King Balthazar Of The Magi Highlighted In December 8 Choral Presentation At Queens College

The Queens College Choral Society will perform Margaret Bonds' “The Ballad of the Brown King” and selections from G.F. Handel's coronation anthems on Saturday, December 16 at 8 pm in LeFrak Concert Hall. Featured soloists are current vocal performance majors from the Aaron Copland School of Music. The concert will open with works from Karen LeFrak's newly released album Christmas Cookies.

Premiered in 1954 with a text by Langston Hughes, “The Ballad of the Brown King” was written in honor of Balthazar, identified in Greek manuscripts as one of the three kings from the story of the birth of Jesus. Three of Handel's four coronation anthems will be performed in the second half of the program. Coronation anthems are uplifting and celebratory works specially commissioned for the crowning of a sovereign. These compositions have been performed at every English coronation ceremony since 1727, including that of King Charles III in May 2023.

Karen LeFrak is a children's book author and recording artist who has released ten studio recordings since March 2021. Her music has been included in hundreds of curated playlists and has been streamed over 26 million times.

Founded in 1941, the Queens College Choral Society (QCCS) is “a singing organization of and for the public, students and staff of Queens College.” It typically performs two concerts per year in December and May—with an orchestra—devoted to the great masterpieces of choral literature such as Verdi's “Requiem,” Beethoven's “Missa Solemnis,” Bach's “Magnificat,” and Handel's “Messiah.” QCCS has also performed multiple premieres of new works, including the recent premiere of “1001 Voices: A Symphony for Queens,” commissioned by the Queens Symphony Orchestra. The group is open to singers of all backgrounds and skill levels, from high school students to adult community members.

Tickets are $25 and are available through the Kupferberg Center Box office at (718) 793-8080 or online at www.kupferbergcenter.org/qcchoral.htm. Group discounts for high school students and teachers are also available. For directions to Queens College, visit  http://www.qc.cuny.edu/welcome/directions/Pages/default.aspx.