General

2014-2015 Season Announcement!

Polychoral Splendor

Sunday, November 16, 3:00 p.m.

First United Methodist Church

214 East Jefferson Street, Iowa City

Our season kicks off with the sumptuousness of polychoral music, with its thrilling musical dialogue between multiple choirs. The church will ring with the chorus, organ and brass music of Giovanni Gabrieli to the present, including “Ye Shall Have a Song,” the radiant double-choir finale to Randall Thompson’s The Peaceable Kingdom.

Vignettes

Sunday, February 15, 3:00 p.m.

First Presbyterian Church

2701 Rochester Avenue, Iowa City

Vi·gnette /vin-‘yet/: A brief evocative description, account, or episode.

How does one evocatively describe a scene, a moment, even a thought through music? Our second concert explores how composers from different lands and times choose to convey musically such ideas as the seasons, day and night, freedom, love, and faith.  These vignettes bear commonalities within themselves, yet within them each piece is unique—a snapshot of its creator’s time, place, and personality.

George Frideric Handel: Judas Maccabaeus

Saturday, April 25, 7:15 p.m., pre-concert lecture at 6:30

Iowa City West High School Auditorium

2901 Melrose Avenue, Iowa City

The season ends in rousing fashion with a full performance of Handel’s triumphant oratorio on the story of Judas Maccabee, the Jewish leader who freed his people from foreign domination in the second century BCE.  Chorus, soloists, and orchestra join forces for this monumental work, which includes such favorites as “See! The conqu’ring hero comes,” “Arm, arm, ye brave,” and “Hallelujah! Amen!” This performance, open to the public, is the grand finale of the national conference of the American Handel Society. Don’t miss this unforgettable performance!