This concert has been generously sponsoredMark Chapin Johnson.

Sunday, December 8, 2019 @ 3 p.m.Segerstrom Center for the Arts Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall

Robert Istad, conductorElissa Johnston, sopranoKate Maroney, mezzo-sopranoDerek Chester, tenorPaul Max Tipton, bass-baritonePacific Chorale — Robert Istad, Artistic DirectorLori Loftus, harpsichord

2019 DEC

H A N D E L ’ S G L O R I O U S M E S S I A HSPECIAL EVENT

This performance is generously sponsored by Mark Chapin Johnson.

H A N D E L ’ S G L O R I O U S M E S S I A H

Sunday, December 9, 2018 @ 3 p.m.Segerstrom Center for the ArtsRenée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall

Pacifi c Symphony Christopher Warren‑Green, conductorKlara Ek, sopranoDavid Trudgen, counter‑tenorNicky Spence, tenorDaniel Okulitch, bass‑baritonePacifi c Chorale — Robert Istad, artistic directorLori Loftus, guest harpsichordMichael Leopold, guest theorbo

SPECIAL CONCERT

Offi cial Hotel Offi cial TV Station

an Oratorio by

George Frideric HandelThe Words selected from Holy Scripture by Charles Jennens

Messiah

14 D E C E M B E R

an Oratorio by

The Words selected from Holy Scriptureby Charles Jennens

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PART I Sinfonia: Overture Recitative: Comfort ye my people Aria: Ev’ry valley shall be exalted Chorus: And the glory of the Lord Recitative: Thus saith the Lord Aria: But who may abide the day of His coming? Chorus: And He shall purify Recitative: Behold, a virgin shall conceive Aria & Chorus: O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion Recitative: For behold, darkness shall cover the earth Aria: The people that walked in darkness Chorus: For unto us a Child is born Pifa “Pastoral Symphony” Recitative: There were shepherds abiding in the field Recitative: And lo! The angel of the Lord came upon them Recitative: And the angel said unto them Recitative: And suddenly there was with the Angel Chorus: Glory to God Aria: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion Recitative: Then shall the eyes of the blind Duet: He shall feed His flock Chorus: His yoke is easy, His burthen is light

INTERMISSION

PART II Chorus: Behold the Lamb of God Aria: He was despised Chorus: Surely He hath borne our griefs Chorus: And with His stripes we are healed Chorus: All we like sheep have gone astray Recitative: All they that see Him Chorus: He trusted in God Recitative: Thy rebuke hath broken His heart Aria: Behold, and see if there be any sorrow Recitative: He was cut off out of the land of the living Aria: But thou didst not leave His soul Chorus: Lift up your heads, O ye gates Aria: Why do the nations so furiously rage together? Chorus: Let us break their bonds asunder Recitative: He that dwelleth in Heaven Aria: Thou shalt break them Chorus: Hallelujah

PART III Aria: I know that my Redeemer liveth Chorus: Since by man came death Recitative: Behold, I tell you a mystery Aria: The trumpet shall sound Chorus: Worthy is the Lamb that was slain – Amen

taBlE of ContEntS

George Frideric Handel:

Messiah, HWV 56

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Georg Frideric Handel: Messiah

Before Messiah begins, take a look down front to see how the orchestra and choral seating are arranged. How many musicians does it take to perform Messiah? As many as you like.

Instrumentation of this beloved oratorio varies according to the conductor’s discretion and the performing edition. A notable 1788 performance directed by Johann Adam Hiller included 8 flutes, 11 oboes, 4 clarinets, 10 bassoons; 8 horns, 7 trumpets, 4 trombones; 87 strings; and a chorus of 259 singers! Its composer, a master of both sacred and secular music, was born in 1685, at the height of the Baroque era. Handel was a native of Germany, but his early travels included Italy, where he assimilated the Italian styles of operatic composition before settling in England. Successful in all vocal and instrumental music forms, he was the English court’s go-to composer for the nation’s most important ceremonial music. His gifts seem to converge in Messiah, with its endlessly expressive melodies and towering drama so perfectly suited to expressing the story and the glory of Christ’s birth. Although Messiah was originally composed for performance during Lent, it has been universally adopted as a musical high point of the Advent season. For Handel himself and for millions of listeners it is not only a thrilling entertainment but also a deep expression of religious faith

