Event

American Muse

February is a month full of uniquely American observances, and Maestro Coleman has found the perfect music for it! Hear what happens when classical American composers find their inspiration in American pop culture in a concert called "American Muse."

"This concert was fun to plan," admits Coleman. "While most choral composers find inspiration in traditional sacred, historic or poetic texts, there are American composers who find their 'muse' in elements of Pop and contemporary culture. "American Muse" will be fun, often ironic, definitely eclectic, and full of surprises!"

Oakland composer, Paul Crabtree, will lead off the program with his "Five Romantic Miniatures from The Simpsons." While Crabtree is a dedicated classical composer, he began watching The Simpsons cartoon series more carefully and realized it had all sorts of deep, emotional messages. And so, he sat down at his grand piano and composed sweeping, dramatic sounds with lyrics straight out of the Simpsons mouths!

Philip Glass' highly successful "Songs from Liquid Days" remains his only real song cycle. In creating this cycle, Mr. Glass enlisted as lyricists four of New Yorks most respected pop songwriters with poetic leanings - Paul Simon, Suzanne Vega, David Byrne and Laurie Anderson. After the 1986 debut, Glass gave permission to English composer, Jeremy Marchant, to rework the cycle into a major vehicle for chorus, chamber orchestra and two pop singers. For this first Seattle performance of "Songs from Liquid Days," The Seattle Choral Company will be joined by Portland tenor, Victor Morris, and Seattle jazz vocalist, Greta Matassa.

Other choral works on the program will include:

"Brief Eternity" by Bobby McFerrin/Lyrics by Don Rosler

"Presidential Suite" by Jack Gottlieb/Lyrics by seven American presidents

"Afro-American Fragments" by William Averitt/Lyrics by Langston Hughes