World Premiere of Cyrus Chestnut's POWER IN THE BLOOD Comes to Carnegie Hall

On Friday, April 19 at 8:00 PM, The Cecilia Chorus of New York, Mark Shapiro, Music Director, will present the World Premiere of Cyrus Chestnut’s Power in the Blood, along with Beethoven’s Christ on the Mount of Olives at Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, 57th Street & 7th Avenue in Manhattan. Soloists will be Nicoletta Berry, soprano, Matthew Anchel, Bass and the Cyrus Chestnut Trio, with the composer on piano.

Composer Cyrus Chestnut writes, “The American of African descent uses music whether it be melody or melody with lyrics to tell the story of their being. Their emotions can be told in a song. The songs follow a different beat or pulse than that of European culture. Although there is European influence in the structure of the songs of the African American, please realize that the combination of influences brings forth a unique style that is celebrated by all today.”

“These arrangements of Easter songs come from a larger work entitled “The Saga of the Cross”. It is the story of Easter told from the African American perspective. This work combines European and African musical traditions. Elements of gospel, jazz, and classical idioms work together to present this story of love..” Read his complete notes at https://ceciliachorusny.org/chestnut-program-note.

Music Director Mark Shapiro writes, “I’ve admired Cyrus Chestnut for years. In 2021 word reached me about a large-scale choral project of his, planned for a prestigious hall…I reached out to Cyrus… asking if he might be interested in a collaboration. To my delight, he said yes. We talked a bit more, and agreed he would create a new 45-minute composition for The Cecilia Chorus of New York, derived from his existing evening-length work. We would give its world premiere, with Cyrus himself joining us from the keyboard in his first ever experience headlining at Carnegie Hall.”

He also writes, “The Cecilia Chorus and I have a longstanding practice of reviving neglected masterpieces. Once enormously popular, Beethoven’s Christ on the Mount of Olives hasn’t been much heard lately, and we’ve had our eye on it. It’s hard to imagine a more fitting companion to Power in the Blood.” Read his complete notes at https://ceciliachorusny.org/conductors-notes-beethoven-chestnut.

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