Eric Whitacre

Composer

Through the 18 months of gathering singers together from all over North America, every single communication from DCINY was prompt and polite. Those who signed on for this adventure were thrilled to find that every question was treated with respect and appropriate, timely response. This was nothing short of amazing.

The rehearsals were organized beautifully. The rehearsal space, although crowded with 300+ singers at each session, was truly wonderful. Again, the staff was amazing. Announcements were succinct and informative -- never too many or too few.

The day in Carnegie Hall went off flawlessly. The performance was everything and more than anyone could have imagined. It ran smoothly and was simply beyond belief.

And then there was the after party. Oh my goodness. Having celebrated many performances at cast parties in my life, I found this was the most amazing. The setting was stunning, of course, but everything else about the event was amazing.

DCINY is the most organized, thoughtful, amazing group with whom I have ever worked. I have heard from many of the singers who have immediately said, 'When can we do this again?' followed by, 'We'll never go without DCINY again!'

Thank you, Jonathan and Iris, for your personal investment in making this experience perfect. I cannot believe you were there every moment to oversee the entire event. This made a huge difference in how things ran."

Timothy Seelig

Artistic Director, Resounding Harmony
Director, Art for Peace & Justice
Assistant Professor, Adjunct, SMU
Artistic Director in Residence, GALA Choruses
Conductor Emeritus, Turtle Creek Chorale

View details of this concert

I would like to send you our heartfelt thanks for an unforgettable experience.

Your operation is incredibly impressive. Your staff is skilled, well-prepared, and very courteous. They handle the difficult details and last-minute changes gracefully and with perfection.

I was also very impressed with the care with which Jonathan mentors the emerging conductors -- not only with simply providing an important performance opportunity at Lincoln Center -- but also in how to manage the rehearsal and how to fine-tune the choir in the warm-up.

And finally, I was incredibly impressed with how all of the above items came together to create a meaningful and important experience for everyone--performers and the audience. It is the innovative efforts of organizations like DCINY that is going to ensure the survival of classical music.

DCINY provides performing opportunities for ensembles, important conducting opportunities for its emerging conductors in an approach designed to maximize the experience for the performers and the audience with unique and compelling programs. DCINY actually creates art.

I am thrilled that PACS was able to play its part in your event this weekend. I very much believe in your organization, its approach and its mission.

Bravissimo!

David Bernard

Music Director
Park Avenue Chamber Symphony

View details of this concert

Yesterday [was] so amazingly special. What fun we had! I was absolutely thrilled yesterday with the performance. The rehearsals leading up to it were good, productive hard work. Sunday a.m. was especially wonderful but i had no idea that the performance would be so fine.

It was thrilling to see the house full and to experience Carmina with such high energy from beginning to end. The soloists, well, they were simply the best I've heard or worked with.

Thanks to DCINY [for] the idea and for making it all happen. They filled all 2800 seats in Carnegie Hall! I personally have never been so well treated in preparing and conducting a performance. Thanks to absolutely everyone at DCINY.

Vance George

Past Director
San Francisco Symphony Chorus

View details of this concert

The Carnegie Hall performance with the Ohio State University Chorale and choruses from Ohio, VA and WV was a wonderful experience for all. As a conductor of a participating group, I was privy to all the communications that came from the DCINY staff from the outset and everyone, without exception, was professional, responsive and helpful. Once in NYC with all the singers, as the guest conductor, I found things wonderfully organized, good spaces for our use, and a truly first-rate orchestra with excellent players whose primary goal was to make expressive music and provide a stellar experience for the singers. The concert itself was a highlight for everyone and my students will remember it for life, as will I. Thank you for a skillfully managed experience from start to finish!

Hilary Apfelstadt

Professor of Choral Studies
Director of Choral Activities
Ohio State University

View details of this concert

Dear Iris and Jonathan:

You have an impressive team supporting the work of your guest conductors and choruses. I was particularly appreciative of Phil Bravo and Nicole Cotton's work. They are both consummate professionals, highly competent, warm, proactive, and effective communicators. I felt their support and it put my mind at ease. The orchestra and soloists were excellent, supportive, and vested in the success of the project. Jorge, the concertmaster, is a fine musician and a diplomatic leader.

