Voices of Ascension to Launch 2026-2027 Season 'The Radiant Depths'
The New York ensemble will present BACH MASS IN B MINOR and launch a new Choral Visionaries Initiative.
Voices of Ascension, the New York City-based professional chorus dedicated to sharing the transformative power of choral music through performances, commissions, and community engagement, announces its 2026–2027 season.
Throughout history, people have turned to choral music to contemplate themselves and their place in the universe. Voices of Ascension's 37th season, The Radiant Depths, continues that ongoing exploration, celebrating the profound creativity that shapes choral music's legacy and future by inviting listeners into radiant musical landscapes where sound becomes a space for discovery, and the boundary between past and present begins to dissolve.
“The Radiant Depths invites audiences on a journey through the immense range of choral music—exploring what this art form has been, what it continues to reveal, and what it can become,” said Voices Executive Director, Jonathan Bradley. “From Renaissance masterworks to contemporary compositions and new commissions, the season grapples with some of humanity's most enduring questions: mortality and transcendence, our relationship to one another, and our place in an ever-changing world.”
Through a blend of contemporary and historical repertoire, the season spans the Renaissance to newly commissioned works and rarely heard masterworks, reflecting both the breadth of the tradition and the depth of expression that defines it. Across programs ranging from Haydn's Mass in Time of War and Fauré's Requiem to Nativity Cycle, a new Voices of Ascension commission by Nico Muhly written for the Manton Memorial Organ, Voices of Ascension, and internationally acclaimed organist James McVinnie, along with Hugo Distler's Totentanz and Bach's Mass in B Minor, Voices traces a season-long journey through enduring questions about mortality, transcendence, and our relationship to one another. Many of these works emerged during periods of uncertainty and upheaval, asking questions that continue to feel deeply familiar: where we find meaning, how communities endure, and what sustains us through challenging times.
Voices of Ascension opens its 2026–2027 season on Thursday, October 29, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. with War & Requiem, a program that pairs musical grandeur with profound human depth. Composed amid the threat of Napoleon's advancing armies, Haydn's Mass in Time of War transforms the Mass into both a plea for mercy and a rallying cry for courage in the face of uncertainty. Nearly a century later, Fauré's Requiem offers a striking counterpoint. Where earlier Requiems summon fear and judgment, Fauré turns toward grace, tenderness, and light. Together, these works open the season with a meditation on conflict, consolation, and the search for meaning in challenging times.
After three seasons of sold-out performances, Voices of Ascension brings back its beloved Candlelight Christmas Concerts on Thursday, December 9 at 7:30 p.m., Friday, December 10 at 7:30 p.m., Monday, December 14 at 7:30 p.m., and Tuesday, December 15 at 7:30 p.m. Illuminated by hundreds of candles and scores of candelabras, the Church of the Ascension becomes a radiant setting for ancient carols, Christmas choral anthems, seasonal masterworks, and beloved favorites. Beneath candlelight and vaulted ceilings, audiences gather for music that reflects winter, wonder, and shared tradition.
One of the most sought-after organists in contemporary music, James McVinnie joins Voices of Ascension for Sound Out of Silence on Thursday, January 7, 2027 at 7:30 p.m. At the center of the evening is Nativity Cycle, a world premiere by Nico Muhly written for Voices of Ascension, James McVinnie, and the Manton Memorial Organ. Conceived as a companion to Muhly's Seven O Antiphon Preludes, the seven-part cycle draws on the texts and melodies of the Christmas liturgy, reimagining ancient material through Muhly's distinctive contemporary voice.
Framed by Pérotin's Viderunt Omnes and Tristan Perich's Infinity Gradient for organ and 100 loudspeakers, the evening traces a path from the earliest flowering of Western polyphony to the outer edges of contemporary sound. Exploring how music emerges from silence and takes shape in space, the program creates an immersive sonic environment that invites audiences to encounter sound not simply as something heard, but as something physically experienced within and around the body.
This season also marks the second installment of Choral Visionaries, an artistic initiative inviting some of today's most compelling choral conductors to collaborate with Voices as guest artistic leaders, creating original concert experiences and bringing distinctive musical perspectives into conversation with the ensemble's longstanding traditions. Building on the program's inaugural collaboration with conductor Beth Willer, Choral Visionaries creates a platform for bold artistic voices while opening new pathways for the future of Voices of Ascension.
