For Immediate Release: August 2, 2008
|
THE ESOTERICS PREMIERES A CHORAL OPERA BASED ON ZOROASTRIAN MYTHS
DAMAN ~ October 4 – 5 and 11 - 12 |
SEATTLE - For a group that exists to explore new music, The Esoterics' October concert, DAMAN, will mark new beginnings in more than one way. Not only will the performance feature myths from Zororastrianism that explain the creation of the universe, it will also represent a rejuvenation for the group as they experiment with their concert format to stage the world premiere of Founding Director Eric Banks' new choral opera, The seven creations.
A scholar of world religions and languages, Banks has previously written pieces inspired by Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Sufism. In 2007, after developing strong connections with the Parsi community in and around Bombay, Banks steeped himself in the spiritual traditions and history of one of the world's most ancient religions. "In Zoroastrianism, there is a set of hymns, called gathas, which are said to have been first sung by Zarathustra," states Banks. "I found these hymns fascinating and beautiful because they are in a completely unique language, called Avestan, and because they are most probably the oldest songs in human history. These songs have been passed down from generation to generation, father to son, for centuries."
In addition to featuring the gathas, Banks' The seven creations will include sections of the Bundahishn, the Persian creation story, in which the struggle between good and evil results in the creation of the seven elements we know as the sky, water, earth, plants, animals, humans, and fire. In the piece, different figures in the text have been assigned to different singers in the group, so that throughout the performance, each singer will voice a unique vocal part at least once.
"I think Eric has chosen a very exciting format to highlight the technical and vocal prowess of the group," says Liz O'Donoghue, soprano, who will sing the part of the "Sky Warrior" in the movement featuring the creation of the sky. "We all love to challenge ourselves and I think the audience will hear The Esoterics in a completely new way this time around."
The audience's experience will also be different in that the singers will, instead of remaining static at the front of the stage, utilize the entire performance space, at times singing among the audience and moving in concentric circles around them, creating a unique aural experience. Banks explains, "As the chorus moves around the audience, the voices will actually become the environment as well as the drama that unfolds as the universe is created."
For such a unique experience, The Esoterics has chosen to return to a special venue for its Seattle concert: The Olympic Sculpture Park Pavilion. Having sung Banks' Twelve Qur'anic visions at the OSPP in October of 2007, the group is eager to return to this secular space that will provide a stunning visual backdrop for DAMAN's choral opera experience.
Banks and The Esoterics will also be taking DAMAN to a new venue in Olympia with an educational purpose. The group will perform on the campus of South Puget Sound Community College hosted by the KJM Center for the Arts. Earlier in the day, Banks and members of The Esoterics will conduct a master class in which Banks will discuss different types of chant and how he has incorporated them into his choral compositions.
"I think Eric as well as the members of The Esoterics have a considerable amount of knowledge, passion, and wisdom to be shared with students who are studying choral conducting, composition, or music in general," says Bayta Maring, mezzo-soprano. "We are hoping that our class and concert at SPSCC will inspire a whole new generation of choral singers by showing them it's possible to be part of a thriving choral organization that can support your life-long learning and growth as a musician and as a human."
For The seven creations, Banks was honored with a $10,000 Access to Artistic Excellence grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to support the composition, performance, and recording of his opera. Although the NEA has awarded grants to The Esoterics, this is the largest grant that the group has received for a single composer.
Please join The Esoterics for this world premiere performance!
NOTE: Location and time of the Daman concerts have changed since the 2008 Season Announcements
Dates for DAMAN are as follows:
Saturday • 4 October • 8 pm • Tacoma
Christ Episcopal Church • 310 N K St
Sunday • 5 October • Olympia
South Puget Sound Community College • Time and specific location TBA
Saturday • 11 October • 8 pm • Seattle
Olympic Sculpture Park Pavilion • 2901 Western Ave
Sunday • 12 October • 3 pm • West Seattle
Holy Rosary Catholic Church • 4139 42nd Ave SW
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
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 celebrating its fifteenth anniversary season with founding director Eric Banks, the ensemble has drawn national and international praise for presenting the many styles that comprise contemporary choral music. In 2001, 2003, 2006, and 2008 The Esoterics' commitment to innovative concert repertoire was nationally recognized when ASCAP and Chorus America granted the ensemble its coveted 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 Daman or The Esoterics (media contact only), please contact Bayta Maring ().