A lot of thought, research, and listening goes into choosing pieces for our spring concert every year. I actually chose this year's pieces based on feedback I received from the choir while I was the interim artistic director last year. The members specifically asked for “no more death,” which made me laugh. They were right of course, there have been a lot of our performances – and there are a lot of choral works – that surround the theme of death. So I set to work last summer choosing pieces that carried a lighter emotional weight. 

One of my goals when I became the artistic director of the choir was to always include works by underrepresented composers, so that is where I started in my search. I came across Illuminare by Elaine Hagenberg, and knew it would be an immediate success. It did take me longer to come up with companion pieces though. Gloria by Antonio Vivaldi was first performed by an all girls choir from the orphanage where Vivaldi was employed, which feels adjacent to being written by an underrepresented composer. He later rewrote it for a mixed choir, but this tied together nicely with the Hagenberg. Two works would make for too short of a concert though, so I added in Gustav Holst’s Two Psalms which deal with the everlasting kindness and mercy of God and close with the praise of God’s son who lights up the earth with radiance. 

Our selections this concert cycle easily lent themselves to the theme of Glory and Light which we are excited to perform for you. I love that the choir members were open enough to share with me that they did not want to perform anymore works surrounding a theme of death, but wanted to bring pieces to the community that will let the light of late spring and early summer shine within them. 

Warmly,
Robbie