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October 16, 2013 (Tucson, AZ) Tucson Chamber Artists, Southern Arizona’s professional chamber choir and orchestra, are plunging into their Tenth Anniversary season with back to back series of concert performances. On the heels of October’s Sweetest Sounds comes Mozart’s C-Minor Mass on November 2-3, arguably one of the greatest pieces in the classical vocal repertoire. The second series is the annual Christmas Lessons and Carols by Candlelight, December 6-8, including one performance in Green Valley.
The November series features not only Mozart’s monumental C-Minor Mass, but also flutist Alexander Lipay as the soloist on Mozart’s Flute Concerto No. 1. Mr. Lipay serves not only as principal flutist of Tucson Chamber Artists, but also of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra and St. Andrew’s Bach Society Chamber Orchestra.
To set a historical context for the piece; in a letter to his father dated 4 January 1783, Mozart mentioned a vow he had made to write a Mass when he would bring his then fiancée Constanze as his wife to Vienna. On this side of the Atlantic the following month Britain awarded independence to the Colonies.
The Mozart C Minor Mass performances will be Saturday, November 2 – 7:30pm at Catalina Foothills High School and Sunday, November 3 – 3:00pm at Grace St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.
December brings a return to the popular tradition: Christmas Lessons and Carols by Candlelight. This concert series sells out quickly because it has become a local holiday tradition. It’s an opportunity to hear some of Tucson’s top musicians performing beloved Christmas classics, as well as some new favorites. Performances will be Friday, December 6 – 7:00pm at St. Francis in the Valley Episcopal Church, Green Valley , Saturday, December 7 – 7:30pm at St. Philip’s in the Hills Episcopal Church, and finally on Sunday, December 8 – 3:00pm also at St. Philip’s in the Hills Episcopal Church.
Another exciting announcement is the introduction of new Assistant Director, Mr. Daniel David Black. Mr. Black has sung in the TCA choir for several years, and is currently completing his Doctorate of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting at the University of Arizona, under the tutelage of Dr. Bruce Chamberlain.
“I’ve been conducting for about ten years now,” says Black. “In 2010, my (now) wife and I began the process of looking for our next location. She was wrapping up medical school at the time and was looking for a place to begin her residency as a pediatrician. I wanted to get my DMA so that I could go on to teach college full time. After an extensive interview season for her and audition season for me, we found out that our career paths aligned in Tucson at the University Medical Center for her and the choral conducting program under Dr. Bruce Chamberlain for me. Before I even moved here, I sought out the best choirs in town so that I could get involved first as a singer and hopefully later, as an assistant conductor. I auditioned for Eric and have been fortunate to sing with them for a number of projects.”
When asked why music lovers should see TCA this season, he simply states :“People should come and hear TCA because of the innovative and exciting programming, and the top-tier singing and playing. Nowhere else will you get to hear the variety and caliber of pieces, and this season is a perfect example of that.”
You may order subscription season and individual tickets by mail – at Tucson Chamber Artists, PO Box 64912, Tucson, AZ 85728; through the website at www.TucsonChamberArtists.org or by phone at 520.401.2651.
Tucson Chamber Artists is a versatile professional ensemble of vocal and instrumental musicians dedicated to enriching lives through the transformational power of classical music. TCA’s singers represent the first rank of choral artists in Arizona and from around the country. Its instrumentalists have trained in some of the finest music schools in the world. Now entering its Tenth Season, TCA will premier a CD of works by American composer Stephen Paulus.
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