Trinity Announces Spring Music Season with Daily Concerts, Award-winning Ensembles, and Major Headliners to Offer Healing and Solace to Downtown NYC
NEW YORK, NY, February 24, 2023 - Trinity Church Wall Street is excited to announce the upcoming spring music season, which includes the return of the Concerts at One series, special Compline by Candlelight services, and performances by Trinity’s large community of award-winning musicians including The Choir of Trinity Wall Street, NOVUS NY, Downtown Voices, Trinity Baroque Orchestra, and jazz heavyweight Christian McBride with NEA Jazz Master Kenny Barron.
“The music program at Trinity aims to create and hold space for deep encounters with the Divine. Offering solace, inspiration, joy, connection, reflection, and invitation at each liturgy and concert, Trinity’s choirs and instrumental ensembles are committed to service as agents of healing and hope in a complex and often difficult city and world,” said the Rev. Michael Bird, Vicar of Trinity Church Wall Street. “This new spring concert series bridges the liturgical transition from Lent into Easter, exploring the journey of darkness into light. Together, immersed in music, we can experience the transformative power of God and its tireless call to reconciliation and possibility.”
Trinity’s spring season focuses on the theme, “Light Persists,” inspired by Lent and Easter. Programming choices at the start of the season center on reflection, sorrow, and empathy for others’ suffering and shift to hope, redemption, and the resilient power of faith and love during and after Holy Week. An artistic beacon for Lower Manhattan, Trinity’s large community of renowned artists will bring these concepts to life through a range of musical styles.
The season opens with two special Compline by Candlelight services. Downtown Voices will perform Caroline Shaw’s To the Hands on February 26 with The Choir of Trinity Wall Street and NOVUS NY; and the Trinity Youth Chorus and Trinity Baroque Orchestra will present Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater on March 12. To the Hands considers those who are seeking refuge and how we can extend healing to each other. Pergolesi’s work is based on the Stabat Mater Dolorosa hymn, a powerful meditation on Mary’s suffering. Both services are held at St. Paul’s Chapel at 8pm and will be released as podcasts as part of the Compline by Candlelight series, an ancient rite of prayers to end the day.
Trinity has been offering free performances in downtown Manhattan for nearly a century and continues this tradition with the weekday Concerts at One series, deemed “the top of musical life in New York” (The New York Times). This season, Trinity is expanding its offerings to four days a week with wide-ranging programming that speaks to the diversity of New York City. A wide-ranging mix of talented jazz artists will headline Mondays for the Jazz at One series, presented in collaboration with JAZZ HOUSE @ Trinity.
Tuesdays will feature acclaimed organists for Pipes at One on one of New York’s best organs, containing parts from the city’s oldest instrument.
The beloved Bach at One series features The Choir of Trinity Wall Street and Trinity Baroque Orchestra on Wednesdays, under the leadership of Trinity’s organist and chorusmaster Avi Stein. The opening Bach at One performance will feature the renowned Swedish conductor Stefan Parkman with works by Bach, Sandström, Rautavaara, and Ethel Smyth and the North American premiere of Ukrainian composer Anna Kuzina-Rozhdestvenskaya’s “Agnus Dei,” dedicated in July 2022 “to the bright memory of the countless victims of the war in Ukraine.”
On Thursdays, NOVUS at One will feature the “expert and versatile musicians” (The New Yorker) of NOVUS NY. These “Light Persists” performances are co-curated by NOVUS musicians and showcase several premieres from ensemble composers including Brad Balliett, Jessica Meyer, and Daniel Schlosberg, in addition to celebrated works from Maurice Ravel, Joseph Haydn, Arnold Schoenberg, Missy Mazzoli, Joan Tower, and Andrew Yee.
On Palm Sunday, April 2, the Last Words concert featuring The Choir of Trinity Wall Street, Downtown Voices, and NOVUS NY will mark the end of the Lenten season with works inspired by the traditional seven last words of Christ on the cross. This concert will include selections from composers Jane Hawes, Michael John Trotta, Richard Burchard, Charles Gounod, J.S. Bach, and Franz Joseph Haydn, and from Joel Thompson’s powerful work, Seven Last Words of the Unarmed.
