Oratorio Project

The Oratorio Project was born out of our Voices Within program for 5th grade students. It immerses high school students into a collaborative process to write a large, complex work similar to an opera with arias, duets, and chorus. Students delve into historical and culturally rich subjects in order to find a meaningful story that they connect with, and then tell the storythrough music. The curriculum combines elements of music composition literacy skills and 21st Century learning, such as collaboration, digital literacy, critical thinking, and problem-solving.

Throughout the 20-week residency, students work in small groups to write the libretto (the story) and create the melodies for each movement of the oratorio, which can include arias, duets and choruses. As groups develop their individual movements, they are mentored by the artistic team to incorporate techniques that capture the voice of the character, propel the momentum of the plot, and paint the mood of the scene. After the oratorio is complete, students audition for featured roles and are coached vocally to prepare for the culmination performance.

The completed oratorio is premiered by the participating choir classes to a school-wide assembly and repeated for a community audience. The performance features the choirs, soloists, and instrumentalists (both High School and professional) who are joined by eight members of the Los Angeles Master Chorale.