Greetings!

A concert season so rich with activity – let us celebrate and be thankful this holiday season. Kent is readying for one of his busiest and most joyous months of the year, with four events that are New York traditions all:

“The Joy of Christmas” at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine (December 9 & 10) features Antonio Vivaldi's exquisite Magnificat and Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on Christmas Carols alongside the world premieres of two works by living composers: "In Bethlehem above" by Yshani Perinpanayagam and "The Christmas Bird" by Sheena Philips. Hear holiday favorites including selections from Benjamin Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols sung by the Cathedral Choristers, and Christmas carols sung by all.

Pick your Messiah – or hear them both! Kent leads the Oratorio Society of New York, with soloists Maria Brea, Heather Petrie, Joshua Blue, and Jesse Blumberg, in its 148th annual performance of the holiday favorite at Carnegie Hall on December 19; and Musica Sacra, also at Carnegie Hall, in its annual rendition performed with Baroque bows and period performance practices, with soloists Nola Richardson, Heather Petrie, Joshua Blue, and Enrico Lagasca, on December 21.

Lullaby for Vaska by Joseph Turrin, dedicated to the people of Ukraine, will have its world premiere at the Cathedral’s “New Year’s Eve Concert for Peace,” hosted, as ever, by Harry Smith. Kent and Bryan Zaros conduct the program of music by Gustav Holst, David Lang, Wang Jie, and Philip Herbert, among others (December 31).

The Cathedral looks forward to welcoming the community to its in-person Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services, all of which will also be livestreamed! Kent leads the Cathedral choirs: Christmas Eve Lessons and Carols at 4 PM and Christmas Eve Festal Eucharist at 10 PM, and Christmas Day Holy Eucharist at 10:30 AM . Details are in the links below.

And please consider a year-end gift to Musica Sacra, the Cathedral’s Friends of Music, and the Oratorio Society of New York. With your help, they can continue to Sing Joyfully throughout the year!

Happy, healthy, and peaceful holidays to all!
Friday, December 9, 7 PM
Saturday, December 10, 7 PM
Cathedral of St. John the Divine
New York, NY

“THE JOY OF CHRISTMAS”
CATHEDRAL CHOIRS & ORCHESTRA OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE
Kent Tritle & Bryan Zaros, conductors
Eva Martinez & Halley Gilbert, sopranos
Kirsten Sollek, contralto
Austin Cody, tenor
Andrew Jurden, bass-baritone

ANTONIO VIVALDI  Magnificat, RV 610
RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS  Fantasia on Christmas Carols
YSHANI PERINPANAYAGAM “In Bethlehem Above”
SHEENA PHILIPS “The Christmas Bird”
Christmas favorites by Giulio Caccini, John Rutter, Donald Fraser, and selections from Benjamin Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols sung by the Cathedral Choristers
Christmas carols sung by all
Monday, December 19, 8 PM
Carnegie Hall
New York, NY
Kent Tritle, conductor
Maria Brea, soprano
Heather Petrie, contralto
Joshua Blue, tenor
Jesse Blumberg, baritone

GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL Messiah
Wednesday, December 21, 7:30 PM
Carnegie Hall
New York, NY
Kent Tritle, conductor
Nola Richardson, soprano
Heather Petrie, contralto
Joshua Blue, tenor
Enrico Lagasca, bass-baritone

GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL Messiah
CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS DAY SERVICES AT THE CATHEDRAL OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE – In-person and livestreamed

Saturday, December 24
 
Sunday, December 25
Friday, December 31, 7 PM
New York, NY
“NEW YEAR’S EVE CONCERT FOR PEACE”
CATHEDRAL CHOIR & ORCHESTRA OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE
Kent Tritle & Bryan Zaros, conductors
Jamet Pittman, soprano
Greg Purnhagen, baritone
Harry Smith, host

GUSTAV HOLST  
St. Paul’s Suite, Op. 29, No. 2
DAVID LANG  Make Peace
WANG JIE  The Name That Never Dies
JOSEPH TURRIN  Lullaby for Vaska – Dedicated to the people of Ukraine (World premiere)
PHILIP HERBERT  Elegy: in memoriam

The program also includes works by Daniel Ficarri, Christopher DeBlasio, and Amy Summers, culminating with the African American Spiritual “This Little Light of Mine,” sung by all.
About Kent Tritle
Kent Tritle is one of America’s leading choral conductors. Called “the brightest star in New York’s choral music world” by The New York Times, he is Director of Cathedral Music and Organist at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City; Music Director of the Oratorio Society of New York, the Grammy-nominated volunteer chorus; and Music Director of Musica Sacra, New York’s elite professional chorus.

Kent is a member of the graduate faculty of The Juilliard School. Also an acclaimed organ virtuoso, Kent Tritle is the organist of the New York Philharmonic. kenttritle.com

Photo: Jennifer Taylor