Event

(Ch)oral Argument (Berkeley)

Volti -- San Francisco's leading-edge contemporary music chamber chorus -- sings new music from some of America's finest composers.

Ted Hearne:
World Premiere of a major new cantata co-commissioned by Volti and The Crossing, Philadelphia's new-music chamber chorus. The San Francisco Symphony has just named Hearne its New Voices composer for 2014/15 -- hear him here first! Working with poet Jena Osman, Hearne muses on the nature of "corporate citizenship," using poetry taken from the Citizens United oral argument before the Supreme Court. By turns funny and chilling, this is music not to be missed. Guitarists Taylor Levine and James Moore and percussionist Ron Wiltrout join Volti in a rare departure from a cappella.

Melissa Dunphy:
"The Oath of Allegiance" -- the pledge that is taken by all new citizens of the United States -- makes Australian-born Dunphy, the daughter of a Greek father and a Chinese mother, think about what it means to be a US citizen. World Premiere, Volti Commission.

Kirke Mechem:
We finish our 35th season with a look back -- "Winging Wildly" -- an extraordinarily beautiful and passionate three-song set from "the dean of American choral composers," partially commissioned by Volti when we were The San Francisco Chamber Singers back in the 1990s.

Kirke Mechem:
"We Can Sing That!" -- a lighthearted tribute to what a chorus can do!