Press Contact: Becky Durham
tobcd@aol.com | 801-572-2010
Utah Chamber Artists Announces 20th Anniversary Season
Utah’s Premiere Choir & Orchestra Ensemble to Perform Mozart’s Requiem, Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, Barber’s Adagio for Strings, and Poulenc’s Four Motets Pour le Temps de Noel
Will Join Utah Symphony November 18 – 20
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
SALT LAKE CITY – Hailed by critics as “sophisticated music-making,” the Utah Chamber Artists, under the direction of acclaimed Artistic Director Barlow Bradford, will commemorate its 20th anniversary throughout the 2010-11 season with performances of Bach, Poulenc, Bradford, Mozart, Bernstein, and other renowned choral and orchestral works. Highlights of the season include a performance with Utah Symphony November 18 – 20, the annual free concert at the Cathedral of the Madeleine, and the Mozart and Bernstein performance in March featuring Mozart’s famous Requiem and Bernstein’s beautiful Chichester Psalms. Utah Chamber Artists was founded by James Lee Sorenson, the first board president, and Barlow Bradford, Artistic Director.
“As Utah Chamber Artists celebrates 20 years, I'm amazed by this group of people who have come together to create something so exceptional,” states Bradford. “It is gratifying to see such a diverse group of people devoted to making exquisite music together, and have it flourish for so many years. The fact that these people respect each other, artfully respond to each other, and depend on each other is a major component in creating our sound. There is a marvelous give and take and esprit de corps in place. The group's artistic identity has developed organically over the years and I'm delighted our audiences respond to it. Utah Chamber Artists is fortunate to have fine musicians, a dedicated board of directors, and loyal audiences who recognize excellence and realize the impact music has in all of our lives.”
Milestones of UCA’s 20 year history include touring with the Israel Chamber Orchestra in 6 concerts across Israel with Bradford conducting both ensembles; the choir touring England and France during the 2007-2008 season; three critically acclaimed and award-winning recordings[1] <#_ftn1> ; guest performances on Music and the Spoken Word, the ACDA Choral Festival (as a featured choir), Utah Symphony, a holiday tour with Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, and the Candlelight Concert Series at St. Mark’s Cathedral; and numerous commissions and guest conductors.
The season opens with the intimate Entr'acte Dinner & Concert on Monday September 13th at 6:30 PM at the Libby Gardner Chamber Music Hall at the University of Utah. Tickets are $75 person and $600.00 for a table of 8 and can be purchased by calling 801-572-2010.
Free to the public, the perennial favorite Cathedral Collage concert will occur on Sunday, September 19th and Monday, September 20th. Both performances are at the Cathedral of the Madeleine and begin at 8:00 PM. This much anticipated concert will feature “music from various time periods and genres juxtaposed in creative ways,” says Bradford. Pieces on this program include Barber’s Adagio for Strings (a Bradford arrangement), Eric Whitacre’s Sleep, Mendelssohn’s He Watching Over Israel, and Rautavaara’s Sommarnatten. This concert includes a world premiere by Bradford called Sine Nomine. Additionally, the orchestra’s principles will be showcased in a string quartet consisting of David Porter, Stephanie Cathcart, Roberta Zalkind, and John Eckstein, as well as a wind quintet consisting of April Clayton, Darin Bradford, Roberta Zalkind, Lori Wike, and Ron Beitel. Adds Bradford, “I am excited to feature our Utah Chamber Orchestra principles in two chamber ensembles. They are extraordinary musicians, many are principles in Utah Symphony as well, and they have brought great musicality to UCA over the several years of our collaboration.” Cathedral of the Madeleine organist Douglas O'Neill will be a soloist as well as guitarist Todd Woodbury who has participated in most of the Collage Concerts.
The Christmas with Utah Chamber Artists concert will be held Monday, December 6th at the Libby Gardner Chamber Music Hall at the University of Utah and will begin at 7:30 PM. This performance features Poulenc’s Four Motets Pour le Temps de Noel and three new carols arranged by Barlow Bradford. A number of Bradford’s earlier and favorite carol arrangements will also appear on the program. Tickets are $15 for Adults, $10 for Students and $50 for a family of 6 (children aged 7 and over are invited to attend.) They can be purchased by calling 801-581-7100 (kingtix) or by visiting utahchamberartists.org.
