Ah, spring. Ah, love. The two entwine on April 29 as San Diego's professional chamber choir Cappella Gloriana performs a spring concert at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Encinitas.
The 12-voice ensemble conducted by Stephen Sturk is Ensemble-in-Residence at St. Andrew's and a recent winner of an arts and culture grant from the City of Encinitas. On the April 29 program are two unusual works: a set of five wedding motets by Melchior Franck with texts from the Song of Solomon, and Benjamin Britten's “The Ballad of Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard” for men's voices.
Pianists Gabriel Arregui and J. David Simmons perform Francis Poulenc's Piano Sonata for Four Hands and the choir, accompanied by the duo pianists, closes the program with Johannes Brahms's delightful “Liebeslieder Waltzes”.
Now in its 11th year bringing the world¡Çs finest choral music to San Diego-area audiences, Cappella Gloriana performed Tudor anthems and sacred compositions of Stephen Sturk in January at San Carlos United Methodist Church. In 2006 the choir performed Handel's Messiah with the San Diego Chamber Orchestra and conductor Jung-Ho Pak as well as at First United Methodist Church of San Diego, in Mexicali, at St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral downtown, at St. Andrew's and at Escondido First Night. With a 2005 Performing Ensembles grant from the Aaron Copland Fund, Cappella Gloriana held a competition for new chamber choir works by young composers and performed the winning pieces last November. A CD of American music is in the works.
The April 29 concert of love songs is at 7 p.m. at St. Andrew¡Çs, 890 Balour Drive. General admission is $20 at the door. For more information, call Cappella Gloriana at 619-291-3055
For more information or press photos, please call Classical Performing Artists Management, San Diego, at 619-291-3055.
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