Coming
up this Sunday, July 22 at 8pm, 90.9 WGUC presents its Music Cincinnati series,
this month spotlighting Cincinnati’s Vocal Arts Ensemble. Just what exactly is
the VAE and what can listeners expect to hear on this special from 90.9?
Since
they were founded in 1979, the Vocal Arts Ensemble has sought to present
passionate performances for diverse audiences. The chamber choir is currently
led by Grammy Award-winning conductor Craig Hella Johnson, who is recognized as
one of the nation’s leading choral conductors. Through a variety of innovative
performances, the VAE seeks to increase the public’s appreciation of choral
music. They often collaborate with other local ensembles in repertoire ranging
from the classics to world premieres.
What
can you expect to hear this Sunday? The Music Cincinnati broadcast will feature
the VAE performing alongside the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra and the
Cincinnati Children’s Choir. The concert was recorded November 12, 2017 inside
Memorial Hall in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine community. This concert celebrated
the VAE making the newly-restored Memorial Hall their new home. Three works appear
on the program – two classics and one world premiere written specifically for
this concert. Craig Hella Johnson commissioned Dominick Di’Orio’s A World Aglow for the occasion. The
piece takes its text from Amy Lowell’s The
Congressional Library and revolves around themes of inclusivity and equality.
Haven’t heard of Dominick Di’Orio? He is an award-winning young composer and
conductor whose music is widely performed and recorded. At the age of 31, he
became the youngest-ever tenured conducting professor at Indiana University.
What
else is on the program? For those who love the classics, you’ll be happy to
know that both J.S. Bach and Mozart appear on the program. Bach’s Ascension
Oratorio rounds out the first half with Mozart’s Requiem following a brief
intermission.
Like
what you hear? This program is available on air, online at wguc.org, and
through our free mobile app July 22nd at 8pm! If you aren’t
available when it airs, you can also access WGUC’s Music Cincinnati series
archived at http://www.wguc.org/schedule/musiccincinnati.html
