Rising Stars: American Choral Composers - Fall 2024

Following Chromatica's spectacular (and sold out) world premiere concerts last April, we present Rising Stars — The Next Generation of American Choral Composers. Chromatica's Fall concerts will be at 7pm on November 16 at Resurrection Lutheran Church, 7557 Amador Valley Blvd, Dublin, and at 3pm on November 17 at Holy Shepherd Lutheran Church, 433 Moraga Way in Orinda. The Dublin concert will include Chromatica's popular reception.

Christopher Tin and Charles Anthony Silvestri's majestic Transfigurations, written specifically for Chromatica, drew Chromatica's largest audiences ever in the spring and earned rave reviews. Silvestri recently said that we are living in the golden age of choral music. There are more exceptional composers (men and women) writing for choirs than ever before and more choirs to sing their compositions.

Chromatica has selected music from some of these outstanding new choral composers for this program. Among them, Christopher Tin's I Shall Not See the Shadows from his Lost Birds, and a reprise of the haunting Iphis from Transfigurations. The program includes four pieces from the frequently commissioned Elaine Hagenberg — Nox and Splendor from Illuminare and two more — O Love and When We Love. Marques Garrett is represented by two reimagined spirituals — Rise and Shine and Soon I will be Done along with his Alleluia Cantate Domino. Emphasizing the critical importance of words, lyricist Charles Anthony Silvestri is represented by John Wykoff's Claddagh Crown, as well as Hagenberg's When We Love. And of course, a movement from Transfigurations.

Michael John Trotta, another rising star, is represented by three pieces from his For a Breath of Ecstasy. And Mari Esabel Valverde's Look Down Fair Moon completes this dazzling selection of new composing talent.