As part of Choral Visionaries, Voices welcomes Director of Choral Activities at the University of Minnesota and Artistic Director of the Minnesota Chorale, Kathy Saltzman Romey, for Requiem Aeternam, a searching meditation on mortality and transcendence on Wednesday, February 17, 2027 at 7:30 p.m. At the center of the evening is Hugo Distler's Totentanz (Dance of Death), a rarely heard work composed in 1934 during the rise of Nazi Germany and later censored under the regime. Presented in a semi-theatrical staging throughout the Church of the Ascension, the work unfolds as a procession in which figures from every walk of life are summoned into a reckoning with mortality and human responsibility. Surrounding Distler's work are Herbert Howells's luminous Requiem, Brahms's Warum?, and Knut Nystedt's Immortal Bach, creating an evening that moves from questioning and reckoning toward reconciliation and transcendence.
Voices of Ascension continues its longstanding exploration of Renaissance masterworks with Sing Joyfully: Tallis & Byrd and the English Renaissance on Thursday, March 11, 2027 at 7:30 p.m. Featuring music by Thomas Tallis and William Byrd, this program illuminates two composers whose artistry shaped the sound of sacred choral music for generations. Written during the political and religious upheavals of Reformation England, these works emerged from a world marked by shifting allegiances, contested faith, and profound uncertainty. Their music reveals extraordinary beauty and expressive depth while reflecting enduring questions of conscience, identity, and human connection.
Voices concludes its season with Bach's monumental Mass in B Minor, an extraordinary synthesis of devotion and compositional mastery on Thursday, April 18, 2027 at 7:30 p.m. Bringing together music Bach composed across decades of his life, the work stands as both a summation of a lifetime's artistic vision and one of the towering achievements of Western music. The season closes with a work that gathers together many of the questions explored throughout The Radiant Depths: faith, humanity, our responsibilities to one another, and the search for transcendence through music.
Program Information
Grand Choral Opening: War & Requiem
Thursday, October 29, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.
Church of the Ascension | 36 Fifth Avenue at 10th St. | New York, NY 10011
Link: https://www.voicesofascension.org/gco27
Program:
Haydn — Mass in Time of War (Missa in tempore belli)
Fauré — Requiem in D Minor
Artists:
Voices of Ascension Chorus
Dennis Keene, Artistic Director and Conductor
Soloists to be announced
________________________________
Candlelight Christmas Concerts
Thursday, December 9, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, December 10, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.
Monday, December 14, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, December 15, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.
Church of the Ascension | 36 Fifth Avenue at 10th St. | New York, NY 10011
Link: https://www.voicesofascension.org/candlelight-christmas-concerts-2026
Program:
A vibrant mix of ancient carols, seasonal masterworks, and contemporary reflections on winter and light
Artists:
Voices of Ascension Chorus
Dennis Keene, Artistic Director and Conductor
Soloists to be announced
________________________________
Sound Out of Silence
Thursday, January 7, 2027 at 7:30 p.m.
Church of the Ascension | 36 Fifth Avenue at 10th St. | New York, NY 10011
Link: https://www.voicesofascension.org/mcvinnie27
Program:
Pérotin — Viderunt Omnes
Nico Muhly — Nativity Cycle (Voices of Ascension commission)
Tristan Perich — Infinity Gradient
Artists:
James McVinnie, organ
Voices of Ascension Chorus
Dennis Keene, Artistic Director and Conductor
________________________________
Requiem Aeternam: Kathy Saltzman Romey
Wednesday, February 17, 2027 at 7:30 p.m.
Church of the Ascension | 36 Fifth Avenue at 10th St. | New York, NY 10011
Link: https://www.voicesofascension.org/romey27
Program:
Brahms — Warum?
Distler — Totentanz (Dance of Death)
Nystedt — Immortal Bach
Howells — Requiem
Artists:
Voices of Ascension Chorus
Kathy Saltzman Romey, Guest Conductor
________________________________
Sing Joyfully: Tallis & Byrd and the English Renaissance
Thursday, March 11, 2027 at 7:30 p.m.
Church of the Ascension | 36 Fifth Avenue at 10th St. | New York, NY 10011
Link: https://www.voicesofascension.org/tallis27
Program:
Thomas Tallis
William Byrd
Additional repertoire to be announced
Artists:
Voices of Ascension Chorus
Dennis Keene, Artistic Director and Conductor
________________________________
Bach: Mass in B Minor
Thursday, April 18, 2027 at 7:30 p.m.
