Poulenc's 'Gloria' and Vaughan Williams' 'Dona Nobis Pacem'

The Eastman Philharmonia and Eastman-Rochester Chorus (ERC) will present their final performance of the season. The evening’s program consists of two grand masterworks of the 20th century: Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem (1936) and Francis Poulenc’s Gloria (1959). This event is free and open to the public.

“The overarching themes of these pieces revolve around faith, self-actualization, awareness, frivolity, steadfastness and peace,” shares current doctoral conducting student Colin Mann ’18E (MM), who will conduct the Poulenc as a capstone to his nearly five years of choral conducting study at Eastman. “It is equally exciting to welcome our esteemed guest conductor, Dr. Jerry Blackstone.”

One of the leading choral conductors and pedagogues of his generation, Grammy Award-winner Jerry O. Blackstone is Professor Emeritus at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theater and Dance where he taught for over 30 years as Director of Choral Activities and Graduate conducting. He will lead the ERC and Philharmonia in Vaughan Williams’ powerful Dona Nobis Pacem - a riveting work for chorus and orchestra featuring texts from the Mass coupled with the poetry of Walt Whitman. Both works will feature the vocal prowess of soloists and current Eastman students Allyson Arenson, Catherine Creed and Holden Turner.

The Eastman-Rochester Chorus is a select symphonic chorus consisting of singers from the greater Rochester community and students from the Eastman School of Music. Dr. William Weinert (currently on academic leave) has directed the chorus for over 25 years and has molded it into an impressively versatile ensemble with a keen sense of musical integrity.