Distinguished Concerts International - New York

World Premiere Written and Conducted by Karl Jenkins, Britain’s Most Popular Living Composer

Six Hundred Voices Sing Praises to 70 Years of Shawnee Press, Music Publisher

New Commissioned Works by Best-selling American Sensation Eric Whitacre

November 21, 2008

Press contact:
Mindi Rayner Public Relations (718) 377-4720

These are only a few of the many highlights of Distinguished Concerts International’s thrilling 2009 Season. In just two short years, DCINY has joined the ranks of major classical music production companies in America, nearly doubling its roster of participating ensembles and attracting talent from all over the globe.


Karl Jenkins was voted most popular living composer for the past five years by listeners on BBC Classical Radio One, and entered Classic FM’s "Hall of Fame" at number 8, the highest position ever for a living composer. On January 19, DCINY is proud to present Mr. Jenkins in person, conducting the world premiere performance of his stirring violin concerto, "Sarikiz." The soloist for this truly historical event will be the world-renowned Kazakh violinist for whom the piece was written, Marat Bisengaliev. Mr. Bisengaliev, whose "exquisite delicacy and warmth" was praised by the New York Times, has performed in over thirty-five countries, and is well known to New York audiences for his recent appearance at Carnegie Hall. The program features two other Jenkins works, "Stabat Mater" and "Te Deum", under the baton of DCINY Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Jonathan Griffith. Jenkins' bold and distinctive interpretation of "Stabat Mater" is in keeping with the reputation he has had since his days with the legendary progressive-rock group Soft Machine. This deeply moving piece features the Middle Eastern-based vocal stylings of Belinda Sykes juxtaposed with those of mezzo-soprano Charlotte Daw Paulsen. Ms. Sykes will also demonstrate her virtuosity on the "mey", a traditional Middle Eastern reed instrument. This concert will take place on Martin Luther King Day, January 19, 2009, at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall.

Fittingly, one of the largest publishers of classical music in the world, Shawnee Press, is celebrating its 70th Anniversary on June 6 with one of the largest vocal choruses ever assembled at Carnegie Hall. Over 600 singers under the leadership of DCINY Conductor Laureate Dr. Timothy Seelig will present a program of wide-ranging repertoire that includes traditional songs and new works composed especially for the occasion. Composers/Conductors Mark Hayes, Greg Gilpin and Joseph Martin will also take the podium.

American composer Eric Whitacre's published works have had thousands of performances all over the world, and his career has encompassed honors ranging from the Barlow International Composition Competition to being the youngest recipient ever of the Raymond C. Brock commission by the American Choral Directors Association. This season, Mr. Whitacre will conduct the debut of a new installment of "Animal Crackers", his work based on the poetry of Ogden Nash, and commissioned by Distinguished Concerts' Premiere Project. These concerts will take place on March 15 and June 28 at Avery Fisher Hall.

Other of this season’s extraordinary musical offerings include the New York debut of the Grammy-award winning Kansas City Chorale and Phoenix Chorale with conductor Charles Bruffy at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, on March 16; the US Premiere of John Burge’s "Mass for Prisoners of Conscience", a work dedicated to Amnesty International, conducted by Canadian conductor Doreen Rao on April 5 at Avery Fisher Hall; and the New York debut of the Texas Master Chorale under conductor Brad Bouley, on June 14 at Avery Fisher Hall.

For complete details about DCINY's exciting upcoming season, please visit the web site, http://www.dciny.org. Please call 212.707.8566 for further information or to set up an interview. Press tickets available.