TUCSON, AZ – The Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus joins the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra for four performances of John Rutter’s Mass of the Children, plus Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with soloist Edwin Kim.
Rutter is a British composer who wrote this work after the sudden death of his Christopher, who was attending college in Cambridge. The first performance was in Carnegie Hall 10 years ago. At the time, Rutter told 60 Minutes that he was not a particularly religious man yet was deeply spiritual and inspired by the spirituality of sacred verses and prayers. Mass of the Children features Greek and Latin verse mixed with English poetry.
The non-liturgical Mass includes two soloists – soprano Deborah Faustino and baritone Seth Kershisnik – plus the Tucson Boys Chorus, full orchestra and an adult chorus. This will be the first performance by the Southern Arizona Symphony Chorus, including both local vocalists and singers from Mexico. The program is conducted by Linus Lerner. The boys’ chorus is prepared by longtime boys’ chorus director Julian Ackerley.
The Tchaikovsky violin soloist, Edwin Kim, was born in Korea, began studying the instrument at age seven and won a local music competition a year later. He’s since won several international competitions. After high school he moved to Vienna to continue his violin studies. He’s soloed with orchestras and performed recitals in Asia and Europe. Today he is professor at Hanyang University in Seoul and the lead soloist for the Lech Classic Music Festival.
The program also features Arvo Pärt’s Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten. It will be presented Nov. 7, 8, 9 and 10 at four locations:
- Thursday, Nov. 7 at 7:30 p.m. at Green Valley Presbyterian Church, 800 S. Camino Del Sol, Green Valley
- Friday, Nov. 8 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Augustine Cathedral, 192 S. Stone Ave. in downtown Tucson
- Saturday, Nov. 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the DesertView Performing Arts Center, 39900 S. Clubhouse Drive in SaddleBrooke
- Sunday, Nov. 10 at 3 p.m. at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, 7575 N. Paseo del Norte, Northwest Tucson.
At the Nov. 9 and 10 concerts, season sponsor Dorothy Vanek will be featured as guest conductor of the Triumphal March from Verdi’s Aida. Vanek is sponsoring SASO season for the seventh consecutive year. A musician, artist and arts advocate involved with many local organizations, she received the Outstanding Philanthropist Award from the Southern
Brazilian-born Lerner has conducted orchestras, operas, choruses and instrumental groups in the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Turkey, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and China. He led SASO on two tours of China and one to Mexico. This summer SASO performed at the first edition of the Oaxaca Opera Festival, where he coached several of the soloists who will join the SASO chorus for these performances. Lerner also is music director of the Symphony Orchestra Rio Grande do Norte in Brazil. Until recently, he also was music director of the Bayou City Performing Arts in Houston.
Tickets to the Nov. 7, 8 and 10 concerts are $20 can be ordered online at www.sasomusic.org or by phone at 308-6226. Tickets also can be purchased at the door.
Tickets to the SaddleBrooke concert are $21 in advance or $23 at the door. Call 825-2818 or order online at http://tickets/saddlebrooketwo.com.
Founded in 1979, SASO is a vital community resource that unites performers and audiences through a passion for music. The orchestra presents world premieres, seldom-performed treasures and classical favorites.
The programs for the remaining concerts this season are:
- Feb. 15 and Feb. 16 – Márquez’ Danzón No. 2, Bloch’s Schelomo with cellist Zoran Stilin and Brahms’ Symphony No. 1.
- Apr. 5 and Apr. 6 – Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio Espagnol, Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with soloist Pervez Mody, Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet, plus the winner of SASO’s Dorothy Vanek Youth Concerto Competition.
- May 10 and May 11 – Shostakovich’s Festive Overture, Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez with guitarist Roberto Capocchi and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.
For more information visit www.sasomusic.org or call 308-6226.