National Chorale presents New York Premiere Of Angela Rice's THY WILL BE DONE

National Chorale, New York's premier professional choral company under the Artistic Direction of Everett McCorvey, continues its 2017-2018 Season at Lincoln Center with the New York Premiere of Angela Rice's Thy Will Be Done on Friday, March 16, 2018 at 8pm at the David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, 10 Lincoln Center Plaza, NYC. Tickets are $30-100 and are available at www.nationalchorale.com or by calling (212) 333-5333.

Thy Will Be Done, a new 90-minute work for soloists, choir and orchestra composed by Angela Rice, tells the story of the life, ministry, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

"I've tried to use the music to depict the emotions of the characters in the specific biblical contexts," said Rice. "I hope that as you listen you can hear the love, surrender, obedience, despair, humility and awe - emotions that the characters experienced."

Gregory Turay and Anthony Clark Evans, both winners of the prestigious Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, will be joined by mezzo soprano Catherine Martin, praised for her "angelic vocals, perfect facial expressions," and Kevin Thompson, an American bass described by the San Jose Mercury News as "brilliant in every regard." In addition, the production will feature musical theater and opera star Kenneth Overton, and Rebecca Farley, a Julliard master's graduate whom Broadway World hailed for a "sensational" performance with the Julliard Opera.

"I'm delighted to be at the helm as Gregory Turay makes his return to New York City" says Artistic Director and Conductor Everett McCorvey. "It has been nine years since Gregory has last performed in New York. I am excited that our New York audiences will again hear this glorious voice. Angela wrote this oratorio for him and he has performed it in other venues for the past seven years and now it will be performed on the stage of David Geffen Hall in New York City with Gregory in the leading role."

"The National Chorale is one of the most firmly established professional choral groups in the country." - The New Times

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

After years of studying voice and piano, teaching others, and tirelessly supporting the arts, Angela Rice decided to turn her considerable talents to composing. That decision has thrilled audiences and performers alike. Her oratorio Thy Will be Done was hailed by Rich Copley, music critic for The Lexington Herald-Leader, as "sterling" and "an ideal hit in the church choir world." Metropolitan Opera tenor Gregory Turay, who premiered in the role of Jesus, raved about Rice's "very singable, beautiful music." And audiences have been packing performances since the work for choir and soloists was first performed by The Bluegrass Opera. The work also received national attention when it was selected to be part of the Music Reading Session at the 2013 Montreat Presbyterian Music Conference in Montreat, N.C. Since the debut during the 2012 Lenten season, Rice has expanded the work from a cantata of 16 musical numbers to the current oratorio of 30 pieces about Jesus' life, ministry, crucifixion, resurrection and impact. While Rice has composed in many genres, she is perhaps best known for her vocal music, which runs the gamut from soaring opera to children's songs. Getting to this point in her musical career has been a long journey. A gifted singer and pianist from an early age, Rice studied piano under Robert Harris of the Julliard School, and voice at the New England Conservatory under Sahar Hassan after graduating from the University of Louisville. Rice continued her studies at workshops at the Tanglewood Music Center and under Phyllis Jenness. She was co-founder and executive director of the Ashland School of Music, where she also taught piano, and she has been an active member of the Executive Committee of the Lexington Opera Society. She currently serves on both the UK Libraries National Advisory Board and the Chrysalis House Board. Rice is also president of Melodia Music, a publishing and Production Company that specializes in large-scale works for voices and instruments, as well as compilations of shorter works in the vocal and choral genres. For more information about Rice and her music visit www.angelaricecomposer.com.

American tenor Gregory Turay is the recipient of several of classical music's most coveted honors. Winner of the Richard Tucker Award, George London Foundation Award, ARIA award, and Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Turay was hailed early in his career by the London Times as "one of the brightest natural talents to have emerged from the US in recent years."
A chronicle of international opera and concert engagements merit Mr. Turay's critical acclaim: San Francisco Opera debut as Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni and return as Camille de Rossillon in The Merry Widow; European debut at the Welsh National Opera as Ferrando in Cosi fan tutte; Deutsche Opera Berlin debut as Tamino in Die Zauberflote; Santa Fe Opera debut as Fenton in Der Rosenkavalier; Nemorino in L'Elisir d'Amore at the Boston Lyric Opera; Nadir in Les Pecheurs de Perles, the title role in Orfeo and Ernesto in Don Pasquale at the Opera Theatre of St. Louis; Fenton, Palino in Il Matrimonio Segreto and Zeferino in Il Viaggio a Reims at Wolf Trap Opera Festival; debut with the Cleveland Orchestra and Christoph von Dohnanyi in Berlioz's Te Deum; Handel's Messiah with San Francisco Symphony and Cleveland Orchestra; Mozart's Coronation Mass at the Mostly Mozart Festival; Tanglewood Festival; Mozart's Mass K 139 at the Salzburg Festival; Berlioz Requiem at the Edinburg Festival conducted by Don Runnicles; Nadir with the Washington Concert Opera; Lyric Opera of Chicago as Sam Kaplan in Weill's Street Scene; and Ravinia Festival "Rising Stars" concert. Winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions at the age of 21 and alumnus of the prestigious Metropolitan Opera's Lindemann Young Artists Development Program, Mr. Turay made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Bringhella in Ariadne auf Naxos and has returned for many engagements including Don Ottavio, Camille de Rossillon, Bringhella, and Ferrando.

