Forecast: Sunny With a Chance of Song

Sunny indeed! “Choral masterpieces” can be great for lifting our spirits. This music often brings us a flood of memories of how choral music touched us when we first experienced it in college or high school. This program combines masterpieces that are audience / singer all-time favorites with five World Premieres.

Bask in masterworks that have shaped our great a cappella tradition: Debussy and Hindemith Chansons, Poulenc Lenten Motets, Britten Flower Songs, Vaughan Williams Shakespeare Songs, and pieces by Carter, Ives, Puerling, and Webern.

Toast five world premieres predicted to become classics. Chuckle with us at e.e.cummings’ settings by Composer-In-Residence Brian Holmes — from twinkle-toes and pirates to an old cowboy. Be moved by the tale of a would-be migrant adrift at sea, by New Zealand Composer-Not-In-Residence Christopher Marshall.

Why juxtapose masterpieces of the repertoire with new works? Artistic Director Magen Solomon explains that she cultivates engagements with living composers to help bridge the gulf between composer, performer, and audience. “I feel that music needs to be live music,” Solomon comments. “It’s so easy to listen to flawless recordings, but having live singers in front of live audiences singing compelling music by living composers has always been a critical part of our group.”

Come and experience your own special engagement with choral masterpieces — old and new.

“…among the foremost unaccompanied singing groups … on this or any other coast.” R. Dane Danubian, artssf.com