In its 68th season, the St. Louis Chamber Chorus is taking a musical tour around the globe. So far, that鈥檚 included an exploration of choral traditions around the Baltic Sea and in Mexico; next year will include selections from the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Ancient Greece.
This Sunday鈥檚 program, will feature the premiere of 鈥淪eeking You,鈥� a new song composed by Kerensa Briggs that uses text from a poem of the same name by Charles Anthony Silvestri. Briggs is a London-based composer who for the last two years has served as the St. Louis Chamber Chorus鈥� composer-in-residence.
鈥淚t was a very inspiring text to work with,鈥� Briggs said. 鈥淎nd 鈥楽eeking You鈥� is about finding that kind of holy space and finding peace and searching for something a bit deeper.鈥�
Silvestri鈥檚 poem begins: 鈥淢y sandals gilt with dust and soil; / A threadbare cloak against the chill, / My brittle bones do ache, and still / I journey on into the night, / Following the slender light, / Seeking you.鈥�
鈥淟et鈥檚 try and expand the idea of what makes land holy,鈥� said St. Louis Chamber Chorus Artistic Director Philip Barnes. The chorus commissioned Silvestri鈥檚 work. 鈥淎nd so [Silvestri] created this poem that talks about the idea of finding a deeper meaning and a mysticism almost in any place where you choose to seek the Holy.鈥�
While 鈥淪eeking You鈥� will be a new centerpiece of the holiday program, the concert will also describe the Christmas story through the music of Virgil Thomson (鈥淪cenes from The Holy Infancy鈥�) and Edmund Walters (鈥淚ona鈥�), among others.
Listen to Kerensa Briggs and Philip Barnes discuss the St. Louis Chamber Chorus鈥� upcoming concert on St. Louis on the Air on , or , or by clicking the play button below.
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What:
When: 3 p.m. Dec. 17
Where: Second Presbyterian Church, 4501 Westminster Place, St. Louis, MO 63108
鈥�鈥� brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is produced by , , , and . is our production intern. The audio engineer is . Send questions and comments about this story to talk@stlpr.org.
