Bernstein At 100

Concert performed in Spring 2018

For our Spring concert, St. Joseph Valley Camerata celebrates the centennial of Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990). A composer, conductor, educator, and humanitarian, Bernstein became the iconic artistic voice of his generation. In partnership with the St. Joseph Valley Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, Camerata presents the organ, harp and percussion chamber version of Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms. Using psalm texts in Hebrew sung by boy soprano, solo quartet and chorus, the work remains Bernstein’s most performed choral masterpiece. Guest musicians include soprano Eddie Bell, percussionist Ben Runkel, harpist Beth Pare and organist Kevin J. Vaughn. Paired with Chichester Psalms will be the work of living American composer John Corigliano, who served as a production assistant on Bernstein’s nationally televised “Young People’s Concerts.” Once described by Bernstein as “one of the most talented composers I know of today,” Corigliano composed Fern Hill in 1960 with poetry by Dylan Thomas. We present the version for piano and chorus featuring keyboard artist Christine Larson Seitz and mezzo-soprano Rebecca Dengler Kaufman. Join us for these two works of incomparable beauty and power as we celebrate two American composers!