Manhattan Choral Ensemble Announces 2012-2013 Season

A vital part of New York City's choral and new music communities, the Manhattan Choral Ensemble (MCE) enters into its 13th season with an ambitious series of programs that span the 16th century to the present day. In each of its four programs, the MCE will focus on works written by New York City-based artists.

The season begins on December 7 and 9, 2012 with a diverse holiday concert centered on the idea of hope. The program, which is part of the MCE's five-year Readings and Carols series exploring different holiday themes, includes choral music by Josquin des Prez, Carlo Gesualdo, Felix Mendelssohn, Randall Thompson and James Bassi, with literary passages by New York writers interspersed throughout.

On March 9, 2013 the MCE will present Psalms of New York-an extraordinary evening featuring verses from the Old Testament set to music by New York composers. Pieces by John Corigliano, Virgil Thomson, Bobby McFerrin and Nico Muhly will begin the program, bringing to life ancient hymns in one of New York's most beautiful churches. Following these works will be three new psalm settings by New York City composers Martha Sullivan, James Bassi and Christian Carey commissioned by the MCE. Illustrations by New York artists will be projected on stage during these new commissions, harkening back to a rich tradition of psalm illustration. A final biblical setting written by a New York City composer will complete the program: Leonard Bernstein's luminous Chichester Psalms.

On April 1, 2013 the MCE will once again collaborate with composer Victoria Bond as part of the Cutting Edge Concerts New Music Festival at Symphony Space. Together with Pulse Chamber Music and artist Timothy Decker, the MCE will perform the world premiere of Bond's Cyclops, with text from the "Cyclops" chapter of James Joyce's Ulysses. This innovative piece will combine chorus, orchestra and actors in a reimagining of a dramatic episode from one of the most important literary works of the 20th century.

The MCE will conclude the season on May 18, 2013 with its long-running commissioning series New Music for New York at The DiMenna Center for Classical Music. Through a choral composition contest, the MCE will premiere three new choral works about New York City by local composers, and the audience will select the grand prize winner. The MCE will also perform choice arrangements of folksongs, partsongs and madrigals throughout the evening.

READINGS AND CAROLS: HOPE
Friday, December 7, 2012, 8pm - The Church of the Holy Trinity, 316 East 88th Street, NYC
Sunday, December 9, 2012, 3pm - Saint Ignatius of Antioch Episcopal Church, 552 West End Avenue at 87th Street, NYC

JOSQUIN DES PREZ De profundis clamavi
CARLO GESUALDO Ave, dulcissima Maria
UNKNOWN 15th C. CAROL Quem pastores laudavere
FRENCH CAROL, ARR. JOHN RUTTER Il est néle divin enfant
Felix Mendelssohn Aus tiefer Not schrei' ich zu dir
Randall Thompson The Peaceable Kingdom (selections)
James Bassi Quem pastores laudavere

The MCE continues its five-year thematic exploration of the ideas of Christmas as realized through a diverse selection of readings and choral works, as well as Christmas carols to be sung by the audience and the choir.

Tickets: $30 Premium Reserved, $20 General, $15 Senior/Student

PSALMS OF NEW YORK, FEATURING BERNSTEIN'S CHICHESTER PSALMS
Saturday, March 9, 2013, 8pm - Location to be announced

John Corigliano Psalm No. 8 for choir and organ
Virgil Thomson Three Antiphonal Psalms
Bobby McFerrin Psalm 23
Nico Muhly I Cannot Attain Unto It, commissioned by the MCE in 2005
MARTHA SULLIVAN MCE commission to be announced
James Bassi MCE commission to be announced
CHRISTIAN CAREY MCE commission to be announced
Leonard Bernstein Chichester Psalms

An extraordinary evening of new choral music will explore the mystical psalms of the Old Testament. New works written by leading composers will be premiered alongside illustrations by New York artists. The program will begin with earlier psalm settings written by New York City composers and conclude with Leonard Bernstein's luminous Chichester Psalms.

CYCLOPS
Monday, April 1, 2013, 7:30pm - Symphony Space, Thalia Theater, 2537 Broadway, NYC

VICTORIA BOND Cyclops

The MCE will collaborate with composer Victoria Bond as part of the Cutting Edge Concerts New Music Festival. Together with Pulse Chamber Music and artist Timothy Decker, the MCE will perform the world premiere of Bond's Cyclops, with text from James Joyce's Ulysses. This innovative piece will combine chorus, orchestra and actors in a reimagining of a dramatic episode from one of the most important literary works of the 20th century.

NEW MUSIC FOR NEW YORK COMPOSITION COMPETITION
Saturday, May 18, 2013, 8pm - The DiMenna Center for Classical Music, 450 West 37th St., NYC

COMPOSERS TO BE ANNOUNCED

The MCE will continue its long-running choral composition contest New Music for New York. Through this unique competition, the MCE will premiere three new choral works about New York City, and the audience will select the grand prize winner. The MCE will also perform choice arrangements of folksongs, partsongs and madrigals throughout the evening.

Formed in 2000, the Manhattan Choral Ensemble (MCE) is one of the premier volunteer choirs in New York City, performing an historically varied repertoire for mixed a cappella choir and choir with orchestra, including new premieres and commissions by the MCE. Performing throughout Manhattan and beyond, the MCE strives to connect its programs to the city it calls home through its focus on local composers, concerts in historical landmarks and neighborhood-themed programming. In 2004 the MCE began its commissioning project, New Music for New York, through which it has commissioned more than 20 choral works from some of the leading living New York composers, including George Andoniadis, George Steel, PatRick Castillo, Charles Griffen, Charles Griffin, Greg Brown, Victoria Bond and Nico Muhly. The group has lent its voices to cultural events at the United Nations, Lincoln Center and the soundtrack to the 2004 feature film The Manchurian Candidate.