Masterworks 6 O Fortuna - Carmina Burana

Joseph Giunta Conductor

One of America’s most distinguished, versatile and dynamic conductors, Joseph Giunta is a musician of international acclaim. He is recognized as an important American conductor for his innovative programming and for his compelling interpretations of traditional and new music. His musical depth combined with his boundless energy and contagious enthusiasm makes him one of the most respected and successful orchestra leaders in the United States.

Learn More About Maestro Giunta

Heartland Youth Choir Mary Craven Bartemes, Director

Founded in 2003, Heartland Youth Choir (HYC) provides a performance-based advanced choral music education program for youth that emphasizes musical literacy and character development. As a non-profit, community organization, the choir also provides a unique opportunity for children of diverse backgrounds with a particular aptitude in vocal music to explore that interest beyond their school setting. Quality literature from all styles and periods form the foundation for this exploration.

Heartland Youth Choir operates as the youth choir of choice for the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra for works like Carmina Burana.  In recent years, the choir has been featured in performances of Carmen, Turandot, Billy Budd, and La Boheme, amongst others, with the Des Moines Metro Opera.  HYC ensembles have been featured in concert tours that have taken the choir both nationally and internationally with other children and youth choirs, and collaborates frequently with various Des Moines based arts organizations. Heartland Youth Choir also hosts a one-of-a-kind choral music festival which brings together singers from throughout the state of Iowa to collaborate with an internationally renowned choral composer. This season, HYC welcomes composer Leeann Starkey as its guest clinician and composer.

Cantemus, the choir featured in this performance, is the advanced treble choir of Heartland Youth Choir, consisting of 6th-8th grade students from across the Des Moines Metro. They rehearse weekly, and perform frequently both in Des Moines, and around the country. Heartland Youth Choir consists of 5 performance-based choirs for ages 6-18. They also host a class, Musical Explorers for ages 4-5. 

Now under the direction of its new artistic director, Mary Craven Bartemes, Heartland Youth Choir seeks to continue its mission while welcoming a new chapter in the life of the choir.  This spring, members of Heartland Youth Choir will tour to New Orleans for the Crescent City Choral Festival, as well as to St. Louis, and Omaha.

Mary Craven Bartemes is the Artistic Director of the Heartland Youth Choir, and is a Des Moines, IA native. With nearly a decade of teaching experience grades K-12 in both private and public schools she has distinguished herself as an excellent music educator. She is frequently called upon to conduct honor choirs, workshops, and enjoys mentoring new and aspiring music educators.

She earned a Bachelor’s of Music Education from Drake University, and a Master’s in Music Education with a Kodály concentration at the University of Saint Thomas. She also holds certifications in Kodály Methodology, Orff-Schulwerk, Conversational Solfege, and First Steps in Music for infants and toddlers.

Mary has been with Heartland Youth Choir since 2013, serving in various roles, including intern, accompanist, conductor, and now Artistic Director. She has expanded HYC's programs, including launching a satellite choir and the Musical Explorers daycare enrichment program for ages 2-5. She currently conducts 4 of the 5 performing choirs in HYC, as well teaching its early childhood music offerings.

Mary lives with her husband Theodore, a software developer and Des Moines musician, and their son James. Her passion for music education enriches the cultural landscape of Des Moines for young singers.

Iowa State Singers James Rodde, Director

The Iowa State Singers is Iowa State University’s most select choral ensemble. An undergraduate choir drawn from a campus of over 30,000 students, it is comprised of freshmen through seniors, approximately one half of them music majors. The group annually presents a five-concert season, which has included full-scale Madrigal Dinners and choral-orchestral masterworks. Recent performances include Carmina Burana, Messiah, Ein deutsches Requiem, and similar works. Concert tours have taken the Singers to Australia, Western Europe, Russia, China, Korea, the Baltics and most recently, Norway. Commissioning new compositions has been an integral part of the group’s tradition, having premiered compositions by Jake Runestad, Stacey Gibbs, René Clausen, Levente Gyöngyösi, and others. The choir has been honored to perform at regional and national conferences of the ACDA in 2004, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2022, and 2025, and at the National Collegiate Choral Organization’s conferences in 2008 and 2011. In 2013 the Singers were named the national winners of The American Prize, College/University Chorus Division. This academic year includes local concerts with VOCES8, the Luther Nordic Choir, and the Des Moines Choral Society. It has performances in the Meyerson Symphony Center, Dallas, and Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, New York City. The year will conclude performing the Mozart Requiem with ISU choir alumni.

