UK Chorale to Perform J. S. Bach’s 'Magnificat'

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 25, 2009) - The University of Kentucky Chorale, a 48-voice advanced choral ensemble from the UK School of Music, will perform Johann Sebastian Bach’s timeless masterpiece, “Magnificat,” at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27, at the Cathedral of Christ the King, in Lexington. The concert, which is free and open to the public, marks the beginning of the Cathedral Concert Series for 2009-10. 

The Chorale, some of the finest undergraduate singers in the School of Music, will be accompanied by a professional chamber orchestra and the performance will feature several Chorale members as soloists. Jefferson Johnson, director of Choral Activities at UK, will conduct the 50-minute performance.

The UK Chorale is the premier mixed choral ensemble at the University of Kentucky. While a majority of the singers are music majors, there are a number of other academic disciplines represented. The Chorale prides itself in performing a wide variety of choral literature. The ensemble annually presents major works with the UK Symphony Orchestra, most recently Mozart’s "Coronation" Mass, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Orff’s "Carmina Burana," and Mahler’s Symphony No. 2. UK Chorale has also performed with the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra and the Lexington Singers. 

The Chorale has been the recipient of many regional and national awards. In spring of 2001, the choir made its debut in New York City’s Carnegie Hall. They also were featured performers at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. Additionally, the Chorale has been invited to perform at the ACDA (American Choral Directors Association) Southern Division Convention in Charleston, S. C., the MENC (National Association for Music Education) Southern Division Convention in Tampa, Fla., along with numerous appearances at Kentucky ACDA and MENC conferences. The Chorale has toured extensively throughout the southeast and eastern United States. In 2008, they were guests of the Minister of Culture in Nassau, Bahamas, and in 2009 they performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., in the production of "Our Lincoln."

In October 2009, UK Chorale and UK Symphony Orchestra will collaborate with world-renowned violinist/fiddler Mark O'Connor at the Singletary Center for the Arts.