20 Going on 21: A New Century of Choral Music

As we celebrate our 20th season, we pause to honor the many composers whose music has enriched our lives. This concert features some best-loved traditional pieces and new music written for the occasion. Well-loved works such as Barber’s Reincarnations, Debussy’s and Hindemith’s Chansons, Thompson’s Alleluia, and Flower Songs by Britten mingle with Stanford’s beloved Beati quorum via; Wilhelm Stenhammar’s dreamy Garden of the Seraglio, set in the courtyard of a Turkish palace; and selections from Rautavaara’s riveting Lorca settings.

Two world premieres herald the 21st century: Marin composer Maia Aprahamian’s There shall come forth…, on text from Isaiah; and Charles Griffin’s Rekviem, on a text by Anna Akhmatova. From another Bay Area composer,Roger Nixon, is his rarely heard Visions on a text by William Wordsworth.

The singers also pay tribute to the rich heritage of African-American spirituals with beloved and familiar works by Dawson, Hogan, and Still.