Sunday, November 14, 2021

2:00 p.m.
Wyant Morton, conductor
Samuelson Chapel
California Lutheran University

Areté returns to the stage for its 13th season, which promises to be the most interesting and eclectic yet. The innovative professional ensemble of vocal artists will open this concert with a performance of Quarantine Madrigals (2020) by Indian-American composer Reena Esmail. Composed in response to the pandemic, Quarantine Madrigals is intended to trace the break from society, the descent into isolation, and the eventual return to one another experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Also on the program is Membra Jesu nostri (1680) by the Baroque master Dieterich Buxtehude. This virtuosic work for voices and strings is a cycle of seven cantatas, each a meditation on a different part of Christ’s crucified body: feet, knees, hands, sides, breast, heart, and face. This work is known as the first Lutheran oratorio.

With uncompromising attention to musical detail and a passion for live performance, Areté provides a joyful, moving, educational and soul-nurturing experience. Wyant Morton conducts. Tickets are $20 at the door or $15 if purchased online in advance. Students with ID are $10. For information and to purchase tickets, visit aretevocalensemble.org.