Symphonic Chorus and Harmonia are preparing for the upcoming Orlando Sings Choral Fest, East & West
Orlando Sings presents the Third Annual Orlando Sings Choral Festival.
Taking place at First United Methodist Church of Orlando on April 30 and May 3, Orlando Sings Choral Fest, East & West features the Orlando Sings Symphonic Chorus alongside its 50-voice auditioned ensemble for soprano and alto voices Harmonia.
Orlando Sings Choral Fest, East & West will include performances of Korean composer KyungSuk Cheon’s “The Song of Iris Rossii: Requiem for the Comfort Women” along with Fauré’s “Requiem,” and the groundbreaking blend of Indian and Western classical styles in Reena Esmail’s “Malhaar: A Requiem for Water.”
THE ROAD EAST
April 30, 2024
Orlando Sings Symphonic Chorus together with Harmonia, and guest conductor from South Korea, DongKyu Lee.
Immerse yourself in a truly enchanting musical journey as Harmonia and the Orlando Sings Symphonic Chorus bring to life the rich and captivating choral traditions of South Korea.
The program opens with a special performance by the Orlando Sings Senior Singers, with retiree singers from The Mayflower Winter Park, Westminster Towers, and the community at large.
Then the adult auditioned soprano-alto chorus Harmonia will perform a set from their upcoming recording project, entitled “In Spirit We Will Fly!” , an album of contemporary American music for treble voices.
Highlights include “Broken” by composer Dominick DiOrio and “While I Breathe, I Hope” by Jocelyn Hagen, the composer of “The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci”, a highlight from the 2023 Choral Festival.
Transport yourself to the vibrant and diverse musical landscape of South Korea, where choral singing is a hugely popular national movement. Be part of this groundbreaking moment as Orlando Sings present many of these mesmerizing choral masterpieces for the first time in the United States.
For more information and to book tickets, click here.
THE ROAD WEST
May 3, 2024
Orlando Sings Symphonic Chorus together with Harmonia, and conductors Justin Chase, Andrew Minear, & Sandra Shafer.
On May 3, the second concert of the festival, “The Road West” will take the audience to Europe as they encounter the tradition, innovation, and beauty of Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem.
2024 marks 100 years since Fauré’s death. He was one of the most revered composers of the late 19th century and his beautiful Requiem, unlike traditional requiem settings, embraces a serene and contemplative approach, focusing on the themes of rest, peace, and eternal light.
The concert will feature soprano soloist Samantha Barnes Daniel, and baritone Matthew Astone, both members of Orlando Sings’ professional award-winning ensemble Solaria. The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra will once again join Orlando Sings for this year’s festival. Concert master Rimma Bergeron-Langlois will play the violin solo in the third movement.
Paired on the concert with Faure’s Requiem will be composer Reena Esmail’s Malhaar: A Requiem for Water, which demonstrates the composer’s unique and groundbreaking blend of Indian and Western classical styles.
In Hindustani music, “Malhaar” refers to a family of raags that beckon rain. The work intertwines texts from the traditional Latin Requiem mass alongside the work of Wendell Berry and William O’Daly, along with interspersed Hindi text. It traces a trajectory of beauty and awe of water, the fear and devastation around its loss, an answered plea of atonement, and eventually a promise of a new cycle of life. This piece will feature renowned Hindustani soprano Saili Oak and tabla recording artist Shankh Lahiri.
For more information and to book tickets, click here.
Led by Artistic and Executive Director Dr. Andrew Minear, Orlando Sings presents a full season of professional concerts for year-round and seasonal residents, as well as students, tourists, and international visitors.
They perform music inspired by the many cultures of our community, classical masterpieces, and thought-provoking works by the most brilliant composers of today.
Orlando Sings collaborates with composers, artists, orchestras, and other arts organizations. They perform with national and international artists as well as established and rising talent from the state of Florida.
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