| Jonathan Griffith Singers |
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Founded by conductor and educator Jonathan Griffith in 1987, the Jonathan Griffith Singers has developed and grown over the years. Beginning as a chamber choir of 24 professional singers in Portland, Oregon, it is now an ensemble of 80-120 amateur and professional singers who come from several different regions of the United States and Canada. All of the members have had years of choral experience, and many of the singers are music teachers and full time musicians. Known for their appealing and accessible programming, the Singers perform a wide range of repertoire. Members of the ensemble have performed in some of the world's finest concert halls in the United States and in Europe, including Carnegie Hall in New York, the Rudolfinum in Prague, the Palau de la Musica in Barcelona, Santa Maria Sopra Minerva in Rome, and the Cathedral Duomo of Pisa in Italy. Most recently, in the summer of 2009, the Singers traveled to the People's Republic of China, where they performed two China Premieres of Karl Jenkins' The Armed Man: Music for Peace with the celebrated Xin Ya Kong Qi Symphony Orchestra at Beijing's Forbidden City Concert Hall and Shanghai's Oriental Arts Center. These highly anticipated concert events were recognized internationally, as they commemorated the 30th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the United States and China. In summer 2011, Griffith again will lead the Singers on a tour to Uruguay and Argentina in performances of Mozart's Requiem and other works. The Singers marked their 10th anniversary of European tours during the summer of 2007 with performances of Verdi's Requiem in Rome and Pisa, Italy, (Il Tirreno). In the summer of 2005, the Singers performed Fauré's Requiem and other French works in the south of France and in Paris at La Madeleine, all to packed houses. Two performances of Verdi's Requiem were given by the Singers in the summer of 2001 in Spain. Accompanied by the European Symphony Orchestra, the Singers appeared at the Theatre Fortuny and the renowned Palau de la Musica, both in Barcelona, to sold-out audiences. In 1999, the Singers traveled to the Czech Republic for three concerts, one of which took place in Dvořák Hall of the Prague Rudolfinum. The Singers were joined by Virtuosi Pragenses Chamber Orchestra for a program which included Mozart's Requiem. The following year, 2000, they returned to the Czech Republic and were joined by the Karlovy Vary Orchestra for two thrilling performances of the Robert Levin edition of Mozart's Requiem, the first in the Ballroom of the Hotel Cristal in Karlovy Vary, and the second in Dvořák Hall of the Prague Rudolfinum. The Singers' first European tour in 1997 took them to northern Italy and southern France where they performed an All-American program, which featured the Jazz Mass "Missa Gaia" as recorded by The Paul Winter Consort. Jim Scott, guitarist and co-composer of this work, appeared in concert with the Singers, along with a nine- member jazz ensemble. In addition to its busy touring schedule, the Jonathan Griffith Singers has made two Christmas recordings, Peace at Christmas on the Clarion label, and Festival of Lights on the Bonneville Classics label. The Jonathan Griffith Singers is an ideal experience for any choral singer, regardless of age, who would enjoy singing major choral works with a professional orchestra and professional soloists in prestigious concert halls throughout North America and Europe. |
