Distinguished Concerts International New York Unveils 2014 Season

Distinguished Concerts International New York unveils its 2014 season of joyful, inspiring and moving music, featuring numerous world and US premieres, world-class musicians at New York's most prestigious venues, and singers from across America and the globe. A unique success story in a challenging arts and economic environment, DCINY, now entering its 7th season, is commissioning new works, mentoring young conductors, and breaking new ground-including a tour to Turkey this past spring-and giving talented artists the opportunity to realize their dreams. Founded by Iris Derke (General Director) and Jonathan Griffith (Artistic Director and Principal Conductor), DCINY continues to be driven by passion and unwavering commitment to create unforgettable audience and performer experiences.

Since its inception, DCINY has had a special relationship with Welsh composer Karl Jenkins, the most performed living composer in the world today. Having already presented several U.S. premieres of Jenkins' works-including The Armed Man: A Mass For Peace, most recently on the 10th anniversary of September 11th and with several hundred musicians-DCINY honors Jenkins on the occasion of his 70th birthday with an all-Jenkins program on Monday, January 20th at 7:00 PM at Stern Auditorium, Carnegie Hall, conducted by Jonathan Griffith. The concert, which takes place on DR. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, will feature the U.S. premiere of The Bards of Wales and stars eminent Welsh tenor Rhys Meirion in his Carnegie Hall debut. Also on the program are Jenkins' Stabat Mater and "Benedictus" from The Armed Man, with the composer in attendance.

The season will officially open one day earlier on Sunday, January 19 at 2:00 PM with Of Life and Liberty, also at Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium, featuring a world premiere by Mark Hayes, commissioned by DCINY's Premiere Project initiative. Initiated in 2009, DCINY's Premiere Project encourages debuts, premieres, and other firsts by composers, conductors, soloists, instrumental, and choral ensembles. The concert also features the New York premiere of Dan Forrest's Requiem for the Living, conducted by James Meaders.

DCINY continues its hugely popular annual collaboration with Eric Whitacre, known to millions worldwide through his Grammy-winning, best-selling recordings and groundbreaking Virtual Choir. This year DCINY is thrilled to present a special collaboration with multi Grammy and Oscar-winning Broadway and film composer Stephen Schwartz. Whitacre conducts over 250 voices in Defying Gravity: The Music of Stephen Schwartz and Eric Whitacre at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center on Sunday, March 30 at 2:00 PM.

Also in March, DCINY welcomes eminent conductor Vance George for the earth-shaking choral masterpiece, Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, reprising his Grammy-award winning recording of the dramatic work. The concert on Monday, March 10 at 7:00 PM at Avery Fisher Hall will also feature music for women's voices, in celebration of International Women's Day, led by conductor Hilary Apfelstadt.

Another certain highlight of the season is the return of vibrant young composer and video game music rock star Christopher Tin for The Drop of Dawn, a fusion of orchestral and world music by Tin featuring over 200 voices on Sunday, April 13 at 8:30 PM at Stern Auditorium, Carnegie Hall. The concert will include a reprise of last season's thrilling performance of Tin's Grammy-winning world music song cycle, Calling All Dawns, and the world premiere of The Drop That Contained the Sea.

Celebration and Reflection will be a two-concert series at Lincoln Center, featuring the New York premiere of Brad Ellingboe's Star Song, with Mozart's Coronation Mass on Sunday, May 25 at 7:00 PM at Avery Fisher Hall, followed by the world premiere (commissioned through the DCINY Premiere Project) of Festival Te Deum by Grammy-award winning composer René Clausen at Alice Tully Hall.

The season will close on a high note with the return of the popular Bluegrass Mass by Carol Barnett, which combines the solemnity of a classical choir-based Mass with the sparkling down home sound of banjo, mandolin and fiddle. This year's guest artists, who will also perform their own music on Sunday, June 8 at 2:00 PM at Stern Auditorium, Carnegie Hall, are the multi-award winning bluegrass band Dailey & Vincent.

Additional season highlights include a 75th Anniversary Celebration from Shawnee Press, featuring hits like "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and "You Raise Me Up"; a special performance by the University of Southern Denmark Orchestra; The Cry of Jerimiah!, a new work by Rosephanye Powell, in its New York premiere; Lehigh University's 150th Anniversary; and I Believe, a Holocaust oratorio by Zane Zalis.

Fall 2014 will see the return of what has become a DCINY Christmas tradition: Messiah ... Refreshed!, the 1959 re-orchestration of Handel's Messiah for full symphony orchestra by Sir Thomas Beecham/Sir Eugene Goossens on Sunday, November 30 at 2:00pm at Avery Fisher Hall. The New York Times declared DCINY's Messiah chorus to be "ravishing" and New York Concert Review said, "Make no mistake; this is not your great-grandfather's Messiah. It is brash, extroverted, and at times bombastic ... double the sound, new and improved, with cymbals and triangle! This version is tailor-made for DCINY; an organization that never fails to pull out all the stops in putting on a big show."

