UUSM Music Director Saunder Choi is headed to Purdue University this week for a residency, where Jacob Stensberg and the acclaimed choirs of Purdue Musical Organizations will be performing several of his works, including a new piece, “I Came To Your Shore as a Wayfaring Stranger” on April 1 — and he’s presenting a short lecture on Philippine Choral Music on March 31!
Afterwards, Saunder is headed up to Chicago for the long-awaited premiere of “Verum Corpus” (it was one of the cancelled premieres of 2020!!!) with William Southerland and the Windy City Performing Arts (Windy City Gay Choir/Windy City Treble Quire) — featuring the poetry of Amir Rabiyah. He is sharing this concert premiere with fellow composer Kyra Leigh! Performances are April 2 and 3.
The Windy City Performing Art’s Facebook page describes Verum Copus as “a beautiful, multi-movement work for chorus and string quartet that sets text from trans and two-spirit, disabled, queer, femme poet Amir Rabiyah alongside the Christian text Ave Verum Corpus. Choi’s collaboration with Rabiyah and Rabiyah’s text on the story of transformation, completion, and attainment of the true body has delivered a stunning commission that draws parallels relevant to the experience of queer and transgender survivors of abuse and marginalization.”
Congratulations, Saunder!
We are so fortunate to have the talented person bringing us wonderful music every week, especially those that are his own compositions. These are some very prestigious opportunities coming his way. Yay, Saunder! Thanks to the newsletter staff for bringing this to us.