedagogy at Carthage College under the tutelage of Rick Bjella and Dr. Eduardo García-Novelli, and his Bachelor's degrees in Choral Conducting and Piano Pedagogy at the Conservatorio de Música “Isaías Orbe” (Tandil, Argentina) under the tutelage of Pablo Banchi and Miguel Ángel Pesce.

He is currently the Director of the University Chorus at the University of Houston, Director of the Chancel Choir at Grace Presbyterian Church in Houston, Choral Intern at the Grammy-awarded Houston Chamber Choir, and member of the multi-award-winning University of Houston Concert Chorale.

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About Deborah Edquist:
Mezzo soprano, Deborah Paola Edquist, is pursuing a degree in Music Education at the University of Houston. She sings with Moores School of Music’s Concert Chorale and studies voice under Melanie Sonnenberg. Deb is also the director of one of Moores School of Music’s mixed chamber a cappella groups, Floreat. Along with instructing ensembles, she teaches private voice and piano for Lessons In Your Home. She is also a Choral Scholarship Singer at Moody Methodist Church in Galveston, Texas. She participated with the Houston Chamber Choir for the world premiere of Daniel Knaggs’s The Joyful Mysteries. Deb was recently named a semi-finalist in the Nina International Solo Competition in Bergen, Norway. She plans to pursue a career as a high school choir director in the future.


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About Robert Simpson:
Robert Simpson is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Houston Chamber Choir. He also serves as Canon for Music at Houston’s historic Christ Church Cathedral, and Lecturer of Church Music at Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. Chorus America awarded him the Michael Korn Founders Award for the Development of the Professional Choral Art. Mr. Simpson is the recipient of the 2015 American Prize in Choral Conducting. Choirs under his direction have toured the United States, Europe and Mexico, and performed before national conventions of Chorus America, the American Choral Directors Association, The American Guild of Organists, The Association of Anglican Musicians, and The Hymn Society of America. They have appeared nationally on CBS-TV, ABC-TV and American Public Radio. Mr. Simpson is married to Marianna Parnas-Simpson, the noted children’s choir conductor.

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Behind the Music:
Host: St. John Flynn
Producers: Andrea Benabent, Brian Miller, Kaitlin DeSpain
Video Editor: Andrea Benabent


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• With One Accord - Season 4

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Follow Houston Chamber Choir on social media:
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