The Millennia Consort Celebrates 20 Years At St. James By-the-Sea

The Millennia Consort, California's premiere "organ plus" ensemble, celebrates its 20th anniversary with a concert in the St. James Music Series, on November 25, 2018 at 4 p.m. at St. James by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, 743 Prospect Street in La Jolla.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary as an ensemble, the San Diego-based group will present a unique concert experience with world-class musicians: brass quintet, percussion, and organ. The Millennia Consort has commissioned, recorded, and performs exciting, appealing new music. Its members perform arrangements of music spanning the millennia, presenting the best of the new and the best of the old. The concert at St. James will feature their own Scott Sutherland's arrangements of orchestral works: Mussorgky's "Pictures at an Exhibition" and Holst's "The Planets," with works by Craig Phillips and John Hirten and a world premiere by Mary Beth Bennett.

The Millennia Consort is Ray Nowak, trumpet; Bill Owens, trumpet; Mike McCoy, French horn; Sean Reusch, trombone; Scott Sutherland, tuba; Beverly Reese Dorcy, percussion; and Alison J. Luedecke, organ. It is one of only a few organ, brass quintet, and percussion ensembles in the world.

"It is a special joy to present the Millennia Consort on the St. James Music Series, celebrating their 20th anniversary, especially with Alison Luedecke, our parish organist, on the bench," said Alex Benestelli, artistic director of the series. "The beautiful program they have planned highlights the best of the organ and brass repertoire and features the lovely organ and acoustics of St. James' Church."

Tickets are $30 per person for individual concerts and can be purchased online. Children and students are admitted free at concert time, space permitting. Music Series Patrons enjoy additional advantages. A season subscription for the St. James Music Series is just $95 for four performances.

The St. James Music Series 2018-19 season continues with:
Seraphic Fire: A Spanish PilgrimageSunday, February 24 - 4:00pm
Chanticleer: Then and There, Here and Now Sunday, May 19 - 4:00pm

In addition to being the home of concerts by acclaimed groups such as Bach Collegium San Diego and San Diego Early Music Society, St. James by-the-Sea is known throughout the county for its outstanding music programs under the leadership of the Director of Music, Alex Benestelli. Every year, St. James presents its highly acclaimed Music Series as an outreach to the community. Past performances have included the Vienna Boys Choir, The Australian Chamber Orchestra, Anonymous 4, The Tallis Scholars, The Westminster Abbey Choir, The Hereford Cathedral Choir, the Venice Baroque Orchestra, and a mainstay of the series, the Grammy Award-winning Chanticleer (returning in 2019).

St. James by the Sea743 Prospect Street, La Jolla, CA 92037858-459-3421 http://www.sjbts.org.

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