PROGRAM NOTES The immediate popularity of Handel’s Messiah made it an instant tradition in England and elsewhere, and annual performances gradually moved from Eastertide to the Christmas season. By 1784, Messiah performances at events such as the Handel Centenary Commemoration were commonplace, often drawing together huge choral and orchestral forces. As an impresario, Handel was accustomed to tailoring his works for specific performers and production circumstances, and various editions of Messiah existed even within his lifetime. He also expected soloists to interpolate vocal ornamentations as appropriate, a practice that reappeared during the bel canto revival that began during the 1960s. Whether you are singing along or just listening, Messiah is an experience of beauty that is deeply participative. It opens with a stately symphonia with a pace like that of a slow, halting march. This sets a tone of solemn importance that frames even the most joyful passages to come. What follows is a full evening’s worth of music in three sections. In all there are more than 50 separate numbers, typically choral songs alternating with solos for individual soprano, alto, tenor or bass voice. Together they present a version of the Christian story of the messiah, or anointed one, from the annunciation and birth through the crucifixion and resurrection. Despite the commercial considerations that were never far from Handel’s mind, Messiah is first and foremost an expression of faith. By combining majestic beauty and grandeur of scale with humble sincerity, Messiah has gained a household familiarity that is rare among classical compositions. At the most basic level, Messiah is an adaptation in music of the biblical accounts of the birth of Christ, a religious story sung by a chorus and/or soloists accompanied by an orchestra and/or an organ. The choral forces are usually the familiar four-part SATB mix—soprano, alto, tenor, bass—that you know if you sang chorus in high school or in church. There is also a natural comparison between this work and the large-scale oratorios of Bach, the other supreme master of the Baroque era. Like Handel, Bach was born in 1685, and both were pious men. But they approached oratorio in opposite ways: where Bach saw religion and the glory of God’s creation in every detail of daily life, Handel was a man of the world and of the theater. He enjoyed his success, wrote operas that were some of the most

that sounds new no matter how often it is heard. Handel famously described the process of composing the “Hallelujah” chorus as the heavens opening up to him. Yet Messiah was also a commercial imperative. He composed it at a time when he was in need of a major success: he had enjoyed a hugely successful run writing and producing his own operas, but the public taste for them was fading. Having already written operas on sacred themes, he turned to the unstaged oratorio form. Messiah is the foremost example of what became known as the English oratorio, which combines religious texts with elements of intense drama, sometimes in ways hard to distinguish from opera. Most of them combine biblical and non-biblical texts, though Messiah is drawn entirely from the Bible. Composition of Messiah was completed within 24 days, a breakneck pace for so expansive a work. The text was provided by Charles Jennens, drawn mainly from the biblical books of Isaiah and the gospel of St. Matthew—a selection that, according to some sources, reflected Jennens’ and possibly even Handel’s anti-establishment political leanings. After all, who but a radical egalitarian would so potently emphasize Isaiah’s prophecy that “every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill made low?” Still, a message of straightforward religious inspiration was overriding for Handel and remains so for his audiences. There are many traditional accounts of seemingly divine inspiration as he worked. In one, his assistant walked into the room where he was composing after shouting to him for minutes on end with no response. He supposedly found Handel in tears, pen in hand, and asked what was wrong. “I thought I saw the face of God,” Handel said.

