Season 21 Brochure

“With Seraphic Fire, you are always sure that you are going to hear something that is astonishingly well-performed.”

Ken Easterling, Seraphic Fire Patron

Welcome to Season 21

Welcome to Seraphic Fire’s 2023-2024 Season! We begin our third decade with fresh sounds and new music which will delight your ears and expand your mind. From the energetic and stately sounds of the French Baroque and the bracing soundtrack of Lord Nelson and Lady Hamilton’s visit with Franz Joseph Haydn to the exotic 17th-century harmonies of Johann Schein’s The Fountains of Israel and the exciting modern harmonies of the mid-20th century, Seraphic Fire will continue to be your passport to fulfilling musical and intellectual experiences. This year we are joined by friends both new and familiar on the podium: Ruben Valenzuela makes his Seraphic Fire debut with seldom-heard works from the early German Baroque; Elena Sharkova returns to lead us in music by women composers on libretti by women authors; and our very own Associate Conductor James K. Bass takes us on a midcentury modern musical tour, in addition to helming the release of Seraphic Fire’s newest Christmas album.

In all our performing, we want you to know that we keep you—our dear friends and subscribers—at the forefront of our mind. Your enthusiasm for our artists and programs, including our wide education and community outreach offerings, is the fuel for our musicmaking. Whether this is your first or your twenty-first season with us, we believe it will be the most exciting yet. Thank you for your continued support as patrons and donors for these past two decades, and we look forward to our next performance with you in the audience.

With gratitude and excitement,

Patrick Dupre Quigley Founder and Artistic Director

SeraphicFire.org/Tickets

Experience the nation’s finest vocalists performing historically-significant works in an intimate setting.

About Season 21

Join us for a season rich in history and brimming with artistry. True to our mission to present historically significant and underperformed works, you are sure to expand your musical horizons this season as you encounter rare choral gems.

November 2023

GODS and MORTALS

Enjoy an operatic season opener with the French Baroque Castor and Pollux by Jean-Philippe Rameau featuring Seraphic Fire singers stepping into solo roles.

December 2023

A Seraphic Fire Christmas

The holidays don’t begin in South Florida until A Seraphic Fire Christmas, a celebration of carols both new and old.

January 2024

IN HER Own WORDS

Guest conductor Elena Sharkova returns with a program highlighting the creative expressions of women composers and poets

February 2024

The Enlightenment Festival

The fourth annual Enlightenment Festival features a focus on the music of the Scarlatti family and Franz Joseph Haydn.

March 2024

The Fountains of Israel

Guest conductor Ruben Valenzuela leads the ensemble in a rare performance of Johann Schein’s German madrigals.

April 2024

Mid-Century Modern

Associate Conductor James K. Bass leads a tour of mid-century choral works that are sure to pique your interest.

Subscribe today to access a host of donor benefits that will take your concert experience to the next level. We can’t wait to see you in Season 21!

Tickets and information at SeraphicFire.org/Subscribe

PROGRAM TO INCLUDE

GODS and MORTALS

MUSIC OF THE FRENCH BAROQUE

Patrick Dupre Quigley, conductor

Seraphic Fire opens its 21st Season with scenes from Castor and Pollux by Jean-Philippe Rameau. The 1737 opera depicts mythological twins, mortal Castor and immortal Pollux, as they struggle with their love of the same woman, and a trip to the underworld. Follow solo voices, chorus, and chamber orchestra through this dramatic story and enjoy the harmonic complexity and dance-like rhythms that are a hallmark of Rameau. The program opens with Jean-Joseph de Mondonville’s Dominus Regnavit, a triumphant and stately setting of Biblical text.

