World premiere of new choral work by Sven-David Sandström

It is with great pleasure that Soli Deo Gloria will be announces its next world premiere, a commission, in collaboration with the Sacred Music Department of Westminster Choir College, of God Be Merciful  by Sven-David Sandström for a cappella choir. As one of Sweden’s most performed living composers, Sandström has an impressive catalog of works that includes some 300 compositions, ranging from operas and oratorios to intimate choral and chamber music.  In recent years, he has been focusing especially on sacred choral music, which makes it is especially fitting that his new work, a six-minute a cappella choral piece based on Psalm 67, is the third release in Soli Deo Gloria’s Psalms Project.

The premiere performance also takes place in a very fitting setting, at Westminster Choir College of Rider University (Princeton, NJ), one of the world's leading schools of music. Preceding the concert on Saturday, October 29, 2011, will be a day-long Symposium on Music for the Modern Church. This is a continuing education seminar (9:30-4:30) for college students and is also open to church musicians. The sessions offered include:

• Contemporary Trends in Sacred Music - Steve Pilkington, Associate Professor of Sacred Music, on the role of music in worship today, changes in the American church and how music still plays a vital role in the life of the church
  

• Sandstrom on Sacred Music - Sven-David Sandström, composer, discusses his sacred music Music for the Modern Church - panel discussion: Gordon Graham, theologian; Penna Rose, conductor; Sven-David Sandström, composer; Andrew Megill, conductor 
• Adult Choir Rehearsal Techniques - Andrew Megill, conductor, Westminster Kantorei
• Bringing Worship to Life with Handbells - Kathy Eberling Shaw, conductor, Westminster Concert Bell Choir
• Pursuing Excellence in Service Playing - Ken Cowan, Assistant Professor of Organ and Coordinator of Organ and Sacred Music, Westminster Choir College
• Creative Ways of Making Worship - Steve Pilkington and the choir of Christ Church, NYC

You can register online or by calling 609-924-7416. 

8:00  Concert
Westminster Kantorei
Andrew Megill, conductor
Bristol Chapel
Westminster Choir College
Princeton, NJ

Sven-David Sandström: God Be Merciful
(world premiere)
Sven-David Sandström: Hear My Prayer
Daniel Kellogg: Preserve Me, O God
(a 2009 SDG-commissioned work)
Daniel Elder: O magnum mysterium
(world premiere)
Blake Henson: Hodie Christus natus est
(world premiere)
Jonathan Dove: “Gloria” from the Missa brevis
Stephen Paulus: Hymn to the Eternal Flame

Tickets:  $20 adults and $15 students/seniors
Tickets available online or by calling 1-609-921-2663

Visit SDGmusic.org for more information.
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