Quarantined and with nothing else to do, Francisco Carbonell did what came naturally — he made music.
The Indianapolis composer had developed symptoms of COVID-19 in late March, including a nagging cough. Told to quarantine for 14 days, he needed some way to fill his time. The extra time gave him the perfect opportunity to tackle a difficult project.
“I had lots of time to think about it, and think about what I wanted to do,” he said.
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During his quarantine — which stretched to nearly 30 days after he came into contact with someone else who tested positive for COVID — Carbonell penned “Heart of God,” which was recently named the winner of the Christmas Carol Commission Competition from the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir.
Carbonell’s work will debut on Dec. 21 at this year’s Festival of Carols, the symphonic choir’s seasonal celebration of holiday music. People will be able to watch the TV-only event at 7 p.m. Monday on MyINDY-TV 23, an opportunity that the choir relishes.
“It’s really meaningful to us. Choirs around the country and around the world are very special — these are groups of people with hugely different backgrounds who come together because they can create beauty with what they do and share it with others,” said Eric Stark, artistic director for the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir. “We’ve been deprived of that since early March. Knowing that we can do something at the holidays that can be appreciated and shared is heartening for us.”
The Indianapolis Symphonic Choir, which was formed in 1937, is one of the most active symphonic choruses in the U.S.. Through its performances, as well as education and community engagement programs, the choir reaches more than 20,000 people each season.
The centerpiece of its calendar is the annual Festival of Carols, with the choir performing a curated selection of fan-favorite songs and holiday classics. What started as a series of concerts performed at churches throughout Indianapolis has grown into an extravaganza featuring special guest performers, a carefully chosen slate of songs and even a visit from Santa Claus or the Grinch.
“It’s meant to be a showcase for holiday music for families and listeners of all ages,” Stark said. “Over the years, it’s grown as it has attracted bigger and bigger audiences. Thousands of people come out to see it.”
In a normal year, they would be performing in some of central Indiana’s most prestigious concert halls. But the coronavirus pandemic required organizers to transition from an in-person concert to a televised event.
“We’re very grateful to be partnering with MyIndy-TV 23 to put together recorded video and audio for a television broadcast,” Stark said. “It won’t look exactly like it has in the past, but members of the choir will be there, and some other guests.”
One of those guests is world-renowned soprano Angela Brown. The Indianapolis native has performed on the world’s more famous opera and symphonic stages, as well as being profiled by outlets ranging from The New York Times, CNN and CBS to Oprah Magazine and Reader’s Digest.
“We were thrilled that she was available, and willing to come work with us,” Stark said.
Stark begins planning the year’s Festival of Carols nearly a full year in advance.
“It’s a labor of love. It’s work, but I really do enjoy it. And I enjoy thinking about what we can do differently this time, what’s a special surprise we can have,” he said.
The 2020 version will include greatest hits from previous concerts such as the showstopping closer “The Hallelujah Chorus” and “The Dream Isaiah Saw,” a powerful piece driven by orchestral performance and a message of hope.
Special features also part of the concert this year. The choir will perform “Welcome Christmas” from the original “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas,” a fitting sentiment during a year that has been so challenging at times.
“We thought that would be a good piece for us this year, because, the Grinch wasn’t able to steal Christmas from the hearts of Whoville, and this year won’t steal Christmas from our own hearts either,” Stark said. “This year will a lot different, but we believe that we still share the spirit of the holidays with the music that we love so much.”
The Festival of Carols also is the debut of Carbonell’s composition, which was chosen as winner of the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir’s 11th annual Christmas Carol Commission Competition.
Submitted works must be original, unpublished, and have not been publicly performed, with lyrics suitable for a Christmas or holiday performance.
Carbonell had known about the competition for many years. As the music director and organist at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Indianapolis, he had considered entering it in the past. The competition is only open to composers 35 years old or younger, and as he approached his 35th birthday, he decided to give it a try.
“It was the last year I could send a piece for that competition,” he said. “It was the last chance to try.”
Originally from Spain, Carbonell and his family have made Indianapolis their home. He wanted his carol to be a kind of tribute for the joy this place has brought them.
Right around when he started composing the piece, Carbonell exhibited symptoms of COVID-19. Though he was unable to get a test to confirm if he had it, he was told to quarantine for the recommended 14 days. Alone in a room, he got to work.
He started with poems by early 20th century writer Vachel Lindsey. Moved by the power of Lindsey’s words, Carbonell felt the text could be paired beautifully with orchestral music and the choir itself.
“I was thinking about it, praying about it, trying to figure out how to do something nice with this,” he said. “I wanted to do a piece that would somehow be meaningful. It’s dramatic at times, at other times it is soft. I was just trying to get the most out of the text.”
Carbonell squarely hit that target, Stark said. As he reviewed this year’s submissions into the carol competition, he was overwhelmed by “Heart of God.”
“This piece just immediately jumped out, because it was so powerful,” he said. “It’s really epic, which uses different metaphors for the heart of God — a peaceful heart, a giant heart, a wild thundering heart. The way Francisco writes the piece, he reflects that imagery in the music that he chooses.”
For Carbonell, being able to showcase his competition at an event such as the Festival of Carols is thrilling.
“It’s very special to me. Indianapolis and Indiana is become more and more my home. I feel very, very grateful for this city,” he said.
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Festival of Carols
What: A traditional holiday concert from the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir featuring new performances and special guests. This year’s concert will be a televised event only.
When: 7 p.m. Monday
How to watch: The concert will be shown on MyINDY-TV 23
Information: indychoir.org
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