Church of the Ascension | 36 Fifth Avenue at 10th St. | New York, NY 10011
Link: https://www.voicesofascension.org/bachmass27
Program:
Bach — Mass in B Minor
Artists:
Voices of Ascension Chorus and Orchestra
Dennis Keene, Artistic Director and Conductor
Soloists to be announced
About Dennis Keene
Dennis Keene is Artistic Director and Conductor of the Voices of Ascension. Known internationally through his many concerts and recordings with Voices of Ascension as well as his regular guest appearances as conductor and teacher, he is one of the leading choral conductors in the world today.
Recognized early as an exceptional organist, Dennis Keene studied at The Juilliard School, where he earned the BM, MM, and DMA degrees and the coveted Gaston Dethier Organ Prize as a student of Vernon de Tar. Dr. Keene also studied privately in Paris with Marie-Madeleine Duruflé, André Marchal, and André Isoir.
In addition to his work with Voices of Ascension, Dr. Keene continues as Organist and Choirmaster of Church of the Ascension in New York City. He served for many years on the Board of Directors of Chorus America, the national service organization for the choral field, which honored him with the first Louis Botto Award for “innovative action and entrepreneurial zeal in developing a professional ensemble of exceptional artistic quality.” He has also served on the Choral Panel of the National Endowment for the Arts and on the Music Panel of the New York State Council on the Arts.
From 1998 to 2003, Maestro Keene presented a major summer institute for the training of conductors and singers: The Dennis Keene Choral Festival, in Kent, Connecticut. In 1993, he began his recording association with Delos International, with which he has recorded such best-selling CD's as Beyond Chant, the Duruflé Album, and the Berlioz Te Deum. This series of highly acclaimed recordings with Voices of Ascension has secured international recognition for both conductor and chorus and become the standard for first-ranked ensembles worldwide.
About Voices of Ascension
Voices of Ascension is one of New York City's premier professional choral ensembles, dedicated to presenting masterworks for chorus and orchestra at the highest artistic level. Founded in 1990 by Artistic Director Dennis Keene, Voices has built an international reputation for its exquisite choral artistry, innovative programming, and commitment to expanding the choral canon.
Performances by the Grammy-nominated ensemble have been praised as “richly colored, impressive, and beautifully balanced” (Wall Street Journal) and “inspired” (The New York Times). The ensemble's landmark Duruflé Festival, the first-ever complete retrospective of the composer's works, established Voices as a leader in presenting comprehensive explorations of major choral composers. Since then, Voices of Ascension has continued to champion both historical and contemporary repertoire, with a special commitment to new music, including commissions and premieres—particularly by female composers—in partnership with the Sorel Organization.
Throughout its 37-year history, Voices of Ascension has produced an acclaimed annual concert series, released multiple Grammy-nominated recordings, and engaged in artistic collaborations with the San Francisco Symphony, Mostly Mozart Festival, José Limón Dance, the Mark Morris Dance Group, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and others. The ensemble has also been a longtime partner of The Church of the Ascension, home to the Manton Memorial Organ, the only French-built organ in the United States and a direct link to Voices' deep engagement with French sacred music traditions.
The organization plays an important role in mentoring emerging artists through its Voices of Promise program, which has supported over 50 young professional vocal soloists, and in creating community connections through Voices of Experience, an initiative bringing choral music to NYC's senior centers.
About Kathy Saltzman Romey
Kathy Saltzman Romey is Artistic Director of the 250-voice Minnesota Chorale, which serves as the Minnesota Orchestra's principal chorus. Romey is also professor emerita of music and former director of choral activities at the University of Minnesota, where she oversaw the graduate program in choral conducting and conducted choirs for thirty years.
Known for her meticulous training of choirs, Romey has conducted the Chorale in local, national, and international forums, and in performances with the Minnesota Orchestra and Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra. She has prepared the Chorale for performances with the Minnesota Orchestra under the baton of music directors Thomas Søndergård, Osmo Vänskä, Eiji Oue, and Edo de Waart, Sommerfest artistic directors Andrew Litton, Leonard Slatkin, and David Zinman, and such acclaimed guest conductors as Roberto Abbado, James Conlon, Roger Norrington, Helmuth Rilling, Robert Shaw, Juraj Valčuha and Thomas Wilkins. Romey also collaborated with Conductor Laureate Osmo Vänskä on numerous recording projects with the Minnesota Orchestra and Minnesota Chorale including the Orchestra's Grammy-nominated disc of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, the Stephen Paulus oratorio To Be Certain of the Dawn, and recent recordings of Mahler Symphonies Nos. 2, 3, and 8.
