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Join The Esoterics this July for AMAVAITA:
Courage in the face of adversity
With AMAVAITA, The Esoterics proudly celebrates the 80th
birthday of Steve Shelton, one of its most beloved and
esteemed members. As a birthday gift, Steve was given the
honor of selecting a piece for the group to sing. His
choice represents a momentous piece for choral composition
and world history. Written in 1943, Francis Poulenc’s
Figure humaine sets eight poems by imprisoned poet Paul
Eluard. Poulenc wrote the piece clandestinely, after which
it was smuggled to Algeria. Through underground
publication, the work eventually became an unofficial
anthem for the French Resistance. The piece itself
beautifully expresses the profound emotions of war-torn
France in pounding moments of rhythmic intensity,
devastating harmonies, and a triumphant climax.
AMAVAITA represents an important moment in The Esoterics’
history as well. For the first time, the group will premiere
works written for POLYPHONOS, its annual composition
competition that awards three commissions: one for an
American composer, one for an international composer, and
one for a young composer (under age 30). With Figure humaine
as a centerpiece, the POLYPHONOS winners composed pieces
inspired by AMAVAITA: courage in the face of adversity.
Justin Merritt, the American composer winner, set Hay Días,
a poem by slain newspaper editor Jaime Quemain. Interweaving
textures of individual voices, the piece explores the text’s
conflicting images of the horror and beauty of San Salvador
during times of tragedy and conflict. Abbie Betinis, the
young composer winner, combines rhythmic, melodic lines and
smooth, shifting harmonies to create the sense of elation
expressed in Bar xizam (Upward I rise), with text by 14th
century poet Shams Hâfez-e Shirazi. London resident Paul
Ayres, the international POLYPHONOS winner, has composed a
piece replete with contrasts (harmonic, rhythmic, and
linguistic) to capture a conflict between truth and justice
expressed in text by poet Pablo Neruda.
The program for AMAVAITA will be rounded out by works by
two Northwest composers. For the healing of the nations, by
David Asplin, explores the challenge of peace through five
diverse texts. The Esoterics will also premiere a piece by
their founding director, Eric Banks, based on sacred texts
of Zoroastrianism. Please join The Esoterics for this
momentous and inspiring concert.
The Esoterics' AMAVAITA performance dates and locations
are as follows:
Saturday • 7 July • 8 pm • Tacoma (NEW TIME)
Trinity Lutheran Church • 12115 Park Ave S (NEW VENUE)
Sunday • 8 July • 3 pm • Medina
St Thomas Episcopal Church • 8398 NE 12th St
Saturday • 14 July • 8 pm • Seattle
St Joseph's Catholic Church • 732 18th Ave E
Sunday • 15 July • 3 pm • West Seattle
Holy Rosary Church • 4139 42nd Ave SW
Tickets are $20 at the door, $18 in advance, $15 for students,
seniors, the un(der)employed, and the differently-abled. Discounts
are available for groups of five or more at $12 per person.
Active singers of any choral group may attend for only $10.
Advance tickets are available online at www.TheEsoterics.org
(through PayPal.com), or reserved by phone at 206.935.7779.
The Esoterics' Season 2007 has been made possible by grants
from 4 Culture, ArtsFund, The Horizons Foundation,
Meet the Composer, The National Endowment for the Arts,
The Seattle Foundation, City of Seattle Mayor's Office of
Arts and Cultural Affairs, the Washington State Arts Commission,
Classical King FM 98.1, and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation.
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