The Cathedral of St. John the Divine Announces Eleventh Season of Great Music in a Great Space
Season includes world premieres, celebrations of works by composers of Asian and African descent and more.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Sep. 08, 2021
The Cathedral of St. John the Divine, located at 1047 Amsterdam Avenue (at 112th Street), will present the eleventh season of Great Music in a Great Space under the direction of Kent Tritle, Director of Cathedral Music and Organist. With choral and organ performances ranging from Joel Thompson's Seven Last Words of the Unarmed to J.S. Bach's Magnificat, this season provides a culturally diverse offering inside the Cathedral's gothic interior, joyfully reengaging with live music after a year of all-virtual offerings.
The season kicks off with a recital by Kent Tritle, followed by the world premiere of David Briggs' transcription for organ of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with the Cathedral Choir and soloists. Musica Sacra, the longest continuously performing professional chorus in New York City, and the Oratorio Society of New York join the Cathedral Choir to present music spanning from J.S. Bach's Magnificat to Arvo Pärt's Berliner Messe, and a world premiere by Wang Jie.
Holiday music is a beloved tradition at the Cathedral. The Cathedral's Christmas concerts include carols sung by the audience, and the New Year's Eve Concert for Peace, founded by Leonard Bernstein in 1984, continues this year with music of inspiration and social conscience.
A full series of organ recitals by Tritle, Artist in Residence David Briggs, newly appointed Associate Organist Daniel Ficarri, and Organ Scholar Samuel Kuffuor-Afriyie plumbs the riches of the repertory, includes premieres, and explores new avenues of composition and performance for the King of Instruments.
To safeguard concertgoers, musicians, and staff, the Cathedral will require all Great Music in a Great Space ticketholders to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before entry to the building. The following protocols will be in place:
· Upon entry to the Cathedral, all visitors will be required to show a hard copy or photo of their COVID-19 vaccination card or the NYS Excelsior Pass and a valid photo ID.
· Visitors must have received the final vaccine dose at least 14 days before entry.
· Masks are required for all visitors, staff, and clergy while in the Cathedral.
· Children between the ages of 2 and 12 are required to wear masks and must be accompanied by a fully vaccinated adult.
· Seating will be physically distanced according to current CDC guidance for all indoor events.
Tickets will be available on the Cathedral's website beginning September 8. Students are admitted free to select performances with valid school ID. Visit the Cathedral's website for more information about the 2021-2022 season of Great Music in a Great Space.
CHORAL CONCERT SERIES
All concerts start at 7:30 pm
Tuesday, October 19, 2021
David Briggs, organ
CATHEDRAL CHOIR OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE
Kent Tritle, conductor
Susanna Phillips, soprano
Kirsten Sollek, contralto
Bernard Holcomb, tenor
Joseph Beutel, bass-baritone
L. V. BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 9 (world premiere of transcription for organ by David Briggs)
Tuesday, October 26, 2021
MUSICA SACRA CHORUS & ENSEMBLE 1047
Kent Tritle & Michael Sheetz, conductors
Nola Richardson, soprano
Helen Karloski, mezzo-soprano
James Reese, tenor
Peter Stewart, baritone
Sato Moughalian, flute
J. S. Bach Orchestral Suite No. 2 in B minor
J. S. Bach Cantata 78, Jesu, der du meine Seele
JOHANN MICHAEL BACH Halt, was du hast
JOHANN CHRISTOPH BACH Fürchte dich nicht
Tuesday, November 9, 2021
ORATORIO SOCIETY OF NEW YORK
Kent Tritle, David Rosenmeyer & William Janiszewski, conductors
Raymond Nagem, organ
Benjamin Britten Festival Te Deum and Rejoice in the Lamb
ARVO PÄRT Berliner Messe and Two Slavonic Psalms
GIOVANNI GABRIELI Jubilate Deo, omnis terra (a 8)
Tuesday, February 22, 2022
Caleidoscópio! Unsung voices from Portugal
ROSE OF THE COMPASS & PARTHENIA
CATHEDRAL CHOIR OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE
Kent Tritle, Nina Stern & Raymond Nagem, music directors
An exploration of rarely heard works from Portugal including the 13th-century female-voiced Cantigas de Amigo, symphonies of the converso Jewish heiress Isabella Duarte, and sacred and secular works of the 16th century Black composer Vicente Lusitano.
