2019 Kent Hall Masters Series Presents Nordic Voices
WESTERLY, RI –
The Chorus of Westerly welcomes Nordic Voices to Kent Hall for one performance of their exciting program entitled Everything’s gonna be alright. The performance is part of the 2018-19 Kent Hall Masters Series. Nordic Voices will hold an evening performance on Saturday, February 2nd at 6pm in the historic George Kent Performance Hall, located at 119 High Street in Westerly, Rhode Island.
Tickets for Saturday’s performance can be purchased at the Kent Hall Box Office at 119 High Street, Westerly, or by calling 401.596.8663. Tickets are also available online at chorusofwesterly.org.
Nordic Voices is an internationally acclaimed six voice a cappella ensemble praised for the depth of its programming and its extraordinary vocal skills. The group explores new vocal techniques and new ways of using the classically trained voice. In 2014, the Oslo-based group was honored with the Artist of the Year award by the Norwegian Society of Composers. Having performed around the world in locations that include Kyoto, New York, Munich and Toronto, Nordic Voices performs a wide spectrum of musical expression, from plainchant to newly works commission from leading Norwegian composers, including but the most sacred of religion texts and the decidedly profane. The group’s programming revolves around themes, bringing the music to life in sometimes unexpected ways
On Saturday, February 2nd, the group will be presenting an exciting program entitled Everything’s gonna be alright. In this performance, Nordic Voices will present music from the light side of the Force, so to speak. The program is about love, and comfort and about playfulness. It is about focusing on the good sides of life, and about singing music that makes our cheeks go a little bit redder. Nearly all of the music written for the performance is by Norwegian composers of the past 70 years.
The concert runs approximately 95 minutes in length and includes an intermission. Doors will open at 5:30 pm appropriate for families and children. For more information or to inquire about tickets please call the Kent Hall Box Office at (401) 596-8663. Business hours are Monday thru Friday, 9 am to 5 pm.
This performance is being presented with major support from Mrs. Marion Palm, South County Health, and the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts.
About Nordic Voices
Artistic creativity, versatility, technical precision – these are the primary ingredients of the perfect recipe for a performing arts ensemble. One other ingredient, that indescribable something that we tend to call audience appeal, makes the picture complete. These are precisely the elements that make up Nordic Voices, a six-voice a cappella group that has been making waves not only in Norway, but in places as far afield as South Africa, Taiwan, Bolivia and USA. Performing a repertoire ranging from mediaeval to contemporary works, they offer an unusual blend of sophisticated music-making and stylish performances. More information about Nordic Voices can be found at www.nordicvoices.no.
About The Chorus of Westerly
The 190-voice Chorus of Westerly is the nation’s only intergenerational symphonic choral ensembles. For each concert in its professional concert season, children ages 8 to 18 sing alongside adult singers as ensemble members of equal rank and expectations. Founded in 1959 by George Kent and today directed by Andrew Howell, the Chorus has had more than 2,500 area residents sing in its program, with more than 1,500 singing as child members. It is 59 seasons,the Chorus has presented nearly 700 performances to over 1.7 million people. The Chorus has performed in concert over 100 major choral works with fully professional orchestra and soloists, and has presented 13 major American premieres. While its home is in Rhode Island, the Chorus has toured internationally five times, singing in such venues as Smetana Hall in Prague, Stephansdom in Vienna, Westminster Abbey, and St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican while also receiving countless awards for its work. The Chorus has also established regional traditions such as their annual Summer Pops performance which is attended annually by 25,000 people. In addition to its extensive performance season, the Chorus also offers a broad reaching musical education program to its singing members and area children. This includes an “in rehearsal” music fundamentals class for all child and adult singers focusing on sight-singing, theory, and other musical techniques, as well as an introductory music and movement class for children ages 4 to 6. The Chorus is also one of only three American choral organizations to own and operate its own performance venue – the historic George Kent Performance Hall.
Nå til Harstad og Trondenesdagene Lørdag 3. nov. kl 19:00
I vår urframførte Nordic Voices musikk av Lasse Thoresen. Den belyser kvinners manglende religions- og ytringsfrihet i Iran og er basert på dikt av den iranske dikteren Táhirih (1814–1852), som skrev dikt i den høyfilosofiske sufi-tradisjonen. Táhirih kastet sløret offentlig på en konferanse i Badasht i 1848, og hun ble en ledende skikkelse for kvinnefrigjøringen i Midtøsten på 1800-tallet. I denne konserten framfører Nordic Voices to av Thoresens komposisjoner: «The Riddle of the Twin Revelations» og «The Impatient Bride».
Tomás Luis de Victoria skrev rennessansemusikk om bl.a. kvinneskikkelser i Bibelen og Nordic Voices ga ut en kritikerrost album med hans musikk (2017). Av den britiske komponisten Gavin Bryars fremføres det to stykker fra «Second book of Madrigals». Konserten avsluttes med Maja Ratkjes «A Dismantled Ode To The Moral Value Of Art», et stykke som er innom både Beethovens 9. symfoni og Neil Young.