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Press Releases
The Washington Chorus Announces its 2021-2022 Season
THE WASHINGTON CHORUS ANNOUNCES ITS 2021-2022 SEASON
Dr. Eugene Rogers leads Chorus through his first in person season of events, experiences and performances since his appointment in 2020
World premieres
A Knee on the Neck, a Requiem cantata for George Floyd, by Adolphus Hailstork
with National Philharmonic
The Justice Symphony by Damien Geter
Become The Sky by Roshanne Etezady
A Candlelight Christmas
Beethoven Symphony no. 9 with the National Symphony Orchestra
Seven Last Words of the Unarmed: Joel Thompson pays tribute to seven African American men killed by police
Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem, on a landmark program titled “Justice and Peace”
The Mahogany Initiative: a new artistic initiative by TWC Artistic Director, Dr. Eugene Rogers, committed to celebrating the voices and visions of creators of color
Washington D.C. (August 11, 2021) The Washington Chorus’ (TWC) has programmed a season of in-person events, to celebrate its resilient return to live experiences and performances. Individual tickets for A Candlelight Christmas and Justice and Peace go on sale at 10 am ET on August 12, with additional shows on sale beginning in September. For more information, please visit The Washington Chorus.
TWC will present or collaborate on three world premieres in the 2021-2022 season; Adolphus Hailstork’s “A Knee on the Neck, a Requiem cantata for George Floyd,” written in response to the death of George Floyd, Damien Geter’s “Symphony no. 1: The Justice Symphony” commemorating anthems from the Civil Rights era, and Roshanne Etezady‘s “Become The Sky” with texts by the 13th-Century Persian poet Rumi in a prologue for chorus, orchestral brass, and percussion. All three American composers bring works that acknowledge the devastating impact social injustices have had on our communities.
“This is an important moment for our community and also for The Washington Chorus. During our 16 months apart we’ve all endured the challenges, changes, and uncertainties COVID 19 had on our lives, it’s important to me and all at TWC that we use our voices to celebrate our resilience and connect and unite with our community.” says TWC Artistic Director, Dr. Eugene Rogers. “After spending my first season with TWC engaging virtually and unable to meet in person with the Chorus, audiences and the community, I’m excited to finally be able to lead the chorus through this exciting program of events.”
The first of five mainstage concerts kicks off in December with the return of the holiday tradition, A Candlelight Christmas. Led by Dr. Eugene Rogers and featuring National Capitol Brass, handbells, and organist Paul Byssainthe, the concert will feature popular carols along with holiday favorites and newly commissioned works with performances at the Kennedy Center and The Music Center at Strathmore. (Dec 16 – 23)
Dr. Eugene Rogers and members of the chorus join the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) under Maestro Gianandrea Noseda, soprano Camilla Tilling, mezzo-soprano Tamara Mumford, tenor, Issachah Savage and bass-baritone Hanno Müller-Brachmann, for three live performances of Beethoven Symphony No. 9 at the Kennedy Center. The concerts will be recorded live for release on the NSO’s new record label NSO Live – a partnership with the London Symphony Orchestra’s label LSO Live. Noseda will lead the first chorus-orchestra recording of his tenure through three of Beethoven symphonies paired with music by trailblazing American composers George Walker and William Grant Still. (January 27-30, 2022).
In celebration of the Sphinx organization’s 25th anniversary, members of TWC will join EXIGENCE vocal ensemble and the Sphinx Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center in a performance of Joel Thompson’s powerful choral work, “Seven Last Words of the Unarmed.” The work pays tribute to seven African American men killed by police in recent years. It was commissioned by Dr. Eugene Rogers and premiered at the University of Michigan Men’s Glee Club under his direction in 2016. Dr. Rogers will also lead his own arrangement of “Glory” during the concert (February 1, 2022). A co-presentation with Washington Performing Arts.
In memory of George Floyd, TWC and the National Philharmonic and Chorale will collaborate on the world premiere of Adolphus Hailstork’s requiem cantata, “A Knee on The Neck,” featuring a quartet of world-class vocal soloists under the direction of Nat Phil Music Director Piotr Gajewski, with texts by historian and Professor Emeritus of The University of Dayton Ohio Herbert Martin. TWC singers will join vocal forces with the National Philharmonic Chorale and other collaborating singers, with TWC Artistic Director Eugene Rogers as the performance chorus master. The performances will take place at The Music Center at Strathmore (March 26, 2022) and the brand-new Capital One Hall (March 28, 2022).