George Frideric HandelBorn: 1685. Halle, GermanyDied:1759. London, England

MessiahComposed: 1741World premiere: April 13, 1742, in Dublin

Instrumentation: 2 oboes, bassoon; 2 trumpets; timpani, harpsichord;organ; theorbo; strings; solo soprano, solo countertenor, solo tenor, solo bass-baritone, chorus

Estimated duration: 2 hours

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sensational entertainments of the day, and became one of the most famous men in Europe. The sheer theatricality of Messiah contributed greatly to its success, and still does. Though not staged, it is religion made theater. Its drama and beauty flow first from its beautiful melodies, which inspire us while capturing the revelatory emotions described in the text. But they also gain extraordinary intensity through the Baroque compositional technique of “word painting,” in which the flow of notes in the music actually seems to replicate a shape or contour that the notes describe. One frequently cited example of word painting occurs early in Part I, in the tenor aria “Every valley shall be exalted.” On the word “mountain,” the tenor’s voice rises to a high F#, creating a literal peak of sound; then it drops by an octave, showing how the mountain is made low. On “crooked,” the melodic line vacillates between the jagged C# and the straight B, coming to rest on the straight B. Similarly, the word “exalted” is raised up by an octave in its final syllable. Messiah teems with effects like these, which deepen our experience of the text with almost palpable realism. For example, slightly later in Part I, in the chorus “And He shall purify,” note the way the articulations on the word “purify” leap like the flames of the refiner’s fire in the text. The effect of word painting can even focus on a single syllable—as when, two choruses later in “O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion,” the alto soloist leaps up a fourth on the word up: “get thee up unto the high mountains.” For many listeners, a climactic and favorite painterly effect is the heavenly fluttering of wings when angels appear to the shepherds by night, as conveyed by arpeggios in the strings: “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying …” This moment, which forms a dramatic climax about two-thirds of the way through Part I, is as graphic and immediate as a movie; think of Handel’s score as the CGI of its day. For all of its vividness, Handel’s mastery of word painting accounts for just part of the dramatic impact of Messiah. It combines with his gift for melody and a sympathetic understanding of psychology that appeals to us in a way that is less literal, but more deeply human. When we hear the soprano soloist singing “Come unto Him, all ye that…are heavy laden,” who can fail to take comfort at the tenderness of her vocal line?

Equally intense are the passages of joyful anticipation and of triumph, as in the prophecy expressed in “For unto us” and in the glorious “Hallelujah” chorus, which so overwhelmed Handel’s contemporary audiences that, we are told, they spontaneously rose to their feet in awe—a tradition that persists to this day in many parts of the world. Today, there is no definitive performing edition or single “correct” approach to performing Messiah, and every conductor who leads it must make critical decisions in order to do so. But those decisions are informed by the living traditions that we all enjoy as listeners, and by the work of Handel scholars and performers. For example, the soprano aria “Rejoice greatly” exists in both 4/4 and 6/8 tempos, each with its own unique appeal; the 4/4 version is graceful and dignified, while the 6/8 version dances with joy. One more small point: why throughout this note do I refer to the oratorio as Messiah? Is the title not “The Messiah”? Scholars agree that the original designation was simply Messiah, and this title is considered historically accurate. But over the many generations that it has been performed, many published versions of the score—including the one in my own music library—are marked “The Messiah” on the title page. Then again, in conversation and in print, “Handel’s Messiah” is a common reference. Take your pick; all of these usages are acceptable, and none will ever be mistaken for any other work.

Michael Clive is a cultural reporter living in the Litchfield Hills of Connecticut. He is program annotator for Pacific Symphony and Louisiana Philharmonic, and editor-in-chief for The Santa Fe Opera.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR:MARK CHAPIN JOHNSON

Mark Chapin Johnson has been a long-time champion of the arts having served on the Board of Pacific Symphony and made catalytic investments such as sponsoring the Symphony’s first commercial recording with Carl St.Clair. Mark served as chairman of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts during the launch of the capital campaign for the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. For many years, Mark has treasured the holiday tradition of Pacific Symphony’s presentation of Handel’s Messiah and is pleased to support the production costs with a generous philanthropic commitment.

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liBrEtto

The Words selected from Holy Scriptureby Charles Jennens

PART I

Sinfonia

Recitative (Tenor)Comfort ye, comfort ye my people,saith your God; speak ye comfortably toJerusalem, and cry unto her, that herwarfare is accomplish’d, that her iniquityis pardon’d. The voice of him that criethin the wilderness: Prepare ye the way ofthe Lord, make straight in the desert ahighway for our God.

(Isaiah 40:1-3)

Aria (Tenor)Ev’ry valley shall be exalted, and ev’rymountain and hill made low, the crookedstraight, and the rough places plain.

