Ember Choral Arts Presents 'The Nu NormEL' Concert

Ember Choral Arts, under the direction of Dr. Deborah Simpkin King, has announced their upcoming choral concert, "The Nu NormEL," which will explore the complexities of the post-pandemic world through a thought-provoking program of choral works. The concert will feature the world premiere of James Knox's five-movement set, "Work From Home," and two selections by Jake Runestad, including the post-premiere of his "Ritual." Other composers include Moira Smiley, Eric Whitacre, Kate Rusby, Kyle Pederson, and Stephen Smith.

Through innovative programming designed to touch lives, Ember Choral Arts strives to extend the role of art beyond its own intrinsic value, leveraging it to bring visibility and expansive thinking to issues of human significance. The Nu NormEL looks at life on the other side of the darkest days of the health and socio-/political pandemics faced in 2020 and 2021. Particularly, Ember explores realities of emotional well-being and new forms of human connection in our increasingly virtual lifestyle.

"The Nu NormEL" will be performed on Friday, June 9th, 2023, at 7:30 pm, at The Actors' Chapel, 239 West 49th Street, New York, NY, and on Saturday, June 10th, 2023, at 8:00 pm, at Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church, 30 N Fullerton Ave, Montclair, NJ. The concert will be conducted by Dr. Deborah Simpkin King, the artistic director of Ember Choral Arts.

"We hope this program will offer a vehicle through which to reflect on the potential for isolation and the need for human contact in our increasingly virtual world," said Dr. King. "And the music itself is a blend of music that is stunning, moving, and sometimes whimsical, as is Ember's norm. Individual cell phones are even used as instruments in one of our pieces!"

Tickets for "The Nu NormEL" are on sale now and can be purchased through www.EmberArts.org. Follow Ember Choral Arts on Facebook and Instagram for updates and behind-the-scenes content.