New York Choral Society Hosts Summer Sings Series

This summer marks the 50th annual Summer Sings Program. Each summer, the New York Choral Society produces a Summer Sings series that features the most popular masterworks of the choral literature. Taking place each Wednesday from July 28th - September 1st, six prominent choral conductors from the New York area will lead audience members to sing through these popular works. Scores are provided by the New York Choral Society. The 2010 series features monumental works including three of the most recognized requiems in the repertoire; the Verdi Requiem on August 4th, the Mozart Requiem on August 11th and the Brahms Requiem on August 18th.

SERIES SCHEDULE

August 11, 2010 Mozart Requiem and Britten Rejoice in the Lamb Michael Ciavaglia, ConductorMozart's Requiem is one of the most popular and beloved works in the choral repertoire. Composed in the last yearof his life, Mozart's Requiem contains all the power for which the composer is famous in its vision of the finality ofDeath. His musical legacy - and particularly his Requiem - has brought outstanding beauty and richness to Westernculture like few other composers. Britten's Rejoice in the Lamb is a chaotic, brilliant and festive catalogue of thevariety of ways in which all living things worship and praise God.Michael Ciavaglia, the young and talented assistant conductor of the New York Choral Society and conductor ofthe New York Choral Society Chamber Singers, also teaches at Fairfield University and is conductor of the FairfieldUniversity Orchestra.

August 18, 2010 Brahms Requiem Mark Shapiro, ConductorBrahm's German Requiem was his first work to win him international acclaim. This expansive piece demandsexcessive quantities of passion and drama, angst and sweetness, power and intimacy. Clara Schumann, in a letterto Brahms wrote, "It is a truly tremendous piece of art which moves the entire being in a way little else does."The versatile conductor Mark Shapiro is at home with choruses, opera companies and orchestras. Since 1991 hehas been, among many other positions, artistic director of the acclaimed Cantori New York and the Monmouth CivicChorus, Red Bank, New Jersey.

August 25, 2010 Orff Carmina Burana and Brahms Nänie PatRick Gardner, ConductorRollicking fun will be had as we sing these 23 songs of de-frocked, and frequently inebriated, monks. The rhythmicmusic is catchy and the singing so expressive and dramatic it begs your attention. The music of Orff's CarminaBurana is iconic and well-known to everyone. Brahms' Nänie, based on a poem by Friedrich Schiller, is animpassioned lamentation on the brevity of life and the fleeting nature of beauty.Now in his 20 th season as director of the Riverside Choral Society, PatRick Gardner is also director of choralactivities at Rutgers University, where he conducts the Rutgers University Kirkpatrick Choir and the RutgersUniversity Glee Club.

September 1, 2010 Haydn Lord Nelson Mass; Bach Magnificat and Haydn Te Deum John Daly Goodwin,ConductorHaydn's chief biographer, H. C. Robbins Landon, has written that the Lord Nelson Mass "is arguably Haydn'sgreatest composition." The mass, one of the six late sacred works of Haydn, is a masterwork influenced by hisexperience of his London symphonies. His Te Deum composed during the same period, is a short joyousexpression of praise composed for an ardent admirer, Empress Maria Theresa. Bach's Magnificat, familiar to allchoral singers, is one of his major vocal works.Over the last 23 years John Daly Goodwin, Music Director of the New York Choral Society, has led the Society tonew dimensions, from the epic Mahler Eighth Symphony to Beethoven's Missa solemnis. Within his extensiverepertoire, he has specialized in music of twentieth century American composers. Critics agree: "Goodwin's temposand dynamic range were impeccably judged."

ABOUT NEW YORK CHORAL SOCIETY

The New York Choral Society (NYCS), founded in 1958, has become known by audiences and critics for the qualityof its performances and the diversity of its repertoire, which encompasses well-known choral masterworks as well asmany compositions rarely heard in concert halls. The NYCS has presented eleven world premieres and hascommissioned works by Paul Alan Levi, Morton Gould, Stephen Paulus, and Robert De Cormier.John Daly Goodwin, Music Director of the New York Choral Society, has built on the ensemble's tradition ofexcellence over the past 23 seasons to make it the chorus of choice for American Ballet Theatre, the RichardTucker Music Foundation, the September Concert Foundation, and the Shanghai Symphony Broadcasting

Orchestra. Under his direction, the chorus has performed in China, the Czech Republic, Israel, Austria, France, Italy,and Greece. His performances of such works as Mahler's 8th Symphony, Beethoven's Missa solemnis, and theRequiems of Verdi, Mozart, and Brahms have achieved much critical acclaim. He has conducted more than 90concerts around New York City, including 40 in Carnegie Hall and 7 at Lincoln Center, and has prepared chorusesfor Leonard Bernstein, Dennis Russell Davies, Asher Fisch, Yong Yan Hu, Yehudi Menuhin, Eve Queler, JuliusRudel, Gerard Schwarz, Leonard Slatkin, and Robert Spano and for 17 telecasts.Goodwin serves on the music faculty at New York University, where he teaches and conducts the Choral ArtsSociety. His strong personal commitment to music education has led him to do extensive volunteer work withaspiring young musicians. Through Young Audiences, Artsgenesis, and the New York Choral Society's MiniMaestros program, he has brought the gift of music to thousands of children in New York City public schools.

SINGLE TICKET INFORMATION: For ticket information, call (212) 247-3878 or visit www.nychoral.org

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