SYDNEY UNIVERSITY GRADUATE CHOIR & ORCHESTRA
directed by Christopher Bowen OAM
Saturday 5th April 7.00pm St. Thomas Church, North Sydney
“JOHANNES-PASSION”
Join us in Lent for a performance of Bach’s dramatic and moving “St John Passion”. This timeless masterpiece depicts the last days of Jesus according to the Gospel of St. John. It is a powerful and compelling musical fresco with its compassionate narrative masterfully translated into extraodinarily expressive music of great depth and intensity.
Lana Kains - soprano Olivia Payne - alto Joshua Oxley - Evangelist Matthew Reardon - tenor Simon Lobelson - Christus Jack Stephens - Petrus, Pilatus
SYDNEY UNIVERSITY GRADUATE CHOIR & ORCHESTRA
directed by Christopher Bowen OAM
Sunday 10th August 3.00pm Great Hall, University of Sydney
“REVERBERATIONS….”
Premiere performances of works by Franz Lachner
Requiem in F minor Opus 146 - Franz Lachner
Mirjams Siegesgesang - Schubert orchestrated Lachner
Franz Lachner’s music pays homage to two of Vienna’s greatest composers, Mozart and Schubert. Lachner wrote his brilliant “Requiem in F minor” for the celebrations of Mozart’s 100th birthday in 1856. It was lauded as “the most perfect of its kind after Mozart’s “Requiem”.
Lachner also orchestrated Schubert’s “Mirjams Siegesgesang” as a “labour of love” to honour his good friend Franz Schubertafter his early death.
This will be a rare opportunity to experience this neglected composer’s inspiring and surprising music.
Soloists
Amy Moore - soprano Anja Leszinsky - soprano Elizabeth Cooper - mezzo-soprano Richard Butler - tenor Tony Suryanthono - tenor David Hidden - bass
SYDNEY UNIVERSITY GRADUATE CHOIR & ORCHESTRA
directed by Christopher Bowen OAM
Saturday 29th November 7.00pm St. Thomas Church, North Sydney
“A FEAST of CHRISTMAS MUSIC”
Oratorio de Noël - Camille Saint-Saëns
O Come Emmanuel arr. Bowen We Three Kings arr. Bowen That Virgin’s child - Bowen The World’s Desire & I sing of a Maiden (from “Songs of the nativity) - Bowen The Lamb - Bowen Rejoice - Bowen Noël des enfants qui n’ont plus de maisons– Debussy arr. Bowen
Start the festive season with a musical celebration of Christmas and the joy of fine choral singing.
The centrepiece of this varied Christmas concert will be Saint-Saëns lyrical, colourful and expressive “Oratorio de Noël”, a homage to J.S Bach and written when the composer was just 23 years old. It is an astoundingly beautiful work and the perfect celebration of Christmas.
Together with an assortment of delightful Christmas music composed and arranged by Christopher Bowen, this promises to the perfect introduction to the festive season.
Of partricular interest is Claude Debussy’s composition written in 1915, set to his own text, as a protest against the savagery of World War 1. An extraordinary work which is seldom heard and so relevant at the moment.
Soloists
Lana Kains - soprano Rebecca O’Hanlon - mezzo-soprano Catherine O’Doherty - alto Joshua Oxley - tenor Simon Lobelson - bass