LA Master Chorale Announces CHRISTMAS IN LOS ANGELES Events

The Los Angeles Master Chorale brings the gift of music to Walt Disney Concert Hall in December with a series of festive "Christmas in Los Angeles" concerts. The varied programs blend traditional carols, Baroque-era madrigals, and new works alongside the popular annual opportunity for the audience to sing-along to Handel's majestic oratorio, Messiah.

"For lovers of choral music, Christmas truly is a wonderful time of the year," says Los Angeles Master Chorale Artistic Director, Grant Gershon. "We are proud to continue our tradition of bringing the many voices of Los Angeles together for two Festival of Carols concerts, to further introduce our audiences to the wonderful talents of Eric Whitacre, and to give people the chance to sing Messiah in Walt Disney Concert Hall. These are always festive and joyous concerts that we love to perform."

Gershon will conduct two Festival of Carols concerts and the 36th Annual Messiah Sing-Along. Newly appointed Assistant Conductor, Jenny Wong, will make her Master Chorale debut on the Festival of Carols program, conducting two pieces. The Christmas with Eric Whitacre concert will be conducted by the Master Chorale's Swan Family Artist-in-Residence Whitacre himself and also features several pieces he has composed. All concerts are held in Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave.

FESTIVAL OF CAROLS

Saturday, December 3, 2 pm
Saturday, December 10, 8 pm

Photo: Jamie Pham

With the vocal force of 115 Master Chorale singers and the radiant sound of the Walt Disney Concert Hall organ, the Festival of Carols concerts conducted by Grant Gershon are a jubilant celebration of the holiday season. Featuring new arrangements of traditional carols, including several popular arrangements by the Master Chorale's most recent Composer-in-Residence Shawn Kirchner, and other holiday favorites, this concert highlights the joys of the season and concludes with the opportunity to visit with Santa.

The Los Angeles Master Chorale's popular Festival of Carols album, its first holiday recording in 20 years released last year and recorded live in Walt Disney Concert Hall, will be available for sale at these concerts and is also available from LAMasterChorale.org, iTunes, and Amazon.com

PROGRAM:
Deck the Hall, John Rutter
The Star Carol, AlFred Burt
O, What a Beautiful City, Shawn Kirchner
Winter Wonderland, Greg Jasperse
We Need a Little Christmas, Jerry Rubino
Carol of the Bells, Peter J. Wilhousky
plus many other carols and songs of the season

Grant Gershon, conductor
Jenny Wong, conductor

115 singers

CHRISTMAS WITH Eric Whitacre

Sunday, December 4, 7 pm

Eric Whitacre. Photo: Marc Royce

Eric Whitacre, the Los Angeles Master Chorale's Swan Family Artist-in-Residence, conducts a performance of sublime Christmas choral music, from Renaissance and Baroque madrigals to modern-day motets, including five of his own compositions.

"I lived in London for the past five years and was exposed to the traditions there, so the program reflects an evolution of my sense of Christmas," says Whitacre. "There are always two kinds of Christmases going on. There's the vibrant celebration in our modern world, which tends to be splashy. And there is this wintertime Christmas I love the most. It's warm and a little melancholy, close and intimate. That's what I'm hoping to make us feel with this program."

Grammy Award-winning Whitacre's choral works have been performed around the world by both professional and amateur singers. A unifying and popular voice within the international choir community, Whitacre has over 243,000 Facebook fans, over 76,000 Twitter followers, and over 39,000 Instagram followers. Videos of his Virtual Choir projects have collectively been viewed by millions on YouTube and his popularity is reflected in the rapid ticket sales for this concert. Now based in L.A., Whitacre first conducted the Los Angeles Master Chorale in June.

"What stands out about the Master Chorale is not only that these are phenomenal singers; they're also unbelievably versatile. They can turn on a dime from one style to another, and that is very unusual," he says.

The Master Chorale will perform the world premiere of a new Whitacre work in June 2017 as part of the Lux Aeterna 20th Anniversary celebration.

PROGRAM:
Lux Aurumque, Eric Whitacre
Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming, Michael Praetorius
The Rose, John Paynter
Alleluia, Eric Whitacre
Coventry Carol, Traditional
Lully, Lulla, Lullay, Philip Stopford
The Chelsea Carol, Eric Whitacre
Sainte-Chapelle, Eric Whitacre
O, Tannenbaum, Traditional
little tree, Eric Whitacre
The Lamb, John Tavener
Three Christmas Motets, Ariel Quintana
Once in Royal David's City, Traditional

Eric Whitacre, conductor

62 singers

36TH ANNUAL MESSIAH SING-ALONG

Sunday, December 18, 7:30 pm

Photo: Jamie Pham

Performed with a full orchestra and featuring four professional soloists, Artistic Director Grant Gershon conducts the entire 2,200-member audience for a performance of Handel's oratorio, Messiah. This year, for the first time, singers from the Master Chorale will join the audience for the choral passages and fill the hall with an even bigger holiday sound. Participants can bring their own Messiah score or purchase one at the concert for $10.

This year a limited number of $125 VIP tickets will be available for purchase to singers who would like to get the full Master Chorale performance experience. Tickets include backstage entrance, warm-up with the Master Chorale singers, walking onto the stage to sing Handel's Messiah alongside singers of the Chorale, and champagne during intermission.

Featuring the rousing and uplifting "Hallelujah Chorus," the Master Chorale first offered audiences the chance to sing the oratorio in 1980 under founding Music Director Roger Wagner. It has since become a beloved tradition with many in the audience dressing up for the occasion in everything from formal wear to Christmas sweaters.

PROGRAM:
Messiah, George Frideric Handel

Grant Gershon, conductor

Garineh Avakian, mezzo soprano
David Dong-Geun Kim, bass
Arnold Livingston Geis, tenor
Anna Schubert, soprano
with orchestra and the audience as chorus

TICKETS & BOX OFFICE INFORMATION:

Tickets to all concerts are available now, starting from $29:
Online: LAMasterChorale.org
Phone: 213-972-7282

Tickets can be purchased in-person at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion Box Office Monday - Saturday, 10am - 6 pm.

On concert days, box office staff can be reached at 213-972-7282 beginning at 10 am and the Disney Hall Box Office will be open for will call and sales beginning 2 hours prior to curtain time. Group rates are available. Los Angeles Master Chorale offers $10 Student Rush Tickets at the box office 2 hours prior to the performance, subject to availability. Student ID required; 1 ticket per ID. Please call for additional details.

Please note: children under the age of six are not admitted to Los Angeles Master Chorale concerts.

ABOUT LOS ANGELES MASTER CHORALE

The Los Angeles Master Chorale is the country's largest independent professional chorus and one of Southern California's most vibrant cultural treasures. Hailed for its powerful performances, technical precision, and artistic daring, the Master Chorale is led by Artistic Director Grant Gershon. It is a founding resident company of The Music Center and the choir-in-residence at Walt Disney Concert Hall. Chorister positions are highly sought-after and the professional choir is a diverse and vocally dynamic group showcasing the many voices of L.A.

Presenting its own concert series each season, the Master Chorale performs choral music from the earliest writings to contemporary compositions striking a balance between innovation and tradition. It also regularly performs with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Disney Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. Praised for its definitive performances, the choir is committed to recording the choral repertoire and has also featured with Gershon on the soundtracks of many major motion pictures. It is further heard beyond the concert hall via broadcasts by Southern California's Classical KUSC.

The Los Angeles Master Chorale serves more than 30,000 audience members of all ages annually and provides education outreach to some 9,000 students each year.