Outside of the Minnesota Chorale, Romey has served on the staff of the Oregon Bach Festival since 1984 and is chorus master of the Festival's professional choir, which she prepares for annual concerts, commissions, and recording projects. Festival programs have included American and world premiere performances of major works by Richard Danielpour, Tan Dun, James MacMillan, Arvo Pärt, Krzysztof Penderecki, Sven-David Sandström, and W.A. Mozart reconstructions by Robert Levin. Romey assisted with five Festival recordings including the Oregon Bach Festival's 2001 Grammy Award-winning CD of Krzysztof Penderecki's Credo under Helmuth Rilling.
Active as a guest conductor, chorus master, and clinician throughout the United States and Europe, Romey regularly collaborated with the Internationale Bachakademie Stuttgart in preparing special programs for performances and tours in Austria, Chile, France, Germany, Poland, Switzerland and the United States. Currently, she oversees the chorus of the Junges Stuttgarter Bach Ensemble (Young Stuttgart Bach Ensemble) in collaboration with Artistic Director Hans-Christoph Rademann. From 2013-18, she also served on the faculty of the Weimar Bach Cantata Academy, focusing on the study and presentation of cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach under the direction of Bach scholar and conductor Helmuth Rilling. In addition to her work with Bach Academies, Romey has prepared programs with Berkshire Choral International, Carnegie Hall Festival Chorus, Grant Park Music Festival, Netherlands Radio Choir, Teatro del Lago Festival, and Westminster Symphonic Choir.
Romey earned an Artistic Degree in Choral Conducting under Helmuth Rilling from the Frankfurt Musikhochschule in 1984. From 1985-92, she served as director of choral activities at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and in 1992, joined the faculty at the University of Minnesota. She was honored by the Minnesota Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association with the 2002 Conductor of the Year Award and in 2006, the University recognized her work with the Arthur Motley award for exemplary teaching. Romey co-authored a book chapter in 2012 on choral music in the United States for the Cambridge Companion to Choral Music. She also collaborated with Helmuth Rilling in 2014 on his book MESSIAH: Understanding and Performing Handel's Masterpiece. Romey was the recipient of Chorus America's 2021 Distinguished Service award and recognized by ACDA of Minnesota with the 2023 F. Melius Christiansen Lifetime Achievement Award for her significant service and contributions to choral music in Minnesota.
About Jonathan Bradley
Jonathan Bradley is Executive Director of Voices of Ascension, where he is helping guide the organization through a period of artistic and institutional renewal. Working in close partnership with founding Artistic Director Dennis Keene and the Board of Directors, he has helped shape a strategic vision rooted in musical excellence, creative risk-taking, and deeper community connection. In addition to leading organizational strategy, Jonathan has played a central role in developing new artistic initiatives and season programming, including Choral Visionaries, Voices' guest conductor initiative, and immersive projects such as Sound Out of Silence, which brings together world premieres, contemporary artists, and large-scale sonic experiences within the resonant setting of the Church of the Ascension.
Jonathan brings more than twenty-five years of leadership experience across New York City's cultural landscape. Prior to joining Voices of Ascension, he served as Executive Director of The Crossing, leading the Grammy Award-winning ensemble through a period of transformational growth that doubled its production output and budget while overseeing world premieres, recordings, and collaborations with Carnegie Hall, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the New York Philharmonic. During his six years there, The Crossing received three Grammy Awards and nine nominations and was named Musical America's 2023 Ensemble of the Year.
His career also includes a decade at Carnegie Hall, where he co-founded the Hall's social media program and helped launch new audience engagement initiatives, as well as leadership work at Primephonic, now Apple Music Classical, where he explored new intersections between classical music and digital innovation.
Jonathan earned a BFA from NYU Tisch School of the Arts and an MBA from Baruch College's Zicklin School of Business and has been an invited speaker at Yale, Columbia, and NYU.
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