Gloria Musicae Presents
“Faithfully French Choral Gems”
Featuring Duruflé’s “Requiem” and Poulenc’s “Gloria”
Sunday, March 5 at First Church
Elegant and exuberant, the French sound of sacred choral music by Duruflé and Poulenc illuminates the deeply spiritual “Requiem” and “Gloria” texts. This concert features the celebrated organist Stephen Hamilton and the Florida debut of baritone David John Davani.
(Sarasota, FL) Gloria Musicae presents “Faithfully French Gems,” an all-French program featuring one of Francis Poulenc’s most celebrated works, “Gloria,” and Maurice Duruflé’s deeply moving “Requiem,” Sunday, March 5, 7 p.m., at First Church, 104 S. Pineapple Avenue, Sarasota. Under the artistic direction of Dr. Joseph Holt, the performance combines the 40 Gloria Musicae Singers with guest organist Stephen Hamilton, baritone David Davani, coloratura soprano Jenny Kim-Godfrey, and mezzo soprano Amy Jo Connours. The concert is part of the community-wide French Festival of Music. Tickets are $35 at the door ($30 in advance). Student tickets are $15. Subscription packages are also still available. For tickets and info, visit www.gloriamusicae.org or call 941-387-6046.
According to Dr. Joseph Holt, the artistic director of Gloria Musicae, the program epitomizes the “French musical aesthetic and spiritual depth that bathes our ears in swirls of color and nurtures our souls with an immediacy of expression. These two contrasting compositions, one celebratory and the other commemorative, reflect the yin and yang of life, with the compositional style employed by Duruflé more expressive, dramatic and reflective, while Poulenc expresses his musical thoughts through piquant humor, some reflection and drop-dead gorgeous harmonies that are absolutely ravishing,” says Holt.
The virtuoso concert organist Stephen Hamilton has long been prominent on the American organ scene. For the past 30 years, his performances have earned critical acclaim from major music critics and music formats. Highlights of Hamilton’s career include the premiere performance of Kenton Coe’s “Concerto for Organ, Strings and Percussion” with the Festival of Comminges Orchestra, and a performance of the Enrico Bossi “Organ Concerto” with the Detroit Symphony. He is Minister of Music Emeritus at the historic Church of the Holy Trinity in New York City, where he conducted the semi-professional Holy Trinity Choir, and was artistic director of Music at Holy Trinity, the church’s subscription concert series for 20 years.
American baritone David John Davani is known for his innate ability to convey the intentions of composers. He has performed around the country, including at Stony Brook Opera, and the Art Song Preservation Society of New York’s “Spring into Song” Series at the National Opera Center. He has won and placed in multiple national competitions, including the 2016 Gerda Lissner Lieder and Song Competition and the Artist Concert Series of Sarasota’s 2016 Competition for Voice.
Hailed as a “fearless and confident performer with a beautiful high voice with excellent flexibility,” Korean-American coloratura soprano Jenny Kim-Godfrey is quickly gaining notoriety for her “nightingale tone” and invigorating stage presence. Kim-Godfrey has been the featured soloist with numerous renowned ensembles and regularly performs as the soprano half of the guitar-soprano duo Corda Voce, whose energetic and virtuosic performances have been featured in the United States and Canada.
Mezzo soprano Amy Jo Connours is active in many of Sarasota’s finest organizations and is currently serving as the alto section leader in the Gloria Musicae Singers. She is a frequent guest artist for the Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota and tours regularly throughout Europe and the United States. Over the years, Connours has amassed an eclectic repertoire that easily crosses over genres, including opera, oratorios, the classics, jazz and contemporary music.
Founded in 1979, Gloria Musicae, Sarasota’s only professional chorus, presents the greatest hits of the last four centuries along with lesser known gems and the work of living composers with imaginative programming and musical excellence. The chorus consists of 32 professional singers and eight apprentices.
For more information about Gloria Musicae, visit www.GloriaMusicae.org.
About Gloria Musicae
Gloria Musicae celebrates choral music through innovative performances. The critically acclaimed group, the Gloria Musicae Singers, under the artistic direction of Dr. Joseph Holt, performs a repertoire spanning four centuries, and includes orchestral works, intimate madrigals, church motets, folk songs, close-harmony jazz, and Broadway show music. The ensemble also specializes in premiere performances of lesser-known choral works, particularly music by living American composers. The Gloria Musicae Singers has performed premieres by René Clausen, Dick Hyman, Robert Levin, Gwyneth Walker, and James Grant, along with the premiere of a new edition of a rarely heard score by Rossini. For more information about Gloria Musicae, visit www.gloriamusicae.org.