Mr. Turay's distinguished career is punctuated by his creation of the role Rodolpho in William Bolcom's opera A View from the Bridge for the world premiere at the Lyric Opera of Chicago and the ensuing recording of the original cast, numerous performances at the Metropolitan Opera, a televised gala honoring Seiji Ozawa of Haydn's Creation with the Boston Symphony Orchestra under the baton of James Levine, and Saito Kinen Festival debut as Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni under the baton of Seiji Ozawa. Most recently, he has been heard with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in a concert featuring Act III of La Boheme under the baton of Robert Spano and with the Netherland Radio Orchestra for the rarely-performed Davide Penitente by Mozart.

An admired chamber recitalist, Mr. Turay has appeared under the auspices of the Marilyn Horne Foundation in New York and Palm Springs; the 92nd Street Y and Alice Tully Hall under the auspices of Young Concert Artists; at the Edinburgh Festival; the Vocal Arts Society in Washington, D.C.; Wolf Trap; in recital throughout the Southeast United States; at the Danny Kaye Playhouse in New York, and a collaborative performance of Brahms' Liebeslieder Waltzes with pianists James Levine and Ken Noda in Weill Recital Hall, New York.

Other honors include the Richard Gaddes Award from the Opera Theatre of St. Louis, winner of the Young Concert Artists International Auditions, first prize in both the D'Angelo Young Artists and Catherine E. Pope Competitions, and the Orchestra New England Soloist Prize. Mr. Turay is a graduate of the University of Kentucky. He currently studies with Dr. Everett McCorvey.

American mezzo-soprano Catherine Martin has been praised by The Washington Post for her "gorgeous, warm voice that you want to keep listening to," and she continues to make an impact in repertoire ranging from Verdi and Wagner to Strauss and Bellini.

Her 2016-2017 season begins in Taiwan at the National Taichung Theatre reviving Wellgunde in Das Rheingold with the La Fura dels Baus production team, a debut with Lyric Opera of Chicago singing Hécube and covering Didon in Les Troyens, a concert with The Dallas Opera at the Winspear Opera House, as well as the final installment of the Ring Cycle at Houston Grand Opera, singing Wellgunde in Götterdämmerung with La Fura dels Baus.

The 2015-2016 season included debuts with Opera Colorado in her signature role of Amneris in Aïda and a role debut with Florida Grand Opera as Adalgisa in Norma, a return to Washington National Opera as Wellgunde in Das Rheingold and Götterdämmerung and Grimgerde in Die Walküre.

Engagements for the 2014-2015 season included her debut with Dayton Opera as Sister Helen Prejean in Dead Man Walking, Waltraute in Die Walküre with Houston Grand Opera, a return to Opera Santa Barbara as Maddalena in Rigoletto, and Genevieve in Hindemith's The Long Christmas Dinner with the American Symphony Orchestra at Alice Tully Hall.

Her landmark 2013-2014 season included two important assignments for Houston Grand Opera: Amneris in its season-opening production of Aïda,filling in at the last minute for an indisposed artist, and her role debut as Wellgunde in Das Rheingold for the company's first-ever Ring cycle. Adding several key Strauss roles to her repertoire, she made her role debut as Der Komponist in Ariadne auf Naxos at The Glimmerglass Festival and sang Annina and covered Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center. Other performances included Mary in the world premiere Jeanine Tesori's The Lion, the Unicorn, and Me with Washington National Opera, Amneris for her debut with Opera Santa Barbara, leading roles in the double bill of Musto's Bastianello and Bolcom's Lucrezia at UrbanArias outside Washington, D.C., and Schubert's Mirjams Siegesgesang with the San Antonio Symphony.