(Isaiah 40:4)

ChorusAnd the glory of the Lord shall berevealed. And all flesh shall see ittogether, for the mouth of the Lord hathspoken it.

(Isaiah 40:5)

Recitative (Bass-Baritone)Thus saith the Lord, the Lord of Hosts;Yet once, a little while, and I will shakethe heav’ns and the earth; the sea andthe dry land; and I will shake all nations;and the desire of all nations shall come.

(Haggai 2:6-7)

The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenlycome to His temple; ev’n the messengerof the Covenant, whom ye delight in:behold, He shall come, saith the Lord ofHosts.

(Malachi 3:1)

Aria (Bass-Baritone)But who may abide the day of His coming,and who shall stand whenHe appeareth? For He is like a refiner’sfire.

(Malachi 3:2)

ChorusAnd He shall purify the sons of Levi, thatthey may offer unto theLord an offering in righteousness.

(Malachi 3:3)

Recitative (Mezzo-Soprano)Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and beara son, and shall call hisname Emmanuel, “God with us.”

(Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23)

Aria (Mezzo-Soprano) and ChorusO thou that tellest good tidings to Zion,get thee up into the high mountain;o thou that tellest good tidings toJerusalem, lift up thy voice withstrength; lift it up, be not afraid; say untothe cities of Judah, Behold your God! Othou that tellest good tidings to Zion,arise, shine; for thy light is come, and theglory of the Lord is risen upon thee.

(Isaiah 40:9; Isaiah 60:1)

Recitative (Bass-Baritone)For behold, darkness shall cover theearth, and gross darkness the people;but the Lord shall arise upon thee, andHis glory shall be seen upon thee. And theGentiles shall come to thy light, and kingsto the brightness of thy rising.

(Isaiah 60:2–3)

Aria (Bass-Baritone)The people that walked in darkness haveseen a great light;and they that dwell in the land of theshadow of death, upon them hath thelight shined.

(Isaiah 9:2)

ChorusFor unto us a Child is born, unto us a Sonis given; and the government shall beupon His shoulder; and His Name shall becalled Wonderful, Counsellor, The MightyGod, The Everlasting Father, The Princeof Peace!

(Isaiah 9:6)

Pifa (Pastoral Symphony)

Recitative (Soprano)There were shepherds abiding in thefield, keeping watch over their flock bynight.

(Luke 2:8)

Recitative (Soprano)And lo, the angel of the Lord came uponthem, and the glory of the Lord shoneround about them, and they were soreafraid.

(Luke 2:9)

Recitative (Soprano)And the angel said unto them: “Fear not,for behold, I bring you good tidings ofgreat joy, which shall be to all people.For unto you is born this day in the city ofDavid a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”

(Luke 2:10–11)

Recitative (Soprano)And suddenly there was with the angel, amultitude of the heavenly host, praisingGod, and saying:

(Luke 2:13)

ChorusGlory to God in the highest, and peace onearth, goodwill towards men.

(Luke 2:14)

Aria (Soprano)Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion,shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold,thy King cometh unto thee: He is therighteous Saviour, and He shall speakpeace unto the heathen. Rejoice greatly... da capo.

(Zechariah 9:9-10)

Recitative (Counter-Soprano)Then shall the eyes of the blind beopen’d, and the ears of the deafunstopped; then shall the lame man leapas an hart, and the tongue of the dumbshall sing.

(Isaiah 35:5-6)

Duet (Soprano and Mezzo-Soprano)He shall feed His flock like a shepherd,and He shall gather the lambs with Hisarm; and carry them in His bosom, andgently lead those that are with young.Come unto Him all ye that labour, comeunto Him that are heavy laden, and Hewill give you rest. Take His yoke uponyou, and learn of Him, for He is meek andlowly of heart, and ye shall find rest untoyour souls.

(Isaiah 40:11; Matthew 11:28-29)

ChorusHis yoke is easy, and His burthen is light.

(Matthew 11:30)

PART II

ChorusBehold the Lamb of God, that takethaway the sin of the world.

