Background: |
Under the baton
on John Alexander The University Singers, joined by orchestra,
open the evening concert with Robert Levin's fairly recently
reworked completion of Mozart's Requiem. As there
are a variety of editions available of Mozart’s Requiem
from which to choose, conductors must contemplate the choice.
For director John Alexander he reflects on his decision to
perform Levin’s version, “I regard Levin as a
tremendous Mozart scholar and pianist, and through his studies
he has developed a fresh look at the piece.” Alexander
continues, “Levin has eliminated much of the material
added after Mozart’s death, and I believe it to be the
most accurate of all editions. Plus, after studying sketches
left by Mozart, Levin has also added a fugue-style Amen to
the end of the Lacrimosa being true to the sketches and Mozart’s
compositional style. With the added Amen section, Levin creates
a stronger structure to the Requiem, and generates an energy
intended and needed. For our audiences, I hope this edition
it will offer them fresh listening experience.”
The Chamber Singers will offer four sacred choral
pieces by Mozart, assisted by Grant Rohr on organ. These four
include the rarely performed "Sancta Maria, mater dei"
and "Alma, dei Creatoris" and familiar gems "Venite
Populi" and "Ave Verum corpus.”
The University Singers have a long and distinguished
reputation as one of the finest collegiate vocal ensembles
in the United States. The Singers have performed for numerous
national choral conventions including the American Choral
Directors Association, the Music Teachers National Association
and the Music Educators National Conference. Since1987, when
the Singers represented the U.S. at the first symposium of
the International Federation for Choral Music in Vienna, they
have toured extensively throughout the world, and made appearances
with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction
of Zubin Mehta and Carlo Maria Giulini, the Pacific Symphony
Orchestra under the baton of Carl St.Clair, the Long Beach
Symphony under the direction of Joann Falletta, the Boston
Pops Orchestra under the baton of Keith Lockhart and Hollywood
Bowl Orchestra with John Mauceri.
The Chamber Singers, a newer ensemble, has toured
the past few years to Europe including extensive tours of
Spain and Italy. This 28-member ensemble recently wowed audiences
during their three performances in New York at the American
Choral Directors Association national convention.
Director John Alexander brings an extensive
conducting background to the choral program of California
State University, Fullerton. His achievements as a masterful
interpreter of the musical score have been demonstrated in
his 28-year history as Artistic Director and Conductor one
of America’s major professional choirs, the Pacific
Chorale of Southern California. He has also appeared as guest
conductor with prestigious orchestras around the world, including
L’Orchestre Lamoreaux of Paris, the National Symphony
of Belgium, the Oxford Symphony, the St. Petersberg Chamber
Orchestra, the Estonian National Symphony, the Central Philharmonic
of Beijing, the Shanghai Symphony, the Hong Kong Symphony,
the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the Pasadena Symphony,
and the Pacific Symphony. |