The major concentrations of choral music that you’d expect any year would be around Christmas and Easter. Sometimes, though, the planets seem to align, and we get a bunch of music at another time of year. Such is the time preceding Thanksgiving this year. Over the next five weeks four of our local college music programs, ten or twelve choirs, two area orchestras, our local opera company and others are bringing some fourteen events to the area from Walnut to Ontario.
You might note that among these performances and services are some world premieres on 27 October and 10 November, and six performances that are partly or entirely music of Benjamin Britten (one that I failed to mention last time is on Britten’s birthday, 22 November).
Enjoy!
Saturday, 19 October, 2:00 p.m., Repertory Opera Company, Albert Herring by Benjamin Britten, in Pomona
Sunday, 20 October, 3:30 p.m., Claremont Symphony Orchestra, “Centennial Celebrations” music of Britten, Verdi and Wagner, in Claremont
Sunday, 20 October, 5 p.m., St. Ambrose Episcopal Church of Claremont, Solemn Evensong, music by Gouzes, Walford Davies, Thomas Weelkes & Robert Whyte
Wednesday, 23 October, 7:30 p.m., Repertory Opera Company, Albert Herring by Benjamin Britten, in Pomona
Friday, 25 October, 8:00 p.m., University of La Verne Fall Choral Organization Showcase, University Chamber Singers, University Chorale and the Leo Singing Dudes, in La Verne
Saturday, 26 October, 2:00 p.m., Repertory Opera Company, Albert Herring by Benjamin Britten, in Pomona
Saturday, 26 October, 8:00 p.m., University of La Verne Fall Choral Organization Showcase, University Chamber Singers, University Chorale and the Leo Singing Dudes, University of La Verne, in La Verne
Sunday, 27 October, 8:00 p.m., Millennium Consort Singers, “Songs of Celebration,” with Pomona College Choir and Edward Murray, organ, Claremont
Friday, 1 November, 7:30 p.m., Mount San Antonio College Fall Choral Concert, Walnut
Saturday, 2 November, 7:30 p.m., Mount San Antonio College Fall Choral Concert, Walnut
Sunday, 10 November, 3:00 p.m., The Claremont Concert Choir, Claremont Chamber Choir, Los Angeles Children’s Chorus, Inside-Out Crossroads Choir, Gwendolyn Lytle, soprano, Simon Estes, bass-baritone, Paul R. Bishop, piano: premiere of the cantata True Witness, by Jodi Gable, in Claremont
Thursday, 14 November, 7:00 p.m., Claremont Community Choir, Fauré Requiem, United Methodist Church of Claremont
Tuesday, 19 November, 6:45 p.m. Charles Kamm, tenor; Gayle Blankenburg, piano, and Rachel Vetter Huang, violin;“Music by Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) on his Centenary,” at the Athenaeum in Claremont
Friday, 22 November, 12:15 p.m., Friday Noon Concert Series, Music of Debussey and Britten, Rachel V. Huang, violin, Gayle Blankenburg, piano, in Claremont
Sunday, 24 November, 4:00 p.m., The Southland Symphony, “Profiles in Courage,” music of Copland, Gould, Beethoven, Albert & Ellington, in Ontario
Late Additions, from a little farther out
Two of our choral friends from this area, a singer and a director, are also performing in choral concerts this week a few miles away from our area. However, these are choral concerts and our fellows are taking part in these events, so here they are:
Sunday 20 October, 4:00 p.m., Jouyssance, “Water Music,” in Pasadena.
Saturday 26 October, 8:00 p.m., Inland Master Chorale, “Songs of Innocence,” in Redlands
Sunday 27 October, 3:00 p.m., Inland Master Chorale, “Songs of Innocence,” in Redlands
FYI: La Mirada Symphony is performing on Sunday, Oct. 20th, 2013 a concert named Something Old….New…..Borrowed…..Blue. Old: Bach Brandenburg Concerto #3; New: Adams “Short Ride in a Fast Machine”; Borrowed: Rossinni, Overture to William Tell; Blue: Gershwink, Rhapsody in Blue; Strauss, Blue Danube Waltz . cute idea; lovely music. thought you might like to know. It will be at The La Mirada Theatre, 14900La Mirada Blvd, La Mirada, CA