Conductor And Organist Kent Tritle's Full 2021-22 Season Of Events Announced
Highlights of the season include his two annual performances of Handel's Messiah at Carnegie Hall, with the Oratorio Society of New York (Dec. 20) and more.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Aug. 24, 2021
"Planning for this season has been an ambitious and thrilling exercise in hope," says Kent Tritle, who is Director of Cathedral Music and Organist at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Music Director of both the Oratorio Society of New York and Musica Sacra, and Director of Choral Activities at the Manhattan School of Music. "As we navigate through what is possible and advisable, my colleagues and I know that we will have to be flexible as never before, but our determination to make music before an audience has never been keener."
Kent Tritle's 2021-22 season schedule features a full slate of events: he leads five concerts at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine with the Cathedral Choir, four with Oratorio Society of New York, four with Musica Sacra, and three with groups at the Manhattan School of Music.
Highlights of the season include his two annual performances of Handel's Messiah at Carnegie Hall, with the Oratorio Society of New York (Dec. 20) and Musica Sacra (Dec. 21); Mendelssohn's Elijah (May 9) with the Oratorio Society; a program with Musica Sacra featuring Viktor Kalabis's Canticum canticorum (marking the Czech composer's centennial), the Te Deum of Arvo Pärt, and the world premiere of a commissioned work by Wang Jie (March 22); the Requiem mass of the Classical-era Afro-Brazilian composer José Maurício Nunes Garcia with the Cathedral Choir of St. John the Divine (April 5) as well as Garcia's Stabat Mater with the Manhattan School of Music Symphony and Symphonic Chorus (Nov. 22); the local premiere of the Stabat Mater of Alissa Firsova (April 5); a program of music by Britten, Pärt, and Gabrieli for chorus and organ with the Oratorio Society of New York at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine (Nov. 9); and Honegger's King David with the forces of the Manhattan School of Music (March 30).
Kent also performs an organ recital (Bach, Crumb, Duruflé, Franck) at St. John the Divine (Sept. 28), and as organist of the New York Philharmonic participates in the orchestra's four performances of Messiah conducted by Jeannette Sorel at the Riverside Church (Dec. 14-18).
A full schedule of the season's events with program details follows below.
During the shutdown...
Like the rest of the music world, shortly after concerts shut down, Kent got busy. Among other things, he recorded himself playing Bach on the organ of his local church and an empty St. John the Divine to post on Facebook, staged a performance of Messiah with the Oratorio Society in the barn next to his house in upstate New York for streaming, and streamed a performance of Bach's St. John Passion and a concert with Rose of the Compass at the Cathedral - all while teaching his Manhattan School of Music classes remotely (although beginning in March 2021, he was able to teach his seminar at the Juilliard School in-person - what he describes as "a thrilling moment!"). In addition, he received a 2021 Grammy nomination for the Naxos recording of the Moravec/Campbell oratorio Sanctuary Road.
Watch:
WQXR Artist Check In with Elliott Forrest: Kent Tritle, on YouTube
Oratorio Society of New York Messiah 2020, on YouTube
Bach's St. John Passion at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, March 2021, on YouTube
Kent Tritle is one of America's leading choral conductors. Called "the brightest star in New York's choral music world" by The New York Times, he is Director of Cathedral Music and Organist at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City; Music Director of the Oratorio Society of New York, the acclaimed 200-voice avocational chorus; and Music Director of Musica Sacra, the longest continuously performing professional chorus in New York City. In addition, Kent is Director of Choral Activities and a member of the organ faculty at the Manhattan School of Music and is a member of the graduate faculty of The Juilliard School, serving its Vocal Arts Department. An acclaimed organ virtuoso, he is also the organist of the New York Philharmonic.
Kent Tritle's discography features more than 20 recordings on the Telarc, Naxos, AMDG, Epiphany, Gothic, VAI and MSR Classics labels. Recent releases include the Grammy-nominated Naxos recording of the Paul Moravec/Mark Campbell oratorio Sanctuary Road with the Oratorio Society of New York; Mahler's Symphony No. 8 in David Briggs's organ-choral version, and Eternal Reflections: Choral Music of Robert Paterson with Musica Sacra. Other releases include the 2013 recording of Juraj Filas' Requiem, Oratio Spei dedicated to the victims of 9/11, with the Prague Symphony Orchestra and the Kühn Choir; Messages to Myself, an acclaimed recording with Musica Sacra of five new works; and two discs - Cool of the Day, an a cappella program of music ranging from Gregorian chant, Palestrina, and spirituals to Strauss's Deutsche Motette, and Ginastera's The Lamentations of Jeremiah with Schnittke's Concerto for Choir - with the Choir of St. Ignatius Loyola.
