Event

I Hear America Singing

Join the Wisconsin Chamber Choir for a musical celebration of all the AmericasNorth and Southand all Americans. In recognition of Robert Gehrenbecks tenth anniversary as Artistic Director, the WCC presents the world premiere of Alleluia by New York composer and Juilliard faculty member Wayne Oquin. Inspired by Randall Thompsons classic setting of the same one-word text, Oquins new version updates Thompsons musical style in his own harmonic language, which has been compared to Morten Lauridsens. An extremely versatile musician, Oquin boasts recent commissions and performances by the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Danish National Symphony, the United States Air Force Band, the Houston Chamber Choir, and the Kings Singers.
At the Madison concert the WCC will be joined by the UW-Whitewater Chamber Singers performing their own world premiere, Shenandoah, by New York composer, organist, and jazz pianist Jae Lee.
The remainder of the program spans music of four centuries and multiple nationalities. Masterpieces of the US choral repertoireSamuel Barbers Reincarnations and Charles Ivess Psalm 67share billing with a diverse selection of works from throughout the hemisphere, including music by Mexican Baroque master Manuel de Sumaya; Argentinian tango composer Astor Piazzolla; African-American composers Bobby McFerrin, Hall Johnson, W. C. Handy, and Rosephanye Powell; and Native-American composer and longtime friend of the WCC, Brent Michael Davids.
Founded in 1998, the Wisconsin Chamber Choir has established a reputation for excellence in the performance of oratorios by Bach, Handel, Mozart, and Brahms; a cappella works from various centuries; and world-premieres. Artistic Director Robert Gehrenbeck has been hailed by critics for his vibrant and emotionally compelling interpretations of a wide variety of choral masterworks.