Composer Sir Karl Jenkins to Celebrate His 80th Birthday at Carnegie Hall With DCINY

Distinguished Concerts International New York will present The Best of Sir Karl Jenkins, DCINY’s 2024 season kick-off performance celebrating the renowned Welsh composer’s 80th Birthday. The concert will be conducted by DCINY’s own Artistic Director, Dr. Jonathan Griffith, in Stern Auditorium on the Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall on January 15, 2024.

Sir Karl Jenkins has seen a lot of media attention in these past weeks since the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Social media turned its attention to the mustachioed composer in jest, speculating on the whereabouts of Ms. Meghan Markle. “I’ve always had this mustache and hair,” Sir Karl Jenkins said, and was at Westminster Abbey to witness the crowning and hear the coronation orchestra perform his original work, Tros y Garreg. “It was a piece I was commissioned to compose almost two decades ago, when the King was the Prince of Wales” Jenkins said.

Sir Karl Jenkins is DCINY’s original, and longest-performing composer-in-residence. “We are proud to be kicking off next year’s season celebrating his 80th year,” says DCINY Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Jonathan Griffith, who co-founded the company with General Director Iris Derke. “Jenkins is one of the most frequently performed composers in the world, and this concert will be his 17th performance with us. I am particularly honored to conduct his work for this event.”

This once-in-a-lifetime performance will bring Sir Karl’s most beloved pieces to life. One act will feature works from ‘Songs of Sanctuary’ (Adiemus, Kayama, Hymn), ‘Requiem” (Dies Irae) and ‘Stabat Mater ‘And the Mother Did Weep, Virgo Virginum, Ave Verum, Paradisi Gloria), and a second act will feature The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace. Now nearly 25 years old, this popular composition is one of Sir Karl’s–and the world’s–most performed compositions.

“We’re still auditioning singing and choral groups for Sir Jenkins’ milestone concert celebration,” says Iris Derke, “we welcome inquiries from schools and communities around the world. This is definitely a performance not to be missed.” Many groups have participated in Sir Jenkins’ concerts over the past fifteen years, including the Brisbane Chorale (Emily Cox, Director; Australia); VOENA (Annabelle Marie, Director; CA); Pennsbury High School (James Moyer, Director; PA); Chor Capriccio; Birgit Ensminger-Busse, Director; Germany); Ensemble Jean Phillipe Rameau (Malgorzata Digaud-Baluszynska, Director; France); The Voice Company (Robert Bakker, Director; Netherlands); and Nova Voce (William Perrot, Director; Nova Scotia).