HOUSTON CHAMBER CHOIR PRESENTS A TIME TO DRAW CLOSER FOR SEASON FINALE MAY 9
WHAT: On May 9, the Grammy® Award-winning Houston Chamber Choir, led by Founder and Artistic Director Robert Simpson, presents A Time to Draw Closer, the season finale of the 2020-2021 virtual season, featuring the world premiere of a work by noted Houston composer Mark Buller. The Mother’s Day concert presents Buller’s "The Passion of St. Cecilia," specially commissioned by the Houston Chamber Choir to celebrate its 25th anniversary. The three-movement work, written by one of Houston's brightest young composers, relates the legend of St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music and musicians. The librettist is the noted writer Charles Anthony Silvestri, who has previously collaborated with Buller, along with Eric Whitacre, a highly respected American composer of choral music. The acclaimed chamber music ensemble, Apollo Chamber Players, will join the Choir for this performance.
Additionally, A Time to Draw Closer will include a new recording and video production of The Road Home by Stephen Paulus, a past favorite performance video, and a behind-the-scenes conversation about the creation and premiere of “The Passion of St. Cecilia” with the composer, librettist and the artistic directors of the Houston Chamber Choir and Apollo Chamber Players.
The Houston Chamber Choir Digital Stage kicked off with A Time to Give Thanks and includes five customized concert videos created to remind audiences that even in difficult times like these, beauty and joy can be found throughout the changing seasons of our lives. The overarching theme of the entire virtual season was To Everything a Season.
WHO: The program features the Houston Chamber Choir singers under the direction of Robert Simpson, composer Mark Buller, librettist Charles Anthony Silvestri and the Apollo Chamber Players.
WHEN: Sunday, May 9 at 2 p.m. CDT (then available through Aug. 31, 2021)
WHERE: The Houston Chamber Choir Digital Stage with online access available on May 9 at https://houstonchamberchoir.org/2020-2021-season-schedule/2021/5/9/a-time-to-draw-closer.
COST: Subscribe to all concerts for $40 annually, Rent one concert for $9.99, or Purchase access to one concert for one year for $24.99.
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Link to photos here.
About Houston Chamber Choir
The Grammy® Award-winning Houston Chamber Choir has established itself as one of the premier professional choirs in the United States, serving Houston through concerts and educational initiatives that enlighten, entertain, and educate people of all ages. The Chamber Choir released its fifth CD, “Duruflé: Complete Choral Works,” with organist Ken Cowan in April 2019, which won a Grammy® Award in the category of “Best Choral Performance” at the 62nd Annual Grammy® Awards in January 2020.
Winner of Chorus America’s 2018 Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence, the Choir has been described by The Tallis Scholars founder Peter Phillips as “one of this country’s leading ensembles.” It also received The American Prize for best choral performance in the country and its Artistic Director Robert Simpson received the award in the conducting category in 2015. Additionally, Houston Chamber Choir was selected as one of 24 choirs to participate in the prestigious World Symposium on Choral Music in Auckland, New Zealand, which has now been canceled by the organizers due to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic.
Led by Artistic Director Robert Simpson, the Houston Chamber Choir is composed of 25 professional singers, most of whom have studied at the top music schools and conservatories in the United States including Juilliard, New England Conservatory, University of Houston, and the University of Texas. These musicians are selected through rigorous auditions from the finest singers in our region and are compensated for all rehearsals and performances. Simpson was honored by Chorus America with the Michael Korn Founders Award in 2015 for his contributions to developing the professional choral art.
About Houston Chamber Choir Digital Stage
The Houston Chamber Choir Digital Stage brings choral music straight to your fingertips – anytime and anywhere. Enjoy access to high quality concerts, dynamic original programming with behind-the-scenes footage, favorites from the archive, and our podcast, With One Accord. The Digital Stage can be accessed from the Houston Chamber Choir website at www.houstonchamberchoir.org and will function like any of your favorite video streaming sites.
An annual subscription for the season can be purchased at the introductory price of $40, providing unlimited viewing of five concerts on the Houston Chamber Choir Digital Stage, in addition to access to curated content and extras. Beginning September 2021, introductory pricing will end, and all future Chamber Choir Digital Subscriptions will cost $80 annually.
A rental option is available for $9.99, with individual access to the concert of your choosing for three days. Watch the concert as many times as you like during the three-day rental period. Alternately, one can purchase unlimited access to their preferred concert from the Houston Chamber Choir Digital Stage for $24.99 or choose the option to “set your own price.”