With Napa Roots, Aeternum Vocal Choir to Premiere
By Lisa Adams Walter
NAPA VALLEY, Calif. — An obsession with choral music since childhood sums up the musical passion of Bailey Cooke, 28, co-founder and artistic director of Aeternum. The new Napa Valley vocal ensemble will premiere with two evening concerts titled “Echoes of Light,” set for Sunday, Sept. 8, at Mont La Salle and Saturday, Sept. 14, at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, both in Napa.
Cooke grew up in the British choral tradition as a youngster in Washington, D.C. His family relocated to Napa in 2006, when both of his parents joined the faculty at Blue Oak School, where they continue to educate today.
“The British, or English, choral tradition refers to the long-standing practice of choral singing in England, characterized by a teaching of musicianship, ensemble skills and a distinctive, pure choral sound in the voice,” Cooke said. “This tradition has been shaped by centuries of music composed for religious services, especially within the Anglican Church, and performed in settings such as cathedrals, collegiate chapels and parish churches. Washington, D.C., is one of the areas in the United States in which this tradition exists. Both the beauty and the emphasis on musicianship education impacted me profoundly.”
So much so, in fact, that Cooke says he has devoted a large portion of his life to this very special art form. He said the tradition introduces these pieces at a young age for singers, usually around 7 years old.
After moving to Napa, Cooke joined a children’s choral ensemble directed by Kim Markovich, who also teaches at Blue Oak. He went on to participate in the Napa High School choral department ensembles, singing under the direction of Travis Rogers.
Following elementary education at Blue Oak, Cooke, a classically trained pianist, graduated from Napa High School in 2015. From there he went on to UC Davis, where he studied vocal performance and conducted and led the Davis Chamber Choir for three years as an undergraduate student before graduating in 2019.
Aeternum (pronounced a-tear-noom) is a Latin word that means “forever” or “eternal.” Experiencing the void of choral chamber music locally and in his own life, Cooke, who works in a tech start-up by day, contacted superior vocal singers within his own circle of acquaintances to explore the founding of this new group.
Just three months ago, in May, Cooke and his longtime friend and co-founder, Brady Egbert, seriously considered launching the choir. Then in June it was established as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and rehearsals commenced at the Blue Oak School campus.
“We are actively fundraising currently and deep into the grant-writing process,” Cooke said. “The two largest challenges are fundraising and audience-building, so these are our two big strategic initiatives at this moment.”
The ages of Aeternum’s 23 singers range from the 20s to the 50s, and several are professionals from throughout the Bay Area. A high percentage of the singers, however, are also former classmates and graduates of the Napa High School choral department’s elite programs that include the Chamber Choir and Vocal Music Workshop.
Several of the members, like Cooke, also continued music at the collegiate level at universities ranging from UCLA and Sonoma State University to the University of the Redlands and UC Santa Cruz. Vocal music educators and professional operatic singers round out the Aeternum roster.
Aeternum vocalists include Annie Budash, Shannon Channels, Owen Christofferson, Duncan Cooper, Alexandra Egbert, Brady Egbert, Cara Gabrielson, Leila Hoenicke, Audrey Krafft, Madi Lippmann, Benjamin Liupaogo, Karen May, Angus McDonald, Brad Parese, Lucas Pofi, Nephi Speer, Eddie Ruane, Paul Thompson, Anne Wagoner, Andrew Wiegers, Carolina Wiegers, Kandace Wilson and Helene Zindarsian.
Cooke said that all 14 pieces in the premiere concerts, which will each run for about an hour without intermission, will be performed a cappella. A few compositions will also feature the addition of saxophone, tubular bells and pipe organ. The repertoire will span nine centuries, extending from the late Renaissance to the most exciting composers of today, and include works by Hildegard von Bingen, Anton Bruckner, Gustav Holst and Eric Whitacre.
“In terms of the repertoire, the idea is to represent the true timeline of choral music, works from the Middles Ages all the way to contemporary compositions that have been written in the past year,” Cooke said. “It is classical music. Most is unaccompanied; it is just singing.”
The venues have also been carefully selected.
“We are trying to honor the ethos of choral music and create programming that is captivating and dramatic and do so in performance venues that enhance the music,” Cooke said. “These are venues that are both esthetically and acoustically beautiful.”
“The thesis of the ensemble is twofold,” Cooke said. “One is to honor and further the extensive heritage of classical choral music that exists here in the Napa Valley, and the other is to bring world-class music to Napa throughput the year. Rather than having to drive to San Francisco, the experience will be here, and we will also attract fans of music to this area.”
Tickets to “Echoes of Light” are $25 per person, with discounts available for students, first responders and veterans. They are on sale now at AeternumChoir.org where music-lovers can sign up for the ensemble’s newsletter and follow on Instagram @aeternumchoir.
The Sunday, Sept. 8, concert is set for 7:30 p.m. at Mont La Salle Chapel, 4405 Redwood Road in Napa, and the Saturday, Sept. 14, concert will also be at 7:30 p.m. at St. Mary's Episcopal Church, 917 Third St. in Napa.
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Lisa Adams Walter is a writer, storyteller, editor and publicist who has been published in media outlets locally and nationally. A California Wine Country native, she brings intimate insight to an array of wine, food, arts, entertainment, lifestyle and travel stories.