Thu, Nov 2, 7:30 pm St. Sophia Greek Orthodox, Miami

Fri, Nov 3, 8:00 pm Church of the Little Flower, Coral Gables

Sat, Nov 4, 7:30 pm All Saints Episcopal, Ft. Lauderdale

Sun, Nov 5, 4:00 pm Venue TBA, Boca Raton

Prologue and Scenes from Castor and Pollux - Jean-Philippe Rameau

Dominus Regnavit - Jean-Joseph de Mondonville

Join us for a Pre-Concert Conversation one hour before each concert.

LEARN MORE SeraphicFire.org/gods-and-mortals | 305.285.9060

A Seraphic Fire Christmas

James K. Bass, conductor

Let the gentle glow of candlelight and angelic tones of Seraphic Fire a cappella voices usher you into the holiday season. A Seraphic Fire Christmas provides a moment of reflection and peace to connect with friends and loved ones. Enjoy festive carols from varied traditions alongside newer takes on classics from contemporary composers. We hope this concert becomes the soundtrack of your season—literally!—since it marks the release of Seraphic Fire’s newest Christmas album. Come hear this concert and bring all your favorites home with you.

Tue, Dec 5, 7:00 pm St. Boniface Episcopal, Sarasota

Wed, Dec 6, 7:00 pm Moorings Presbyterian, Naples

Fri, Dec 8, 7:30 pm St. Philip’s Episcopal, Coral Gables

Sat, Dec 9, 7:00 pm All Souls Episcopal, Miami Beach

Sun, Dec 10, 7:00 pm All Saints Episcopal, Ft. Lauderdale

Tue, Dec 12, 7:00 pm Venue TBA, Boca Raton

Wed, Dec 13, 7:30 pm St. Sophia Greek Orthodox, Miami

Fri, Dec 15, 8:00 pm Church of the Little Flower, Coral Gables

Made possible by the Meredyth Anne Dasburg Foundation

LEARN MORE

SeraphicFire.org/Christmas | 305.285.9060

CD Release Concert

PROGRAM TO INCLUDE

Away in a Manger - William J. Kirkpatrick

Jesus Christ the Apple Tree - Elizabeth Poston

Silent Night - Franz Xaver Gruber

Subscriber benefit! Bring family and friends to A Seraphic Fire Christmas at the discounted rate of $55 when you subscribe. That’s $10 savings per ticket!

IN HER Own VOICE

Conductor Elena Sharkova returns for a concert highlighting the creative expressions of women composers and poets. Enjoy a diverse program of music where the lives, experiences, passions, and pains of women are described in their own voices. The program will feature Imogen Holst, daughter of Gustav Holst and known for her folk and dance-like melodies, alongside medieval mystic Hildegard von Bingen, and contemporary Russian composer Svetlana Nesterova, among others. University of Miami Ensemble Artist Program students join the professional ensemble for this concert for a cappella chorus.

Thu, Jan 18, 7:00 pm Vanderbilt Presbyterian, Naples

Fri, Jan 19, 7:30 pm St. Philip’s Episcopal, Coral Gables

FEATURING WORKS BY Imogen Holst

Hildegard von Bingen

Judith Weir

Sat, Jan 20, 7:30 pm All Saints Episcopal, Ft. Lauderdale

Sun, Jan 21, 4:00 pm All Souls Episcopal, Miami Beach

Join

Elena Sharkova, guest conductor

The Enlightenment Festival

Join us for two back-to-back weeks of programming that will expand your horizons as we shed light on the music of the 18th century.

Sketches of Lady Emma Hamilton by George Romney

A Scarlatti Family Affair

Patrick Dupre Quigley, conductor

Father and son Alessandro and Domenico Scarlatti were influential in the musical life of Naples, Italy in the Baroque period. Most commonly recalled for his keyboard sonatas learned by piano students everywhere, Domenico’s calm and reflective Stabat Mater will be performed by vocal ensemble and continuo. The elder Scarlatti, Alessandro, was known for his vocal works, and excerpts from his Missa Clementina will demonstrate his masterful part writing. Captivating and meditative, these intricate Baroque vocal works provide a pause from modern life.