Trinity is excited to present the virtuosic Philippine Madrigal Singers in a celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. Recognized by UNESCO as Artists for Peace for “putting their fame and influence to promote cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue and a culture of peace,” the Philippine Madrigal Singers will perform works from the Asian canon interspersed with poetry, readings, and conversations around AAPI in the arts on May 30.
Trinity’s Jazz Icons series, presented in collaboration with JAZZ HOUSE @ Trinity, also returns on May 7 with jazz legend and series curator Christian McBride. Eight-time Grammy Award-winner and Jazz House Kids Artistic Director McBride will perform at Trinity Church with a true Jazz Master, Kenny Barron.
The final performances for the spring season include the Trinity Youth Chorus on May 21 in a program titled “Still I Rise,” offering works programmed to uplift the talented voices of Trinity’s young artists. The choristers will also join The Choir of Trinity Wall Street, Downtown Voices, and NOVUS NY for a season finale concert on June 4, titled Masses for the Soul, featuring selections from jazz and bluegrass masses by Carol Barnett, Bob Chilcott, Mary Lou Williams, and others.
About Music at Trinity Church Wall Street:
Trinity’s groundbreaking music program— “the top of musical life in New York” (The New York Times)— creates and holds space for deep encounters with the Holy. With each liturgy and concert, the peerless choirs and instrumental ensembles offer solace, inspiration, joy, connection, reflection, and invitation, serving as agents of healing and hope and delving into a wide-ranging repertoire from early to new music that honors the diversity of New York City.
About Trinity Church Wall Street:
Trinity Church Wall Street is a vibrant and growing Episcopal parish of more than 1,600 members. Over its 325 year history, Trinity has been guided by its mission to share God’s love for all people. Trinity’s programs seek to offer shared encounters with the holy, to cultivate compassion, to deepen knowledge and spiritual practices, to work for justice rooted in essential human dignity, to provide places of solace and healing, and to inspire a desire in all people to be conscientious contributors to the life of New York City and the world. More than 20 worship services are offered weekly online at trinitywallstreet.org and at historic Trinity Church and St. Paul’s Chapel, the cornerstones of the parish’s community life, worship, and mission.
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Spring 2023 Music Season Listings:
All performances are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.
February 26, 8pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Special Compline by Candlelight: Downtown Voices
Caroline Shaw To the Hands
Downtown Voices; The Choir of Trinity Wall Street; NOVUS NY; Stephen Sands, conductor
March 12, 8pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Special Compline by Candlelight: Chorister Concert
Giovanni Battista Pergolesi Stabat Mater
Trinity Youth Chorus; Trinity Baroque Orchestra; Melissa Attebury, conductor
March 13, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Jazz at One
Ingrid Jensen Quartet
March 14, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Pipes at One
Amelie Held
March 15, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Bach at One
J.S. Bach Komm, Jesu komm, BWV 229 and Jesu meine Freude, BWV 227
Sven-David Sandström Lobet den Herrn
Ethel Smyth Komm, süßer Tod
Richard Strauss Der Abend
Einojuhani Rautavaara Die erste Elegie
Anna Kuzina-Rozhdestvenskaya Agnus Dei (North American Premiere)
The Choir of Trinity Wall Street; Stefan Parkman, conductor
March 16, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
NOVUS at One
Brad Balliett Quintet (World Premiere)
Valerie Coleman, Selections from Portraits of Langston
Joan Tower Island Prelude
Louise Farrenc Sextet in c minor, Op. 40
NOVUS NY: Melissa Baker, flute; Brad Balliett, bassoon; Stuart Breczinski, oboe; Benjamin Fingland, clarinet; Daniel Schlosberg, piano; and Laura Weiner, horn
March 20, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Jazz at One
Nikara Warren presents Black Wall Street
March 21, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Pipes at One
Thomas Gaynor
March 22, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Bach at One
Herr, gehe nicht ins Gericht mit deinem Knecht, BWV 105
Ach Herr, mich armen Sünder, BWV 135