Tuesday, March 8, 2022
ORATORIO SOCIETY OF NEW YORK CHORUS & ORCHESTRA OF THE SOCIETY
Kent Tritle, conductor
*Hyeyoung Moon, soprano
*Jasmin White, mezzo-soprano
*Patrick Bessenbacher, tenor
*William Socolof, bass-baritone
J. S. Bach Magnificat, BWV 243
W. A. MOZART Coronation Mass, K 317
*Performers from The Juilliard School
Tuesday, March 22, 2022
Te Deum Laudamus: Centennial & World Premiere!
MUSICA SACRA CHORUS & ORCHESTRA
Kent Tritle, conductor
Nicole Joy Mitchell, contralto
John Riesen, tenor
VIKTOR KALABIS Canticum Canticorum
ARVO PÄRT Te Deum
Wang Jie World Premiere, TBD
JOHANNES BRAHMS "Schaffe in mir, Gott," Op. 29, No.2
Tuesday, April 5, 2022
CATHEDRAL CHOIR & ORCHESTRA OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE
Kent Tritle & Bryan Zaros, conductors
Nola Richardson, soprano
Tracy Cowart, mezzo-soprano
Andrew Fuchs, tenor
Joseph Beutel, bass-baritone
ANTONIO VIVALDI Concerto in D Minor, RV 565
ALISSA FIRSOVA Stabat Mater (New York City premiere)
Francis Poulenc Litanies à la Vierge Noire (1947 version orchestrated with strings and timpani)
JOSE MAURÍCIO NUNES GARCIA Requiem
HOLIDAY CONCERTS
All concerts start at 7:00 pm
Friday, December 10, 2021
Saturday, December 11, 2021
CATHEDRAL CHRISTMAS CONCERT
CATHEDRAL CHOIRS & ORCHESTRA
Kent Tritle & Bryan Zaros, conductors
Halley Gilbert, soprano
Katie Geissinger, mezzo-soprano
Benjamin Britten A Ceremony of Carols
ANTONIO VIVALDI Gloria
Christmas carols
Friday, December 31, 2021
NEW YEAR'S EVE CONCERT FOR PEACE
CATHEDRAL CHOIR & ORCHESTRA OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE
Kent Tritle, Bryan Zaros, & Jie Yi, conductors
Jamet Pittman, soprano
Harry Smith, host
J. S. Bach Dona Nobis Pacem from Mass in B Minor
COMMON "Glory"
GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL Water Music Suite in D
David Hurd When Night Fell
JOEL THOMPSON Seven Last Words of the Unarmed
Music includes Joel Thompson's Seven Last Words of the Unarmed, the Oscar Award-winning song "Glory" by American rapper Common, singer John Legend featured in the motion picture Selma, David Hurd's When Night Fell, works from Asian composers including Chen Yi, Dona Nobis Pacem from J. S. Bach's Mass in B Minor, and "This Little Light of Mine."
GREAT ORGAN: A RECITAL SERIES
All concerts start at 7:30 pm
Tuesday, September 28, 2021
KENT TRITLE, DIRECTOR OF CATHEDRAL MUSIC & ORGANIST
Works by J. S. Bach, George Crumb, Maurice Duruflé, and César Franck.
Tuesday, January 11, 2022
David Briggs, ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
German, French and English Romantic fireworks, including Julius Reubke's Sonata on the 94th Psalm.
Tuesday, February 8, 2022
SAMUEL KUFFUOR-AFRIYIE, ORGAN SCHOLAR
RAYMOND NAGEM, MINISTER OF MUSIC AT BRICK PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Works by Chelsea Chen, Sigfrid Karg-Elert, Alfred Hollins, Thomas Kerr, and Ad Wammes.
March 1, 2022
Gothic Hymn: Music for Organ and Violin
DANIEL FICARRI, ASSOCIATE ORGANIST
STELLA CHEN, VIOLIN (winner, 2019 Queen Elisabeth International Violin Competition)
Works for organ and violin, including the world premiere of Ficarri's Gothic Hymn.
Tuesday, March 15, 2022
David Briggs, ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
The world premiere of David Briggs's transcription of César Franck's Symphony in D Minor.
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