LA Master Chorale Performs Handel's Messiah Dec 6 and 20 at Disney Hall

The Los Angeles Master Chorale (LAMC), led by Artistic Director Grant Gershon, presents two performances of Handel's Messiah, his most popular oratorio, on Sundays, December 6 and 20, at 7 pm, at Walt Disney Concert Hall. The program features 48 members of the Grammy-nominated chorus, chamber orchestra and four soloists, including soprano Hayden Eberhart, mezzo soprano Janelle DeStefano, tenor Jon Lee Keenan and baritone Steve Pence. This is the fifth consecutive year a concert version of Handel's riveting Messiah has been part of the Chorale's holiday concert series.

"Handel's Messiah is the ultimate musical stocking stuffer," says Gershon. "It is universally beloved and is thrilling to conduct, especially in Disney Hall with its remarkable acoustics."

Rich with soaring high notes, powerful bass, majestic brass and beautiful orchestrations, Messiah was composed in just 24 days by celebrated Baroque composer George Frideric Handel, and continues to be one of the most renowned pieces of English sacred music. Messiah is set to the libretto by Charles Jennens, who drew texts from the King James and Great Bibles and has been performed as a seasonal tradition across the globe for more than 255 years.

The Master Chorale also presents the 35th Annual "Messiah Sing-Along," the do-it-yourself version, December 16. Other holiday offerings include "Festival of Carols," December 5 and 12; and "Rejoice! Brass Tidings," December 13.

Tickets range from $29 - $129. Group rates are available. Children under six not admitted. For tickets and information, please call (213) 972-7282, or visit www.lamc.org. Walt Disney Concert Hall is located at 111 South Grand Avenue at First Street in downtown Los Angeles.

LOS ANGELES MASTER CHORALE is led by Artistic Director Grant Gershon. Proclaimed "the nation's most pioneering major chorus" (Los Angeles Times), it has also been hailed as "inspired" (The New York Times), "magnificent" (Chicago Tribune) and "a superb vocal ensemble" (The New York Observer). The Chorale is currently in its 52nd season as a resident company of The Music Center of Los Angeles County and its 13th as the resident chorus at Disney Hall. Presenting its own concert series each season, it performs choral music from the earliest writings to the most recent contemporary compositions.

To date, the choir has commissioned 47 and premiered 94 new works, of which 64 were world premieres, and has been awarded three ASCAP/Chorus America Awards for Adventurous Programming as well as Chorus America's prestigious Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence. The Chorale has performed in more than 500 concerts with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at both Disney Hall and the Hollywood Bowl, and has toured with the orchestra to Europe and New York City. It has also appeared at the Ojai Music Festival, the Great Performers series at Lincoln Center, the Ravinia Festival and the Overture Center in Madison, Wisconsin, as well as in leading venues throughout the Southland.

Its discography includes five commercial CDs under Gershon's baton. In addition, in 2013, as part of its 50th anniversary season celebration, the Chorale released a digital recording featuring signature a cappella works available online-only at LAMC.org, iTunes and Amazon.com. LAMC previously released three CDs under former Music Director Paul Salamunovich on RCM, including the Grammy-nominated Lauridsen-Lux Aeterna. The Chorale is also featured with Gershon on the soundtracks of such major motion pictures as Lady in the Water and License to Wed. Serving more than 30,000 audience members of all ages annually, the Los Angeles Master Chorale also provides education outreach to some 9,000 students each year.

GRANT GERSHON is currently in his 15th season as the Kiki & David Gindler Artistic Director of the Los Angeles Master Chorale and also serves as Resident Conductor of LA Opera. The Los Angeles Times declares that the Chorale "has become the most exciting chorus in the country under Grant Gershon" and Opera News proclaims him "a first-rate conductor." During his tenure with the Chorale, he has led more than 100 performances at Walt Disney Concert Hall, including virtually all of the major works in the choral repertoire.

A champion of new music as well, Gershon has led world premiere performances of major works by John Adams, Esa-Pekka Salonen, David Lang, Louis Andriessen, Christopher Rouse, Steve Reich, Morten Lauridsen, Ricky Ian Gordon, Gabriela Lena Frank, Shawn Kirchner and Chinary Ung, among many others. His discography includes two Grammy Award-nominated recordings: Sweeney Todd (New York Philharmonic Special Editions) and Ligeti's Grand Macabre (Sony Classical); five commercial CDs with the Chorale: Glass-Salonen (RCM), You Are (Variations) (Nonesuch), Daniel Variations (Nonesuch), A Good Understanding (Decca), and Miserere (Decca); and a digital recording featuring some of the Chorale's signature a cappella works available online-only at LAMC.org, iTunes and Amazon.com.

TICKETS/INFORMATION:
$29 - $129
Student Rush seats available at box office two hours before the performance;

TICKETS/INFORMATION:
213-972-7282
www.lamc.org
Tickets can be purchased by phone or 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 at 12 noon for matinees and 5 pm for evening concerts.

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