Great Choir: A Recital Series presents Gustav Mahler ...

Great Choir: A Recital Series presents 1

Gustav Mahler,
Symphony No. 8

Wednesday, February 25, 2016
7:30 pm

Manhattan School of Music Symphonic Chorus
Oratorio Society of New York
The Cathedral Choristers of St. John the Divine
Manhattan School of Music Women’s Chorus
Manhattan School of Music Symphony

Angel Azzarra, soprano
Bryn Holdsworth, soprano
Jana McIntyre, soprano
Sara Murphy, mezzo-soprano
Noragh Devlin, mezzo-soprano
John Tiranno, tenor
Tim Murray, baritone
Adam Lau, bass

ABOUT KENT TRITLE

Kent Tritle is one of America’s leading choral conductors. Called “the brightest star in New
York’s choral music world” by The New York Times, Tritle is in his fifth season as Director of
Cathedral Music and organist at New York’s Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine. He is
also Music Director of the Oratorio Society of New York and of Musica Sacra. He is Director of
Choral Activities and Chair of the Organ Department at the Manhattan School of Music and on
the graduate faculty of the Juilliard School. He is organist of the New York Philharmonic and the
American Symphony Orchestra.

Tritle holds graduate and undergraduate degrees from the Juilliard School in organ performance
and choral conducting. He has been featured on ABC World News Tonight, National Public
Radio, Minnesota Public Radio, as well as in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.

ABOUT SARA MURPHY

Sara Murphy, “a gorgeous, deep, dark mezzo-soprano” (The New York Times), makes her
company and role debut at Opera Theater of Rome as Ulrica (Un Ballo in Maschera) under the
baton of Jesús López-Cobos in October 2016. Current season highlights include two appearances
at Carnegie Hall: A Prayer for Peace with MidAtlantic Opera and Handel’s Messiah with Oratorio
Society of New York (OSNY). Sara appears again with OSNY in performances of Mahler’s
Symphony No. 8, and returns to Cincinnati May Festival as Emilia in Verdi’s Otello and mezzo-
soprano soloist in Mendelssohn’s Elijah, both with conductor James Conlon. Opera News, The
Guardian and Gramophone all praise her portrayal of Mother Bayard and Ermengarde in the
recently released recording of Hindemith’s The Long Christmas Dinner: “Sara Murphy’s closing
aria as Ermengarde … is marvellously poignant,” writes Gramophone. For more information,
visit saramurphymezzo.com.

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ABOUT JOHN TIRANNO

Tenor John Tiranno has had his singing called “ardent and mellifluous” by The New York Times.
Recent performances have included Berlioz’s Requiem (La Jolla Symphony & Chorus), Bach’s
B minor Mass (Sacred Music in a Sacred Space in New York City); Rossini’s Petite Messe
Solennelle (The Dessoff Choirs); Richard Strauss’ Deutsche Motette (Musica Sacra); recitals
at King Abdullah University of Science & Technology in Jedda, Saudi Arabia; the Saint-Saëns
Requiem (Festival Internazionale di Musica e Arte Sacra in Rome); Mozart’s Missa in C (at
Auditório Ibirapuera in São Paulo, Brazil); and creating two roles for Norwegian composer Gisle
Kverndokk—Trouble in Max and Moritz and the Man in the Mirror in Supersize Girl (New York
Opera Society). More information can be found at johntiranno.com.

ABOUT ADAM LAU

Bass Adam Lau has recently made debuts with The Dallas Opera, North Carolina Opera, Opera
Naples, and Opera Theatre of St. Louis. He was a member of several of the country’s most
prestigious Young Artist Programs, including Santa Fe, Florida Grand Opera, and SFO Merola
Program. He also maintains a busy concert schedule with leading orchestras such as The
Cincinnati Symphony and Los Angeles Philharmonic. Lau will have future appearances with the
San Francisco Symphony, Liverpool Philharmonic, and Orquestra Sinfónica Nacional de Costa
Rica. A recent Top-Prize winner of the George London Competition, he has also won major
awards from the Sullivan Foundation, McCollum Vocal Competition, and Florida Grand Opera’s
Young Patronesses of the Opera Competition.