DCINY is also proud to continue its Conductor Mentoring Program. The 2014 session "The Complete Conductor: Orchestral Conducting for the Choral Director" will take place in New York City from January 17-20. This intensive workshop, which provides hands-on experience for established and emerging conductors, will include the participation of composers Karl Jenkins and Dan Forrest, alongside conductors Craig Jessop (formerly with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir), Michael Adelson (former cover conductor for the NY Philahrmonic) and DCINY Artistic Director Jonathan Griffith.

DCINY 2014 CONCERT CALENDAR

* Repertoire, Dates & Programs Subject to Change*

For Updated Information Please See www.DCINY.org.

Sunday, January 19, 2014 at 2:00 PM | Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, Carnegie Hall

OF LIFE AND LIBERTY

New York premiere of Requiem for the Living by DCINY composer in residence Dan Forrest, with Testament of Freedom by Randall Thompson and The Gettysburg Address by Mark Hayes.

Monday, January 20 at 7:00 PM | Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, Carnegie Hall

THE MUSIC OF KARL JENKINS: A 70TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

All-Jenkins program, including the US premiere of Jenkins's The Bards of Wales.

Monday, February 17 at 7:00 PM | Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, Carnegie Hall

SHAWNEE PRESS: CELEBRATING 75 YEARS IN MUSIC

From Bridge Over Troubled Water to America The Beautiful, with full symphony orchestra.

Monday, March 10 at 7:00 PM | Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center

LUST & LA FEMME MYSTIQUE: CARMINA BURANA AND MUSIC IN CELEBRATION OF INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

Conductor Vance George reprises his role from his Grammy-Award Winning recording of Carmina Burana.

Sunday, March 30 at 2:00 PM | Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center

DEFYING GRAVITY: THE MUSIC OF Stephen Schwartz AND Eric Whitacre

Whitacre conducts over 250 voices in his annual concert collaboration with DCINY. With Special Guest Artist Stephen Schwartz.

Saturday, April 12 at 7:00 PM | Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center

VOCAL COLORS

Featuring voices from around the country with conductors Scott Buchanan, Timothy Powell and Horace Carney, Jr., a choir of 200 voices and symphony orchestra.

Sunday, April 13 at 8:30 PM | Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, Carnegie Hall

THE DROP OF DAWN

Thrilling fusions of orchestral and world music by Grammy-winner Christopher Tin, with over 200 voices.

Tuesday, April 22 at 8:30 PM | Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, Carnegie Hall

BRIDGES TO THE FUTURE

Featuring University of Southern Denmark Orchestra with Argentinean Tango Music and original works by Danish Composers.

Saturday, May 10 at 7:00 PM | Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center

THE CRY OF JEREMIAH!

New York Premiere of The Cry of Jeremiah by Rosephanye Powell and Gloria by Dr. Robert Harris

Friday, May 23 at 8:00 PM | Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, Carnegie Hall

A BREATH OF FRESH AIR

An exuberant evening with the Alice High School Honors Band, and Del Mar Master Chorus and Concert Choir.

Sunday, May 25 at 7:00 PM | Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center

CELEBRATION & REFLECTION, PART 1

World Premiere of Brad Ellingboe's Star Song for chorus and orchestra, with Mozart's Coronation Mass.

Monday, May 26 at 7:00 PM | Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center

CELEBRATION & REFLECTION, PART 2

Premiere of René Clausen's Festival Te Deum, commissioned by DCINY's Premiere Project, Bob Chilcott's Requiem.

Sunday, June 8 at 2:00 PM | Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, Carnegie Hall

BLUEGRASS AND GRAY FEATURING DAILEY & VINCENT

DCINY celebrates the American tradition of country-style Bluegrass music.

Saturday, June 14 at 7:00 PM | Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center

DREAM A BETTER WORLD

The unstoppable Darcy Reese and her choristers from Lincoln High School in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, return to perform with DCINY for the third time, singing their way to a more peaceful and united world.

Sunday, June22 at 2:00 PM | Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, Carnegie Hall

UNDER THE WESTERN SKY

Featuring a new work for children's choir by Cristen Grases.

Friday, November 21 at 8:00 PM | Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, Carnegie Hall

LEHIGH UNIVERSITY CELEBRATES 150 YEARS

An evening with composer and conductor Steven Sametz.

Sunday, November 30 at 2:00 PM | Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center

MESSIAH ... REFRESHED!

A DCINY Christmas tradition: Handel's Messiah in the 1959 re-orchestration for full symphony orchestra by Sir Thomas Beecham/Sir Eugene Goossens.