(John 1:29)

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Aria (Mezzo-Soprano)He was despised, rejected of men, a manof sorrows, and acquainted with grief.

(Isaiah 53:3)

He gave His back to the smiters, andHis cheeks to them that plucked off Hishair: He hid not His face from shame andspitting.He was despised . . . da capo

(Isaiah 53: 6)

ChorusSurely, He hath borne our griefs andcarried our sorrows; He waswounded for our transgressions, Hewas bruised for our iniquities; thechastisement of our peace was upon Him.

(Isaiah 53:4-5)

ChorusAnd with His stripes we are healed.

(Isaiah 53:5)

ChorusAll we like sheep have gone astray; wehave turned ev’ry one to his own way; andthe Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity ofus all.

(Isaiah 53:6)

Recitative (Tenor)All they that see Him, laugh Him to scorn;they shoot out their lips,and shake their Heads, saying:

(Psalm 22:7)

ChorusHe trusted in God that He would deliverHim, let Him deliver Him, if He delight inHim.

(Psalm 22:8)

Recitative (Tenor)Thy rebuke hath broken His heart; He isfull of heaviness: He looked for some tohave pity on Him, but there was no man,neither found He any to comfort Him.

(Psalm 69:20)

Aria (Tenor)Behold, and see if there be any sorrowlike unto His sorrow!

(Lamentations 1:12)

Recitative (Tenor)He was cut off out of the land of theliving; for the transgressions of Thypeople was He stricken.

(Isaiah 53:8)

Aria (Tenor)But Thou didst not leave His soul in hell,nor didst Thou suffer Thy Holy One to seecorruption.

(Psalm 16:10)

ChorusLift up your heads, O ye gates; and be yelift up, ye everlasting doors; and the Kingof Glory shall come in. Who is this King ofGlory? The Lord strong and mighty, TheLord mighty in battle.

Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be yelift up, ye everlasting doors; and the Kingof Glory shall come in. Who is this King ofGlory? The Lord of Hosts, He is the King ofGlory.

(Psalm 24:7-10)

Aria (Bass-Baritone)Why do the nations so furiously ragetogether, and why do the people imaginea vain thing? The kings of the earth riseup, and the rulers take counsel togetheragainst the Lord, and against Hisanointed.

(Psalm 2: 1-2)

ChorusLet us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their yokes from us.

(Psalm 2: 3)

Recitative (Tenor)He that dwelleth in Heav’n shall laughthem to scorn; The Lord shall have themin derision.

(Psalm 2: 4)

Aria (Tenor)Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron;thou shalt dash them in pieces like apotter’s vessel.

(Psalm 2: 9)

ChorusHallelujah! for the Lord God Omnipotentreigneth. The Kingdom of this world isbecome the Kingdom of our Lord and ofHis Christ; and He shall reign for ever andever. King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.Hallelujah!

(Revelation 19:6; 11:15; 19:16)

PART III

Aria (Soprano)I know that my Redeemer liveth, and thatHe shall stand at the latter day upon theEarth. And tho’ worms destroy this body,yet in my flesh shall I see God. For now isChrist risen from the dead, the first fruitsof them that sleep.

(Job 19:25-26; 1 Corinthians 15:20)

ChorusSince by man came death, by man camealso the resurrection of the dead. For asin Adam all die, even so in Christ shall allbe made alive.

(1 Corinthians 15:21-22)

Recitative (Bass-Baritone)Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall notall sleep, but we shall all bechang’d, in a moment, in the twinkling ofan eye, at the last trumpet.

(1 Corinthians 15:51-52)

Aria (Bass-Baritone)The trumpet shall sound, and the deadshall be rais’d incorruptible, and we shallbe chang’d. For this corruptible must puton incorruption, and this mortal must puton immortality. The trumpet . . . da capo

(1 Corinthians 15:52-53)

ChorusWorthy is the Lamb that was slain, andhath redeemed us to God by His blood, toreceive power, and riches, and wisdom,and strength, and honour, and glory, andblessing. Blessing and honour, glory andpow’r be unto Him that sitteth upon theThrone, and unto the Lamb, for ever andever. Amen.

