Thursday, Sep 24, 2015
The Westminster Symphonic Choir is a familiar performer on the concert stages of New York and Philadelphia, but its concerts in Princeton are few and far between.
The Princeton area will have a rare opportunity to hear the 220-voice ensemble perform two choral masterworks on Wednesday, October 7 at 7:30 p.m. in the Princeton University Chapel. Conducted by Joe Miller and joined by Princeton University Organist Eric Plutz, the Choir will perform James MacMillan’s Cantos Sagrados and Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem.
One of MacMillan’s most powerful works, Cantos Sagrados sets poems by Ariel Dorfman and Ana Maria Mendosa on the subject of political repression in Latin America, combined with traditional religious texts in Latin. The work calls for a virtuoso organist and a nimble choir that is able to move from agitated speech-like violence to rapt meditation. Choir and Organ magazine wrote about the work, "MacMillan propels us unceremoniously into the heat, glare and violence of Latin America... In the outer movements the choral writing is vividly dissonant with an organ part to match. The central prayer, an almost conversational arioso over a slow-breathing ostinato, is hauntingly beautiful."
Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem is renowned for its understated craftsmanship, and exploration of the idea of eternal rest with a sense of pious hope and comfort. Its intense spirituality inspired Nadia Boulanger to write, “His voice seems to interpose itself between heaven and earth, unusually perceptive, quietly fervent, sometimes grave and sad, never menacing or dramatic. To have given this to our unhappy hearts, to have combined charity with beauty, hope with love, is not this the most beautiful manner of participating in the work of the Church?”
Composed of students at Westminster Choir College of Rider University, the Westminster Symphonic Choir has recorded and performed with major orchestras under virtually every internationally known conductor of the last 80 years. Recognized as one of the world’s leading choral ensembles, the choir has sung more than 400 performances with the New York Philharmonic alone.
In addition to this performance, its 2015-2016 season includes performances of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and Jacques Lacombe and with the Berliner Philharmoniker conducted by Simon Rattle, and Handel’s Messiah with the New York Philharmonic conducted by Jane Glover and Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 with The Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin.
Joe Miller is conductor of two of America’s most renowned choral ensembles: the Westminster Choir and the Westminster Symphonic Choir. He is also director of choral activities at Westminster Choir College of Rider University and artistic director for choral activities for the renowned Spoleto Festival USA.
Performances by the Westminster Choir and Joe Miller at the Spoleto Festival USA have earned critical praise. The New York Times described their 2014 performance of John Adams’ El Niño as “superb” and wrote, “Meticulously prepared … the chorus was remarkable for its precision, unanimity and power.” The Wall Street Journal praised the same performance, crediting “the fine Westminster Choir and the Spoleto Festival USA Orchestra, under the direction of Joe Miller.” The Post and Courier wrote about their 2015 performance of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, “This was an evening of near-flawless execution and many moments of ravishing beauty and power. It will go down as a highlight (maybe even THE highlight) of this year’s festival, and, I think, as the work with which Joe Miller established his credentials to lead an extended choral/orchestral masterwork, not just recreating Bach’s music but also putting his own interpretive stamp on the whole.”
As conductor of the Westminster Symphonic Choir, Dr. Miller has collaborated with some of the world’s leading orchestras and conductors, earning him critical praise. The New York Times wrote about Symphonic Choir’s performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 with the Cleveland Orchestra, “Joe Miller's Westminster Symphonic Choir was subtle when asked and powerful when turned loose.”
Eric Plutz has begun his second decade as university organist at Princeton University. There his responsibilities include playing for weekly services at the Chapel, Academic Ceremonies, and solo concerts. He has made four solo recordings on the Pro Organo label. James Reed of The Diapason wrote about French Trilogy, “Plutz is a master craftsman… his performances are sensitive, emotional, stunningly accurate, and spectacularly musical… truly a world-class performance by a world-class musician,” and Denver Jubilee, about which David Schwartz of American Record Guide wrote, “….he understands, as would a great orchestrator, how to register the more orchestral side of the instrument….” Two previous recordings are of the Princeton University Chapel Organ: Musique Héroïque and Carnival.
Tickets for this performance are $20 for adults and $15 for students and seniors. To order call 609-921-2663 or go to www.rider.edu/arts.