We Remember: Choral Reflections on Love, Peace, and the Hope to Come - Fall 2023

Subtitled “Choral Reflections on Love, Peace and the Hope to Come”, Chromatica's always popular fall concerts will take place at 7pm on November 11 at Peace Lutheran Church, 3201 Camino Tassajara, Danville and on Sunday, November 12 at 3pm at Holy Shepherd Lutheran Church, 433 Moraga Way in Orinda. The Peace Lutheran concert in Danville will feature its popular (and free!) wine reception after the performance.

Chromatica Chorale is also excited to announce that in April 2024 it will perform the world premiere of a 30-minute piece written specially for Chromatica by the Grammy nominated composer Christopher Tin (whose Lost Birds piece we performed at our last concert), and with text by Charles Anthony Silvestri, who has worked with many major choral composers. It is unusual for a local chorus to perform the premiere of a major piece by a well-known composer and lyricist — Chromatica has benefited from a very generous contribution from a former chorus member, Dan Peterson and his wife Maria. The piece is dedicated to Maria Peterson who sadly and suddenly passed away recently.

The November concerts will include some stunning pieces. David Conte's Elegy for Mathew, was written in memory of Mathew Shepard who was tortured and murdered outside Laramie, Wyoming in 1998. His death received wide coverage and produced The Laramie Project, a riveting stage production as well as a film and documentary. Chromatica will also perform Conte's O Sun, from his September Sun written in memory of 9/11.

The concerts include three pieces by Elaine Hagenberg, a composer who has written over 50 commissions. They include Alleluia, The Music of Stillness and There Was a Time. Winner of many awards, her music is performed all over the world. Rene Clausen and Jake Runestad, two more award-winning composers are also featured with respectively Kyrie from Memorial and Let My Love Be Heard.

Chromatica will also reprise In Flanders' Fields from its last concert to honor Veterans' Day. It is a moving tribute to those who fought and died in the war to end all wars (it didn't). It is hard to sing and listen to with dry eyes.