The Cathedral of St. John the Divine Celebrates the Season with Joyous Christmas Concert

December 9 & 10

Cathedral of St. John the Divine, 1047 Amsterdam Avenue (at 112th Street).

The Christmas season is on its way, and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine is ready to celebrate with two Joy of Christmas concerts on Friday, December 9 and Saturday, December 10 at 7 pm at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, 1047 Amsterdam Avenue (at 112th Street).

Conducted by Kent Tritle, Director of Cathedral Music, and Bryan Zaros, Associate Director of Music and Choirmaster, the Cathedral choirs, orchestra, and soloists and combined choirs will perform Antonio Vivaldi’s exquisite Magnificat, alongside the world premieres of two works by living composers: “In Bethlehem above” by Yshani Perinpanayagam and “The Christmas Bird” by Sheena Philips. Carols sung by all are interspersed with selections for treble voices and harp—including Christmas favorites by Caccini, Rutter, Fraser and Britten—sung by the Cathedral Choristers. Gerald Finzi’s timely In Terra Pax (Peace on earth) brings the story of Jesus’s birth into a contemporary setting, invoking a vision of peace for the world.

For tickets and more information, visit stjohndivine.org/music

PROGRAM

CATHEDRAL CHOIRS & ORCHESTRA

Kent Tritle & Bryan Zaros, conductors
Halley Gilbert & Eva Martinez, sopranos
Kirsten Sollek, contralto
Austin Cody, tenor
Andrew Jurden, bass-baritone

Antonio Vivaldi: Magnificat, RV 610

Gerald Finzi: In Terra Pax

Sheena Philips: The Christmas Bird

Yshani Perinpanayagam: In Bethlehem above

Traditional Swedish Carol: Sankta Lucia

John Rutter: Tomorrow shall be my dancing day

Giulio Caccini: Ave Maria

Donald Fraser: This Christmastide (Jessye’s Carol)

Benjamin Britten: Selections from A Ceremony of Carols & favorite Christmas carols