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.