Des Moines Choral Society James Rodde, Director

In 1979, Marion A. Hall assembled a 250-member chorus to perform with the Des Moines Symphony at its inaugural concert in the new Civic Center of Greater Des Moines. Growing out of that ad hoc chorus, the Des Moines Choral Society, an auditioned choir of volunteer singers from throughout Central Iowa, has become a vital part of the Des Moines arts community. Under the artistic direction of Dr. James Rodde, the Society continues its 45-year tradition of musical excellence, repertoire development, educational outreach and collaborative community involvement. Each season the Choral Society performs Christmas with the Choral Society, a Celebration in Song: a collegiate invitational, and a spring Masterworks concert at St. Ambrose Cathedral in downtown Des Moines. In addition to a commitment to excellence, the Choral Society is also dedicated to making a permanent contribution to choral literature through the commissioning of new choral works from diverse composers such as Eric Whitacre, Ily Maniano, Elaine Hagenberg, and Marques Garrett. In 2021 the choir premiered Illuminare, Elaine Hagenberg’s first extended work, consisting of five movements for SATB chorus and chamber orchestra, and in 2023 performed it at Carnegie Hall.

Dr. James Rodde

Dr. James Rodde is the Moen-Hamilton Professor and Director of Choral Activities at Iowa State University, where he has overseen an active program of up to 400 undergraduate choristers. He conducts the Iowa State Singers, the Iowa Statesmen, and teaches courses in choral conducting and literature.

Choirs under his direction have toured internationally to critical acclaim and been honored with performances at 13 national and regional conferences of the American Choral Directors Association, and two national conferences of the National Collegiate Choral Organization. 

Under his leadership the Iowa State Singers were named the 2013 national winners of The American Prize, College/University Division. As a conducting mentor, one of his students won the 2005 ACDA National Undergraduate Conducting Competition in Los Angeles.

An active clinician, Dr. Rodde has led numerous festival ensembles, including divisional ACDA honor choirs and more than a dozen All-State choirs. Upon his arrival at Iowa State in 2000, he instituted the ISU Honor Choir, a highly select ensemble of high school students chosen annually through live auditions across the state.

Dr. Rodde also serves as Artistic Director of the Des Moines Choral Society, a post he has held since 2003. For over a decade he served ACDA as the North Central Repertoire and Standards Chair for Male Choirs, and he continues to edit and arrange choral music, with a number of published works.

A native of Minneapolis, Dr. Rodde received the bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Augsburg University and completed the M.A. and D.M.A. degrees in Choral Conducting at the University of Iowa. From 1985 to 2000 he served at the University of North Dakota, where he was honored with the Fine Arts Faculty Award for Teaching. His alma mater, Augsburg University, recently honored him with the Distinguished Alumni Award in recognition of his significant achievement in vocation and outstanding contribution to the community.

Amy Owens Soprano

Amy Owens is known for her “high-flying vocals” and “scene-stealing” charisma on operatic and symphonic stages, as well as her innovative, multi-disciplinary pursuits in music and entrepreneurship (Opera News). Her performing career has taken her to some of America’s most beloved venues, including the Kennedy Center, where her Fall 2019 debut as the soprano soloist in Carmina Burana under the baton of Gianandrea Noseda earned praise for “a perfect combination of purring, sensuous phrasing and pure-toned innocence” (Washington Classical Review). A well-known favorite soloist for Carmina Burana, she has performed the work with the National Symphony, Omaha Symphony, Virginia Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic, Mobile Symphony, and MidAmerica Productions for her Carnegie Hall debut in 2017, and others. She is frequently sought after to create roles for world premieres of American Opera, including the title role in Augusta Read Thomas’ Sweet Potato Kicks the Sun with Santa Fe Opera in 2019, where she shared the stage with legendary beatboxer Nicole Paris in the first commission for the groundbreaking initiative “Opera for all Voices.”