ABOUT ANGEL AZZARRA

Mississippi born soprano Angel Azzarra recently made her New York City opera debut as
Madame de Volanges in Manhattan School of Music’s production of The Dangerous Liaisons.
Previous opera credits include Le nozze di Figaro (Countess), Così fan tutte (Fiordiligi), and La
Bohème (Musetta). She has performed with numerous young artist programs including the Franz
Schubert Institute, Natchez Festival of Music, Midwest Institute of Opera, Opera Festival di
Roma, and International Performing Arts Institute of Munich. Ms. Azzarra was a national finalist
in the Rose Palmei-Tenser competition, as well as a finalist in the Classical Singer competition.
She is the recipient of a full tuition scholarship from the Manhattan School of Music. Upcoming
engagements include the performance of Sibelius’ Luonnotar and Schoenberg’s Brettl Lieder.

ABOUT BRYN HOLDSWORTH

Soprano Bryn Holdsworth is a graduate student at Manhattan School of Music under the tutelage
of Mignon Dunn. She is the proud recipient of the Rodgers and Hammerstein/Richard Rodgers
Scholarship and The ASCAP Foundation Fran Morgenstern Davis Scholarship. She was a national
finalist in the New York Lyric Opera competition, a national semi finalist in the Palm Beach Opera
competition, and a national semi finalist in the Classical Singer competition. Ms. Holdsworth
trained and performed at the International Vocal Arts Institute from 2011 to 2014 as well as
Institut Canadien d’Art Vocal 2014. She was a participant in Marilyn Horne’s program, The Song
Continues, at Carnegie Hall, where she appeared in Ms. Horne’s masterclass and in recital. She
recently performed in Don Pasquale (Norina) and Dido and Aeneas (Belinda) as a young artist
with Crested Butte Music Festival. Other credits in operatic roles include La Bohème (Mimì),
Le tragédie de Carmen (Micaëla), Hänsel und Gretel (Gretel), and La Doriclea (Doriclea).
Upcoming engagements include Persée et Andromède (Andromède) at Manhattan School of
Music this spring.

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ABOUT JANET TODD

Soprano Jana McIntyre is pursuing a master’s degree at Manhattan School of Music, studying
under Joan Patenaude-Yarnell. This spring she will sing Andromède in MSM’s production of
Persée et Andromède. During her time at MSM, she has sung the roles of Miss Wordsworth
(Albert Herring) and Zerlina (Don Giovanni) with Ken Merrill and Queen of the Night (Die
Zauberflöte) with the Opera Theater. Recently, McIntyre sang La Fée (Cendrillon) with Miami
Music Festival. She received degrees in Music and in Psychology at the University of California,
Los Angeles, where she was awarded the prestigious Presser Award Scholarship and the UCLA
Affiliates Scholarship. Other credits at UCLA include Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Maid/Soprano
Soloist (L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato), Le Feu/Rossignol (L’Enfant et les Sortilèges),
Drusilla (L’incoronazione di Poppea), Clorinda (Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda), and
Minerva (Orpheus in the Underworld). She also sang the role of Maid of Honor (Trial by Jury) with
Santa Barbara Community Opera. McIntyre was featured in the California premiere of Jonathan
Sheffer’s Blood on the Dining Room Floor as Rose 1 and sang Señora Digrazia in the world
premiere of Roger Bourland’s new opera, The Dove and the Nightingale. During her time off stage
in Southern California, McIntyre volunteered for two years as an Outreach Coordinator bringing
opera to new markets in the greater Los Angeles area.

ABOUT NORAGH DEVLIN

Called “gifted” by Opera News, and praised for her “powerful, rangy mezzo-soprano” by The
New York Times, Noragh Devlin is currently pursuing her Professional Studies certificate at the
Manhattan School of Music under the tutelage of Ruth Golden. She is a recipient of the Mae
Zenke Orvis Opera Scholarship. Devlin also earned her undergraduate degree and master’s
degrees from the Manhattan School of Music. Previous operatic credits include Roméo et Juliette
(Gertrude) with the Aspen Music Festival and School; Die Zauberflöte (Zweite Dame), Thomson’s
The Mother of Us All (Susan B. Anthony), I Capuleti e I Montecchi (Romeo) and Orphée aux
enfers (L’Opinion Publique and Junon) with the Manhattan School of Music; Giulio Cesare in
Egitto (Giulio Cesare) with the Bay Area Summer Opera Training Institute; Elektra (Dritte Magd);
and The Little Prince (The Geographer). Devlin’s 2015-2016 season includes performances of
The Dangerous Liaisons (Madame de Rosemonde), Luisa Miller (Federica), and Albert Herring
(Florence Pike). In March, as a result of winning first prize of the 2015 Eisenberg-Fried Concerto
Competition, Devlin will perform Elgar’s Sea Pictures with orchestra at the Manhattan School of
Music. This summer, Devlin will join Music Academy of the West as a Vocal Fellow, performing
the role of Elder Constance in the new Matthew Aucoin opera, Second Nature.

