Passing the Baton: Richard Hynson Reflects on Nearly Four Decades with Bel Canto Chorus

×

Expand

Photo by Melissa Miller

Richard Hynson - Bel Canto Chorus

Richard Hynson with the Bel Canto Chorus

Richard Hynson has been the music director at Bel Canto Chorus for 35 seasons. In that time, he has grown as a choral director while helping to usher the organization into the 21st century in new and exciting ways. Hynson's longevity in his role is unmatched in the area, with no one else coming close to his tenure.

As Hynson prepares to retire at the end of the 2024 season, he reflects on his experiences and impact on the organization. “It’s been an exciting journey,” he says when asked about making a life in music in Milwaukee.

After nearly four decades of inspired leadership, Hynson’s retirement marks a significant transition for the organization, which has undergone a restructuring process and appointed Ashley Fisher as its first CEO. Together, Hynson and Fisher are spearheading the search for a new music director who will build on the foundation laid by Hynson to usher in a new era for Bel Canto Chorus.

Her first year with Bel Canto was a learning experience. “I spent dozens of hours last fall in listening sessions with our members, donors, staff, and Rick trying to get the full picture of what Bel Canto Chorus is, where we’ve been, and hopes and dreams for the future,” says Fisher.

According to Hynson, she has been instrumental in helping the board and staff examine themselves and prepare for the integration of a new musical leader. Fisher’s previous government, finance and policy work will be helpful as she develops the CEO role.

Artistry and Growth

×

Expand

Photo by Melissa Miller

The Bel Canto Chorus

The Bel Canto Chorus

During his tenure, Hynson has pursued a lifelong commitment to artistry and growth with Bel Canto, constantly refining and improving his skills with each new choral group. “I couldn't just use the programming, gimmicks, and techniques that worked three groups ago. Instead, I had to constantly refine and improve my skills as a conductor, as a musical philosopher, to find the essence of why we do what we do and how we connect as humans through the lens of music,” he says.

To differentiate Bel Canto from other organizations, Hynson embarked on a journey to define a unique identity for the group. Before world music became a trend within the genre, he was already exploring new and unusual programming techniques. “We had to find an identity for ourselves that was distinctly different from the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and its chorus,” he explains. “They’re a fabulous group, and what they do is significant, so we had to do something equally well or better … but in a different direction.”

Hynson’s commitment to constantly searching for new works and pushing the boundaries has profoundly impacted Bel Canto’s repertoire and performances. “I end up spending a significant amount of time looking for new works to program, to find those quality works that will capture the imagination of our listeners and our singers,” he says.

Choral Music Unites Hearts and Voices

According to Fisher, members of this prestigious, audition-based group often share how much they love being there, that they can join at various skill levels and be part of something that makes music of this caliber. That they are learning and that it's lifelong.

Education and community outreach are significant parts of the organization’s mission. The Senior Singers program, for instance, has a profound impact on its participants. Hynson recounts a conversation with a participant who said, “The Bel Canto Senior Singers experience is a motivation for me to get up in the morning.” He explains that the program provides an opportunity for seniors to engage in music and learning while maintaining their physical health through the athletic experience of singing.

Collaboration is another essential element of the Bel Canto Chorus experience. In May, the chorus will partner with four high schools and the Kettle Moraine Symphony, of which Hynson is also the music director, for an intergenerational performance of Johannes Brahms’ “A German Requiem” at the R. John Buuck Field House at Concordia University on May 21.

Hynson acknowledged the historical context of choral music, which predominantly stems from a Western European tradition. However, he emphasized that the last 75 years have seen composers and arrangers branch out from typical styles to embrace global music, gospel, jazz, and the Great American Songbook. These rich traditions have become integral to Bel Canto's concert repertoire.

Fisher and Hynson look forward to attendees experiencing a powerful and evocative performance. This collaborative effort, the centerpiece of Bel Canto’s concert season, aims to resonate with audiences on a deeper level given the significance of the work and the importance of choral music today.

“This piece was chosen because Brahms himself said, ‘I called it a German Requiem, but if I had my way, I would’ve called it a requiem for humankind.’” Hynson explains. As he reflected on his last two seasons with Bel Canto, he wanted the music in each program to speak beyond just the beauty of expression. He wanted to emphasize the importance of Bel Canto in the community and the role of choral music in the societal psyche.

“One of the important things about choral music is that it is a unifier. We all have voices. We all have our instruments in our bodies, and when we sing together, when we breathe together, when our hearts synchronize, we become united,” Hynson says. “It’s that message in a world that is so incredibly fractured that I think makes choral music a quintessential element of not only the arts community of any given city but the human part of the community.”

The performance involves students from various schools, all members of top choruses, who are given a chance to perform a significant work of full concert length in German. Additionally, they will perform alongside experienced adult singers for the first time. “It gives the sense of not only intergenerational learning but also creates that strong method that you can do this for the rest of your life. You can grow and express your feelings and touch from your high school years into your seventies and eighties,” explains Hynson of the impact of this upcoming performance.

Looking toward the future, Fisher shares that “One of the goals in the path ahead is to grow our network, to grow our audience, to grow the corporations that know about us and feel vested in us.” She is passionate about expanding Bel Canto’s presence in the community and increasing its name recognition, adding, “I want more people to know about it and be part of it.”

Both agree that Hynson’s legacy will remain a strong foundation for the organization. At the same time, Fisher’s leadership and passion will ensure a bright future as Bel Canto Chorus embarks on this new chapter.

For more details about Bel Canto Chorus and its May 21 performance of Brahms’ “A German Requiem,” visit belcanto.org.