Melodia Women’s Choir Premieres New Work by Woman Composer, ’Notes Upon A Breeze’

NEW YORK: Melodia Women’s Choir celebrates its sixth year of innovative concerts in New York City with the World Premiere of “Notes Upon the Breeze.” A remarkable new commissioned work by award-winning composer Chris Lastovicka, the music is set to the poetry of U.S. poet laureate Kay Ryan.

The concert will be on Saturday November 14 at 8 pm at St.Peter’s Church in the Citigroup Center on Lexington Avenue and E.54th Street in New York City. Artistic Director Cynthia Powell will conduct.

Lastovicka is the winner of the first Women Composers Commissioning Competition held by Melodia, a choir of 35 women’s voices. “’Notes Upon the Breeze’ is fresh and inspired,” said Powell. “It’s matched perfectly to the poetry of Kay Ryan – meditative miniatures full of subtlety and wit.”

Melodia’s November 14 concert will also feature “Songs of the Lights” by Latvian-born Canadian composer Imant Raminsh, set to Algonquin and Navajo texts; Songs from “The Princess,” by Gustav Holst, and selections from Pergolesi’s “Stabat Mater.”

Instrumentalists joining the choir include Taisiya Pushkar, piano and the Transfiguration Quintet.

Melodia Women’s Choir has garnered attention for its rich and ringing sound. The choir has performed several world and New York premieres, including a rare all-female version of Vivaldi’s Gloria, and it previously commissioned works by Allison Sniffin and Becca Schack. Melodia’s Women Composer Commissioning Project drew 65 submissions from composers in 24 states.

Chris Lastovicka’s work has been performed at the Boston Early Music Festival, Merce Cunningham Studio, in Spoleto, Italy, by the New York City Opera at its VOX showcase of American Composers, and elsewhere.

Melodia has appeared at a wide variety of concert venues including the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola in collaboration with the Sacred Music in a Sacred Space series, Merkin Concert Hall, Symphony Space in its Wall to Wall series, Queens Museum of Art, and as guest artists for the New York City Comptroller’s Celebration of Women’s History Month.

The mission of Melodia Women’s Choir is to create, explore and perform rarely heard women’s choral music and to promote opportunities for women composers and musicians. Melodia was founded in 2003 by Jennifer Clarke, an arts management consultant who has worked with London’s Royal Festival Hall, London Sinfonietta, the American Music Center, Symphony Space and Dancing in the Streets.

Cynthia Powell, Melodia’s Artistic Director and conductor since its inception, is an active conductor, pianist and organist in the New York area. Powell is conducting choral scenes in Meredith Monk’s Songs of Ascension at BAM this fall.

Funding for Melodia’s commissioning program is provided by the Sorel Charitable Organization and the Joyce Dutka Arts Foundation.

For more information see www.melodiawomenschoir.org.
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CONCERT DETAILS

Melodia Women’s Choir
“Notes Upon the Breeze”
Saturday, November 14, 2009
8 pm
Saint Peter’s Church, Citigroup Center
Lexington Avenue at East 54th Street, New York City
Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door.
Visit www.melodiawomenschoir.org or call 212-252-4134

Contact Information

Jennifer Clarke

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Melodia Women’s Choir

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