Resonance of the Soul

I know I'm not supposed to have favorites when it comes to the music that the choir performs.  It makes the other concerts feel left out.  But in all honesty, I have been eagerly anticipating this concert all year.  Resonance will feature antiphonal music.  Let me say that again, Resonance will feature ANTIPHONAL music!  There will be singers on all sides of the audience.  You will be surrounded by sweet, sweet harmonies.  Your body will vibrate.  Your SOUL will vibrate.  What better way to spend a Saturday or Sunday night than with singers who will make your soul resonate? 

I'm sorely disappointed to be working behind the scenes during the concert and won't be able to soak in the experience with you.  Because you will be there, won't you?  Don't be silly now, here are some other reasons why you should absolutely make this concert a part of your plans this weekend:

1. Thomas Tallis' Spem in Alium  Or as we've been affectionately calling it the last few months, "Spam."   (Please feel free to loop the appropriate Monty Python sketch in your mind here.)  Joking aside though, this piece is amazing.  Spem is comprised of 40 individual voices, which is an incredible feat for any composer or choir.  Karen P. Thomas says it eloquently in her program notes: "The work is a study in contrasts: the individual voices sing and are silent in turns, sometimes alone, sometimes in choirs, sometimes calling and answering, sometimes all together, so that the work is continually presenting new sonic textures to the listener...[A]n unparalleled masterpiece of sonic architecture."  Do you see what I'm getting at with the "your soul will vibrate" comment?

2.  A World Premiere by British composer Bernard Hughes commissioned by Seattle Pro Musica with generous support from Brian and Lynn Grant.   Hughes' piece, I Sing of Love, is based off of three texts on the theme of love: the Old Testament's Song of Soloman, texts by Islamic poet Rumi, and texts from the New Testament.  Each section is related to a different theme in the music, where "I sing of love" is repeated as a mantra.  It sounds wondrous.  And this is a brand new piece!  Written just for this choir!  You can be at the very first performance of it EVER.  Isn't that exciting?

3.  Do it for the kids.  Seattle Pro Musica will be joined by three youth choirs: Seattle Girls' Choir Prime Voci, Northwest Girlchoir Ensemble, and St. James Cathedral Jubilate!  SPM is pleased to be able to include such talented young singers as part of our Education and Outreach program.  Who knows?  You may be hearing one of these young ladies at the Met someday!

I sincerely hope you can join us.  This is the type of event that absolutely cannot be recreated on a recording.  Your soul will thank you.

Seattle Pro Musica will perform Resonance on May 19th and 20th, 8pm, at St. James Cathedral, Seattle.  Please contact our office at 206.781.2766 or online at www.seattlepromusica.org for details.  Thank you for your support!

Major Announcement - Part 2!

As we announced in our most recent email blast, Seattle Pro Musica has been invited to sing with the Seattle Symphony Chorale, Northwest Boychoir, and Seattle Symphony Orchestra for two performances of Britten’s War Requiem in June of 2013 – Britten’s Centenary. Many of you know that the War Requiem is one of the towering achievements of the 20th century, and a piece we have wanted to perform for years. This is a wonderful opportunity for us – and recognition of all the hard work we’ve done to achieve such high standards of quality.

What you don’t yet know is that next year, in our 40th anniversary season, Seattle Pro Musica will be joining the ranks of the choral elite – groups such as Chanticleer, the Dale Warland Singers, the Chicago Symphony and Chorale, and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, among others. For the past 4 years, Karen has been working to position Seattle Pro Musica for an undertaking of national scope and importance – and I’m thrilled to announce that all the stars have aligned!

Our performance of the War Requiem in June 2013 will be the featured concert on a national conference of choral music luminaries – professional conductors, musicians, and arts administrators – and Seattle Pro Musica has been selected as one of the co-hosting organizations! We will be working in partnership with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra and Chorale to plan and co-host the 2013 conference of Chorus America right here in Seattle!

Chorus America is the national advocacy and leadership development organization that advances the choral field. They are headquartered in Washington DC, and serve choral conductors, administrators, board members, and singers throughout the country – most especially professional choruses and professional-level community choruses. More than 2,000 choruses, individuals, and organizations are members of Chorus America and gather annually for the national conference to network and share ideas and performances. Past conference hosts have included the groups I mentioned above: Chanticleer, the Dale Warland Singers, the Chicago Symphony and Chorale, and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus.

In June 2013 leaders in the choral field from all over the country will gather here is Seattle – to hear Seattle’s top choirs, and to experience all that our amazing city has to offer. This is important not only for Seattle Pro Musica, but also for all the performing arts in Seattle. Hosting the Chorus America conference is an acknowledgement at a national level that Seattle Pro Musica is among the very best choirs in America. And it’s because of you, our wonderful family of supporters, singers and friends, that we have the opportunity to prove ourselves on a national stage.

Soon, we’ll be able to give you more information about how you can be involved in this project – and it’s a big one! – but today, we want to say thank you to you, our Seattle Pro Musica community. We am so grateful for these past years together, and look forward to many more!

Exciting announcement!

Today, our friends at the Seattle Symphony held an event to present their 2012-13 season - and we're delighted to announce that Seattle Pro Musica will be a part of it.

In June of 2013, Seattle Pro Musica will join the Seattle Symphony Chorale, Northwest Boychoir, and Seattle Symphony Orchestra for two performances of Benjamin Britten's War Requiem!

It's an honor to be asked to join the SSO for these performances, and a thrill to be able to announce this exciting feather in the cap of our 40th Anniversary season!  

We're looking forward to announcing more of the wonderful things we have in store for our own 2012-13 season soon - stay tuned!

You can

-take a look at the Symphony's full brochure here

-buy tickets to our upcoming concerts here