The renowned avocational choir sets the bar high…
- The New Yorker • April 28, 2008

The Dessoff Choirs is pleased to announce its 2008-2009 season, one of our most exciting to date! Combining diverse and interesting self-produced programs with thrilling collaborations with the New York Philharmonic, our 84th year begins and ends with two of the most dramatic works in the choral repertoire: Honegger’s King David and Mahler’s Symphony No. 8: Symphony of a Thousand.

Join us on November 20th, as we explore the musical legacy of Biblical hero David, and on March 7th, when we travel this country’s musical routes, leading from shape-note hymns to Charles Ives, in a program to be recorded live. June 2009 brings our season to a climactic close, as we join forces with the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall in Benjamin Britten’s powerful War Requiem and Gustav Mahler’s choral masterpiece, Symphony No. 8, both under the direction of Lorin Maazel. Dessoff is honored to be sharing the stage as Maestro Maazel leads his final performances as Music Director of the New York Philharmonic. Limited discounted tickets to all seven New York Philharmonic performances will soon be available through Dessoff.

Click here for more information on individual concerts. Season subscriptions are only $50 and guarantee preferred seating, so order yours today!

Highlights from last season include Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevsky with the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, under the direction of Yuri Temirkanov, at Carnegie Hall; the U.S. premiere of Rued Langgard’s Music of the Spheres with the American Symphony Orchestra, Leon Botstein conducting, at Avery Fisher Hall; a charming performance by singer/actor Dominic Chianese at our spring benefit; and a festive collaboration with St. Bartholomew’s Boy & Girl Choristers in Britten’s moving holiday cantata, St. Nicolas.

Continue reading "2008-2009 Season Preview" »

Dessoff customarily combines diverse self-produced programs with orchestral collaborations. This season promises to be one of our most exciting ones. It will begin and end with two dramatic works: Honegger’s King David and Mahler’s Symphony No. 8: Symphony of a Thousand.

Dessoff’s two self-produced concerts this season will be:
• THE LEGACY OF DAVID
Thursday, November 20, 2008
St. James Church, Madison Avenue
• BILLINGS TO IVES: The Shape of American Choral Music
Saturday, March 7, 2009
St. George’s Church, E. 16th St.
This program will be recorded for commercial release.

June, 2009, will bring our season to a thrilling close. Dessoff is honored to join forces with the New York Philharmonic, under the baton of Lorin Maazel as he leads his final programs as its Music Director. We will sing 3 performances of Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem on June 11-13. On June 24-27, we will sing 4 performances of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 8.

Dessoff seeks qualified choral singers who read music proficiently, sing with good blend and intonation, will prepare music independently, and commit to the season’s rehearsals and concert dates. We rehearse on Mondays on the Upper East Side.

We have scheduled 2 evenings for Music Director James Bagwell to hear singers who seek to participate in our full 2008-2009 season:
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Thursday, September 4, 2008

Interested choral singers should send an e-mail with name, address, phone(s), voice part, and preferred date to auditions@dessoff.org. Our Membership Chair will respond to schedule a private 10-minute audition that consists of vocalizing to demonstrate range and vocal production, and sight-singing. NO prepared piece is required.

Dessoff will hold SEPARATE auditions for members of the Dessoff Symphonic Choir who hope to sing in the NY Philharmonic collaborations. Those auditions will he held on Monday evenings, November 24, 2008 and December 1, 2008. You may state your interest now by responding to auditions@dessoff.org. Please include in the subject line of your e-mail that you seek membership in SYMPHONIC CHOIR ONLY. You will be contacted in early November, when we know how many additional voices we will need.

Professional singers who wish to be considered for solo opportunities with The Dessoff Choirs should send a resume and a representative recording to The Dessoff Choirs, P.O. Box 1337, New York, NY 10028.