Other highlights from 2013 included the role of Sara Miller in the world premiere of Approaching Ali with Washington National Opera, performances in the Steans Music Institute at the Ravinia Festival, her debut with the New Haven Symphony performing Elgar's rarely heard masterwork The Dream of Gerontius, and her debut with Vancouver's West Coast Chamber Players singing Alan L. Smith's Vignettes: Covered Wagon Woman.

An alumna of the Houston Grand Opera Studio, Catherine spent three seasons from 2009-2012 performing roles such as Dorabella in Così fan tutte, Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, Anna in Maria Stuarda, Flora in La traviata, Berta in Il barbiere di Siviglia, and Dryad in Ariadne auf Naxos. She also had the opportunity to work extensively with conductor Patrick Summers and to cover artists such as Susan Graham, Joyce DiDonato, and Michelle DeYoungin roles such as Der Komponist, Sister Helen, and the title roles of Xerxes and The Rape of Lucretia. In 2012 she was a member of The Glimmerglass Festival Young Artists Program, making her role debut as Amneris. In 2011 and 2010 she was a Filene Young Artist with Wolf Trap Opera, where her roles included Nicklausse in Les contes d'Hoffmann, Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Zaida in Il turco in Italia, plus multiple recitals with accompanist and vocal coach Steven Blier.

Winner of the 2011 National Opera Association Competition, Catherine was a semi-finalist in the 2012 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, a finalist in the 2012 George London Competition, a 2nd place winner in the 2013 Jensen Competition, a semi-finalist in the 2013 Hans Belvedere Competition, and won awards in the Eleanor McCollum Competition at Houston Grand Opera, The Dallas Opera Guild, Annapolis Opera. She has received The Richard F Gold Career Grant at both Houston Grand Opera and Wolf Trap, and the Catherine Filene Shouse Career Grant. A native of San Antonio, Texas, she holds a master's degree from the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music and a bachelor's degree in vocal performance from the University of North Texas.

Kenneth Overton is lauded for blending his opulent baritone with magnetic and varied portrayals that seemingly "emanate from deep within body and soul."

Heralded by the BBC for his "exceptional voice," Kenneth made his New York City Opera mainstage debut in 2012 as Doctor Grenvil in Verdi's La Traviata. That season, Kenneth also made an acclaimed debut in the world premiere of David Ott's The Widow's Lantern at Pensacola Opera, whereby he was immediately re-engaged to star as Joe in Showboat. 2012-13 included debuts with New Jersey Symphony (Bruckner Te Deum) and Tacoma Symphony Orchestra (Verdi concert).

In collaboration with pianist Kevin miller, Kenneth released his first solo CD in the fall of 2013. Been In De Storm So Long: Songs My Fathers Taught Me, is his homage to the spiritual tradition that has been formative in his artistic life. In step with this legacy, Kenneth is also co-founder and artistic director of Opera Noire of New York, a performing arts organization created to empower African-American artists to reach their full creative potential in a creative supportive environment.

Career highlights include Kenneth's San Francisco Opera debut as Lawyer Frazier with in Porgy and Bess and Germont (La Traviata) with Sacramento Opera and Boheme Opera (NJ). As a leading baritone, Kenneth has sung with Opera Memphis, Nashville Opera, Connecticut Opera, Chattanooga Symphony and Opera, Boheme Opera of NJ, Houston Ebony Opera Guild, Opera Delaware, Sacramento Opera and Opera Carolina. His roles with these companies include Papageno (Die Zauberflöte), Sharpless (MadamaButterfly), Leporello (Don Giovanni), Schaunard (La bohème), Ping (Turandot) as well as Angelotti (Tosca), Bello and Sid (La Fancuilla del West).

Kenneth's interpretation of the title role in Porgy and Bess has been acclaimed as "breathtaking." He made his international debut at Deutsche Oper Berlin in the critically-acclaimed production from South Africa's Cape Town Opera. Kenneth portrayed Porgy with Opera Theatre of Pittsburgh, Opera Memphis, Opera Carolina, Lexington Opera Society, the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, the Paducha Symphony and on tour throughout the British Isles. As Jake in Porgy and Bess, he performed at Stadttheater Klagenfurt and Princeton Opera Festival. In 2014, he debuts with Opera de Montreal and the Royal Danish Opera as Porgy.

