At long last the VSO Chorus rejoins the Orchestra for a return to the Paramount including two fascinating choral works. The concert features the world premiere of Dr. Matthew Evan Taylor‘s piece, from despair … Light!, which forms part of his African American Requiem Series. from despair…Light! explores gospel choral traditions of hymn lining, touching on themes of grief, loss, and shared healing.

Vaughan Williams’ Toward the Unknown Region, set to poetry by Walt Whitman, celebrates the spirit of youthful adventure. These choral pieces in the first half are accompanied by a subtly nuanced work for strings by Augusta Read Thomas, a self-described poet-composer based in Chicago. VSO Music Director candidate James Burton concludes the evening with Dvorak’s richly melodic Symphony No. 7, which the composer hoped would be “capable of stirring the world.”

The concert begins at 3:00 p.m and is preceded at 2:00 p.m. by Musically Speaking, a free pre-concert discussion that provides entertaining insight into the evening’s program.The VSO Chorus will be joined by members of the Montpelier Community Gospel Choir, Counterpoint Chorus, and Albany Pro Musica.

Matthew Evan Taylor – from despair…Light!

Augusta Read Thomas – Of Paradise and Light

Vaughan Williams – Toward the Unknown Region

Dvorak – Symphony No. 7