Am Gesteine rauscht die Flut

MESSAGE FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Welcome to our first choral concert of the 2022-2023 season! Musica Viva NY has become known for bold, adventurous programming that features exciting contemporary music, women composers, and commissions, as well as beloved works from the classical music canon. Both pieces on today’s program fall into that last category. Orff’s Carmina Burana is one of the most widely recognizable pieces of music on Earth. It’s riveting and earthy, mystical and dramatic and we can’t wait to fill the magnificent space of All Soul’s sanctuary with the glorious opening sounds of “O Fortuna”! Today’s performance is scored for choir, two pianos and percussion, and we are so fortunate to collaborate with two outstanding pianists and great friends of Musica Viva NY, Margaret Kampmeier and Nelson Padgett, as well as the GRAMMY Award® nominees Sandbox Percussion. It is also our particular pleasure to present The Allen-Stevenson School Select Chorus, led by their music director and former MVNY singer, Michelle Demko. We paired Orff’s piece with Brahms’ Liebeslieder Walzer. Both compositions explore deep emotions in different ways. While Orff’s approach is theatrical and primeval, resulting in a thrilling and intoxicating experience, Brahms’ waltzes are passionate and sensual, full of joy and pain framed by the dance rhythms that will make you want to forget about everything and just sway in your seat. Our hope is that this concert will be an immersive, energetic and joyous experience! The next choral concert in the Musica Viva NY 2022-23 series takes place on March 12. However, before that, on Saturday, February 4, we’re going to be putting on a cabaret here at All Souls where you’ll have a chance to see our singers in a very different light. Those of you who came to our cabaret in December 2019 will remember what fun it was - and now we’re coming back to the cabaret! We will be sending out more information in early December but in the meantime we hope you’ll save the date! Thank you for coming and we hope that you will enjoy the concert! —Alejandro Hernandez-Valdez, Artistic Director —Jasna Vasić, Executive Director