Musica Viva NY Announces 40th Anniversary Season

Musica Viva NY-a chamber choir under the artistic direction of Dr. Alejandro Hernandez-Valdez-celebrates its 40th anniversary throughout the 2017-18 season, continuing its commitment to performing beloved as well as rarely heard works from various periods of musical history and from diverse cultures worldwide together with the Aeolus Quartet, quartet in residence. Highlights of the season include Orff's Carmina Burana, a concert featuring pianist and composer Seymour Bernstein, an appearance by Musica Viva NY's founder Walter Klauss, a performance commemorating the life and legacy of DR. Martin Luther King, Jr. featuring Alice Parker; and the world premiere of a work by Elena Ruehr, commissioned by Musica Viva NY. All performances take place at All Souls Church (80th Street and Lexington Avenue).

Musica Viva NY's 40th anniversary season kicks off on Sunday, November 12, 2017 at 5:00 p.m., with a program entitled The Wheel and the Sphere featuring Carl Orff's iconic Carmina Burana and Guillaume Connesson's Sphaera together with the Allen-Stevenson School Chorus.

Voices in Motion: Exploring Sound and Space returns on Sunday, February 25, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. featuring works by Bach, Mozart, Brahms, Rachmaninoff, John Tavener, Benjamin Britten, and others. The program spotlights the voices of the Musica Viva NY choir. Special guest, Artistic Director Emeritus, organist and founder of Musica Viva NY Walter Klauss returns to join the program.

On Sunday, April 8, 2018 at 5:00 p.m., Musica Viva NY presents Infinite Hope, a concert featuring renowned conductor, composer, and writer Alice Parker who joins Artistic Director Alejandro Hernandez-Valdez, the Musica Viva NY choir, and the Aeolus Quartet for her own A Sermon from the Mountain: Martin Luther King; spirituals arranged by Moses Hogan and Alice Parker; and Antonin Dvo?ak's String Quartet in F Major, Op. 96, "American."

Closing its 40th anniversary season, Musica Viva NY presents Sunrise in the City on Sunday, May 20, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. featuring a newly- commissioned work by Boston-based composer, Elena Ruehr, together with Ola Gjeilo's Sunrise Mass, and works by Gustav Mahler and Maarten Spruijt.

In addition to the traditional four-concert Sunday evening series at All Souls Church, Musica Viva NY presents one additional benefit concert on Sunday, January 21, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. Reintroducing Seymour features legendary pianist, teacher, and composer Seymour Bernstein, who joins Artistic Director Alejandro Hernandez-Valdez and Musica Viva NY soloists in works by Johannes Brahms and Franz Schubert.

Season Subscriptions, priced at $130, and single tickets, priced at $40, for the four-concert series at All Souls Church are available by visiting http://musicaviva.org/tickets/. Single tickets are also available at the door on the evening of the concert.

2017-18 Program Information

Sunday, November 12, 2017 at 5:00 p.m.
The Wheel and the Sphere: Orff's Carmina Burana & Connesson's Sphaera
Featuring the Allen-Stevenson Chorus

CARL ORFF Carmina Burana GUILLAUME CONNESSON Sphaera

Sunday, January 21, 2018 at 5:00 p.m.
Reintroducing Seymour: A 40th Anniversary Fundraiser with Seymour Bernstein
Featuring Seymour Bernstein and Musica Viva NY soloists

JOHANNES BRAHMS Liebeslieder Waltzer, Op. 52 Franz Schubert Fantasia in F minor, D.940

Sunday, February 25, 2018, 5:00 p.m.
Voices in Motion: Exploring Sound and Space
Featuring guest organist and conductor Walter Klauss

GREGORIO ALLEGRI Miserere mei JOHANN Sebastian Bach Dona nobis pacem from Mass in B minor WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART Ave verum corpus JOHANNES BRAHMS Geistliches Lied ANTON BRUCKNER Os justi SERGEI RACHMANINOFF Rejoice, O Virgin GUSTAV HOLST Psalm 86, To My Humble Supplication MAURICE DURUFLE Ubi caritas Benjamin Britten Hymn to St. Cecilia VELJO TORMIS Raua needmine (Curse Upon Iron) JOHN TAVENER Song for Athene

Organ works to be announced

Sunday, April 8, 2018 at 5:00 p.m.
Infinite Hope: Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of MLK's Assassination
With special guest conductor, composer, and writer Alice Parker and the Aeolus Quartet

ALICE PARKER A Sermon from the Mountain: Martin Luther King ANTONIN DVORAK String Quartet in F Major, Op. 96, "American"

Spirituals arranged by Moses Hogan and Alice Parker

Sunday, May 20, 2018 at 5:00 p.m.
Sunrise in the City: Musica Viva NY Celebrates 40 Years
Featuring a newly commissioned work by composer Elena Ruehr

Gustav Mahler Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen MAARTEN SPRUIJT Thuremin ELENA RUEHR World premiere in celebration of the 40th anniversary of
Musica Viva NY (commissioned by Musica Viva NY) OLA GJEILO Sunrise Mass

About Musica Viva NY

Founded in 1977, Musica Viva NY-a chamber choir of thirty professionals and highly skilled volunteers-is driven by a desire to share the transcendent power of choral and instrumental music with audiences in New York City and beyond. With a broad repertoire that includes new compositions and classic masterworks, Musica Viva NY emphasizes artistic excellence and transformative interpretations to ennoble the human spirit; its imaginative programming offers joy, solace and renewal in a complex world.

About Dr. Alejandro Hernandez-Valdez

Hailed by The Washington Post as a conductor "with the incisive clarity of someone born to the idiom," Dr. Alejandro Hernandez-Valdez is an acclaimed conductor and pianist.

Since August 2015, Dr. Hernandez-Valdez has served as the Artistic Director of Musica Viva NY. Musica Viva NY is a choral ensemble founded in 1977 with a long tradition of top-caliber performances, innovative programing, and a strong dedication to the commissioning of new works. Hernandez-Valdez also serves as the Director of Music at the historic Unitarian Church of All Souls in Manhattan. Founded in 1819, All Souls is the most influential Unitarian Universalist congregation in the United States.

As Artistic Director, Co-Founder, and Conductor of the New Orchestra of Washington (NOW), Hernandez-Valdez has collaborated with many International Artists and has premiered numerous new works.

In September 2016, he began his tenure as Artistic Director of the Victoria Bach Festival, replacing Grammy Award-winning conductor and composer Craig Hella Johnson who led the Festival as Artistic Director from 1992 to 2015.