Dear Friends --
A lot of folks have been asking about plans for our 11th annual Summer Choral Festival. Among the singers who join us for this fantastic event year after year, the number one question has been: what piece are we doing?
I've been cagey about answering that question, not because I was uncertain, but because Abby and the board and I have been involved in some very delicate negotiations that have finally come to fruition. (Lately when people ask, I've been dropping this hint: JB.)
Let me explain.
While the Summer Choral Festival has often centered on an acknowledged choral/orchestra masterwork from the Western canon, we also see it as part of our mission to bring performances of extraordinary music by contemporary composers. Even beyond that, we intend to commission a lot of new music as we move forward.
At the same time, we have been trying to figure out a way to bring in new audience members. People who won't set foot in the door if what they're being offered seems irrelevant to their sensibilities and tastes. A younger crowd, yes, but also people who don't know the power (and fun!) that a concert of choir and orchestra can bring.
What we've got in store for the summer ticks all those boxes, and after a long and arduous (and expensive!) process, we are thrilled that we can finally reveal our plans. We have commissioned a new piece, from one of the most popular and controversial musical artists of the last two decades.
