REMINISCENCE - Los Robles Master Chorale

Reminiscence, Los Robles Master Chorale’s final concert of the season, will feature John Rutter’s Requiem, performed with chamber orchestra, and the world premiere of “My Cathedral” by Christina Whitten Thomas, a winner in the first LRMC Young Artist Choral Composers Competition. The 85-voice chorale, under the direction of Artistic Director Lesley Leighton, will perform Saturday, May 7, at 8 pm, at Ascension Lutheran Church in Thousand Oaks.

“My Cathedral” is a stirring setting of the classic poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Whitten Thomas, who received her M.M. in composition from the University of Southern  California’s Thornton School of Music in 2005, is a rising voice among choral composers. In addition to being named one of the winners of LRMC’s competition, her recent awards include the Esoteric’s 2011 POLYPHONOS choral commission, first place in the 2010 Park Avenue Christian Church competition for The Lord is King, and second place in the 2010 NATS Art Song Composition Award for her song cycle, In the Garret, and she has received commissions from Melodia Women’s Choir of NYC, the USC Apollo Men’s Choir, and the First Baptist Church of Worcester.

The performance of John Rutter’s Requiem caps off an LRMC season that has highlighted the music of one of the world’s leading composers of choral music, and featured the world premiere performance of his “A Dedication,” as well as a performance of his Mass of the Children. Reminiscence will also feature other favorite choral works, including an  unpublished arrangement of “America, the Beautiful” by Robert Shaw.

Los Robles Master Chorale launched its Young Artist Choral Composition Competition
as part of its dedication to the development of new choral music and the work of young choral composers. The annual competition is open to southern California composers 35 years old or younger.

Reminiscence will be performed Saturday, May 7 at 8 pm at Ascension Lutheran Church, 1600 E. Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks. There will be a pre-concert conversation, open to all ticketholders, at 7 pm, and a post-concert reception.

Advance tickets are $22, $20 for students and seniors, with all tickets $25 the day of the concert. For additional information or to purchase tickets, visit losroblesmasterchorale.org
or call 805/526-SING (7464) or 805/990-3006.