Choral Festival Culminates with Free Concert Featuring Haydn's Mass in Time of War at Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall

Pacific Chorale, celebrated for both its artistic excellence and impactful community outreach, presents its 16th Annual Choral Festival, culminating in a free performance of Haydn’s Mass in Time of War, a bracing oratorio brimming with excitement and sparkling choruses, on Sunday, August 11, 2024, 5 pm, at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa. The concert is free to the public, but tickets are required. Concert-goers are encouraged to bring canned goods for a community food drive, which will conclude with Pacific Chorale’s season-opening program, “To the Hands,” in September.

Pacific Chorale’s Annual Choral Festival, a cherished Orange County summertime tradition, draws hundreds of gifted community singers from across the region. Following three rigorous rehearsal days, they combine forces with members of the GRAMMY®-winning Pacific Chorale to create the Festival Choir, raising their collective voices in song for this free performance. Auditions are not necessary to participate in the Festival Choir, but advance registration is required.  

“There are so many excellent singers in Orange County and beyond who participate annually in Pacific Chorale’s Choral Festival,” says Istad. “The Festival Choir is a joy to conduct. There’s nothing like the sound of hundreds of wonderful voices raised in song cascading over you. It’s a visceral and thrilling experience for the audience as well as the singers.”

The concert opens with organist Dr. Jung-a Lee performing the world premiere of her new work Hommage à Haydn (organ prelude).

The Pacific Chorale Choral Festival also provides a rare opportunity for the public to experience a live performance in one of the world’s great concert halls at no cost. Istad notes. “The event beautifully showcases the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, which is critically acclaimed for its sparkling acoustics and dazzling architecture. Pacific Chorale is pleased to collaborate with Segerstrom Center for the Performing Arts to present this community concert.”