Saint Louis Chamber Chorus “Opposites Attract” The Sound of Silence

The way a silence is broken determines the listener’s reaction and mood. In a season designed to celebrate seeming opposites, our opening concert explores the dramatic range that composers create by juxtaposing music with silence. Musicians as diverse as Paul Simon (“The Sound of Silence” and Richard Dering (“Factum Est Silentium”), from different eras and areas, have all employed silence to their advantage when creating new works. Other notable examples of this theme include another version of “Factum Est Silentium,” written for two antiphonal choirs by an Italian master of the Renaissance style, Costanzo Porta, as well as elaborate rounds from the contemporary American composer, Elaine Hagenberg. The Chamber Chorus’s penchant for presenting music from numerous traditions is evident in an array of choral arrangements from Saint-Saëns, Vaughan Williams, and even a contemporary pop group from England, Depeche Mode.

This program has been crafted to complement the resonant acoustic of an exquisite O’Fallon chapel that remains largely unknown to St. Louis concertgoers. Indeed, it is the Chorus’s first visit to the venue, and this pioneering spirit provides a distinctive aspect to this entire season, as it sees the singers perform in six buildings entirely new to them. While the diversity of architectural styles and traditions reminds us of the rich, multi-layered history of St. Louis, the sheer variety of our repertoire demonstrates the universal appeal of the human voice. It confirms the Chamber Chorus as the area's pre-eminent and most adventurous vocal ensemble, whose concerts are a 'must hear' for lovers of the finest choral music.

Join the Saint Louis Chamber Chorus for "The Sound of Silence" Sunday, September 29 @3 pm Sisters of the Most Precious Blood, O’Fallon, MO Parking is free. For more information about the concert and tickets please call 636-458-4343