MAY 2022

The creativity that surrounds us here at the Los Angeles Master Chorale is a wonder to behold. In this month’s Master Chorale Voice, we shine a light on the work our talented artists do when they aren’t performing with us.

Our Swan Family Artist-in-Residence Reena Esmail recently appeared in the Great Performances episode “New American Voices.” Hosted by Scott Yoo of the popular mini-series Now Hear This, “New American Voices” explores how composers’ “immigrant roots” have an impact on their music. The episode also includes the Brazilian-born Sergio Assad.

San Francisco Classical Voice interviewed our bass-baritone Derrell Acon, who’s been incredibly busy outside of the Chorale as a performer and an administrator. Opera Philadelphia recently appointed Darrell, who is the founder of the Black Opera Alliance, to be its vice president of operations and inclusion. In February, he performed in Heartbeat Opera’s Fidelio at the Broad Stage and may also be known to Los Angeles opera fans for his role as Antron McCray in the Long Beach Opera production of Anthony Davis’s Central Park Five.

Anyone who has met tenor and former composer-in-residence Shawn Kirchner knows he is passionate about making the world a better place. When he composes, he uses texts of great meaning to create beautiful, touching music. Recently, Shawn joined pianist Makiko Hirata in a discussion hosted by Tempo: Music for Climate Action on the important role that music can play in fomenting social change.

A note on a very special upcoming event: we hope you’ll join us this Friday at Van Nuys High School for our annual Oratorio Project concerts at 1:30 and 2:30 pm. At these concerts Van Nuys students will perform a song cycle that they collectively composed, with the help of Chorale teaching artists, on the theme of utopian cities. I’m always amazed at the artistry of our students, and I know you will be too.

Programs like the Oratorio Project are possible because you support us; thank you so much. We are now amid our annual spring campaign, collecting funds that we will use to make choral music a continued part of young lives. Please consider a donation to our current campaign; our education-program students greatly appreciate your gift.

I hope to see you all for our season-finale performances of Bach’s Mass in B Minor, a piece that all choral fans need to hear at least once in their life, on June 25 and 26. Until then, thank you again for all you do to make the Los Angeles Chorale the best professional chorus in America.

—Jean Davidson, President & CEO 

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