Great Artists: The Pittsburgh Concert Chorale and Washington & Jefferson College Camerata Singers

 

 

 

Saturday, March 9, 7:30 pm

The Pittsburgh Concert Chorale and the Washington & Jefferson College Camerata Singers will present “Bruckner, Brahms and Beethoven – An Evening of  Choral Classics” at The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine on Saturday, March 9, 2013, at 7:30 pm.  The program will include a cappella sacred choral works of Anton Bruckner sung by the Camerata Singers, Brahms’ sublimely beautiful Schicksalslied performed by the Pittsburgh Concert Chorale and orchestral musicians from the Manhattan School of Music, and all groups joining forces for Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy, featuring pianist Antonio Fermin.

The Pittsburgh Concert Chorale is an all-volunteer, auditioned choir from Pittsburgh, PA.  This marks the Chorale’s first appearance in Manhattan.  Founded in 1781 and located about 30 miles south of Pittsburgh, Washington & Jefferson College is one of the nation's oldest and most distinguished co-ed, four-year liberal arts colleges for undergraduate students.  The Camerata Singers, winners of the 2010 American Prize in Choral Performance, is the premiere vocal ensemble at W&J.  This concert will mark the second New York appearance of the group, who performed by invitation in December 2006 at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall as part of the two-day Modesta Bor: Perspectives festival. 

Both groups are conducted by Susan Medley, who serves as Music Director of the Pittsburgh Concert Chorale, Director of Choral Activities at W&J, and Music Director of the Jr. Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh, winners of the 2011 American Prize in Choral Performance.  She held the position of Associate Conductor of the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh for four years.  Prior to her arrival in Pittsburgh, Medley was Associate Director of Education at Carnegie Hall where she served as founding conductor of the Carnegie Hall High School Choral Festivals.  She also was Music Director of the Central City Chorus in Manhattan.  She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Pianist Antonio Fermín has performed extensively throughout Europe, Japan, the Middle East and South America.  He has appeared in recitals and concerts on such various stages as Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall, Jordan Hall in Boston, the Aula Magna in Caracas, Casa de la Cultura Cubana in Prague, Bolivar Hall in London, Palacio de la Historia in Lima, and the Venezuelan Embassy in Moscow.  He has performed with the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra, the Sinfónica Municipal de Caracas, the New England Conservatory Wind Ensemble, the New York Chamber Sinfonia, the American Composers Orchestra, the Tanglewood Festival Orchestra, and the Aspen Music Festival.  Dr. Fermín operates The Piano Studio, a highly successful studio in Tribeca. He was recently appointed to the Advisory Board at Scholastic, Inc., a global children’s publishing, education and media company.

Please visit PCCSing.org for more information. This concert is free and all are welcome!