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Share thisNYS Premiere of LUX: The Dawn from On High
The Roberts Chorale will be performing the New York State chamber premiere of Lux: The Dawn from On High by Dan Forrest on Friday, March 23 at 7:30pm in Hale Auditorium (Roberts Cultural Life Center).
Program Notes
LUX: The Dawn from On High is Dan Forrest’s third major work for chorus and orchestra, after Requiem for the Living and Jubilate Deo. This five-movement work explores various facets of lux (Latin for “light”), in texts ranging from ancient liturgical chant to Scripture to modern secular love poetry. The music of LUX, written in 2018, was inspired thematically and spiritually by these profound texts, visually by the light in the Reims Cathedral in France and at the Poulnabrone Dolmen in Ireland, and musically by a variety of musical sources from ancient chant to modern minimalist composers.
The title invokes the dual meaning of the text of the first movement, where the light of dawn gradually ascends into the sky, yet the Light of the world descends from the sky—a “Dawn from On High.” As a whole, the five movements trace a symmetrical journey through time—from ancient prophecy, to today (“even after all this time”), and then back again; or from another perspective, from a day’s dawn, through the sun’s high point in the sky, and then to the setting of the sun on the horizon at the end of day.
The first movement offers the promise of future light, and the hope of dawn is repeatedly heard in the text and evoked by the music. The second movement uses contrasting musical meters and keys to portray its text about light courageously shining in darkness. This movement finishes somewhat open-ended, not with a glib ending, reflecting the nature of light that must continue to shine through darkness. The third movement flashes ahead to today, seeing the sun as a metaphor for unconditional love that “lights the whole sky.” The fourth movement continues the “light in the sky” motif with a joyful, jazz-influenced setting of the “Gloria in excelsis” text from the Scriptural nativity story. The fifth movement closes out the “day” with an ancient evening hymn, presented as a solo, then unison, then in increasingly complex canons, before a closing section provides closure and unity between these multiple facets of light. (From www.danforrest.com)
The Roberts Chorale
The Roberts Chorale is Roberts Wesleyan College’s premier vocal ensemble, devoted to the study and performance of high-quality choral music from diverse styles, musical eras, languages, and cultures. Bonded by a passion for compelling musical performance and a desire for meaningful Christian fellowship, the Chorale is an ensemble of talented singer-artists who combine their gifts to cultivate excellence in choral singing.
The Roberts Chorale Mission Statement
We are a family of diverse musicians united to sing for the glory of God. Striving to serve as God’s instruments, we seek to enlighten others to the reality of God’s love. Recognizing that our music is a gift from God, we express ourselves humbly and honestly through song.
Our purpose as an ensemble and as individuals is to
- Return the beauty God has given us,
- Share the life-transforming power of musical and interpersonal harmony with our audiences,
- Celebrate how our differences empower us to contribute to the kingdom of God,
- Serve each other and those around us in ways beyond our music,
- Connect our heads to our hearts and engage our hands, and
- Find joy in all we do.
About Us
Under longtime director Robert Shewan, the Chorale released multiple recordings on the Albany label and performed frequently with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. The proud heritage of choral singing at Roberts Wesleyan College was further fostered by subsequent Chorale directors Nelson Hill, Stephen Caracciolo, Jeffery McGhee, Jamie Spillane, and David Chin. Under its current director, Adam Potter, the Chorale continues to serve the college and community through frequent on- and off-campus performances, recording projects, collaborations with the Roberts Wesleyan College-Community Orchestra, joint concerts with other choirs in the region, biennial domestic performance tours, quadrennial international performance tours, and innovative programming and partnerships.
Recent Repertoire
The Chorale’s recent repertoire has included Choral Fantasy (Beethoven), Et in Terra Pax (Finzi), Messiah (Handel), Mass in C (Mozart), Fantasia on Christmas Carols (Vaughan Williams), and the New York State premiere of Lux: The Dawn from On High (Forrest). In addition to major works and classical music, the Chorale delights in inviting its audiences into a spirit of worship through the singing of new music, well-crafted hymn settings, music from the Global South, gospel music, and spirituals.
Videos
Visit the Roberts Chorale's Youtube channel here.
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