For Immediate Release: November 13, 2009
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CHIAROSCURA ~ December 5 6 12 13
THE ESOTERICS CONCLUDES ITS SIXTEENTH SEASON WITH A SPIRITUAL FINALE
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SEATTLE — The Esoterics' 16th season has stood out at one of the group's most profound to date, exploring the extremes of human expression: love, grief, wonder, and secrets. The season ends with its most spiritual program, an alternative to typical Christmas fare, featuring rousing works of master composers Strauss, Schnittke, and Joubert.
In painting, CHIAROSCURA refers to the contrast between light and darkness, and how shadows intensify luminosity. Each of these pieces sets verses from a prayer, litany, or meditation (by the likes of Friedrich Rückert and St. Augustine), and reflects how various forms of light and dark -- good and evil, known and unknown, truth and falsehood -- are at once highly contrasting and inextricably interdependent.
In Joubert's Sleep canticle, these contrasts emerge in verses by Norwich poet Sir Thomas Browne, in which sleep is portrayed as a midpoint between life and death, concluding with one line from the English mystic Julian of Norwich, “And all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.” Strauss' Deutsche Motette, is arguably the composer's most well-known choral work, but is rarely performed because of the virtuosity required. In 20 parts, the chorus sings text by Rückert, spending most of the piece in a raucous polyphonic fugue: “Oh show me, so I may rest in my dream, that the task/That I once began is now fulfilled, awaken me!”
The centerpiece of the concert will be Alfred Schnittke's Concerto for mixed choir, a setting of text from “The Book of Lamentations” by another mystic, Gregory of Narek. The dramatic, 40-minute piece brings together the ancient and modern, evoking a reverence and solemnity that will transport the audience to a distinctive, unquestionably Russian, world of spirituality.
Founding Director Eric Banks intentionally set this program to provide a choral alternative to the well-trodden musical territory offered during this time of year. “It's the time of year when people have a hankering for choral music and we are happy to fulfill that craving,” says Banks. “My hope is that this concert will provide as much emotion and spiritual intensity as a traditional holiday concert without tapping into timeworn traditions.”
The resulting concert, both moving and dramatic, will bring an appropriately poignant conclusion to The Esoterics' sixteenth season.
Please join The Esoterics for this incomparable choral extravaganza.
Dates, locations, and times are as follows:
Saturday 5 December 7:00 PM • Lynnwood
Trinity Lutheran Church • 6215 196th St. SW
Sunday 6 December 3:00 PM • Tacoma
Christ Episcopal Church • 310 N K St.
Saturday 12 December 8:00 PM • Seattle
St Joseph's Catholic Church • 732 18th Ave E
Sunday 13 December 3:00 PM • West Seattle
Tickets are $20 at the door, $18 in advance, $15 for students,
seniors, the un(der)employed, and the differently-abled. Discounts are available
for groups of five or more at $12 per person. Active singers of any choral group
may attend for only $10. Advance tickets are available online at
Holy Rosary Catholic Church • 4139 42nd Ave SW
The Esoterics has presented dozens of local and international premieres and has tackled the most challenging works of 20th and 21st century choral repertoire. Now in its 16th season with founding director Eric Banks, the ensemble has drawn national and international praise for presenting the many styles that comprise contemporary choral music. The Esoterics' commitment to innovative concert repertoire has been nationally recognized four times (in 2001, 2003, 2006, and 2008) with the ASCAP and Chorus America Award for Adventurous Programming of Contemporary Music. The ensemble was also honored to be selected as the only North American chorus to compete at the 2000 International Choral Festival in Cork, Ireland, the 2001 International Choral Festival in Tolosa, Spain, and the 2006 Harald Andersén International Choir Competition in Helsinki, Finland.
If you have additional questions about CHIAROSCURA or The Esoterics (media contact only), please contact Bayta Maring ()