Harmony From Discord: Two Requiems, Choirs, Guzheng, And Oud Take The Stage At The Mount Baker Theatre

On Sunday, February 26th, the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra will present Harmony from Discord Meets Mozart's Requiem, featuring contemporary composer Wu Fei's Hello Gold Mountain paired with Mozart's powerful and exalted Requiem, at the Mount Baker Theatre in Bellingham, WA.

Guest artists Wu Fei, guzheng, and Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz, oud, will join the orchestra for Hello Gold Mountain, Wu Fei's masterpiece inspired by stories of WWII Jewish refugees who fled to Shanghai from Europe. An accomplished artist, Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz has performed alongside Yo-Yo Ma in the Silk Road Ensemble.

Next, Western Washington University Choirs and Bellingham Chamber Chorale join vocalists Sarah Shafer, Soprano; Nerys Jones, Mezzo; Brendan Tuohy, Tenor; and Charles Robert Stephens, Baritone, for an unforgettable performance of Mozart's Requiem.

This concert marks the eighth Harmony from Discord concert performed by the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra. Begun in 2016, the Harmony from Discord series celebrates music that transcends oppression by shining a light on composers whose music has endured through the darkest of times across the globe.

"I think the cool thing about this concert is that it's two Requiems side-by-side," explains Music Director Yaniv Attar. "Wu Fei's piece is kind of a Requiem for the loss of possibilities, specifically in the integration of two cultural traditions - Chinese and Jewish. For me, a major aspect of the HfD series is the question of "what if"? What if the composers we perform had not died in the Holocaust? What other treasures would we have known from them? In the case of Wu Fei's piece, if the Jews did not have to leave China, what other possibilities could have come to fruition in this richly multi-cultural environment? It is an important question, especially today, when there are so many refugee crises around the world."

Tickets start at $15. A Pre-Concert Lecture about the program by Dr. Ryan Dudenbostel will take place at 2:15PM in the Walton Theatre. Doors open at 2PM and seating is limited, so please plan accordingly.

This concert qualifies for Classical Kids, Take-A-Teen, and Student Rush ticket discounts. Visit www.bellinghamsymphony.org/event/mozarts-requiem to learn more.

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