Choral Prayers with Yale Schola Cantorum - April 21, 2023

Yale Schola Cantorum, conducted by David Hill, will perform a concert of choral prayers to include In the Land of Uz by Judith Weir. In the Land of Uz is a dramatized reading of the biblical Book of Job, from which all the text is taken, in the musical form of a cantata, or short oratorio. The majority of the music is sung by the chorus, but there are also ‘obbligato’ roles for a small group of instruments which appear singly or in pairs; viola, double bass, soprano saxophone, trumpet, tuba and organ. Job appears from time to time as a solo tenor; his thoughts are also represented by the viola. Although the bulk of the storytelling is undertaken by the chorus, a speaking narrator also makes occasional appearances.
There will also be several works by John Tavener, to include The Lamb, Mother of God, Here I Stand, Song for Athene, The Lord’s Prayer, and Hymn for the Dormition of the Mother of God. Also on the program are The Beatitudes by Arvo Pärt and Totus Tuus by Henryk Mikolaj Goreck.
David Hill is adjunct professor of Choral Conducting at the ISM and principal conductor of Yale Schola Cantorum. He has a long and distinguished career as one of the leading conductors in Europe. Yale Schola Cantorum is a chamber choir that performs sacred music from the sixteenth century to the present day in concert settings and choral services around the world.