Kenneth is widely recognized for his concert work, having performed with Phoenix Symphony, Norwalk Symphony, Montclair State University, New Jersey's Cathedral Basilica, Duluth Superior Symphony, Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, Yonkers Philharmonic, Oratorio Society of New Jersey, Summit Chorale Festival (NJ), New York City Opera's Schomberg Series, Sarasota Symphony, San Antonio Symphony and Richmond Symphony. His concert and oratorio repertoire includes Handel's Messiah, Verdi's Requiem, Vaughn Williams' A Sea Symphony, Beethoven's 9th Symphony, Schubert's Mass in A-flat, Haydn's Creation and Vaughan Williams' Five Mystical Songs. Kenneth is also featured in the American Spiritual Ensemble as a soloist for annual performances in the USA and international tours of Spain, Ecuador and France.

Kenneth has a passion for both musical theater and new works, and he made his Broadway debut in Baz Luhrman's La Bohème. He was featured in City Center Encores' production and recording of Romberg's The New Moon, and sang the role of Stephen Kumalo in Lost in the Stars with Skylark Opera. His Carnegie Hall debut was as the baritone soloist in Come Follow Me by Jackson Berkey with the Westfield Symphony Orchestra (Mid-America Productions). Kenneth has also excelled in diverse contemporary works including performances of Corps of Discovery by Michael Ching at Opera Festival of New Jersey; Six Characters in Search of An Author by Hugo Weisgall; and The Gilded Cage by Kioulaphides with Nexus Arts (NY).

Kenneth is a winner of the Liederkranz Competition, Connecticut Opera Guild Competition, Rosa Ponselle Competition (Meriden, CT) and a national winner of the Leontyne Price Vocal Competition.

Rebecca Farley, soprano, hails from Henderson, KY and is a Master of Music student at The Juilliard School. Last season she made her New York debut as Bubikopf in Viktor Ullmann's Der Kaiser von Atlantis, which she followed up this season with dazzling performances as the Controller in Jonathan Dove's Flight. Other operatic roles include Gilda in Rigoletto, Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, Nannetta in Falstaff, and Zerlina in Don Giovanni. Last December she appeared alongside Brian Zeger at Alice Tully Hall where they performed obscure Liszt lieder. As a concert soloist, she has sung in Orff's Carmina Burana, Mahler's Resurrection Symphony, Handel's Messiah, and premiered the role of Mary the Mother in Angela Rice's oratorio Thy Will Be Done. She is thrilled to be singing with The Cecilia Chorus of New York and adding Bach's Magnificat to her repertoire.

Ms. Farley received her Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Kentucky where she was an Alltech Scholarhip recipient. As an Alltech Scholar, she did concert tours in Normandy, Ireland, Peru, and Mexico. Currently, Ms. Farley is a proud recipient of a Kovner Fellowship at The Juilliard School.

Rising American baritone Anthony Clark Evans makes major debuts in the 2016-2017 season, firstly as Sharpless in Madama Butterfly with the San Francisco Opera. Later in the season, he makes his Metropolitan Opera debut as the Huntsman in Rusalka while also covering Riccardo in I Puritani. Last season, Mr. Evans made debuts with San Diego Opera as Sharpless in Madama Butterfly and with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis as Marcello in La bohème. He returned to Lyric Opera of Chicago to create the role of Simon Thibault in the world premiere of Bel Canto, adapted from Ann Patchett's bestselling novel into an opera by composer Jimmy Lopez and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, Nilo Cruz.

Mr. Evans recently completed a two-year tenure at Lyric Opera of Chicago's prestigious Ryan Opera Center, where he has been heard as Montano in Otello for his debut with the company, Yamadori (Sharpless cover) in Madama Butterfly, the Jailer in Tosca (while covering the Sacristan), the Servant in Capriccio (while covering the Count), the Hunter (Gamekeeper cover) in Rusalka, Commissario (Baron and Marquis cover) in La traviata, and covers of Leporello in Don Giovanni, Wolfram in Tannhäuser, and Fiorello in Il barbiere di Siviglia. Recent concert engagements include Faure's Requiem with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and his Ravinia Festival debut singing in Bernstein's Songfest with Ensemble dal Niente. In the summer of 2014, he performed Leporello in Don Giovanni in the Ryan Opera Center's Workshop, as well as sang the Theatre Director in Les mamelles de Tirésias with the Chicago Civic Orchestra.

