Washington Master Chorale to Celebrate Contemporary Black Composers

Washington Master Chorale (WMC) opens their 14th season with I, Too, Sing America on October 22 at 5pm at Church of the Epiphany (1317 G Street, NW). The concert will celebrate the contributions by contemporary Black American composers to the choral music canon and feature the music of Mason Bynes, winner of WMC's inaugural Florence Price Commission Competition. The highlight of the program will be the world premiere of Bynes' much-anticipated new work, Dust Bowl, based on Langston Hughes' poem of the same name. 

In addition, WMC will present works by renowned Washington, DC composers Ronald Walton, Marcea McGuire, and Adolphus Hailstork, among others. Guest artists, VA Bronze, a premier community handbell ensemble will also perform. 

In her program notes, Bynes writes, "Langton Hughes's 'Dust Bowl' gave me the words to describe that feeling of reclaiming yourself and the world around you, even after absolute destruction and loss. He wrote this poem during the Great Depression, and its repetition of the phrase "the land wants me to come back" seems to change in sentiment with each repetition. How does one return to nothingness, to a handful of dust, to only a raindrop that fits in the palm of your hand? How do you return emotionally to what you've lost, and how do you return to yourself? Do you return with fear, anxiousness, and frustration? Do you return with compassion, acceptance, and love?” 

Following this concert, WMC continues their season with Sweet was the Song on December 10th at 3pm at St Ann's Catholic Church (4001 Yuma St., NW). This concert will feature rarely heard old English and American carols, along with holiday favorites and audience caroling with organ and brass. In addition, Sweet was the Song will mark the Washington premiere of Japanese American composer Riley Ferretti's stunning new work Dona Nobis Pacem.

The season finale takes place on March 3, 2024 with A Bel Canto Salon at National Presbyterian Church at 5pm. In this performance two Steinways will grace the stage to celebrate this beloved operatic style. Highlights Include Rossini's Petite messe solennelle, in its original salon form. In addition, WMC will present excerpts from Brahms' Liebeslieder Waltzer, Op. 52, and Lori Latiman's witty and eloquent vocal cycle, Are Women People?, on texts from the American suffragist movement. 

At the end of the season, WMC will also host their annual fundraiser, Springtime Supper + Song. This will take place on April 27, 2024 at a private residence in Alexandria, VA. 

Season subscription tickets are $110 for regular seating and $150 for premium orchestra seating. Single tickets start at $40, with discounts for students and virtual ticket holders available. More information about Washington Master Chorale and the upcoming season can be found at: https://www.washingtonmasterchorale.org

The Washington Master Chorale is a vibrant, sixty-voice professional and volunteer chorus that has quickly garnered a reputation throughout the Washington region for vocal excellence and discriminating concert programming. Since its debut concert in 2010 under the baton of Artistic Director Thomas Colohan, the Chorale's performances have received repeated critical acclaim. The Washington Post hails the ensemble's singing as “remarkable for its beauty,” “seamlessly blended,” and “a sound worth hearing.”

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