(Revelation 5:12-14)

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Robert Istad became the artistic director of Pacific Chorale in their 2017-18 50th season, after serving as assistant conductor since 2004. He has conducted Pacific Chorale and Pacific Symphony in performance, and has prepared choruses for a number of America’s finest conductors and orchestras, including: Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Carl St.Clair and Pacific Symphony, Esa–Pekka Salonen and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Nicholas McGegan and the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, as well as conductors Vasilly Sinaisky, Sir Andrew Davis, Bramwell Tovey, Thomas Wilkins, John Williams, Eugene Kohn, Steven Mercurio, Richard Kaufman, Eric Whitacre, William Lacey, Giancarlo Guerrero, Marin Alsop, George Fenton, Case Scaglione, Robert Moody, John Alexander, William Dehning and David Lockington. Istad also serves as professor of music and director of choral studies at California State University, Fullerton where he conducts the University Singers and Women’s Choir in addition to teaching courses in conducting, advanced

EliSSa JohnStonSoprano

Recently cited by the New York Times for her “especially lovely” singing, Johnston enjoys performing repertoire ranging from Bach, Handel and Mozart to Messiaen, Carter, Unsuk Chin and Lachenmann. In

April 2018, she made her Carnegie Hall debut with Pacific Symphony under Carl St.Clair, singing the soprano role of Sarada Devi in Philip Glass’ The Passion of Ramakrishna, as part of Carnegie’s yearlong celebration of Philip Glass’ 80th birthday. Other recent appearances include Handel’s Israel in Egypt and Stravinsky’s Les Noces with the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Dvořák’s Ciganske melodie at Le Salon de Musiques, and performances of SPIRAL XII and AURA, both by Chinary Ung in San Diego and Syracuse. Johnston has appeared as guest soloist with the Pacific Chorale under conductor John Alexander in Brahms’ Requiem and Poulenc’s Gloria, with the Long Beach Symphony under conductor Gemma New in Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 and Samuel Barber’s Knoxville, Summer of 1915 and with Quator Diotima at Jacaranda Music, singing Schoenberg’s String Quartet No. 2. Recent highlights include Haydn’s Creation with Pacific Chorale and Pacific Symphony under Robert Istad and performances of the touring Peter Sellars production of Lagrime di San Pietro with Los Angeles Master Chorale.

interpretation and literature. He and his singers were featured at the 2013 ACDA National Conference in Dallas, Texas and the 2012 ACDA Western Division Conference in Reno, Nevada. Istad’s University Singers also performed for the 2013 National Collegiate Choral Organization National Conference in Charleston, S.C. Istad and the CSUF University Singers have performed all over the world, including a 2015 residency and performances in Paris, engagements at the 2012 Ottobeuren Festival of Music in Germany, the 2012 Eingen Festival of music in Germany, a 2010 performance for UNESCO in Pisa, Italy, and in 2008 at the world-famous Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, Hungary. Istad received his Bachelor of Arts in Music from Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill., his Master of Music in Choral Conducting from California State University, Fullerton and his Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Music at the University of Southern California. He studied conducting with Dr. William Dehning, John Alexander and Dr. Jon Hurty. Istad is president of the California Choral Directors Association, and is in demand as an adjudicator, guest conductor, speaker and clinician throughout the nation.

roBErt iStaD

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DErEK ChEStErTenor

Derek Chester has quickly established himself as a preeminent interpreter of oratorio repertoire and a teacher of the vocal arts. He received his bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance

from the University of Georgia and his master’s degree in Vocal Performance of Oratorio, Early Music, Song and Chamber Music on full scholarship from the Yale School of Music and Institute of Sacred Music. As a Fulbright Scholar, he spent a year in Germany working as a freelance musician and furthering his training. While maintaining an active performing career, Chester received his Doctorate of Musical Arts in Voice Performance and Opera

PaUl max tiPtonBass-Baritone

Described by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as a dignified and beautiful singer, bass-baritone Paul Max Tipton enjoys an active career in opera, oratorio and chamber music, performing and recording throughout

