Coro de Cámara in concert. Courtesy photoCORO DE CAMERA News:
Coro de Cámara celebrates the 25-year history of the ensemble with “Silvery Tones”, a concert whose repertoire “snapshots” highlight the chamber chorus’ rich musical heritage.
The Concert is 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22 at Church of the Holy Faith, 311 East Palace Avenue in Santa Fe. Donations are gratefully accepted at the door. The group, which is comprised of singers from Los Alamos and Santa Fe, also celebrates the debut of its exciting new Artistic Director Nylea Butler-Moore. She is a published composer/arranger and music editor with national experience who, since her recent move to Los Alamos, leads music and directs the contemporary sounds ensemble at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church and serves as accompanist for area schools, churches and students.
Butler-Moore’s first concert with Coro features “Zadok the Priest” one of four anthems George Frederic Handel wrote for the Coronation of King George II in 1727. The exuberant anthem has been performed at the coronation of every British monarch since and is a favorite of Queen Elizabeth II, who insists on its performance every year. An interesting contrast is found in William Mathias’ “Let the People Praise Thee, O God” composed in 1981 for the highly televised wedding of The Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer. More than 75 million viewers heard this exciting piece live during the ceremony at Westminster Abbey, and it continues to be widely performed.
The centerpiece of the program will be Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Cantata 140 (Sleepers, Wake)” in its entirety. Bach composed an amazing 295 cantatas over his lifetime, and the chorale Cantata 140 is his most popular, though it was performed rarely in his lifetime. Sixteenth Century Madrigal works include Thomas Weelkes “Sing We at Pleasure” Thomas Morley’s most remembered work “April Is in My Mistress’ Face” and instrumental dances from Michael Praetorius.
Coro de Cámara will also present Alessandro Scarlatti’s “Exultate Deo” and “Ave verum Corpus” one of the most performed and best loved works by William Byrd, referred to by some as the “Father of British Music “. Rounding out the program will be works from the 20th Century with excerpts from Maurice Duruflé’s “Requiem,” “The Road Home” arranged by Stephen Paulus and Jonathan Quick’s moving arrangement of the favorite traditional Scottish folk song, “Loch Lomond.”
Concert goers will enjoy a variety of featured vocal and instrumental performances as well as the master organ work of accompanist Nancy Brzezinski.
For more about Coro de Cámara, visit www.corodecamara-nm.org.