In 2012, Mr. Evans was thrust onto the international operatic scene as a Grand Finals Winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Prior to this, he was working as a car salesman in Kentucky. The Met Auditions were only the first of a lengthy list of awards granted this gifted baritone: the following year, he received top prize in the Lissner, Albanese-Puccini, Giulio Gari, and Mario Lanza vocal competitions, as well as second prize in the Liederkranz and Opera Index competitions. His success continued in 2014 with awards from the Sullivan Foundation, the Luminarts Fellowship, and the American Opera Society, as well as a Sara Tucker Study Grant.

Anthony Clark Evans studied voice at Murray State University, where he portrayed Sir John Falstaff in Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor and was involved in various ensembles. He was an apprentice artist with Opera in the Ozarks (Arkansas) in 2008 and was featured there as Marcello in La bohème and Pish-Tush in The Mikado. Mr. Evans resides in Elizaebthtown, Kentucky with his wife, Kim, and daughter, Bryn.

American Bass, Kevin Thompson, possesses a voice with extraordinary range, depth, color combined with a commanding stage presence. "A mountain of a voice, with resonance from the Escorial of Philip II, the throne of Boris Godunov, and the majestic court of Sarastro. Thompson delivered all the goods..." (San Francisco Classical Voice). Kevin began the 2014- 2015 season singing the role of Ahmed Sumani in the world premiere of Qadar at the Kennedy Center; a return engagement with Opera Santa Barbara as Sparafucile in Rigoletto; Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, also at the Kennedy Center and with the Washington Chorus; and his debut as Osmin in Die Entfuhrung as dem Serail and the role of Mephistopheles in Faust with West Bay Opera. Other more recent engagements included his debut with Opera Carolina as Zemfira's father in Aleko, Verdi's Requiem with the National Chorale at Avery Fisher Hall, Wagner's Rienzi at the Kennedy Center, Handel's Messiah with The National Philharmonic, Osmin in Die Entfuhrung as dem Serail at the Walnut Creek Festival, and the role of Captain in Daniel Catan's Florencia en el Amazonas with the New York City Opera. Engagements in 2016-17 included the Mozart Requiem with Maestro David Robertson and the St. Louis Symphony, Verdi's Requiem with Tallahassee Symphony, Basilio in the Barber of Sevillewith Opera Hong Kong, the Old Gypsy in Aleko with the New York City Opera, and the role of Angelotti in Tosca with Opera Tampa. In 2017-18 he will return to Bob Jones University as Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor , perform Thibault in The Maid of Orleans with Odyssey Opera, and the role of Ramphis in Aida with Knoxville Opera.

In recent seasons, Mr. Thompson has appeared as Ramfis and Il Re in Aida; Sarastro; Mephistopheles; Oroveso; Sparafucile; Grand Inquisitor; Lodovico; Il Commendatore; Colline; Crespel, Schlemil and Luther (Les Contes de Hoffman, Ned (Treemonisha); Judge Turpin (Sweeney Todd); Hans Schwartz (Die Meistersinger); the Verdi Requiem; Mozart Requiem; Haydn's The Creation and the Lord Nelson Mass; Handel's Messiah; and, Stravinsky's Les Noces.

Performing under the baton of a distinguished roster of conductors, including Edoardo Muller, Andreas Delfs, Julian Wachner, Christopher Allen, Grant Gershon, Leon Botstien, Joel Revzen, Alexander Kalajdzic, Mark Flint, Dean Williams, David Zinmin, and the late Julius Rudel, Mr. Thompson is at home on both the opera and concert stage having performed since 2008 with the Hannover Staatsoper, Fundacion Teatro Nacional Sucre in Ecuador, Teatro Verdi Trieste, Teatro Regio Parma, Opera Kiel, the Gasteig in Munich, Wexford Opera House in Ireland, La Folle Journee, New York City Opera, Ash Lawn Music Festival, Sarasota Opera, Opera Santa Barbara, Knoxville Opera; and, in Augusta, Shreveport, the American Cathedral in Paris, Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, The Pentagon and Library of Congress.

Mr. Thompson appeared in the world premiere of Die Weisse Furstin in Munich and in the US premiere of Haggadah shel Pesah (Passover in Exile) at Carnegie Hall in New York. As a permanent part of the Smithsonian Institute's Hirschorn Gallery in Washington, D.C., Mr. Thompson is featured singing "Old Man River" in occurring audio walk artwork exhibit entitled "Words Drawn in Water" by artist Janet Cardiff.