Thu, Feb 15, 7:30 pm St. Sophia Greek Orthodox, Miami

Fri, Feb 16, 7:30 pm St. Philip’s Episcopal, Coral Gables

Sat, Feb 17, 7:30 pm All Saints Episcopal, Ft. Lauderdale

Sun, Feb 18, 4:00 pm All Souls Episcopal, Miami Beach

A Visit with Haydn

Patrick Dupre Quigley, conductor

A special visit to the Esterházy palace by war hero Admiral Lord Nelson and his mistress, Lady Emma Hamilton, inspired this concert of works by Haydn. Amateur soprano and scandalous socialite Lady Hamilton struck up a friendship with Haydn and they performed together multiple times during her stay at Esterházy. The palace’s resident composer, Haydn provided entertainment for the diplomatic visit with the premier of the Te Deum for the Empress Marie Therese and two works dedicated to Lord Nelson: Missa in angustiis (later coined the “Nelson” Mass) and the song “The Battle of the Nile,” with Emma singing. Step back in time to relive the political and social intrigue of Haydn’s time in a concert for chorus and chamber orchestra that will make you feel like you’ve stepped into a salon at the Austrian palace.

Thu, Feb 22, 7:00 pm

Vanderbilt Presbyterian, Naples

Fri, Feb 23, 8:00 pm Church of the Little Flower, Coral Gables

PROGRAM TO INCLUDE

Stabat Mater a 10 - Domenico Scarlatti

Te Deum - Domenico Scarlatti

Selections from Missa Clementina - Alessandro Scarlatti

Join

Sat, Feb 24, 7:30 pm All Saints Episcopal, Ft. Lauderdale

Sun, Feb 25, 4:00 pm St. Gregory’s Episcopal, Boca Raton

PROGRAM TO INCLUDE

Te Deum for the Empress Marie Therese - Franz Joseph Haydn

Missa in angustiis, “Nelson Mass” - Franz Joseph Haydn

Lines on the Battle of the Nile - Franz Joseph Haydn

Featuring UCLA Ensemble Artist Program students

Join us for a Pre-Concert Conversation one hour before each concert.

The Fountains of Israel

Ruben Valenzuela, conductor

Seraphic Fire welcomes guest conductor Ruben Valenzuela for a concert highlighting the music of German Baroque composer Johann Schein. Rarely performed, The Fountains of Israel is an uncommon example of German sacred madrigals. A predecessor to Bach—even holding the same church position in Leipzig as Bach— Schein was known for incorporating stylistic elements of Italian Baroque into his work. Fans of Monteverdi and William Byrd are sure to enjoy the expressive text painting and interlocking lines in Schein’s works for chorus and continuo.

Wed, Mar 20, 7:30 pm St. Sophia Greek Orthodox, Miami

Thu, Mar 21, 7:00 pm Vanderbilt Presbyterian, Naples

Fri, Mar 22, 7:30 pm St. Philip’s Episcopal, Coral Gables

Sat, Mar 23, 7:30 pm All Saints Episcopal, Ft. Lauderdale

Sun, Mar 24, 4:00 pm All Souls Episcopal, Miami Beach

PROGRAM TO INCLUDE

The Fountains of Israel - Johann Schein

GUEST CONDUCTOR

Founder and Artistic Director of the San Diego Bach Collegium

Ruben Valenzuela has earned praise for his “dramatic” and “vibrant” performances that are “able to unlock the true power of Baroque music” (SanDiegoStory.com). LEARN

Join us for a Pre-Concert Conversation one hour before each concert.

Mid-Century Modern

James K. Bass, conductor

Furniture or architecture might come to mind when one hears the phrase mid-century modern, but the creative style also impacted the music of the time. Inspired by rapid technological advancements and a post-war world, artists in the mid-20th century strove to predict and create the art of the future.

