Sarasota’s all-professional chamber vocal ensemble

Celebrating New Music Director Dr. Joseph Holt And Special Guest Soloists including Celebrated Young Metropolitan Opera Mezzo Soprano, Leah Wool.
Gloria Musicae, Sarasota’s all-professional chamber chorus, has a spectacular season lined up to celebrate the ensemble’s first year under the musical direction of Dr. Joseph Holt.  While transitioning permanently to Sarasota, Dr. Holt will also continue as the Associate Music Director of The Choral Arts Society of Washington, D.C., and as the principal pianist for The United States Army Chorus; his tenure with both of those positions will conclude in May, 2010.

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Monday, December 7th at 7:30 p.m.

Gloria Musicae’s season begins with its annual Christmas Presence concert at Saint Boniface Episcopal Church on Siesta Key.

This concert will feature The Gloria Musicae Singers and Orchestra with spectacular guest soloist, Michelle Giglio, in Bach’s Jauchzet Gott and the perennial favorite, O Holy Night. The concert will include several première performances including a festive Gloria by Randol Alan Bass, and one of the finest concert Christmas carols ever composed – Welcome, All Wonders by Richard Wayne Dirksen.   Dr. Holt is compiling a specially-created Bach cantata, celebrating the nativity and featuring a quiet and profound carol, O Jesulein Süss.  Dr. Holt was the creative force behind the Kennedy Center’s annual Family Christmas Concerts between 2004 and 2008.

Monday, April 5th, 2010, at 7:30 p.m.

Gloria Musicae will bring the work of one of the world’s greatest operatic composers – Gioacchino Rossini — to the Sarasota Opera House for the Première of one of the Italian composer’s most thrilling choral works, the Petite Messe Solennelle, which features some of Rossini’s most sublime and dramatic music. Scored for chamber chorus, four soloists, and an unusual instrumentation of two pianos and harmonium, there is nothing ‘petite’ about this large scale work.  The performance will be noteworthy as the newly revised critical edition of this work is slated to be published in late 2009 and Gloria Musicae will be presenting its première performance. Soloists for this concert include the return of soprano Michelle Giglio, the celebrated mezzo soprano Leah Wool of the Metropolitan Opera, and tenor Pablo Talamante and baritone Robert McDonald - - both of the United States Army Chorus.

Sunday, July 4, 2010, at 4:00 p.m. - -

Gloria Musicae presents
A Spectacular Fourth –
the annual Independence Day celebration - highlighting traditional, patriotic favorites celebrating the birth of our nation.  Performed at the Historic Asolo Theater, an unusual aspect of this year’s concert will be a look at our cultural heritage through the eyes of our many immigrants and native peoples.  Dr. Holt will bring his many years of experience with the annual Fourth of July celebrations in Washington, DC (A Capitol Fourth) to Sarasota audiences.

In addition to his positions with The Choral Arts Society of Washington, D.C., and The United States Army Chorus, Dr. Holt was Director of Choral Activities at American University.  He holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music, Shenandoah Conservatory and the Catholic University of America, and is a member of the American Choral Directors Association.

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Tickets are  $22 per concert (subscriptions available at a reduced rate) and may be purchased through the Historic Asolo box office: www.ringling.org or call 941-360-7399.  Please note that each concert is presented at a different venue so be sure to check your tickets before you drive off to the wrong theater….
(Yes - - it’s happened before and we DON’T want it to happen to you!!)