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Contact Jennifer Hughes
Telephone (801) 544-5684
Website www.saltlakechoralartists.org
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 7, 2013
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SLCA Tenth Anniversary Season Opens with Sounding Brass
2012-2013 Best of State Choral Group Announces Concert Season
Salt Lake City, Utah, September 25, 2013– The Salt Lake Choral Artists (SLCA) opens its 10th anniversary season at 7:30 p.m. on October 25 and 26th with a spectacular concert titled, "With Sounding Brass! Songs of Praise for Choir, Organ, Brass and Percussion" at St. Ambrose Catholic Church, located at 1975 South 2300 East, in Salt Lake City.
Artistic director and conductor Dr. Brady Allred noted that in this concert, "We will give the listener a chance to hear the softest a cappella sounds in different areas of the church as well as the full-volume power of 200 voices accompanied by ten brass players, two percussionists, and the fifth-largest organ in the State of Utah."
Many of the pieces in this concert focus on themes of joy and light, with pieces such as "Hail, Gladdening Light" by Charles Wood and "Lux Aeterna" by Ivo Antognini. The choirs will perform four unique settings of the sacred text "Jubilate Deo," or "Shout with joy to God, all the earth." One original setting is by local composer and director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Mack Wilberg.
Allred said he is excited in this 10th anniversary season to perform in a new venue. “We are very pleased to add the beautiful St. Ambrose Catholic Church to our concert venues and know that our audience will be thrilled with the beauty and excellent acoustics of the sanctuary.” Due to the possibilities this new location presents, Allred said, "We'll be intermingling the various groups to give the audience a variety of sound between brass and choirs. There is nothing more thrilling than the sound of voices with brass instruments and organ, especially when you experience it in surround sound!"
The performance features five SLCA choirs: Concert Choir, Chamber Choir, Women’s Choir, Youth Honor Choir, and Vocal Artists. The 150-member Concert Choir is the core of SLCA, performing masterworks and major repertoire from a broad range of styles and time periods. Always unique and challenging, their season concerts have been lauded by critics as "lustrous and expressive." Drawn from Concert Choir is Chamber Choir, a 50-member group, who perform a more specialized repertoire. One of the pieces these combined choirs will perform is Heinrich Schütz's "Psalm 150."
Led by Dr. Jane Fjelsted, the Women's Choir is dedicated to educating women in the art of singing and presenting a wide range of music written for treble voices in all styles. The Women's Choir will include among their numbers another Heinrich Schütz piece, "Give Ear, Oh Lord."
Youth Honor Choir is fairly new to the SLCA family. Formed to give motivated students aged 15 to 21 a unique channel for developing their talent and artistry, these talented youth are driven to excel in singing and performing in their school choirs as well as in this honor choir.
SLCA Vocal Artists was formed in 2010 as the international touring and competing arm of the choral artists. Among its pieces for the evening, Vocal Artists will perform the technically challenging "Jubilate Deo" by Ko Matsushita. "Ko is a friend of the choir and has written music for the Vocal Artists before," Allred said. "This work is a very exciting piece for an a cappella choir."
Allred has developed an international reputation for excellence. His choirs are known around the world for exquisite choral singing, and he has been awarded at major festivals and competitions for his interpretations of choral music. He has been a guest conductor throughout the United States and Europe and is regularly invited to serve on international juries at choral competitions.
SLCA was recognized in both 2012 and 2013 as the Best of State choral group and honored for being one of the organizations “that are achieving, innovating, and improving the quality of life in Utah.” The group that began as the Jay Welch Chorale more than 20 years ago has changed greatly over the years, including expanding to include seven total choirs under the SLCA umbrella.
Encouraging people to attend a SLCA concert this season, Dr. Allred said, “I promise that you will enjoy a variety of music that will stir your soul, lift your spirit, and enlighten your mind and heart.”
Tickets for the concert are available for $20 per person or $10 for students with ID. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to www.saltlakechoralartists.com.
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Jennifer Hughes at (801)544-5684, email at jennifer.hughes@saltlakechoralartists.org or visit http://www.saltlakechoralartists.org/presskit
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