The Choir of Trinity Wall Street; Trinity Baroque Orchestra; Avi Stein, conductor
March 23, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
NOVUS at One
Tania Leon Mestizo
Paola Prestini Last Hymn
David Crowell Celestial Sphere
Christopher Cerrone Double Happiness
Kevin Puts And legions will rise
NOVUS NY, featuring Ian Rosenbaum, percussion; Kristin Lee, violin; Yoonah Kim, clarinet; and Conor Hannick, piano
March 27, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Jazz at One
Melvis Santa’s Jazz Orishas Quintet
March 28, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Pipes at One
Alexander Straus-Fausto
March 29, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Bach at One
Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir, BWV 131
Der Herr denket an uns, BWV 196
Featuring members of The Choir of Trinity Wall Street: Margaret Carpenter Haigh, Brian Giebler, Clifton Massey, and Jonathan Woody; Trinity Baroque Orchestra; Avi Stein, conductor
March 30, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
NOVUS at One
Arnold Schoenberg Verklärte Nacht, Op. 4
Jessica Meyer In the Waves (New York Premiere)
Missy Mazzoli Dark with Excessive Bright
NOVUS NY, led by Concertmaster Katie Hyun and featuring Kris Saebo, bass
April 2, 3pm in Trinity Church
Last Words
Works by Joel Thompson, Jane Hawes, Michael John Trotta, Richard Burchard, Franz Joseph Haydn, and J.S. Bach
The Choir of Trinity Wall Street; Downtown Voices; NOVUS NY; Stephen Sands and Thomas McCargar, conductors
April 17, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Jazz at One
Winard Harper and Jeli Posse
April 18, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Pipes at One
Aletheia Teague
April 19, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Bach at One
Gloria in excelsis Deo, BWV 191
Nimm von uns, Herr, du treuer Gott, BWV 101
The Choir of Trinity Wall Street; Trinity Baroque Orchestra; Avi Stein, conductor
April 20, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
NOVUS at One
Rebecca Clarke Daybreak and Poem for String Quartet
Lili Boulanger Pie Jesu
Franz Schubert Erlkönig arranged by Anna Elashvili
Juhi Bansal Cathedral of Light
Samuel Barber Dover Beach
Ottorino Respighi The Sunset
NOVUS NY String Quartet, featuring Melissa Attebury, mezzo-soprano
April 24, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Jazz at One
Jerome Jennings and Naomi Extra “Get Free Collective”
April 25, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Pipes at One
Thomas Mellan
April 26, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Bach at One
Alcee Chriss, organ; Sandra Miller, flute; Sarah Stone, cello
April 27, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
NOVUS at One
Andrew Yee The Light After
Elena Kats-Chernin Colours of the Sea
Olivier Messiaen Louange à l'Éternité de Jésus and Louange à l'Immortalité de Jésus
Mel Bonis Suite en Trio for Flute, Violin and Piano
Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber Passacaglia
NOVUS NY: Katie Hyun, violin; Andrew Yee, cello; Daniel Schlosberg, piano; and Melissa Baker, flute
May 1, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Jazz at One
Wilson/Rosnes/Washington Trio
May 2, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Pipes at One
Rashaan Allwood
May 3, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Bach at One
Trinity Baroque Orchestra; members of The Choir of Trinity Wall Street; curated by and featuring Robert Mealy, concertmaster
May 4, 1pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
NOVUS at One
Caroline Shaw Cant voi l'aube
Maurice Ravel Introduction and Allegro
Miguel del Aguila Submerged
Daniel Schlosberg the one white rose and destiny (World Premiere)
Gabriel Fauré Pavane, Op. 50 (World Premiere arrangement by Daniel Schlosberg)
Joseph Haydn "Sunrise" Quartet, Op. 76 No. 4
NOVUS NY
May 7, 3pm in Trinity Church
Jazz Icons
Kenny Barron and Christian McBride
May 21, 2pm in Trinity Church
Still I Rise Chorister Concert
Trinity Youth Chorus and Music Education Outreach Choirs; Melissa Attebury, conductor
May 30, 7pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Philippine Madrigal Singers: AAPI Celebration
Featuring Enrico Lagasca, bass-baritone
Mark Anthony A. Carpio, Artistic Director and Choirmaster
June 4, 4pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
Masses for the Soul
Selections from jazz and bluegrass masses by Carol Barnett, Bob Chilcott, Mary Lou Williams and others
The Choir of Trinity Wall Street; Downtown Voices; Trinity Youth Chorus; NOVUS NY