UCA will perform Mozart & Beethoven: The Long and the Short of It on Monday, February 28th at the Libby Gardner Chamber Music Hall at the University of Utah and will begin at 7:30 PM. According to Bradford, “we will perform two long and beloved works: Mozart’s Requiem and Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms. Celebrated Utah soprano Celena Shafer will be the featured soloist, and she will perform a short Bernstein work, “Glitter and be Gay” from Candide.” Also on the program is Mozart’s Laudate Dominum. Tickets are $15 for Adults, $10 for Students and $50 for a family of 6 (children aged 7 and over are invited to attend.) They can be purchased by calling 801-581-7100 (kingtix) or by visiting utahchamberartists.org.
The 2010-11 20th anniversary season concludes with the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Young Artist Concert on on Monday, May 2nd at the Libby Gardner Chamber Music Hall at the University of Utah and will begin at 7:30 PM. Music for this performance includes works performed at UCA’s very first concert in 1991 as well as works from UCA’s international tours and pieces that have been commissioned by UCA over the years. This concert features a concerto by Richard Marshall who began his association with UCA as an accompanist and soloist when he was 15. He now studies with Jon Kimura Parker. Additional programming for this concert consists of pieces from UCA’s very first performance, the three recordings, two tours, as well as UCA commissions. Tickets are $15 for Adults, $10 for Students and $50 for a family of 6 (children aged 7 and over are invited to attend.) They can be purchased by calling 801-581-7100 (kingtix) or by visiting utahchamberartists.org.
Season tickets can be purchased by joining the Encore Club. The price is $250 and includes a recording of each performance. Single tickets for each concert are $15 for Adults, $10 for Students and $50 for a family of 6 (children aged 7 and over are invited to attend.) They can be purchased by calling 801-581-7100 (kingtix) or by visiting utahchamberartists.org.
In addition to their regular four-program Concert Series, Utah Chamber Artists has been invited to join the Utah Symphony at Abravanel Hall on November 19 and 20, and will also perform with Utah Symphony at the Ogden Symphony Opera Ballet Association on November 18. The UCA choir will join the Utah Symphony conducted by Barlow Bradford in a performance of Bach’s Motet No. 3 in e minor, BWV 227 (“Jesu, meine Freude”) on a program that includes the eminent conductor Stanislaw Skowaczewski conducting Bruckner’s Symphony No. 9 in d minor. “I am thrilled that the Utah Chamber Artists are joining the Utah Symphony as part of their 20th anniversary season,” states Utah Symphony | Utah Opera CEO Melia Tourangeau. “Their level of artistry is inspiring, and I am excited for our partnership.” This concert is not part of UCA’s four concert series at Libby Gardner, but is part of Utah Symphony’s subscription series at Abravanel Hall. Tickets for this performance begin at $16 and can be purchased by visiting usuo.org or calling 801-355-ARTS (2787).
“There's no choir in town that achieves a purer tone or paints more evocatively with sound than UCA” – Catherine Reese Newton, Salt Lake Tribune.
Utah Chamber Artists brings together musicians - both vocalists and instrumentalists - to perform the world's finest music with craftsmanship, artistry, and integrity in Salt Lake City and surrounding areas. This 50-voice ensemble and full orchestra perform selections from all eras -- Renaissance to contemporary -- with the single design of offering a unique musical experience to widely diverse audiences. Major label recordings and professionally produced DVD videos.are available at http://www.utahchamberartists.org/online-store.
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[1] <#_ftnref> Recordings are: “Welcome All Wonders: A Christmas Celebration", which won an "Indie" from NAIRD, the National Association of Independent Record Distributors; John Rutter’s “Requiem” recorded with the Israel Chamber Artists in Tel Aviv; and "Joyous Day!" featuring holiday works by Barlow Bradford, of which New Classik says: “The vocal blends are rich and smooth, like the creamiest tomato bisque, and are beautifully supported by the orchestra. The arrangements are stunning, with just the right instrument at the right moment to add the touch that makes it perfect.”
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