North America, Europe, China and Korea. A versatile singer, Tipton’s repertoire ranges from Schütz and Monteverdi to Britten and Bolcom, with his interpretations of the Bach Passions being acclaimed in particular for their strength and sensitivity. He has recently appeared with the symphonies of San Antonio, Grand Rapids, Lincoln, Stamford, CT, the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and has performed with the New York Philharmonic as part of their first-ever Bach Festival. He has sung with New Trinity Baroque (Atlanta), The Lyra Baroque Orchestra, the Colorado Bach Ensemble, Seraphic Fire, The Rose Ensemble, the Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra, Carmel Bach Festival, Ensemble Florilege (Boston), the Yale Collegium Players, Conspirare, the Festival de Musica Barocca de San Miguel de Allende, Bach Society Houston, Bach Collegium San Diego, the Oregon Bach Festival, Emmanuel Music, Ars Lyrica, Tenet, Blue Heron Renaissance Choir, the Washington Bach Consort, debuted at Spoleto Festival USA in 2015 and has appeared with Cut Circle (Palo Alto) at early music festivals in Maastricht, Antwerp and Utrecht.

lori loftUSHarpsichord

Lori Loftus, the founding director of the Southern California Children’s Chorus (SCCC), is a familiar figure in the music world. She has performed on keyboard instruments with Pacific Symphony and the

Pacific Chorale since 1978, and has been the featured artist on the great William J. Gillespie organ at Renée and Henry Segerstrom Hall on many occasions. Her abilities as a children’s choral conductor have taken her around the world, conducting performances and leading workshops. She has also served as an accompanist and keyboard performer under the baton of many of the world’s most-renowned choral and orchestral conductors. In March 2007, Loftus was honored for a lifetime of achievements with the Outstanding Alumni Award for Excellence in Choral Music from her alma mater, California State University, Fullerton. “Miss Lori” continues to bring intense and quality education to hundreds of young singers. Many graduates of SCCC have remained active in the arts and music as vocalists, conductors, managers and patrons.  Passion for people and for music fuels her accomplishments in many other areas of her life. With three children out of the nest, Loftus resides with her husband John in Newport Beach with two entertaining cats and their tropical fish. They are the busy grandparents of three little girls. Loftus’ favorite moments are when she is working with children, performing music, enjoying her family or playing a fine round of golf.

KatE maronEy Mezzo-soprano

Recognized by the New York Times for her “vibrant and colorful” singing, mezzo-soprano Kate Maroney is in demand on concert, oratorio and opera stages in works that span from the

Renaissance to the 21st century. Maroney is a passionate believer in the deeply transformative, fully humanizing power of music and in its ability to foster empathy in the community of performers and listeners alike. She particularly values collaborations with kind and generous colleagues who share this conviction. She has appeared in recent seasons as a soloist at Lincoln Center with the American Classical Orchestra and Sacred Music in a Sacred Space (Bach’s Mass in B-Minor), Carnegie Hall and Chicago’s Orchestra Hall (Handel’s Dixit Dominus), at LA Opera (Missy Mazzoli’s Song From the Uproar, Philip Glass and Robert Wilson’s Einstein On The Beach), Carmel Bach Festival (BWV 97 and 199) and with New York Baroque Incorporated (Ambizione’s in the “new-world” premiere of Bonaventura Aliotti’s Santa Rosalia at Trinity Wall Street). In 2012, she was a recipient of the William G. Blair award in the New York Oratorio Lyndon Woodside Soloist Competition. Maroney is a founding member of New York’s Polydora Ensemble which specializes in Romantic repertoire for SATB quartet and piano and also commissions and premieres new works.

Studies from the University of North Texas, with a dissertation on the juvenile song compositions of Samuel Barber. Recent concert appearances include Bach’s St. John Passion at Chicago’s Beethoven Festival; a reconstruction of Bach’s St. Markus Passion with Barokksolistene of Norway; Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610 with Boston Baroque; Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis at the Berkshire Choral Festival; Britten’s War Requiem with the Korean Broadcasting System Symphony Orchestra; Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 2 with the Buffalo Philharmonic; and all of the major works of Bach with American Bach Soloists. Though his career is concentrated primarily in concert work, he is also passionate about opera and opera history, with theater credits including Nemorino in L’Elisir d’Amore, Peter Quint in Turn of the Screw, Oronte in Alcina and Acis in Acis and Galatea.

