Cal Poly symphony, choirs unite for French-American concert
France tour preview will highlight the groups’ upcoming tour
– Cal Poly Symphony and Choirs are set to showcase a concert blending French and American music, slated for 7:30 p.m. on June 8 at the Performing Arts Center.
The France tour preview will serve as a precursor to the groups’ forthcoming journey across France later in June. Among their performance stops, the symphony and choirs will commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day at the American Cemetery in Normandy, as well as grace the Church of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine in Paris, along with various other venues nationwide.
The concert will feature individual and collaborative performances by two Cal Poly choirs—PolyPhonics and University Singers—and the symphony. David Arrivée directs the symphony, while Scott Glysson leads the choirs.
Encompassing an array of shorter compositions by renowned composers Gabriel Fauré and Camille Saint-Saëns, the repertoire reflects the rich musical legacy associated with the Madeleine Church during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
“The motets by Saint-Saëns are beautiful, elegant and simple,” said Glysson, who also emphasized the significance of these works in his research and dissertation.
In remembrance of the Allies’ monumental D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944, the choirs will present a poignant rendition of “In Flanders Fields” by Stephen Rew, followed by a collaborative performance of John Williams’ “Hymn to the Fallen,” composed for the acclaimed 1998 film “Saving Private Ryan.”
Further enhancing the program, the symphony will showcase Aaron Copland’s “Variations on a Shaker Melody,” derived from his iconic composition, “Appalachian Spring.”
Concluding the evening, the choirs and symphony will unite for monumental pieces by American composers Dan Forrest and R. Nathaniel Dett. Forrest’s “I Thank You God for Most This Amazing Day” sets the stage with a contemporary interpretation of the E.E. Cummings poem, celebrating the wonders of nature and divinity through intricate wordplay.
Dett’s “Chariot Jubilee,” a cantata for tenor, choir, and orchestra, will feature esteemed tenor Wayne Jennings, known for his expertise in Dett’s music. Jennings, a staff soloist at the Washington National Cathedral, will lend his talents to this performance, adding depth to Dett’s interpretation of the African American spiritual “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.”
Tickets for the event are priced at $15 and $20 for the public, and $10 for students and San Luis Obispo Jazz Federation members. Event parking is provided courtesy of the Performing Arts Center. Tickets can be purchased at the Cal Poly Ticket Office between noon and 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, or by phone at (805) 756-4849.
The concert is made possible through the support of Cal Poly’s Music Department, College of Liberal Arts, and Instructionally Related Activities program.
For additional details, individuals are encouraged to visit the music department’s calendar website, reach out via email at music@calpoly.edu, or call (805) 756-2406.
