The Gift of Fire

Concert Conversation at 3 pm with William Bolcom and Michael Daugherty

Jeffrey Biegel, piano
Magnum Chorum, Christopher Aspaas, music director
The Singers, Matthew Culloton, artistic director
St. Olaf College Manitou Singers, Sigrid Johnson, conductor
VocalEssence Chorus & Ensemble Singers, Philip Brunelle, conductor
Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, William Schrickel, music director

The season debuts with thrilling new music for massed chorus and orchestra by two Grammy Award-winning composers. Co-commissioned by VocalEssence and a consortium of national music organizations*, William Bolcom’s dramatic Prometheus portrays the Greek god who stole fire from Zeus and gave it to mortals. The piece will feature the artistry of pianist Jeffrey Biegel.

Co-commissioned by VocalEssence and the Pacific Symphony, Michael Daugherty’s compelling Mount Rushmore sets the words of four great American presidents to music. The season opening concert also honors the musical contributions of Sigrid Johnson, who celebrates her 20th anniversary as VocalEssence Associate Conductor this year. Meet Sigrid and Philip in the video below, as they express some of the magic that has helped them work so well together over the years.

PROGRAM

Gustav Holst: Hymn of Jesus
William Bolcom: Prometheus

Intermission

Samuel Barber: Overture to The School for Scandal
Michael Daugherty: Mount Rushmore

*Commissioning Partners for Prometheus:

Pacific Symphony Orchestra
Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra
Springfield Symphony Orchestra
University of Kentucky at Lexington
VocalEssence
Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra
New Mexico Symphony Orchestra
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
Knoxville Symphony Orchestra