Choral Arts Society of SE Wisconsin – Gloria!

The Choral Arts Society of Southeastern Wisconsin will present “Gloria!” on Saturday, March 23, 2013, 7 PM, at the Frances Bedford Concert Hall, UW-Parkside, 900 Wood Road, Kenosha, WI. The sixty-plus voice chorus and brass ensemble will perform John Rutter’s Gloria and other works or excerpts featuring Gloria texts.

This wonderful sampling of works which proclaim, “Gloria in excelsis” is the perfect antidote to the dreary days of March. Bright, shining choral music from the Elizabethan age to the present will be featured in the Choral Arts Society’s first full concert in the beautifully designed, acoustically perfect Bedford Concert Hall in the new “Rita” at UW-Parkside.

John Rutter is among the most popular of living choral composers. His Gloria, a concert work with brass ensemble and organ, will be the centerpiece of this program. First commissioned and premiered in 1974 in Omaha, Nebraska, it has become a worldwide favorite of choral singers and audiences alike. The audience will also be treated to works by William Byrd (English, 1543-1623), Marc-Antoine Charpentier (French, 1645-1704), Antonio Vivaldi (Italian, 1678-1741), William Billings (American, 1746-1800), Giacomo Puccini (Italian 1858-1924), Leonard Bernstein (American, 1918-1990), Randol Alan Bass (Texan, 1953-present), and locally beloved composer Gregory Berg. Trumpet, harpsichord and piano will add beautiful musical texture to several of these choral selections.

The Choral Arts Society of Southeastern Wisconsin is in its 26th season under the direction of James Schatzman. Over 65 singers comprise this auditioned volunteer community chorus, whose repertoire has included a wide variety of major works. The organization provides exposure to and performance of diverse styles of choral music to benefit the singer and the community. Please visit www.choralartsonline.org.

Tickets: Adults $15, Seniors $12, Students $5, Families (2 adults plus children) $40. Tickets are available at Personal Touch Florists at 4060 N. Main St., at 5445 Spring St., Racine, WI, and at the door. Contact the CAS by E-mail admin@choralartsonline.org, or call 262-634-3250.

This season was supported in part by a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts, and by a grant from the Racine Arts Council.

Julia Suchy, Administrator