Highlights from current and recent seasons include Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Grand Rapids Symphony, Haydn’s Paukenmesse with the Yale Camerata, Bach’s Christmas Oratorio for the Discovery Series at the Oregon Bach Festival and Handel’s Dettingen Te Deum at Carnegie Hall.

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Founded in 1968, the Pacific Chorale is internationally recognized for its exceptional artistic expression; stimulating, American-focused programming; and influential education programs. The chorale presents a season at Segerstrom Center for the Arts and performs regularly with the nation’s leading symphonies. It has infused an Old-World art form with California’s innovation and cultural independence, developing innovative new concepts in programming, and expanding the traditional concepts of choral repertoire and performance. The Pacific Chorale comprises 140 professional and volunteer singers. In addition to its longstanding partnership with Pacific Symphony, the Chorale has performed with such renowned American ensembles as

the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, San Diego Symphony, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra. Other collaborations within the Southern California community include performances with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and the Long Beach, Pasadena and Riverside symphonies. The Chorale has toured extensively in Europe, South America and Asia, and has collaborated with the London Symphony Orchestra, Munich Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre Lamoureux, Orchestre de Saint-Louis-en-l’Île, National Orchestra of Belgium, China National Symphony Orchestra, Hong Kong Sinfonietta, Estonian National Symphony Orchestra and Argentine National Symphony Orchestra. The Pacific Chorale can be

heard on numerous recordings, including American Voices, a collection of American choral works; Songs of Eternity by James Hopkins and Voices by Stephen Paulus, featuring Pacific Symphony; Christmas Time Is Here; a live recording of Rachmaninoff’s Vespers; the world premiere recording of Frank Ticheli’s The Shore for chorus and orchestra; and the world premiere recording of Jake Heggie’s choral opera The Radio Hour. The chorale also appears on six recordings released by Pacific Symphony: Elliot Goldenthal’s Fire Water Paper: A Vietnam Oratorio, Richard Danielpour’s An American Requiem and Toward a Season of Peace, Philip Glass’ The Passion of Ramakrishna, Michael Daugherty’s Mount Rushmore and William Bolcom’s Prometheus with pianist Jeffrey Biegel—all conducted by Carl St.Clair.

PaCifiC ChoralE

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P A C I F I C C H O R A L E

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SOPR ANO Rebecca Hasquet

Section Leader

Erika Jackson Rita Major Memorial Chair

Lauren AdaskaL. Natalie BuickiansChelsea ChavesAnastasia GlasheenHannah KimKathryn LillichSarah LonsertKatie MartiniAnne McClinticShannon A. MillerMelanie PedroKathryn PittsJacqueline Taylor

ALTO

Jane Hyunjung Shim Section Leader

Mindy Ella ChuDenean R. DysonI-Chin FeinblattAnne HenleyJeanette MoonPat NewtonKathleen PrestonKaleigh SchiroGrace Khang-Minhae ShenAlison D. StickleyEmily WeinbergSarah Widder

T ENOR Nicholas Preston Section Leader & Roger W. Johnson Memorial Chair

Craig S. Kistler Singers Memorial Chair

Daniel AlvarezDaniel Coy BabcockNate BrownChristopher BrushDavid BunkerSaunder ChoiDavid EveredAlan GarciaJohnny G. GonzalesSteven M. HoffmanJeff MorrisSammy SalvadorW. Faulkner White

BASS

Jason Pano Acting Section Leader

Tom Henley Singers Memorial Chair

Mac BrightLouis FerlandMark HamiltonJared Daniel JonesJackson McDonaldEmmanuel MirandaRaphael Meng Kian PoonGeorge ReissJoshua StevensTanner Wilson

Robert Istad ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & CONDUCTOR

John Alexander ARTISTIC DIRECTOR EMERITUS

Nate Widelitz ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR & CHORUSMASTER

Andrew Brown PRESIDENT & CEO

Thomas A. PridonoffBOARD CHAIR