Composers like Arnold Schoenberg experimented with new sounds and compositional techniques. At the same time, others like Alan Hovhaness and Samuel Barber returned to styles of the past with new understanding. You’ll likely discover a mid-century work you’ve never heard before on this program for a cappella chorus.

Thu, Apr 25, 7:00 pm Vanderbilt Presbyterian, Naples

Fri, Apr 26, 8:00 pm Church of the Little Flower, Coral Gables

Sat, Apr 27, 7:30 pm All Saints Episcopal, Ft. Lauderdale

PROGRAM TO INCLUDE

The Brightness of Our Noon - Alan Hovhaness

Twelfth Night - Samuel Barber

Sun, Apr 28, 4:00 pm St. Gregory’s Episcopal, Boca Raton

Join

Dreimal Tausend Jahre - Arnold Schoenberg LEARN

Season at a Glance

NOVEMBER

Program information begins on page 5

Venue information begins on page 13

Programs are subject to change without notice

BOCA RATON

St. Gregory’s Episcopal

100 NE Mizner Blvd.

Boca Raton, FL 33432

Complimentary parking available on-site

*Nov 5 and Dec 12 venues TBA

CORAL GABLES

Church of the Little Flower

2711 Indian Mound Tr.

Coral Gables, FL 33134

Complimentary parking available on-site

St. Philip’s Episcopal

1121 Andalusia Ave.

Coral Gables, FL 33134

Complimentary valet parking available 45 minutes before performances

Venues

FT. LAUDERDALE

All Saints Episcopal

333 Tarpon Dr.

Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33301

Complimentary parking available on-site

MIAMI

St. Sophia Greek Orthodox

2401 SW 3rd Ave.

Miami, FL 33129

Complimentary parking available on-site

MIAMI BEACH

All Souls Episcopal

4025 Pine Tree Dr.

Miami Beach, FL 33140

Complimentary parking available on-site

NAPLES

Vanderbilt Presbyterian

1225 Piper Blvd.

Naples, FL 34110

Complimentary parking available on-site

Moorings Presbyterian

791 Harbour Dr.

Naples, FL 34103

Complimentary parking available on-site

SARASOTA

St. Boniface Episcopal

5615 Midnight Pass Rd.

Sarasota, FL 34242

Complimentary parking available on-site

All venues are accessible with handicap seating available. To request materials in an accessible format, sign language interpreters, CART, and/or any disability accommodation, please contact JJ Flores at 305.692.0268 or JJ@SeraphicFire.org five days in advance to initiate your request. TTY users may also call 711 (Florida Relay Service).

Seraphic Fire at Aspen Music Festival

Professional Choral Institute Chorus with Seraphic Fire

AUGUST 16, 2023 at Harris Hall

Patrick Dupre Quigley and James K. Bass, conductors

Program to be announced

Professional Choral Institute and Seraphic Fire with Aspen Festival Orchestra

AUGUST 20, 2023 at Benedict Music Tent

Robert Spano, conductor

The Creation – Franz Joseph Haydn

Join Seraphic Fire during its Professional Choral Institute residency at the Aspen Music Festival and School in scenic Aspen, Colorado. Students from the Professional Choral Institute Chorus and the Seraphic Fire professional ensemble will perform in recital and alongside full orchestra. Founded in 1949, the Aspen Music Festival and School is regarded as one of the top classical music festivals in the United States, noted both for its concert programming and its musical training of mostly young-adult music students.

About the Professional Choral Institute

An annual two-week residency at the Aspen Music Festival and School offers intensive performance and masterclass programs for singers and choral conductors designed to prepare students for careers as vocal ensemble musicians. Alumni have gone on to perform professionally with Seraphic Fire and other top choral ensembles.