Notable roles include Cunegonde in Candide with Utah Symphony, where she was praised for her “dazzling array of vocal abilities” and “remarkable acting talent,” Johanna in Sweeney Todd with Michigan Opera Theater, and Florestine in On Site Opera’s North American premiere of La mére coupable, a notoriously difficult score which Owens was hailed as handling with “keen sensitivity,” “gleaming coloratura,” and “impressive accuracy and thrilling high notes” (Broadway World, Bachtrack, Musical America). Her affinity for new music also makes her a sought-after soprano for developing contemporary works, including the Metropolitan Opera workshop of Eurydice, and multiple workshops with American Opera Projects. She covered the role of Faustina in the world premiere of The Phoenix at Houston Grand Opera in 2019, sang as a last-minute replacement in Opera America’s 2016 New Opera Showcase at Trinity Church NYC, was featured in The Intimacy of Creativity Festival in Hong Kong in 2017, and has premiered art song frequently with the NYFOS Next series.

Amy enjoys developing her interests as a multi-genre vocalist, producer, conductor, accordion player, dancer, yogi, educator, writer, composer, and wellness advocate. She holds a M.M. degree in vocal performance from Rice University and a B.M. in vocal performance from Brigham Young University.

Christopher Pfund Tenor

American tenor Christopher Pfund has performed to critical acclaim with countless major orchestras and oratorio festivals throughout North America including the Cleveland Orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Houston Symphony, the Detroit Symphony, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park, New York Oratorio Society and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s.  International engagements have included performances in the Czech Republic, Germany, Mexico and Brazil.  Critics have praised his “rounded vocal beauty” and The New York Times called his voice an “attractive tenor [that] helps define a sympathetic character.”

Universally recognized for his irreverent portrayals of the roasting swan in Orff’s Carmina Burana, Pfund has made the role a pillar of his career with over 150 performances on three continents.  His wide repertoire includes not only the standard Baroque masterpieces such as Bach’s Mass in B minor and Handel’s Messiah but also much of the 20th century canon of concert repertoire including Britten’s War Requiem and the Klaus-Narr from Schoenberg’s Gurre-Lieder.

While best known for his oratorio work with orchestra, Pfund has also enjoyed success on the opera stage, including performances with Glimmerglass Opera, New York City Opera, Florentine Opera, and Santa Fe Opera to name a few.  An impassioned performer of contemporary music, Pfund has regularly collaborated with composers and artists in cutting-edge New York venues including the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Theater for the New City and The Performing Garage. A consummate recitalist, Pfund regularly presents performances of the song cycles of Schubert, Schumann, Britten and Brahms as well as other celebrated composers of the classical song literature.

Mr. Pfund is the Co-Director of the Idaho Bach Festival. Founded in 2011, the Idaho Bach Festival is set in the beautiful architectural and natural landscapes of the University of Idaho and the Palouse.

Craig Irvin Baritone

Craig Irvin brings a vibrant sound and commitment to character to a wide variety of repertoire. Opera News has praised his “rich, resonant baritone” while the Dallas Morning News has noted his “truly commanding baritone.” Mr. Irvin most recently returned to The Atlanta Oper in his role début as Jack Torrance in The Shining, to Madison Opera as Scarpia in Tosca, and reprised his Older Thompson in Glory Denied with Annapolis Opera and his Pirate King in The Pirate of Penzance with Kentucky Opera. Additional recent engagements include his role début as Jochanaan in Salome with Madison Opera, his role début as Older Thompson in Glory Denied with Knoxville Opera and Permian Basin Opera, Maximillian in Candide with the Atlanta Opera, the Wolf/Cinderella’s Prince in Into the Woods with Tulsa Opera, and an appearance with the New West Symphony in Beethoven’s 9^th Symphony.  In the summer of 2024 Craig made his Glimmerglass Opera début singing the Pirate King in their Pirates of Penzance as well as Giove in La Callisto.  The 2024-2055 season brings his Pirate King in Knoxville Opera’s Pirates of Penzance, a role and house debut as Kenny Kencaid in Shawn Okpebholo and Mark Campbell’s The Cook Off with Nashville Opera, Maximillian and Captain in Candide with Opera Tampa, Thalasso in the premiere of The Pigeon Keeper with Opera Parallèle, and concert appearances with the Des Moines Symphony for Orff’s Carmina Burana and the Madison Symphony Orchestra for their Christmas Concert.

