Quoddy Voices
Photo by Robin Farrin of Coastal Maine Photography
Music Director
Photo by Robin Farrin of Coastal Maine Photography
John Newell, our founding director, was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. He is a graduate of Duke University and earned his M.F.A. from California Institute of the Arts. John completed his formal musical training at the State University of New York at Buffalo, where he studied with Morton Feldman. While in Buffalo he held the first Edgard Varese Fellowship in composition, earning his Ph.D. in 1979. John has broad experience as a choral conductor in leading school and community groups. He has composed a wide variety of works for chorus, chamber ensembles and orchestra; and has received commissions from a number of professional and amateur organizations. Also an accomplished pianist, John has performed throughout the Northeast as soloist and chamber musician. He teaches privately and is on the faculty of SummerKeys, an adult music program in Lubec.
Accompanist
Our wonderful accompanist is Jane Lanctot, a resident of Lubec. She has a varied musical performance background, including studying and teaching classical Cambodian music all over the United States. She was the executive producer for two CDs of Cambodian music, one of which won the Best World Music CD of 2003. In the past few years she has focused on modern piano. She holds degrees in electrical engineering and mathematics, and is currently working on the design and testing of implantable medical devices.
Concert Programs
Click here to view our offerings on past programs.
Quoddy Voices to Be Featured in International Solstice Singathon
Quoddy Voices, who completed their first virtual season last month, will join seven London-based community choirs to celebrate Winter Solstice on Monday, December 21, as part of the Choirfest Singathon. The two-hour showcase begins at 1:30 pm EST; this Facebook Live event can be accessed at: https://www.facebook.com/events/575221130028419/. “Our contribution to this event … [Read More]
Quoddy Voices Present Season Finale: Beloved Mozart Motet
Quoddy Voices presents their final virtual choir project for the 2020 season this week: “Ave Verum Corpus”, a short motet by W. A. Mozart. “It is one of the all-time great short works for chorus and a favorite of choral singers everywhere,” says John Newell, the choir’s director, plus … [Read More]
Quoddy Voices’ New Release: “Turn! Turn! Turn!”
Quoddy Voices, who have been in ‘virtual’ session since September, release their second collaborative video this week. As with their previous release, the singers learned their parts with director John Newell via Zoom, then submitted recordings for his assembly and editing. Newell credits the choice of “Turn! Turn! Turn!” … [Read More]
Quoddy Voices Present First ‘Virtual’ Choral Work
Quoddy Voices, who resumed their work together in September for a ‘virtual’ season, present their first choral video this week. The community choir’s director, John Newell, guided the singers through each step of the new musical process, which centered around Monday evening rehearsals via Zoom. To aid singers in … [Read More]
Quoddy Voices to Resume for Fall Virtual Season
“Those who wish to sing, always find a song!” As in these words of the song recorded by Quoddy Voices’ Manuela Brice, Jenny Gillies, Barb Smith and John Newell as part of an international virtual choir project, Quoddy Voices has found their song for this fall. The community chorus … [Read More]
Quoddy Voices Director, Members Join Virtual Choir Project
John Newell, director of EAC’s community chorus, Quoddy Voices, has worked to keep his singers connected even though they’re unable to meet and join in song. In addition to compiling listening lists of favorite choral works and sharing these via lively email threads, Newell recently engaged several of the … [Read More]
Quoddy Voices Present a Message of Unity—in Swahili!
Quoddy Voices are one of the many musical groups whose activities have been curtailed by the Coronavirus pandemic. Nevertheless, the group’s director, John Newell, has been working with the singers via Zoom sessions, providing sight-singing and rhythm practice, to build skills for the group’s eventual and wished for return … [Read More]
Quoddy Voices Hosts ‘Full Moon Howl’
Inspired by a letter Anne Stanley shared from The Timberjay, a paper published in Ely, Minnesota, Quoddy Voices are calling for community members to join in on a Downeast “Full Moon Howl.” “It’s an opportunity for people to release, in a very healthy way, all the pent-up emotion they’re … [Read More]
Quoddy Voices’ Favorites Playlist Expanded
Quoddy Voices Director, John Newell, has been at work on an extensive YouTube playlist of the group’s favorite choral works for all to enjoy. The list now boasts 22 pieces, with performances in a wide array of styles and even an interactive video of vocal warm-ups and stretches. Of … [Read More]
Quoddy Voices Welcomes New Singers to Explore World Music
Rehearsals will resume for Quoddy Voices’ spring concerts at 7 pm, Monday, February 25, at Eastport Arts Center. This season’s program is titled Around the World in 80 Minutes and will include choral works from all seven continents, even Antarctica (or written on the way there in 1843!). The … [Read More]
The work of Eastport Arts Center is funded in part by a grant from the Maine Arts Commission, an independent state agency supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.