Upcoming Performances
Songs of Life and Love
Thursday, May 23, 2013 || 7:30 p.m. || Canterbury United Methodist Church – Mountain Brook, AL
This concert focuses on two choral cycles by contemporary American composers, based on centuries-old texts. Ned Rorem, one of the pre-eminent composers for the voice, celebrates his 90th birthday this year, and Sursum Corda commemorates that with a performance of his 1951 cycle “From An Unknown Past.” Complementing that will be the cycle “Four Madrigals on Renaissance Texts” by California-based composer Morten Lauridsen, written in 1983, which includes members of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra accompanying. Also featured are three choral art songs by Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel. Historically overshadowed by the fame of her brother, the celebrated German composer Felix Mendelssohn, Mendelssohn-Hensel was an outstanding composer in her own right, and sets some of the most significant German Romantic poetry in these songs from the cycle “Gartenlieder.” Other works by Z. Randall Stroope, Renaissance composers Arcadelt and Hassler, and selections ranging from American popular music and folk songs complete this eclectic program.
Past Performances
Wassail! (The Christmas Concert)
Thursday, December 13, 2012 || 7:30 p.m. || Canterbury United Methodist Church – Mountain Brook, AL
Join Sursum Corda as we present a concert featuring some of our favorite holiday choral works. This concert will feature works by Sametz, Jackson, Bruckner, Archer, Palestrina, and others. Come and hear the music of the season sung by some of your favorite artists; you don’t want to miss this Christmas treat!
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Alabama Symphony Orchestra – Purcell’s Dido & Aeneas
Friday, November 9, 2012 || 8:00 p.m. || Jemison Concert Hall, Alys Stephens Center, Birmingham, AL
Justin Brown leads the Alabama Symphony and Sursum Corda in Purcell’s masterpiece, Dido & Aeneas. Joined by mezzo-soprano Deanne Meek and bass-baritone Douglas Williams, Sursum Corda will sing the part of the chorus, with solos by members of the group. The Baroque opera retells the tragic romance between the Trojan hero and the Queen of Carthage. It has long been considered among the most perfect operas in the English language.
Visit the ASO’s website for more information on the concert and tickets.
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Music 101
Saturday, October 13, 2012 || 6:00 p.m. || Indian Springs School, Birmingham, AL
Sursum Corda will once again join Alabama Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster Daniel Szasz, violin, to perform the program we performed on the ASO’s Concertmaster and Friends concert on September 4, 2012. We will also perform La Petite Vie, an original work by composer David Bloom, co-director of Contemporaneous, a New York-based ensemble of young musicians dedicated to performing new music.
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Alabama Symphony Orchestra – Concertmaster and Friends
Tuesday, September 4, 2012 || 7:30 p.m. || Samford University’s Brock Recital Hall – Homewood, AL
Sursum Corda performed with the ASO’s Concertmaster, Daniel Szasz, featuring works for choral ensemble and strings. Featured on this concert: Eric Whitacre’s Five Hebrew Love Songs and Philip Rhodes’ Three Appalachian Songs. Read the full review of the concert on our Press page.
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Alabama ACDA Summer Celebration
Thursday, July 12, 2012 || 7:00 p.m. || First United Methodist Church – Tuscaloosa, AL
Sursum Corda has been invited to perform at the Alabama Chapter of the American Choral Director’s Association annual “Summer Celebration”. Program TBD. Admission is free.
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Faith, Hope, Life, Love
Thursday, May 3, 2012 || 7:30 p.m. || Canterbury United Methodist Church – Mountain Brook, AL
Come and join us as we perform some wonderful music touching on the themes of Faith, Hope, Life, and Love. Featured on this concert will be Eric Whitacre’s beautiful piece “Faith, Hope, Life, Love” and Leonard Bernstein’s “Missa Brevis” featuring guest soloist Ray Chenez, countertenor. You’ll also hear selections by Johannes Brahms, Francis Poulenc, and many more! Admission is free.
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Sursum Corda at Five
Thursday, November 3, 2011 || 7:30 p.m. || Canterbury United Methodist Church – Mountain Brook, AL
Celebrating five years of music making! This performance will feature some of the choir’s favorite repertoire over the last five years, including pieces by Monteverdi, Josquin and contemporary composers Morten Lauridsen and Frank Ticheli. In addition, Sursum Corda will premiere a new work by Birmingham native David Bloom. Admission is free.
All concerts, unless otherwise specified, will be at Canterbury United Methodist Church || 350 Overbrook Road || Mountain Brook, AL 35213.