Learn more about the Seraphic Fire education programs for students of all ages at SeraphicFire.org/Education

LEARN MORE

AspenMusicFestival.com

The Art of Protest Special Presentation:

OCTOBER 6-8, 2023

Reginald Mobley, curator

This fall, Seraphic Fire will present a community concert featuring newly commissioned arrangements of protest songs from varied cultural traditions and movements. Music has long been intertwined with protest, from the coded messages of songs like “Wade in the Water” that helped slaves escape to freedom to songs like “We Shall Not be Moved” that rallied crowds during protests in the U.S. union and civil rights movements. Curated and hosted by longtime Seraphic Fire artist Reginald Mobley, this free concert and community discussion will explore the right to free expression and how artists challenge the status quo through song. This program is made possible by

FREE ADMISSION

For more information, visit SeraphicFire.org/special-presentations

Subscribe to Seraphic Fire

We offer a variety of subscription packages to fit your needs. Subscribe to our full season of 7 concerts, or build your own subscription with packages of 3, 4, 5, or 6 concerts.

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Lock in the lowest prices for tickets, PLUS get a host of great subscriber benefits including:

• Additional Christmas tickets for just $55 (save up to $10 per ticket)

• Flexible ticket exchanges for Seraphic Fire performances throughout South Florida

• No processing fees on subscription packages or additional tickets purchased Enhance Your Experience with a Premier Subscription

Premier Subscribers have the best opportunity to get up close and personal with Seraphic Fire with the best seats and opportunities to engage with our artists throughout the year. In addition to all standard subscription benefits, you will receive:

• Reserved open seating

• Invitation to an exclusive post-concert reception

*Does not include Special Presentations or Seraphic Fire on Tour. **Programs subject to change without notice.

• Invitation to a post-concert talk-back with Artistic Director Patrick Dupre Quigley

• Invitation to a “town hall” conference call with Artistic Director Patrick Dupre Quigley and the artists of Seraphic Fire

• Access to Seraphic Fire Youth Initiative education concerts

• UPGRADE CERTIFICATE to Reserved-by-Name Seating for one subscription concert

• Special live recording CD of a select 2022-2023 Season performance

Use the enclosed order form, or visit SeraphicFire.org/Subscribe

Curated Subscription Packages

Not sure what to choose? We have some suggestions for concerts that pair well together!

A Trip Through the Ages

In this 5-concert package, you’ll experience the range of the Seraphic Fire ensemble through works that span from the 16th to the 21st century.

November 2023 | Gods and Mortals

Feat. Baroque composers Jean-Philippe Rameau and Jean-Joseph Mondonville (see pg. 5)

January 2024 | In Her Own Voice

Feat. contemporary living composers Judith Weir and Svetlana Nesterova (see pg. 7)

February 2024 | A Visit with Haydn

Feat. Classical composer Franz Joseph Haydn (see pg. 9)

March 2024 | The Fountains of Israel

Feat. early Baroque composer Johann Schein (see pg. 10)

April 2024 | Mid-Century Modern

Feat. Works created in the mid-20th century by composers like Alan Hovhaness and Samuel Barber (see pg. 11)

European Tour Package

Select a 4-concert package with a focus on music from France, Italy, and Germany.

November 2023 | Gods and Mortals

French Baroque opera and sacred music from Jean-Philippe Rameau and Jean-Joseph Mondonville (see pg. 5)

February 2024 | A Scarlatti Family Affair

Experience the music of Italian father-son pair Alessandro and Domenico Scarlatti (see pg. 9)

February 2024 | A Visit with Haydn

The politics and social intrigue of the period in Austria, England, and Naples inspired this concert (see pg. 9)

March 2024 | The Fountains of Israel

Enjoy a rare example of German Baroque madrigals from composer Johann Schein (see pg. 10)

Modern Music Package

This 3-concert package will take you on a tour of modern compositions in choral music.

