Cultivating Leadership - Moravian College

MCQ&AWITH...Paula Zerkle:Vespers, Behind the ScenesChristmas traditions: Paula Ring Zerkle (top), directorof the Moravian Choir, will take part in her fifteenthVespers this season, accompanied by organistRussell Jackson, Moravian artist-lecturer. Each fall,Vespers candles are prepared by incoming freshmenas their first act of service to the College community.photos by john kish Ivphoto by john kish ivFor more than four decades, the MoravianCollege Christmas Vespers Service at CentralMoravian Church has been a cherishedholiday event. The beautifully orchestratedservice combines two traditional formsof Moravian worship: the singstunde andthe candlelight service. The singstunde is aworship service that consistsentirely of singing; Moravianshave been known for worshipfulsinging since the 1720s.The Moravian candlelightservice originated in 1747in Marienborn, Germany,when candles with red trimmingwere distributed at thechildren’s Christmas service.Bethlehem held its first candleservice in 1756.Paula Ring Zerkle, associateprofessor of music,takes us behind the scenes,as she celebrates her fifteenthVespers season as director ofthe Moravian Choir.How are you involved with Vespers?I’m in charge of the music. Besidesdirecting the choir, I organize all of theensembles, including the women’s chorus,which is directed by [artist-lecturer]Eduardo Azzati, as well as the smallerensembles, such as brass, flute, wind, guitar,and Monteverdi. Vespers always includesthe choir, chorus, and brass ensembles; theother ensembles rotate each year.Who is the Moravian Choir? How muchpractice is required?The choir includes about 75 men andwomen—students of all majors and a fewmembers of the local community. In earlySeptember, we begin practicing four hoursper week, learning eight or nine pieces.After fall break, we practice more of thetraditional Moravian pieces, such as MorningStar—this signifies the run toward finalrehearsals. After Thanksgiving, we do anintensive weekend rehearsal, as well astwo dress rehearsals before the openingperformance.A schedule like this would be a lot formost people, but it’s especially demandingfor our students because it’s the busiesttime of the year for them academically. Itrequires a lot of them, but the experienceis also very rewarding. For students whohave participated for all four years, thelast Vespers is always bittersweet. Manystay in touch after graduation—Facebookhas made that easier. Some now are musicteachers in the area. Becky Owens ’95, whograduated my first year at Moravian, is nowthe organist at Central Moravian Church.She will play the organ the last night ofVespers this year.How do you select the music?I’m always looking for new music. I purchasemusic at conferences for later review.I’ve collected a lot over the years—fourcabinets in my office are filled with music!Over the summer, I review the possibilitiesfor about a month until a theme emerges.This year the theme is the sacred feminine—so besides the traditional Moravian songs,we’ll include a song about Mary as the rose,a piece by Hildegard von Bingen, and severaldifferent Ave Marias, for instance.How has Vespers changed in the years sinceyou’ve been here?I’ve tried to stretch beyond what’s traditionalto include the sacred music of manydenominations and cultures. When I introducedan African processional, people werehesitant. Now they seem to expect and lookforward to it. Some years are more challengingthan others. But every year someonesays, “this was the best Vespers ever.”FALL 2009 MORAVIAN COLLEGE MAGAZINE 5