Through the Mahogany Initiative, TWC develops its commitment to commissioning and presenting work by creators and artists of color, and to celebrating and centering voices and visions of creators of color, including in the 2021-22 season the world premiere of Damien Geter’s The Justice Symphony. This work, along with the premiere of Roshanne Etezady’s Become The Sky, will be performed at Justice and Peace, the closing concert with chorus and full orchestra of TWC’s 2021-22 at the Kennedy Center that also includes Ralph Vaughan Williams cantata Dona Nobis Pacem, with acclaimed soprano Karen Slack as guest soloist. (June 12, 2022)
TWC will continue to partner with local organizations to offer a series of free community singing events led by Dr. Rogers. Following the extraordinary success of Cause for Song, an on demand personalized music video messages, TWC will continue to offer songs for every occasion throughout the season. See original press release here.
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About The Mahogany Initiative
Dr Eugene Rogers created TWC’s new Mahogany Initiative to support artists and creators of color and commission new works. The 2021-2022 season includes one new TWC commissioned work from an American composer of color (Damien Geter), bold American artists of color including soprano Karen Slack and multiple artists on the TWC Cause for Song digital song marketplace, a series of collaborative TWC Community Sings in wards across the District of Columbia especially designed to highlight and engage singers and creators of color, and landmark collaborations with Sphinx Symphony Orchestra and EXIGENCE vocal ensemble, as well as with National Philharmonic on the world premiere of great American composer Adolphus Hailstork’s “America’s Requiem – A Knee on the Neck.”
COVID-19: Patron and Artist safety
As TWC prepares to return to live, in-person musical gatherings, the health and safety of all artists and patrons is a priority. Here you can read more about artist, and venue health and safety for the foreseeable future while COVID-19 continues as a global health pandemic.
The Washington Chorus / Eugene Rogers, Artistic Director
2021-22 Season Chronology
A Candlelight Christmas
The Music Center at Strathmore
Thursday, December 16 (8 pm)
Friday, December 17 (8 pm)
December 23 (3 pm and 7 pm)
Kennedy Center Concert Hall
Sunday, December 19 (7 pm)
Tuesday, December 21 (7 pm)
Wednesday, December 22 (3 pm and 7 pm)
TWC’s Candlelight Christmas is a beloved annual holiday tradition and among our most popular annual offerings. This year’s concert is a 75-minute show with no intermission to accommodate patron feedback on a desired shorter program with no intermission as we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.
Beethoven Symphony no. 9 with the National Symphony Orchestra
Kennedy Center Concert Hall
Thursday, January 27, 2022, 7 pm
Friday, January 28, 2022, 8 pm
Saturday, January 29, 2022, 8 pm
Sunday, January 30, 2022, 3 pm
A live recording performance of Beethoven’s beloved Symphony No. 9 in collaboration with the National Symphony Orchestra under maestro Gianandrea Noseda.
Joel Thompson’s “Seven Last Words of the Unarmed” with Sphinx Symphony Orchestra
Kennedy Center Concert Hall
Tuesday, February 1, 2022, 8 pm
A collaborative concert under the direction of Dr. Eugene Rogers in celebration of the Sphinx organization’s 25th anniversary, with Sphinx Symphony Orchestra, EXIGENCE vocal ensemble, and many more collaborators. Included in the concert is Dr. Rogers’ arrangement of “Glory.”
World premiere: Adolphus Hailstork’s “Knee on the Neck” Mozart Requiem, with National Philharmonic
Saturday, March 26, 7:30 pm at The Music Center at Strathmore
Monday, March 28, 7:30 pm at Capital One Concert Hall (brand new concert hall in Tysons Corner, Virginia)
This is a new collaboration with National Philharmonic, a professional orchestra in residence at Strathmore, between NPO, TWC, and the NPO Chorus, for an important program pairing the Mozart Requiem with the world premiere of acclaimed American composer Adolphus Hailstork’s new work. Eugene Rogers serves as chorus master for the entire production.
Justice and Peace
Kennedy Center Concert Hall
Sunday, June 12, 2022, 5 pm
The final mainstage concert of TWC’s 2021-22 season, this major performance with full TWC chorus, orchestra (primarily members of the NSO) and soloists includes the world premiere of Damien Geter’s “Justice Symphony” (co-commission with TWC and University of Michigan), the world premiere of a new work by American composer Roshanne Etezady, and Ralph Vaughan Williams’ ineffably beautiful “Dona Nobis Pacem.” Soprano Karen Slack makes her TWC debut as soloist on this program.
Cause for Song: digital musical gift marketplace
Ongoing
Cause for Song is an online musical gift marketplace that lets patrons across the globe purchase personalized musical video messages for every occasion – because every occasion (a birthday, an anniversary, a holiday) is a Cause for Song. The platform features TWC singers and staff as well as luminary musicians from across the globe; proceeds benefit both TWC programs and also the musicians and organizations on the platform.
TWC Free Community Sings
Venues TBA
Date: Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 dates TBA
A series of free community open sings led by Artistic Director Eugene Rogers
FEATURED JOBS
RENT A PHOTO