DCINY's vision has created a different and effective model for concert performances at a high level, in New York's finest concert halls. Your organization is providing an outstanding, multifaceted model for excellence in choral performance and education. I was pleased to be a part of this project and look forward to future collaborations. Warm wishes for continuing success.

Judith Willoughby

Wanda L. Bass Professor of Conducting and Choral Music Education, Oklahoma City University
Artistic Director of the Youth Choral Program, Canterbury Choral Society

View details of this concert

Thank you again for the splendid experience you gave the JETHS choir and chaperones at Carnegie Hall. We all returned safely home yesterday and every single person was flying high over the previous night's concert experience and post-concert reception.

The concert was wonderful, I was so pleased! Jorge, your concertmaster, is a fine player and a great collaborator and the orchestra was superb, responsive and sensitive in every way. The soloists were terrific and so much fun to work with.The organization has seasoned beautifully into a first-rate concert producer and I'm proud to be associated with you.

Just wanted you to know how much we appreciate all you did to make our concert event a great success. You are a wonderful team at DCINY and I wish you the best in the future. Every detail was magnificent!

Kevin Riehle

Director of Choral Activities
Chair, Fine Arts Deparment
James E. Taylor High School

View details of this concert

Thank you both for including Arcadian Chorale and Richmond Choral Society in the "Concert for Peace" at Lincoln Center last week. It was a high quality experience on so many levels. Working with Jonathan was a distinct pleasure and privilege; you brought great insight and passion to the music, which engaged the group completely, and made the work all the more meaningful. The thrill of performing at Avery Fisher Hall was an experience that our singers valued much, and will always treasure.

I was especially grateful that several of my students from the College of Staten Island participated in the performance. I know that, for them, it marked a great achievement in the course of their study and musical development. You have indeed contributed to "the power of education" by affording them this experience.

All of this was of course made possible by the hard work of your organizational staff, starting with Iris and extending to every one of your staff members. They were extremely informative and helpful, and dealt with the myriad of details this scale of project required in a highly professional manner, while maintaining a pleasant smile for everyone! Please relay our thanks for all their assistance.

Working with you is always a pleasure, and I hope to have the opportunity to do so in future projects.

Congratulations on what was truly an outstanding musical presentation.

Marina Alexander

Director
The Arcadian Chorale
Richmond Choral Society

View details of this concert

Our experience with DCINY, without exception, was incredible! We were amazed at the warm and personal attitude of you and your staff. Not once did I see a frown from your people -- even when answering the same question over and over. Not once did I feel that my request for something was an inconvenience. Every person associated with DCINY had a smile and a solution for us....all 700 of us! That is miraculous!

Performing on that world-famous stage under four gifted conductors was a spectacular experience -- so spectacular that we could not describe it to our family and friends.

What I found to be even more surprising was the attitude of the orchestra members. They were engaged with us and seemed genuinely interested in our program. The finest professionals in the country -- treating us with respect and regard -- another miracle! And their musicianship was absolutely amazing!

The cast party was un-believable! We had Tavern on the Green all to ourselves! Exceptional food - open bar - in one of the most famous restaurants in the world -- WOW! I don't know how you pulled these spectacular things off -- but you did....more miracles!

Once we returned to Houston, and reality, we realized what a wonderful gift DCINY had given each of us. A concert opportunity in Carnegie Hall, photographs, the experience of working with great conductors, Tavern on the Green, etc. However, these things would not have been as wonderful without the gift of hospitality from your gracious staff. On behalf of St. Luke's Presbyterian Church Choir, I thank you for that. You gave us a beautifully planned and executed experience that we will never forget, and we are grateful to all of you.

Marvin Gaspard

Director of Music
St. Luke's Presbyterian Church

View details of this concert