Kent Tritle founded the Sacred Music in a Sacred Space concert series at New York's Church of St. Ignatius Loyola, and led it to great acclaim from 1989 to 2011. From 1996 to 2004, he was Music Director of New York's The Dessoff Choirs. Kent hosted "The Choral Mix with Kent Tritle" on New York's WQXR, a weekly program devoted to the vibrant world of choral music, from 2010 to 2014. Among his recent honors are the 2017 Distinguished Achievement Award from Career Bridges and the 2016 President's Medal for Distinguished Service from the Manhattan School of Music. Kent is on the advisory boards of the Choral Composer/Conductor Collective (C4) and the Clarion Music Society, and was the 2016 honoree at Clarion's annual gala. He was recently featured in the WIRED video series "Masterminds," an installment titled, "What Conductors Are Really Doing."
KENT TRITLE 2021-2 SEASON
Tuesday, September 28, 2021, at 7:30 pm
Cathedral of St. John the Divine
KENT TRITLE, organ
GEORGE CRUMB Pastoral Drone
J. S. BACH Prelude and Fugue in C Minor, BWV 546
CESAR FRANCK Cantabile
MAURICE DURUFLE Suite, Opus 5
Tuesday, October 19, 2021, at 7:30 pm
Cathedral of St. John the Divine
DAVID BRIGGS, organ
CATHEDRAL CHOIR OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE
Kent Tritle, conductor
Susanna Phillips, soprano
Kirsten Sollek, alto
Bernard Holcomb, tenor
Joseph Beutel, bass
L. V. BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 9 (World premiere of a transcription for organ by David Briggs)
This concert is free to the public.
Tuesday, October 26, 2021, at 7:30 pm
Cathedral of St. John the Divine
Kent Tritle, conductor
Michael Sheetz, conductor
Nola Richardson, soprano
Helen Karloski, mezzo-soprano
James Reese, tenor
Peter Stewart, baritone
Sato Moughalian, flute
Ensemble 1047
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 2, 2021, at 6:45 pm (service at 7:00 pm)
Cathedral of St. John the Divine
A National Service of Remembrance, including a presentation of Gabriel Fauré's Requiem performed by the Cathedral Choir and Orchestra of St. John the Divine conducted by Kent Tritle. Free to the public, this event culminates three days celebrating the reopening of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.
Friday, November 5, 2021, at 7:30 pm
The Actors' Chapel, NYC
AMERICAN MODERN ENSEMBLE: TINTINNABULI
Featuring:
Musica Sacra
Kent Tritle, conductor
Program to include these works performed by Musica Sacra conducted by Kent Tritle:
ROBERT PATERSON Graffiti Canons for choir (New York premiere)
GIOVANNI PIERLUIGI DA PALESTRINA Motets:
Surge, illuminare, Jerusalem
Sicut Cervus
Exsultate Deo
Tuesday, November 9, 2021, at 7:30 pm
Cathedral of St. John the Divine
Kent Tritle, conductor
David Rosenmeyer, conductor
William Janiszewski, conductor
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)
Thursday, November 11, 2021, at 7:30 pm
MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC ORCHESTRA AND VOCAL ARTS ENSEMBLE
George Manahan, conductor
Kent Tritle, Director of Choral Activities
Program to include:
GUSTAV HOLST The Planets
Monday, November 22, 2021, at 7:30 pm
Manhattan School of Music - Neidorf Karpati Hall
MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC SYMPHONY AND SYMPHONIC CHORUS
Kent Tritle, conductor
Rosario Hernandez Armas, soprano
JOSE MAURÍCIO NUNES GARCIA Stabat Mater
MANUEL DE FALLA Siete Canciones
W. A. MOZART Requiem
Friday, December 10, 2021, at 7:00 pm
Saturday, December 11, 2021, at 7:00 pm
Cathedral of St. John the Divine
CATHEDRAL CHRISTMAS CONCERT
Cathedral Choirs and Orchestra
Kent Tritle, conductor
Bryan Zaros, conductor
Halley Gilbert, soprano
Katie Geissinger, mezzo-soprano
BENJAMIN BRITTEN A Ceremony of Carols
ANTONIO VIVALDI Gloria
Christmas carols
These performances of Britten's A Ceremony of Carols are underwritten by Dr.Gwen Zornberg in honor of the life of Judge Deborah A. Batts.
