Joe Damon Chappel is 'Jesus' in Bach Vespers Performance of Georg Friedrich Händel's 'Brockes Passion' April 10 NYC

[Joe Damon Chappel]

Violinist Kelly Hall-Tompkins, President of the Board of the Bach Vespers, has alerted AfriClassical to the ensemble's performance at 5:00 PM on Sunday, April 10, 2011 of the Brockes Passion of Georg Friedrich Handel. The work will be sung in German at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in New York City. The role of Jesus will be sung by Joe Damon Chappel, Principal Bass Soloist. Another African American singer in the cast is Malcolm J. Merriweather, Bass/Countertenor. His bio is also found at the ensemble's website.

Kelly Hall-Tompkins writes:

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

In addition to my own concertizing, it is an honor for me to serve as President of the Board of the Bach Vespers at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in New York City (65th Street and Central Park West) for the past two seasons. The Bach Players, Choir and Soloists who comprise the baroque period ensemble lead by Cantor Richard Erickson, have been bringing world-class performances of Bach Cantatas and other period works to the New York City community for 43 seasons! I would like to invite you to hear the rarely performed Handel Brockes Passion tomorrow evening at 5pm. The suggested donations are $20/$15 for seniors and students, but no one will be turned away!

Please visit http://bachvespersnyc.org/BrockesPassionApril10.dsp

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Kelly

BachVespersNYC.org

“PRINCIPAL BASS SOLOIST: JOE DAMON CHAPPEL, a native of Nashville, is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester. At Eastman, he was a William Warfield Scholar and had many solo credits with the Eastman Chorale and the Eastman Opera Theater. His career has demonstrated proficiency in a wide range of musical genres, from early music to opera and musical theater. He has performed with groups such as Bachworks, NY Collegium, Early Music New York, Les Gouts-Reunis, Vox Vocal Ensemble and The Tiffany Consort (founding member). He was hailed by the New York Times as a 'warm bass anchor…' and after his first Verdi Requiem, The State of Columbia, SC wrote 'Chappel’s “Mors Stupebit” kept the audience hanging on every breathy syllable, filling the hall with his strength even in the softest moments.' He was a member of the Carolina Chamber Chorale (C3) at the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC and was bass soloist in world premieres by several American composers, including Dan Locklair and Anthony Davis. In October 2004, Mr. Chappel sang his first Verdi Requiem with the South Carolina Philharmonic, Nicholas Smith, conductor. Subsequently, he and Maestro Smith have worked on several projects, including a Verdi Requiem at the Bollington Festival (UK), the Palmetto Opera’s production of Marriage of Figaro (as Figaro), and a return to the South Carolina Philharmonic as soloist in Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast. A champion of music new and/or rarely heard, Mr. Chappel is frequently heard as a soloist in world premieres of newly written or newly discovered works.”