Arizona’s two Grammy-honored choirs are teaming up for the first time this weekend in a historic bi-city collaboration.
And if the directors of Tucson’s True Concord Voices & Orchestra and the Phoenix Chorale have their way, it will not be the last time the two ensembles share a stage.
“I have been wanting to do this for a long time,” said True Concord’s Eric Holtan. “This is the first time that these two ensembles have come together. We are the two Grammy honored ensembles in the state so it feels really great coming together.”
“When I first came here (in 2019), I emailed every choral director in the state to find out about any collaborations and Eric was the first to respond,” said Phoenix Chorale Artistic Director Chris Gabbitas. “I hope there’s more.”
Chris Gabbitas, originally from England, has led Phoenix Chorale since 2019.
The joint ensembles, comprised of 24 vocalists and a soloist from each, will perform 20th-century choral masterworks starting with Maurice Duruflé’s Requiem. Organist Jeremy Filsell will accompany the ensembles
The program also includes Frank Martin’s a cappella Mass for Double Choir and Fauré’s early career “Cantique de Jean Racine,” which hinted to his famous Requiem composed 20 years later.
It’s been more than a decade since True Concord last performed Martin’s Mass, which he composed between 1922 and 1926 but never performed until 1963. Holtan said Martin viewed the work as personal between him and God.
“His piece is a tour de force and masterpiece for unaccompanied double choir,” said Holtan, whose choir performed the work with the University of Arizona’s Arizona Choir in 2013. “It really takes this many voices. We’ve got 48 voices. He divides the choir in two; two independent choirs intrinsically combined and conjoined.”
Eric Holtan
Gabbitas described Duruflé’s Requiem as “the high water mark of the choral and organ cannon.”
“Duruflé brings together French impressionism from the 20th century with the modality and the chantlike writing of really early choral music,” he explained. “He uses the plain chant motifs and themes, which would have been sung for centuries, and brings them up to date using French harmonies to great effect. It’s really transcendental. ... I think the audience will be taken to a place of calm and serenity.”
Phoenix Chorale mezzo-soprano Holly Sheppard and True Concord baritone Edward Vogel are the featured artists.
The joint ensembles of Phoenix Chorale, pictured, and Tucson's True Concord will perform 20th century choral masterworks starting with Maurice Duruflé's Requiem.
Tucson opens this weekend’s concert with performances at 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, and 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, at Catalina United Methodist Church, 2700 E. Speedway. The concert moves to Phoenix for a performance at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 13, at Camelback Bible Church, 3900 E. Stanford Drive in Paradise Valley.
That concert will inaugurate the church’s new organ.
Camelback Bible Church is Phoenix Chorale’s primary concert venue. It also is where True Concord made its latest recording, “A Dream So Bright: Choral Music of Jake Runestad,” which was released in August.
Tickets for the Tucson performances are $23.50-$63.50 through trueconcord.org; Phoenix tickets are $50 for adults, with discounts available through phoenixchorale.org.
Get a sneak peek at a recording session of “Dreams of the Fallen” and “Earth Symphony” with True Concord Voices & Orchestra.