In recent seasons, he reprised of one of his signature roles - The Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance at both Atlanta Opera and Utah Symphony and Opera. Additionally, he joined Orchestra Iowa for Handel’s Messiah and the Cincinnati May Festival for Candide. During the COVID-affected 2019 and 2020 seasons, Mr. Irvin appeared in concert with Omaha Symphony, and was slated to appear as the title role in Sweeney Todd at Utah Festival Opera and Music Theater, Marcello in La bohème at Atlanta Opera, in Carmina burana with San Antonio Symphony. Other recent engagements include the revival of his Dan Packard in Dinner at Eight with the Wexford Festival, Lt. Horstmayer in Silent Night with Austin Opera, Valentin in Faust with Opera Omaha, Rachmaninoff’s The Bells with the Portland Symphony, singing Dominik and covering Mandryka in Arabella with Canadian Opera Company, Handel’s Messiah with the Jacksonville Symphony, Britten’s War Requiem with Music Worchester, Stubb in Moby Dick with Utah Opera, Dandini in La Cenerentola with Opera Orlando, and Frank in Die Fledermaus with Des Moines Metro Opera.

While in residence with Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Ryan Opera Center, Mr. Irvin was seen as Angelotti in Tosca, Zuniga in Carmen, Theseus in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Sam in A Masked Ball, Imperial Commissioner in Madama Butterfly, Doctor/ Professor in Lulu, and Ashby in La fanciulla del West.  Additionally, he covered the roles of Bottom, the title role in The Mikado, the title role in Hercules, Escamillo in Carmen (a role he sang in the student matinee performance), Bartolo in Le nozze di Figaro, and Brander in Damnation of Faust. Other recent engagements include Lieutenant Horstmayer in the world premiere of Kevin Puts and Mark Campbell’s Silent Night with Minnesota Opera and subsequent performances with Opera Philadelphia, Fort Worth Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, and Atlanta Opera. Additionally he has sung Count Almaviva in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro and Zurga in Les pêcheurs de perles with Utah Opera, Dan Packard in Dinner at Eight, Mandryka in Arabella, and Peter in Hänsel und Gretel with Minnesota Opera, made his role debut as Macbeth with LoftOpera, sang Escamillo in Carmen with Fort Worth Opera, debuted with Sarasota Opera as Marcello in La bohème and Anchorage Opera in the title role of The Mikado, sang Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance with Nashville Opera and Pensacola Opera, sang Dandini in Pensacola Opera’s La Cenerentola, and performed the Villains in The Tales of Hoffman and Leporello in Don Giovanni with Wolf Trap Opera. In addition, he has sung Betto in Gianni Schicchi and 1st Nazarene and Jochanaan/cover in Strauss’ Salome with Canadian Opera Company, covered Paolo in Simon
Boccanegra with Los Angeles Opera, sang Orff’s Carmina burana with the Phoenix Symphony, performed Dick Deadeye in HMS Pinaforeand Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor with Opera Saratoga, Ramphis in Aïda with Pensacola Opera, and Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Intermountain Opera and Knoxville Opera.

A winner of the Heinz Rehfuss Singing Actor Award sponsored by Orlando Opera, Mr. Irvin spent a season with the company as a Resident Artist.  With Orlando Opera he has sung the Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance, Abimelech in Samson et Dalilah, Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro, Elder Ott in Susannah, and Angelotti in Tosca.  While in Orlando, Mr. Irvin also sang the role of Gaston in over 700 performances of Beauty and the Beast at Walt Disney World, MGM. In the course of his graduate work at The University of Tennessee, he performed with the Knoxville Opera as Pooh Bah in The Mikado, Der Sprecher in Die Zauberflöte, and Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia, as well as Reverend Blitch in Susannah and the title role in Sweeney Todd with the Knoxville Opera Studio. A native of Iowa, Mr. Irvin completed his undergraduate study at the Simpson College in Indianola under the tutelage of Dr. Robert L. Larsen.