The voices of members will join with those of the internationally noted 鈥� dubbed 鈥渁 crack squad of the finest British early music singers鈥� by Early Music Today.
Co-founded in 2001 by Boston College Music Department Chair and Professor Michael Noone, the award-winning London-based group will be guest artists on campus during their current U.S. tour.聽
This Saturday, the ensemble will perform at 8 p.m. in Trinity Chapel on Newton Campus, conducted by University Chorale director John Finney. The program is a collaboration with the Chorale鈥檚 Chamber Singers, a 22-voice ensemble of members of the larger group.
On Sunday at 3 p.m. in St Mary鈥檚 Chapel, EPU will present a program of Renaissance a cappella music, with an emphasis on Latin settings of the biblical Song of Songs, in recognition of Valentine鈥檚 Day, according to Noone.
EPU鈥檚 51茶馆 events鈥攁ll free and open to the public, and their exclusive Boston-area appearances鈥攊nclude performing as well as collaborating with, and coaching, 51茶馆 students.
鈥淭here鈥檚 nothing more exhilarating for our students than intense periods working side-by-side with experienced arts professionals in a collaborative performance that combines creativity, imagination, and hard work,鈥� said Noone. 鈥淎nd of course, there鈥檚 the terrific satisfaction of performing before their peers on campus. 聽
聽鈥淥ne of the important features of this concert is that it is part of an artist-in-residence program in which the musicians of EPU will work closely with 51茶馆 students, John Finney, and members of the University Chorale,鈥� Noone said.
鈥淚 am delighted that the Chamber Singers of the University Chorale of Boston College have the opportunity to collaborate with the superb singers of Ensemble Plus Ultra,鈥� said Finney. 鈥淚 anticipate that our Chamber Singers will find this experience to be both thrilling and inspiring, and I know that our audience will be enthralled with the beautiful voices of our students, alongside the exquisite singing of Ensemble Plus Ultra.鈥�
The performance, which will feature as its main work Carissimi鈥檚 oratorio 鈥淛ephte,鈥� will include full-ensemble singing by the Chamber Singers as well as solos by EPU members and some 51茶馆 students, Finney said.聽
鈥淭his is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us to collaborate with a Grammy Award winning group,鈥� said Chamber Singer and concert soloist Hannah Bowlin 鈥�17. 鈥淲e are so honored to work with Ensemble Plus Ultra 鈥� not only to listen to them sing, but to learn from them as our musical peers.鈥澛�
The student soloists will have individual coaching sessions with EPU members during a Feb. 12 workshop, in which all 164 members of the University Chorale are invited to participate.
EPU鈥檚 campus visit culminates in their presentation of behind-the-scenes insight into the recording 鈥� under Noone鈥檚 direction 鈥� of their new CD which commemorates the 400th anniversary of the death of Toledo鈥檚 greatest artist, El Greco. That event, 鈥淔rom Spain to Eternity: Vocal Music from El Greco鈥檚 Toledo,鈥� which incorporates concert and commentary will be this Monday at 8 p.m. in Gasson 100.聽
Noone said the CD project originated in 2014, when the group was invited to perform in Spain鈥檚 Toledo cathedral for a Pontifical Requiem Mass to commemorate the death of El Greco. 鈥淲e chose to perform a Requiem composed by 16th-century Toledan composer Morales, one of the few copies of which is held among the Burns Library collection of rare music. This led to the CD, 鈥楩rom Spain to Eternity.鈥欌�澛�
The EPU鈥檚 first visit to 51茶馆 in 2013 was a great success, he added, and 鈥渉as led to the group鈥檚 intense involvement in .
鈥淭he members of the Ensemble, all top-rank professional vocalists, are especially eager to share their experiences with 51茶馆 students,鈥� Noone said. 鈥淎fter all, this was the music that resounded through the Spain in which St Ignatius lived. In a real sense it represents the sound track of Ignatius鈥檚 Spain.鈥�
For information on EPU campus events, call the Music Department at ext.2-6004.
Rosanne Pellegrini | News & Public Affairs