He is a graduate of Juilliard, AIMS Graz (American Institute of Musical Studies) and Aspen Music Festival. He has studied with Dolora Zajick (Institute for Dramatic Young Voices), Catherine Malfitano (Act-Sing), and is currently with studying Bill Schuman in New York. Mr. Thompson is the recipient of numerous awards including those from the National Symphony Competition, the Don Giovanni International Competition, the Meistersinger Competition, Marian Anderson Scholar, the Paul Robeson Competition, and the Rosa Ponselle Competition.

NATIONAL CHORALE'S 2017-2018 SEASON CONTINUES WITH:

April 13, 2018

Beethoven's Symphony #9 and Ralph Vaughan Williams - Serenade to Music

ABOUT THE NATIONAL CHORALE

The National Chorale, New York's premier professional choral company, is celebrating its 50thLincoln Center Season at David Geffen Hall, previously Avery Fisher Hall, with its continuing series of choral orchestral masterworks and 20th century American Classics.

Founded in 1967, the National Chorale is the only professional choral company in the United States to have established and maintained an annual subscription season in the major New York City concert halls - 50 seasons in David Geffen Hall, with additional concerts at Carnegie Hall. It presents a broad repertory of choral-orchestral works; seldom-performed works from many stylistic periods; opera-in-concert; American music theatre; and contemporary works, including commissions by the Chorale for its Lincoln Center Season.

In addition to its David Geffen Hall series, the Chorale has toured nationally; presented 19 summer seasons of New York Festival of American Music Theater concerts in Lincoln Center's Damrosch Park and parks throughout the New York area; concert tours of New York State and New York City; vocal-instrumental chamber music series, and Concerts for Young People.

The National Chorale is a leader in the development of choral singing in the New York City area. The New York Times calls the National Chorale "one of the most firmly established professional choral groups in the country."

For 50 years, the Chorale has also presented vocal music education programs for NYC public schools, developing singing participation and future audiences for choral and vocal music. National Chorale's contracts with the NYC Department of Education provide year-long artist-in-residence programs for elementary, middle and high schools throughout the city. The Chorale regularly tours New York area schools, presenting concerts and choral workshops; and will present the popular 25th annual New York City High School Choral Festival, the 8th annual Elementary School Choral Festival and 5th annual Middle School Choral Festival in April and May 2018, with 36 participating high school, elementary and middle school choirs and more than 2,700 student singers from all five Boroughs of the City.

The Chorale also has a major Partnership with the NYC Professional Performing Arts High School in Manhattan, now in its 8th year, where a team of Chorale artist/teachers lead and develop the PPAS Vocal/Choral Program daily throughout the school year. The PPAS Choir will perform at Lincoln Center at each National Chorale performance during the 2017-2018 Season.

Everett McCorvey is in his fourth season as the Artistic Director of the National Chorale. Vocal Excellence is a hallmark of Dr. McCorvey's work with professional choirs and with professional singers in concerts, masterclasses and workshops throughout the world. Over a span of over 35 years, Dr. McCorvey has engaged choirs and audiences on 4 continents in moving and dynamic experiences with his unique and committed interpretation of choral music of all genres. Dr. McCorvey is also the founder and Music Director of the American Spiritual Ensemble, a group of 24 professional singers performing spirituals and other compositions of African-American composers. He is a frequent advisory panelist and on-site reviewer for the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington, D.C. and he has served on the Boards of the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, National Opera Association and the Kentucky Arts Council. Dr. McCorvey has recently been invited to serve as a jurist on the Opera For All Voices initiative established by San Francisco Opera and Santa Fe Opera. The panel will review new operatic works for the industry with the goal of bringing new audiences to opera. On working with the National Chorale, Dr. McCorvey said "Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of great choral singing with the National Chorale is indeed an honor and a privilege. It is my fervent hope that we can continue to sing, share and experience the goodness of humanity through music and learn of each other better through sharing in the arts."

ABOUT David Geffen HALL AT LINCOLN CENTER

In 1962, Philharmonic Hall-renamed Avery Fisher Hall in 1973 and later renamed David Geffen Hall in 2015-became one of the first buildings to be completed on the Lincoln Center site and home to one of its first resident organizations, the world-renowned New York Philharmonic, the oldest symphony orchestra in the U.S. Today, David Geffen Hall hosts notable performances by acclaimed orchestras and artists from around the globe, as well as galas, film premieres, graduations, and conferences. Located on the north side of Josie Robertson Plaza facing Lincoln Center's iconic Revson Fountain, David Geffen Hall's spacious lobby and promenade feature such eminent artwork as Rodin's bust of Gustav Mahler and Dimitri Hadzi's sculpture The Hunt, in addition to wraparound views of the Lincoln Center campus.