Los Angeles Children's Chorus Reprises "Alice Through a Looking-Glass" May 10, 2009

LOS ANGELES CHILDREN'S CHORUS REPRISES
LOS ANGELES COMPOSER PAUL GIBSON'S
WHIMSICAL SUITE: ALICE THROUGH A LOOKING-GLASS
AT ANNUAL SPRING CONCERT

Sunday, May 10, 2009, 7 P.M., and Saturday, May 16, 2009, 4 P.M.,
at Pasadena Presbyterian Church

Concerts, which also include Works by Mendelssohn, Haydn, Couperin, Lana Walter,
Stephen Hatfield and others, Concludes Renowned Choir's 23rd Season

The Los Angeles Children's Chorus (LACC) caps its 23rd Season by reprising Los Angeles composer Paul Gibson's charmingly whimsical Suite: Alice Through a Looking-Glass for its annual Spring Concert on Sunday, May 10, 2009, 7 P.M., and Saturday, May 16, 2009, 4 P.M., at Pasadena Presbyterian Church in Pasadena, CA. Set to and inspired by the classic poetry of Lewis Carroll, the delightful but sophisticated piece, Gibson's first for children's choir, was initially commissioned by LACC for its 15th Anniversary and featured on its subsequent tour of Great Britain. Performances of Gibson's suite are among the very first since the work's acclaimed premiere.

The choir also honors Mendelssohn's 250th anniversary by performing an excerpt from his motet Surrexit Pastor Bonus, written for antiphonal ensembles. Other featured works include the French Canadian folksong, Ah si mon moine, which tells the story of a cheerful monk dancing up a storm; Lana Walter's setting of William Browne's (1588-1643) poetry A Welcome, which speaks of the joy of love and spring; Away from the Roll of the Sea, a folksong from the Maritime provinces of Canada; and Stephen Hatfield's Las Amaryllis, inspired by the southern Mexican style of huapango.

Additionally, the choir performs Couperin's Now with Joyful Exaltation; Haydn's Liebe; Vaughan Williams Orpheus with his Lute; the Japanese folk song Shojojee, arranged by Bisbee; and the spirituals Every Time I Feel the Spirit arranged by Reginald Unterseher.

LACC Artistic Director Anne Tomlinson conducts LACC's Concert Choir and Chamber Singers. Associate Artistic Director Mandy Brigham leads the Intermediate Choir and Assistant Artistic Director Amy Brehm leads the Apprentice Choir. The choirs will perform separately and combined.

Tomlinson describes Gibson's Suite: Alice Through a Looking-Glass as “an endearing, beautiful and humorous work.” Written in three movements and 15 minutes in length, it mirrors Carroll's quirky verses with playful musical devices. For example, in the first movement, “The Walrus and the Carpenter,” Gibson says, “the youngest choir members are assigned the roles of the 'young oysters,” who are eventually devoured by the walrus and the carpenter, 'sympathetically,' of course.” The tender poem “Beneath a Sunny Sky,” serves as the middle movement, creating a poignant and bittersweet reflection of the relationship that develops between teachers and students, particularly, notes Gibson, “the poignant feeling of adult leaders who see their young charges come and go, seemingly without end.” Gibson injects the final movement, “Jabberwocky,” with humor, joy and triumph, captivating children and adults alike.

“The creation of this piece was a wonderful challenge to grow as a composer,” Gibson adds. “It was my first time writing for children's chorus, and a rare opportunity to compose a more extended work. It was also the chance to exercise a relatively unused muscle, one that creates music of a whimsical, light-hearted character and which required collaboration between my inner child and my well-schooled composer.”

A pre-concert lecture will take place at Pasadena Presbyterian Church with Paul Gibson and conductor Lucinda Carver prior to the May 10th concert. The pre-concert lecture is funded in part through Meet The Composer's MetLife Creative Connections program.

Tickets for the Spring Concert are $24, $36 and $42; students are half price. Pasadena Presbyterian Church is located at 585 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91101. For tickets and information, please call
(626) 793-4231 or visit www.lachildrenschorus.org.
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Los Angeles Children's Chorus - Annual Spring Concert
Anne Tomlinson, Conductor, Concert Choir and Chamber Singers
Mandy Brigham, Conductor, Intermediate Choir
Amy Brehm, Conductor, Apprentice Choir

DATES/TIMES:
Sunday, May 10, 2009, 7 PM with pre-concert lecture at 6 PM
And
Saturday, May 16, 2009, 4 PM


PROGRAM:
PAUL GIBSON Suite: Alice Through a Looking-Glass
MENDELSSOHN Surrexit Pastor Bonus
Anonymous Ah si mon moine
LANA WALTER A Welcome
Anonymous Away from the Roll of the Sea
STEPHEN HATFIELD Las Amaryllis
COUPERIN Now with Joyful Exaltation
HAYDN Liebe
VAUGHN WILLIAMS Orpheus with his Lute
Anonymous Shojojee, arranged by Bisbes
Anonymous Every Time I Feel the Spirit arr. Reginald Unterseher

LOCATION:
Pasadena Presbyterian Church
585 E. Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91101

TICKET PRICES:
$24, $36 and $42; _ price for students

INFORMATION & TICKETS:
(626) 793-4231
www.lachildrenschorus.org

Official Website: http://www.lachildrenschorus.org