Highlights on the classical music calendar are the Allentown Symphony Orchestra\u2019s performance of Mozart\u2019s \u201cRequiem\u201d and an \u201cAmerica250\u201d concert by the Camerata Singers.<\/p>\n
The Allentown Symphony Orchestra presents \u201cMozart\u2019s Requiem,\u201d 7:30 p.m. April 25 and 2 p.m. April 26, Miller Symphony Hall, Allentown.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs we continue to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Allentown Symphony Orchestra, I wanted to pay tribute to the new founding of the Allentown Symphony Chorus in 2014 by repeating the first piece we performed together,\u201d says Diane Wittry, ASO Music Director and Conductor.<\/p>\n
\u201cAround the Mozart Requiem, I\u2019ve built a program that focuses on mental health and healing through music,\u201d says Wittry, adding, \u201cThis concert is all about music genius, emotions and how music helps deal with emotions.\u201d<\/p>\n
The concert opens with \u201cMental Health Suite,\u201d a new work by Autumn Maria Reed. Comprising two movements, the first deals with depression and the second with frenetic energy of anxiety.<\/p>\n
Says Reed, \u201cThe composition is personal, but the emotions are collective. Most of us are carrying some form of mental illness. I spent my early adulthood struggling, but I have found light and I hope that others struggling will find their light.\u201d<\/p>\n
The next work, \u201cAnchored,\u201d is a three-movement world premiere cello concerto by composer Joe Jaxson for guest cello soloist Jalayne Mitchell.<\/p>\n
Says Wittry, \u201cThis is the second piece we\u2019ve commissioned from the young composer Joe Jaxson. He worked closely with our cello soloist and sought to honor her personal story.\u201d<\/p>\n
Says Jaxson, \u201cThe story is about survival, dreams and persistence.\u201d<\/p>\n
After intermission, the ASO Chorus directed by Eduardo Azzati joins the orchestra and guest soloists Amanda Russo Stante, Emilie Kealani, Ethan Burck and Eric Tofte in W.A. Mozart\u2019s \u201cRequiem in D Minor, K. 626.\u201d<\/p>\n
Says Azzati, \u201cWhen the chorus first performed the Requiem in 2014 there were 35 singers and today, we\u2019ve grown to 65 vocalists including 15 who performed in 2014.<\/p>\n
\u201cI truly believe that this sacred choral work could be a comfort for people who are mourning the departed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2018The Requiem\u2019 is a mass for the remembrance of the dead focusing on eternal rest,\u201d Wittry says, adding \u201cMozart was very ill while he was writing the piece and knew he had little time left. Because of this, there is a very deep, transcendent emotional spirit that comes through the music.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a moving and impactful piece that makes one appreciate life and contemplate the death that we all will eventually face. Music has the power to heal and helps us to transcend from the daily issues in each of our lives.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the combination of pieces on this April concert will draw attention to the emotional struggles we all face and give us hope and inspiration for the future,\u201d Wittry says.<\/p>\n
\u201cMozart\u2019s Requiem,\u201d Allentown Symphony Orchestra, 7:30 p.m. April 25; 2 p.m. April 26, Miller Symphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth St., Allentown. Free tickets for those 21 and under. Tickets: at the box office; 610-432-6715; https:\/\/millersymphonyhall.org<\/p>\n
The Camerata Singers presents \u201cAmerica Sings,\u201d 3 p.m. May 2, Christ Lutheran Church, Allentown.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith only two primary concerts each year, this year\u2019s fall concert is our traditional \u2018Messiah\u2019 so now is the time to celebrate \u2018America250,\u2019\u201d says Eduardo Azzati, Music Director of the Camerata Singers.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor this concert, I chose only American composers to celebrate American creativity rather than merely address music styles and genres,\u201d says Azzati, adding, \u201cThe works comprise four female composers and four living composers.\u201d<\/p>\n
The concert opens with Pamela Decker\u2019s \u201cTango-Toccata on a theme by Melchior Vulpius,\u201d performed by Dr. Nicholas Halbert, Director of Music and Organist, Cathedral Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem. The Singers perform Randall Thompson\u2019s seven-movement choral suite \u201cFrostiana\u201d (1959), a commemorative work to celebrate the bicentennial of Amherst, Mass. The texts are derived from poetry by Robert Frost, who at the inaugural performance was so pleased that he stood up at its conclusion and shouted, \u201cSing that again!\u201d<\/p>\n
The concert\u2019s second half has works by Elaine Hagenberg, Kyle Pederson, Aaron Copland, Rosephanye Powell and Florence Price.<\/p>\n
Violinist Jorge Vera and cellist Franklin Ni\u00f1o accompany Pederson\u2019s \u201cCan We Sing the Darkness to Light?,\u201d which invites the listener to imagine a world without weapons, where the human experience is defined through compassion and grace.<\/p>\n
Aaron Copland\u2019s \u201cI Bought Me a Cat\u201d closes the concert.<\/p>\n
The Camerata\u2019s separately ticketed \u201cCocktail Fundraiser\u201d in the church\u2019s Fellowship Hall is after the concert. Tickets must be bought in advance by April 23.<\/p>\n
\u201cAmerica Sings,\u201d Camerata Singers, 3 p.m. May 2, Christ Lutheran Church, 1245 Hamilton St., Allentown; Tickets: at the door; PSO office, 1524 W. Linden St., Allentown; 610-434-7811; https:\/\/www.pacameratasingers.org\/<\/p>\n
\u201cClassical View\u201d is a column about classical music concerts, conductors and performers. To request coverage, email: Paul Willistein, Focus editor, pwillistein@tnonline.com<\/p>\n
CONTRIBUTED PHOTOJoe Jaxson<\/p>\n
Amanda Russo Stante<\/p>\n
Emilie Kealani<\/p>\n
Ethan Burck<\/p>\n
Eric Tofte<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Highlights on the classical music calendar are the Allentown Symphony Orchestra\u2019s performance of Mozart\u2019s \u201cRequiem\u201d and an \u201cAmerica250\u201d…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":174631,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[153,155,154],"class_list":{"0":"post-174630","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-bethlehem","8":"tag-bethlehem","9":"tag-bethlehem-headlines","10":"tag-bethlehem-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/174630","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=174630"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/174630\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/174631"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=174630"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=174630"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=174630"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}