The St. Matthew’s Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Thomas Neenan, will celebrate the conclusion of its 20th-anniversary season with two performances of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D Minor and the world premiere performances of a new work for choir and orchestra by renowned choral composer Gerald Near. The concert takes place at Corpus Christi Church, 887 Toyopa Dr., Pacific Palisades on June 3 at 8 p.m. and will be repeated at Pasadena First United Methodist Church, 500 E. Colorado Blvd., on Sunday, June 5 at 4 p.m. The choir of St. Matthew’s Parish will be joined by the Bel Canto Chorale of Whittier and choir of Pasadena First United Methodist Church, under the direction of Claremont professor of music, Stephen Gothold. The combined choirs will number more than 150 singers. Palisadian Louis Lebherz will be the featured bass soloist. Other vocal soloists are Diane Plaster, soprano, Sara Campbell, mezzo-soprano, and Tim DeWitt, tenor. Composed specifically as a companion piece to the Beethoven symphony, Gerald Near’s ‘The Spacious Firmament on High’ for soprano, choir and orchestra takes as its text the ode by Joseph Addison. Thomas Neenan, commenting on Near’s piece, says, ‘Addison’s beautiful paraphrase of the beginning of Psalm 19 was selected by Gerald Near specifically as a companion to the Schiller/Beethoven ‘Ode to Joy.’ Addison’s Ode extols the creator of the universe with beautiful, evocative language and perfectly complements Beethoven’s adoration of the God of nature. It is a 12-minute work written in a contemporary but conservative musical language and, rather than attempting to compete with the Beethoven’which would be impossible’adds another, rather quiet and humble dimension to the program.’ Admission is $22. Tickets will be available at the door the night of the concert (no advance sales or reservations).
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