December 14, 15, 17, 18, 2021
Riverside Church
Jeannette Sorel, conductor
GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL Messiah
(Kent Tritle is the organist of the New York Philharmonic)
Monday, December 20, 2021, at 8:00 pm
Carnegie Hall
Kent Tritle, conductor
Leslie Fagan, soprano
Heather Petrie, contralto
Joshua Blue, tenor
Sidney Outlaw, baritone
Orchestra of the Society
GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL Messiah Part I (complete) with highlights from Parts II & III
Tuesday, December 21, 2021, at 7:30 pm
MUSICA SACRA
Kent Tritle, conductor
Brittany Renee, soprano
Heather Petrie, contralto
John Riesen, tenor
Enrico Lagasca, bass-baritone
Musica Sacra Orchestra
GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL Messiah Part I (complete) with highlights from Parts II & III
Friday, December 31, 2021, at 7:00 pm
Cathedral of St. John the Divine
NEW YEAR'S EVE CONCERT FOR PEACE
Kent Tritle, Bryan Zaros, and Jie Yi, conductors
Harry Smith, commentator
Jamet Pittman, soprano
Cathedral Choir and Orchestra
GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL Water Music Suite in D
The program also includes Joel Thompson's "Seven Last Words of the Unarmed," "Glory" by Common and 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."
Monday, January 31, 2022, at 8:00 pm
Carnegie Hall
Vasily Petrenko, conductor
Manhattan School of Music Vocal Ensemble
Kent Tritle, Director of Choral Activities
Program to include:
GUSTAV HOLST The Planets
Saturday, February 12, 2022
MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC CHAMBER CHOIR
Kent Tritle, conductor
Ronnie Oliver, conductor
*John Verkuilen, Rong Zhang, and Michael Sheetz, conductors
MEREDITH MONK Nightfall
JOHANNES BRAHMS Liebeslieder Waltzes
Chinese folk songs
*DMA candidates in conducting
Tuesday, February 22, 2022, at 7:30 pm
Cathedral of St. John the Divine
"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.
Underwritten by a generous grant from Lois and Richard Pace
Tuesday, March 8, 2022, at 7:30 pm
Cathedral of St. John the Divine
Kent Tritle, conductor
*Hyeyoung Moon, soprano
*Jasmin White, mezzo-contralto
*Patrick Bessenbacher, tenor
*William Socolof, bass-baritone
Orchestra of the Society
J. S. BACH Magnificat
W. A. MOZART Coronation Mass
*Soloists from The Juilliard School
Tuesday, March 22, 2022, at 7:30 pm
Cathedral of St. John the Divine
Kent Tritle, conductor
Nicole Joy Mitchell, contralto
John Riesen, tenor
Musica Sacra Orchestra
VIKTOR KALABIS Canticum Canticorum
ARVO PÄRT Te Deum
WANG JIE New work (World premiere)
JOHANNES BRAHMS Schaffe in mir, Gott, Op. 29, No. 2
Wednesday, March 30, 2022
Manhattan School of Music - Neidorf-Karpati Hall
MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC SYMPHONY AND SYMPHONIC CHORUS
Kent Tritle, conductor
DAVID HURD "In honor of Martin"
ARTHUR HONEGGER King David
Tuesday, April 5, 2022, at 7:30 pm
Cathedral of St. John the Divine
CATHEDRAL CHOIR AND ORCHESTRA OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE
Kent Tritle, conductor
Nola Richardson, soprano
Tracy Cowart, mezzo-soprano
Andrew Fuchs, tenor
Joseph Beutel, bass-baritone
ANTONIO VIVALDI Concert 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
Monday, May 9, 2022
Carnegie Hall
Kent Tritle, conductor
Susanna Phillips, soprano
Raehann Bryce-Davis, mezzo-soprano
Isaiah Bell, tenor
Justin Austin, baritone
Orchestra of the Society
FELIX MENDELSSOHN Elijah
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