ABOUT TIM MURRAY

Wisconsin-born baritone Tim Murray has been praised by The New York Times has having “a
firm, flexible baritone,” and Opera News adds that his sound is “pleasant, round.” Previous
credits include Le Vicomte de Valmont (The Dangerous Liaisons), Leporello (Don Giovanni), and
Le Meurtrier (Bloch’s Macbeth) at Manhattan School of Music; Harlekin (Ariadne auf Naxos)
with Twin Cities Fringe Opera; and chorus work with Minnesota Opera (Die Zauberflöte, Manon
Lescaut, Hamlet), a company with which Murray has worked as a performer for their elementary
school outreach program. Future engagements include the baritone soloist in Berlioz’s Lélio with
the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. Murray won first prize at The Schubert Club Scholarship
Competition and is a recipient of the Edgar Foster Daniels Scholarship for Voice. Murray is
a second year master’s degree candidate at Manhattan School of Music and is a student of
James Morris.

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ABOUT THE CATHEDRAL

The Cathedral of St. John the Divine is the Cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of New York.
It is chartered as a house of prayer for all people and a unifying center of intellectual light and
leadership. People from many faiths and communities worship together in services held more
than 30 times a week; the soup kitchen serves roughly 25,000 meals annually; social service
outreach has an increasingly varied roster of programs; the distinguished Cathedral School
prepares young students to be future leaders; Adults and Children in Trust, the renowned
preschool, afterschool, and summer program, offers diverse educational and nurturing
experiences; the outstanding Textile Conservation Lab preserves world treasures; concerts,
exhibitions, performances, and civic gatherings allow conversation, celebration, reflection, and
remembrance—such is the joyfully busy life of this beloved and venerated Cathedral.

ABOUT MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC

Founded as a settlement music school by Janet Daniels Schenck in 1918, today Manhattan
School of Music is recognized for its 950 superbly talented undergraduate and graduate students
who come from more than 50 countries and nearly all 50 states; a world-renowned artist-teacher
faculty; and innovative curricula. The School is dedicated to the personal, artistic, and intellectual
development of aspiring musicians, from its Precollege students through those pursuing
postgraduate studies.

Offering both classical and jazz training—and, beginning in fall 2016, a Bachelor’s degree
program in musical theater—MSM grants Bachelor of Music, Master of Music, and Doctor
of Musical Arts degrees, as well as the Professional Studies Certificate and Artist Diploma.
Additionally, true to MSM’s origins as a music school for children, the Precollege program
continues to offer superior music instruction to young musicians between the ages of five and 18.
The School also serves some 2,000 New York City schoolchildren through its Arts-in-Education
Program, and another 2,000 students through its critically acclaimed Distance Learning Program.

ABOUT ORATORIO SOCIETY OF NEW YORK

Since its founding in 1873, the Oratorio Society of New York, New York’s own 200-voice
avocational chorus, has become the city’s standard for grand, joyous choral performance.
“The sheer energy of the Society’s sound had an enveloping fervor,” wrote Allan Kozinn in The
New York Times of a presentation of Brahms’s Ein Deutsches Requiem, and of a performance
of Messiah, Jeremy Eichler said in the Times, “this was . . . a vibrant and deeply human
performance, made exciting by the sheer heft and depth of the chorus’s sound.”

The Oratorio Society has performed the world, U.S., and New York premieres of works as diverse
as Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem (1877), Berlioz’ Roméo et Juliette (1882), a full-concert
production of Wagner’s Parsifal at the Metropolitan Opera House (1886), Tchaikovsky’s a
cappella Legend and Pater noster (1891) and Eugene Onegin (1908), the now-standard version
of The Star Spangled Banner (1917; it became the national anthem in 1931), Bach’s B minor
Mass (1927), Dvoràk’s St. Ludmila (1993), Britten’s The World of the Spirit (1998), Juraj Filas’
Song of Solomon (2012), and Paul Moravec’s (2013), as well as works by Handel, Liszt, Schütz,
Schubert, Debussy, Elgar, and Saint Saëns, among others. On its 100th anniversary the Oratorio
Society received the Handel Medallion, New York City’s highest cultural award, in recognition of
these contributions.

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