The Cecilia Chorus of New York performs Music Composer Derrick Skye’s ‘Neither Separated, Nor Undone’ led by Music Director Mark Shapiro at New York City’s Carnegie Hall on Friday, April 28, 2023 at 8 pm. The Every Voice Children’s (EVC) Concert Choir will join The Cecelia Chorus as guest artists.

In a harmonic convergence that crosses cultural frontiers and breaks a centuries-old glass ceiling, The Cecilia Chorus of New York presents Skye, Bartók, von Martines, and Mozart, April 28 at 8:00 PM in Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall on 57th Street in Manhattan. The performance will be with chorus, soloists, children’s choir, and orchestra. All three soloists will make their Carnegie Hall debut, including 2023 Houston Grand Opera winner Natalie Lewis.

In his new cantata ‘Neither Separated, Nor Undone,’ Skye interweaves meters, rhythms, harmonies, and textures from Balkan, Hindustani, Persian, West African, and Western European musical practices and, setting his own poetry, surveys our troubled world and finds a humane and optimistic response. The program also includes the first-ever Carnegie Hall performance of Dixit Dominus, a choral-orchestral work by Mozart’s Viennese contemporary Marianna von Martines, alongside the 18-year-old Mozart’s treatment of the same text. Rounding out the program: Three Village Scenes, a triptych by Bartók whom Skye has named as a source of inspiration.

The Los Angeles Times called American composer Derrick Skye’s music “something to savor… enormous fun to listen to”.

 “For the past decade, The Cecilia Chorus of New York has been proudly in the vanguard of musical organizations showcasing the talents of composers outside the mainstream (or about to enter it). Derrick Skye is a California-based composer who joyfully incorporates meters, rhythms, and harmonies from Balkan, Hindustani, Persian, West African, and Western European musical practices. His ‘Neither Separated, Nor Undone’ is as generous, optimistic, and irresistible a fusion as you could want,” says music director Mark Shapiro. He continues, “ Rounding out the program is a triptych of folk song settings by Bartók, in which village women take their power by speaking their truth, with humor, grit, and heart.”

Derrick Skye, Music Composer

“We are thrilled to be presenting the world premiere of the full orchestral version of Neither Separated, Nor Undone, a transcendently happy work we commissioned during the pandemic’s darkest hours from California-based composer Derrick Skye” says Mark Shapiro, Choir Artistic Director. Shapiro continues, “Skye’s artistic practice is a music-making without borders. His approach is, in my experience, unique: exceptional in its sincerity and authenticity. It is not so much that Skye is aware of borders (though he is) and making a willed choice to cross or dismantle them. It is rather that, as a by-product of his innate broadmindedness, magnanimity of spirit, talent, and all-embracing ear, other people’s “borders” do not have any psychic reality for him. Since they have no existence, are invisible, there is nothing to cross or dismantle. He simply loves the world, all of it; it sings and dances to him from every corner.”

“Accordingly, there is no trace of self-consciousness or artificiality in what we might otherwise characterize as a stylistic fusion. His pan-language is his natural language: who he truly is. He communicates multiply all at once, and the result is sublimely inspiring. ‘Neither Separated, Nor Undone,’ for which he also wrote the words, joyfully interweaves meters, rhythms, harmonies and textures from Balkan, Hindustani, Persian, West African and Western European musical practices. It makes for as generous, optimistic, and irresistible a musical half hour as you could want to spend.”

Derrick Skye: Neither Separated, Nor Undone:

Los Angeles-based composer Derrick Skye has long been fascinated by the musical traditions of cultures around the world – his formal studies have included everything from West African music and dance to Persian music theory to Hindustani classical music. A person of diverse heritage himself, with Ghanaian, Nigerian, British, Irish, and Native American ancestry, Skye has cultivated a unique musical aesthetic incorporating a wide range of cultural influences.

‍Featuring a libretto of his own writing, NEITHER SEPARATED, NOR UNDONE explores the complex, shifting and sometimes contradictory worldviews humans may hold throughout their lives. While thematically complex, the piece is infused throughout with warmth and joy, often veering into exuberance: a refreshing musical expression of optimism for the human condition. Learn more at ceciliachorusny.org/skye-conductors-notes and about Derrick Skye at derrickskye.com.

PROGRAM

Friday, April 28, 2023 @ 8 PM

Carnegie Hall, Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, 881 7th Ave @ 57th Street, Manhattan, New York City

World Premiere of ‘Neither Separated, Nor Undone’ (orchestral version) by Derrick Skye

First-ever Carnegie Hall performance of Dixit Dominus (first setting) by Marianna von Martines (1744-1812) – of her choral-orchestral work

Carnegie Hall debuts of three vocal soloists including 2023 Houston Grand Opera winner Natalie Lewis

Three Village Scenes by Béla Bartók and Dixit Dominus (second setting) by W.A. Mozart

Performers

The Cecilia Chorus of New York with Orchestra

Mark Shapiro, Music Director and Conductor

Meredith Wohlgemuth, Soprano

Natalie Lewis, Mezzo-Soprano

Richard Pittsinger, Tenor

Every Voice Children’s Choir

Nicole Becker, Director

Program – Order of Appearance/Performance

DERRICK SKYE Neither Separated, Nor Undone

MARTINES Dixit Dominus

MOZART Dixit Dominus

BARTÓK Three Village Scenes

Watch this video of the Every Voice Youth Choir – youtu.be/bJhxVckV9AI

TICKETS

For Tickets to the Concert, visit carnegiehall.org/Calendar/2023/04/28/The-Cecilia-Chorus-of-New-York-with-Orchestra-0800PM

SAFETY POLICIES

For Carnegie Hall’s current Health Safety Policies, visit carnegiehall.org/Safety-Checklist.

The Cecelia Chorus

The Cecilia Chorus of New York cultivates a rich and diverse community of musicians, composers, and concert-goers to create distinctive choral experiences and performances that inform, challenge, and uplift the human spirit. The Cecilia Chorus of New York is a widely recognized, diverse, multigenerational, mixed 150-member chorus that has been enriching New York’s musical life since 1906. Each season the group performs two major concerts at Carnegie Hall and a third concert at another venue. Spanning five centuries, its imaginatively curated repertoire includes standard works, neglected gems, and exciting commissions. Membership by audition is open to all. Learn more at ceciliachorusny.org.

Every Voice Children’s Concert Choir

Learn more at everyvoicechoirs.org. 

Mark Shapiro

Learn more at ceciliachorusny.org/music-director-mark-shapiro

and about Mark Shapiro at markshapiromusic.com.

Marianna von Martines (1744-1812)

Learn more at ceciliachorusny.org/von-martines-conductors-notes

Natalie Lewis, featured Mezzo-Soprano

Learn more at allsaintsallwelcome.org/natalie-lewis

Meredith Wolhlgemuth, featured Soprano Soloist

Learn more at  merwohlgemuth.com

Richard Pittsinger, featured Tenor

Learn more at richardpittsinger.com

(Mabel Pais writes on The Arts and Entertainment, Social Issues, Health & Wellness, Cuisine and Spirituality)