Great Choir: A Recital Series presents

Einojuhani Rautavaara’s Vigilia Tuesday, November 15, 2016 7:30 pm

Soloists Halley Gilbert, soprano Sara Murphy, mezzo-soprano Marc Day, tenor Malcolm Merriweather, baritone Matt Boehler, bass

About Kent Tritle Kent Tritle is one of America’s leading choral conductors. Called “the brightest star in New York's choral music world” by the New York Times, he is in his sixth season as Director of Cathedral Music and Organist at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City; his tenth season as Music Director of Musica Sacra, the longest continuously performing professional chorus in New York; and his twelfth season as Music Director of the Oratorio Society of New York, the acclaimed 200-voice volunteer chorus.

About Halley Gilbert Halley Gilbert has performed multiple leading roles with Bronx Opera, including Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro, Violetta in La Traviata, and Birdie in Regina. Other roles include Ms. Wordsworth in Albert Herring, Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflӧte, and Frasquita in Carmen. Halley is a graduate of Eastman School of Music and has appeared with the Greenwich Symphony Orchestra, Rochester Philharmonic, Lake Placid Sinfonietta, and Bronx Arts Ensemble, among others. She is an alumna of the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and Manhattan School of Music’s Preparatory Division.

About Sara Murphy Sara Murphy, “a gorgeous, deep, dark mezzo-soprano” (New York Times), is an opera, concert, recording and recital artist. This fall marks her European debut at Opera Theater of Rome as Ulrica in Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera conducted by Jesús Lopez Cobos. She completes the season at Carnegie Hall (NY) as Mary Magdalene in Elgar’s The Apostles with American Symphony Orchestra. Opera News named the recent release of Hindemith’s The Long Christmas Dinner in which Sara portrays Mother Bayard and Ermengarde one of the “Top Ten Opera Recordings of 2015.” Past season highlights include Ligeti’s Requiem, Schnittke’s Nagasaki and Hindemith’s The Long Christmas Dinner with American Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leon Botstein; Verdi’s Otello, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Mahler Symphony No. 8, Beethoven Symphony No. 9 and Tchaikovsky’s Ode to Joy at Cincinnati May Festival conducted by James Conlon. Her portrayal of Britten’s Phaedra, Barber’s Dover Beach and High Priestess (Aida) at Ravinia with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by James Conlon won acclaim from the Chicago Tribune: “a rich, voluminous mezzo voice, excellent diction and an acute feeling for words and music.” Since winning first prize in the Oratorio Society of New York Solo Vocal Competition in 2013, Sara has joined the Society and conductor Kent Tritle in performances of Handel's Messiah, Verdi’s Requiem and Mahler’s Symphony No. 8. She has received grants from Inter-Cities Performing Arts and the Wagner Society of New York, and holds degrees from Oberlin College and Catholic University.

About Marc Day Marc Andrew Day began his music education at the Cathedral of the Madeleine Choir School in Salt Lake City, Utah. He earned a Bachelor’s of Music from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, where he performed the title role in Bernstein’s Candide, along with the roles of Goro, Gastone, Paco (Manuel de Falla’s La Vida Breve), First Rock Singer (Bernstein’s Mass), and roles in The Coronation of Poppea and Purcell’s The Fairy Queen. Marc earned a Master’s in Music from Manhattan School of Music and performed the role of Tony from West Side Story with the School’s Opera Scenes. He currently serves in the professional choir at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, and performs regularly with Musica Sacra, Clarion Society, Voices of Ascension, St. Ignatius Loyola, American Classical Orchestra, and other prominent choral ensembles within the greater New York City Metropolitan area. Marc premiered the role of Wilbur Wright in Aaron Siegel’s Brother Brother, part of the Experiments in Opera series which specializes in contemporary works.

About Malcolm J. Merriweather Baritone and conductor Malcolm J. Merriweather begins his tenure as Music Director of New York City’s The Dessoff Choirs, known for their performances of great choral works from the pre-Baroque era through the 21st century. He is an Assistant Professor and Director of Choirs at Brooklyn College Conservatory of Music of the City University of New York, Artist-in-Residence at Union Theological Seminary, and the Music Director of “Voices of Haiti,” a 60-member children’s choir in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, funded by the Andrea Bocelli Foundation. Merriweather makes his Lincoln Center conducting debut with The Dessoff Choirs, conducting Mozart’s Requiem, Steve Stucky’s Take him earth, and David Hurd’s In honor of Martin. Merriweather

holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Conducting from the Manhattan School of Music, and received Master of Music degrees in Choral Conducting and in Vocal Performance from the Eastman School of Music, as well as his Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Syracuse University.

About Matt Boehler Hailed by the New York Times as “a bass with an attitude and the goods to back it up,” Matt Boehler has been critically acclaimed both for his dramatic skill and his vocal ability. With Wolf Trap Opera Company, Mr. Boehler garnered much praise in the title role in Sweeney Todd. Last season, Mr. Boehler debuted with Dallas Opera as the Donkey in Becoming Santa, joined Musica Sacra for Handel’s Messiah, the Sacramento Chorale for Haydn’s Harmoniemesse, Bard Summerscape as Il Cieco in Mascagni’s Iris, and made his role debut as Baron Ochs in Der Rosenkavalier with Victory Hall Opera. He is a graduate of the Juilliard Opera Center and he held a three-year tenure as a resident artist with Minnesota Opera. At Viterbo University, his first alma mater, he graduated with a degree in Theatre Arts.