Charleston Symphony Orchestra Spiritual Ensemble Announces 2013-14 Season Honoring the ‘Spiritual’ Opening October 27

David A. Richardson, Conductor

CHARLESTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SPIRITUAL ENSEMBLE

Announces 2013-14 Season Honoring the ‘Spiritual’ Opening October 27

Charleston SC August 22, 2013 – The Charleston Symphony Orchestra (CSO) Spiritual Ensemble, David A. Richardson, conductor, announces an exciting array of musical programs in celebration of the ‘spiritual’ and the contributions of African-American composers, performers, and arrangers in the classical music lexicon.  The Ensemble’s 2013-2014 season will step off with a performance Mozart Requiem: An Ode to Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges as part of the inaugural Colour of Music Festival October 23-27, 2013 followed by the 13^th Annual CSO Gospel Christmas with its sister group the CSO Gospel Choir, a free Martin Luther King, Jr. tribute in January 2014, an Easter season performance and appearances at the Sixth Annual Charleston international Festival of Choirs.

Founded in 2008, the 35-member CSO Spiritual Ensemble honors the “spiritual,” the historical musical form born of the suffering and endurance of African slaves after arriving to the southern shores of this country. The CSO Spiritual Ensemble performs in church settings, concert stages and beyond, in powerful performances celebrating the unique, indigenous harmonies that helped form African-American cultural traditions.

Additional dates are likely to be added throughout the year—performance updates available at www.csospiritual com. 

2013-2014 Season Highlights

Saturday, October 27, 2013 the CSO Spiritual Ensemble opens its season as host organization acknowledging African heritage in classical music with Mozart Requiem: Ode to Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges (1745-1799) an Afro-French composer, violinist and conductor referred to by Europeans as the ‘Black Mozart’. This performance concludes the Colour of Music Festival, five-day all-black classical musicians festival featuring black musicians, vocalists, and orchestra leaders performing piano, organ, and voice recitals, chamber ensembles and orchestra and a newly formed Colour of Music Chorale. Over twenty performances will showcase the influence of blacks on the classical music world.

On Saturday December 7, 2013, under the direction of Dr. Rollo Dilworth, the Ensemble joins the CSO Gospel Choir for the 13^th Annual CSO Gospel Christmas taking place in West Ashley for the first time in the acoustically perfect Ashley River Baptist Church.

Not to be missed, under the direction of David A. Richardson, on Saturday, January 18, 2014 at the renowned Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church in N. Charleston, the Ensemble joins the CSO Gospel Choir and the Charleston Symphony, in a moving musical portrait honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This free performance will feature moving orchestral, spirituals and sacred music selections accompanied by moving images chronicling the significant contributions of Dr. King.

Sunday, April 5 the Ensemble celebrates the Easter Season with a special performance honoring the legacy of black composer Robert Nathaniel Dett at Charleston’s Centenary United Methodist Church.

Later that month April 24-27, 2014 the Sixth Annual Charleston International Festival of Choirs, a free three-day festival featuring vocal ensembles from across the U.S. takes place in stunning church settings and concludes with a dramatic combined Massed Sing performance under the direction of guest conductor Dr. Greg Jessop.

2013-2014 CSO Spiritual Ensemble Concert Season

Mozart Requiem: An Ode to Le Chevalier de Saint-George

Colour of Music Festival

Sunday, October 27, 2013 • 5pm

Emanuel AME Church, 110 Calhoun Street, Charleston

Tickets: $25

13^th Annual Gospel Christmas

with CSO Gospel Choir

Dr. Rollo Dilworth, Conductor

Saturday December 7, 2013 • 7:00pm

Ashley River Baptist Church, 1101 Savannah Highway, West Ashley 

Tickets: $30  

A Musical Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

With the CSO Gospel Choir and Charleston Symphony Orchestra

David A. Richardson, Conductor

Saturday, January 18, 2014 • 7pm

Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church, 7396 Rivers Ave, North Charleston

Free – entry ticket required – donations accepted

Annual Spring Performance Honoring Robert Nathaniel Dett

Saturday, April 5  • 6pm

Centenary United Methodist Church

60 Wentworth Street, Charleston

Tickets: $20 Adult; $10 Student

6^th Annual Charleston International Festival of Choirs

Dr. Greg Jessop, Guest Conductor

April 24–27, 2014

Circular Congregational Church, 140 Meeting Street, Charleston

Free – donations accepted

CSO Spiritual Ensemble Tickets and Information

Online: www.csospiritual.com  

By phone: (866) 811-4111

At door: (cash or check only) up to one hour before each performance