December 2023 | A Seraphic Fire Christmas

Enjoy arrangements that bring a new spin to your favorite carols (see pg. 6)

January 2024 | In Her Own Voice

Hear women composers of the 20th and 21st century Imogen Holst, Judith Weir, and Svetlana Nesterova (see pg. 7)

April 2024 | Mid-Century Modern Composers in the mid-20th century experimented with compositional techniques that pushed the field forward (see pg. 11)

Complete your attached order form or see SeraphicFire.org/Curated-Packages for more information.

Seraphic Fire’s Impact Through Education

Through educational programming, Seraphic Fire aims to steward the next generation of music lovers and offer resources to the most in-need students in our community.

Seraphic Fire Youth Initiative

In partnership with the University of Miami, and Florida International University, Seraphic Fire offers a free music education program serving elementary, middle, and high school students in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Collier counties. This initiative consists of three main parts:

• The Choral Education Residency (CER): A weekly program at 2 elementary schools designed to be a high-impact, sustainable model for music education and teaching artistry.

• In-School Workshops: Three 45-minute workshops presented by a quartet of professionals, where students learn music theory fundamentals, music history, ethnomusicology, and vocal technique by participating in interactive vocal exercises and workshop quizzes.

• Education Concerts: Presented at the end of each academic semester, the Seraphic Fire professional ensemble performs a guided tour of a subscription concert. At these concerts, students from the CER have the opportunity to perform on their own and alongside Seraphic Fire in front of an audience of their peers.

High School Master Class

Once a year, Seraphic Fire brings together outstanding high school choral students from Miami-Dade County Public Schools for a 1-day masterclass, exposing students to a high level of musicianship and artistry as they work with and learn from the artists and conductors of Seraphic Fire.

Learn more about the Seraphic Fire education programs for students of all ages at SeraphicFire.org/Education

Become part of the Gen S Society by making a gift to support our education programs.

Our Work is Made Possible By Supporters Like You

Seraphic Fire’s supporters allow the ensemble to bring to life presentations of historically significant, underperformed music and fund our transformative education initiatives.

Treat yourself to VIP seating! Reserve the best seats in the house by contributing $1,000 or more to receive Premium Reserved-by-Name Seating for up to 4 people.

DONOR LEVELS

Founder’s Circle: $50,000+

Recognition as a Season Sponsor, and all benefits listed below.

National Sponsor: $20,000

Private dinner with Patrick Dupre Quigley, and all benefits listed below.

Underwriter: $10,000

Name recognition in all materials for one Seraphic Fire program, and all benefits listed below.

Maestro Circle: $5,000

An exclusive post-concert reception with select Seraphic Fire artists, and all benefits listed below.

Sponsor: $2,500

Invitation for two to a private season opening reception, and all benefits listed below.

Patron: $1,000

Reserved-by-Name Seating, and all benefits listed below.

Sustainer: $500

Invitation for two to the Season Announcement, and all benefits listed below.

Donor: $250

Name recognition in Seraphic Fire Magazine.

“To know Patrick is to appreciate his excellence when you speak with him or see him conduct. I am always in the audience, and I can imagine us contributing for as long as they do what they do.”

– Trae Williamson, Williamson Automotive Group

South Florida Classical Review

Naples performances made possible by the Jeri L. Wolfson Foundation & Charles L. Marshall, Jr. and Richard L. Tooke.

Performances in Miami-Dade and Broward counties sponsored by:

Seraphic Fire is sponsored by the Miami-Dade County Tourist Development Council, Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners; John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; the City of Miami Beach, Cultural Affairs Program, Cultural Arts Council; the City of Coral Gables; Coral Gables Community Foundation; The Dunspaugh-Dalton Foundation; Funding Arts Network; Funding Arts Broward; The Kirk Foundation, Peacock Foundation, Inc; Quest Foundation; P.L. Dodge Foundation; and Citizens Interested in Arts; the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Seraphic Fire is funded by The Children’s Trust. The Trust is a dedicated source of revenue established by voter referendum to improve the lives of children and families in Miami-Dade County. Programs in Broward County are made possible with the support of the Broward County Cultural Division.

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