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Dear Kent,
Kent’s 2023-24 season offers an abundant variety of choral experiences and treats for organ fans: milestone seasons of his two choruses, the Oratorio Society of New York and Musica Sacra, and a solo turn in Saint-Saëns’s “Organ” Symphony with the New York Philharmonic!
The 150th season of the Oratorio Society of New York presents choral masterpieces at Carnegie Hall, the organization’s home since 1891: Bach’s Magnificat and Mozart’s Requiem (November 6, 2023), Handel’s Messiah (December 18, 2023), and Handel’s Samson (May 6, 2024). There will also be a special sesquicentennial program: a concert featuring the choral movements of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, as well as a contemporary work to be announced, at St. Bartholomew’s Church (March 5, 2024).
To launch the 60th season of Musica Sacra, Kent introduces a new program concept site-specific to the Cathedral of St. John the Divine: “SurRound,” where the audience will be surrounded by a kaleidoscope of sound as singers move through the candlelit atmosphere of the Cathedral’s magical spaces surrounding the Great Choir (October 17, 2023).
Kent leads Musica Sacra’s annual holiday performance of Handel’s Messiah at Carnegie Hall (December 20, 2023), and the ensemble’s spring concert, a Baroque program of two signature works: the 17th-century German-language requiem Musikalische Exequien of Heinrich Schütz and Handel’s virtuosic Latin psalm setting Dixit Dominus (March 19, 2024).
The professional Cathedral Choir of St. John the Divine is joined by the Cathedral Choristers, the volunteer Cathedral Chorale, and Cathedral Orchestra for the annual “Joy of Christmas” concert (December 9, 2023), and the Cathedral Choir and Orchestra headline the annual New Year’s Eve Concert for Peace, hosted by Harry Smith (December 31, 2023). A program that showcases the Cathedral’s formidable choral forces features Mozart’s Coronation Mass and Bruckner’s Te Deum (April 20, 2024). And the latest collaboration between the Cathedral Choir and the period/world music ensemble Rose of the Compass is “This Magic Earth,” which will take place under the Cathedral’s art installation “Divine Pathways” (April 9, 2024).
This fall brings treats for organ fans: Kent will play a recital at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine (September 24, 2023) and be the featured soloist in four performances of Saint-Säens’s “Organ” Symphony with the New York Philharmonic (November 9-12, 2023). And to launch the season, he performs organ recitals in Amenia, NY (September 9, 2023), and at Grace United Methodist Church in Spencer, Iowa, less than 20 miles from his hometown of Spirit Lake (September 20, 2023). (The Great Organ of St. John the Divine, which was damaged by fire in 2019, will be re-installed in the spring of 2024 and celebrated with a series of recitals next season.)
See the details of all these events and more in the schedule below – and click the links to buy tickets, all on sale now!
For Kent’s full season schedule, click here for his website calendar.
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Saturday, September 9, 3:30 PM
The Smithfield Church
Amenia, NY
KENT TRITLE, organ
DIETERICH BUXTEHUDE Prelude, Fugue and Chaconne, BuxWV 137
EUGENE HANCOCK Fantasy
DIETERICH BUXTEHUDE Praeludium in G Minor, BuxWV 149
CHARLES D. COLEMAN Passacaglia (from Organ Sonata I: Dedicated to Eugene Hancock)
J.S. BACH Selections from Orgelbüchlein
J.S. BACH Concerto in D Minor, BWV 596
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Wednesday, September 20, 6:30 PM
Grace United Methodist Church
Spencer, IA
KENT TRITLE, organ
DIETERICH BUXTEHUDE Prelude, Fugue and Chaconne, BuxWV 137
EUGENE HANCOCK Fantasy
DIETERICH BUXTEHUDE Praeludium in G Minor, BuxWV 149
CHARLES D. COLEMAN Passacaglia (from Organ Sonata I: Dedicated to Eugene Hancock)
J.S. BACH Concerto in D Minor, BWV 596
FELIX MENDELSSOHN Sonata IV in B-flat Major, Op. 65
MARCEL DUPRÉ Prelude and Fugue in G Minor, Op. 7
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Sunday, September 24, 5 PM
Cathedral of St. John the Divine
New York, NY
KENT TRITLE, organ
DANIEL PINKHAM A Prophecy
J.S. BACH Concerto in D Minor, BWV 596 (after Antonio Vivaldi)
EUGENE HANCOCK Fantasy
CHARLES D. COLEMAN Passacaglia (from Organ Sonata I: Dedicated to Eugene Hancock)
MARCEL DUPRÉ Prelude and Fugue in G Minor, Op. 7
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Tuesday, October 17, 7:30 PM
Cathedral of St. John the Divine
New York, NY
MUSICA SACRA
“SurRound”
Kent Tritle, conductor
“SurRound” explores the vast acoustical possibilities of the Cathedral with a cappella treasures from chant and medieval music to contemporary works. Seated in the Cathedral’s Great Choir, audience members will experience sound from every possible acoustical vantage point: the east and west ends of the Cathedral, above, around and within the candlelit Great Choir.
WILLIAM BYRD “Christie, qui lux es”
ANTONIO LOTTI “Crucifixus”
PABLO CASALS “O Vos Omnes”
FLORENCE PRICE “Resignation”
JOHN TAVENER “Funeral Ikos”
BENJAMIN BRITTEN “Hymn to the Virgin”
CARLOTTA FERRARI “Songs for Hildegard”
DAVID LANG “make peace”
ERIC WHITACRE “Nox Aurumque”
ROBERT A. HARRIS “How can I keep from singing? “
Trad. American folk song, arr. Erb “Shenandoah”
Gregorian chant
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Monday, November 6, 7 PM
Carnegie Hall
New York, NY
ORATORIO SOCIETY OF NEW YORK
Kent Tritle, conductor
Laquita Mitchell, soprano
Lucia Bradford, mezzo-soprano
Eric Carey, tenor
Adam Lau, bass
J.S. BACH Magnificat
W.A. MOZART Requiem
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November 9-12, 2023
David Geffen Hall
New York, NY
NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC
Stéphane Denève, conductor
Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider,violin
Kent Tritle, organ
CARLOS SIMON Fate Now Conquers
L.V. BEETHOVEN Violin Concerto
CAMILLE SAINT-SÄENS Symphony No. 3, “Organ”*
*Kent Tritle is the organist of the New York Philharmonic.
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Saturday, December 9, 7 PM
Cathedral of St. John the Divine
New York, NY
CATHEDRAL CHOIRS AND ORCHESTRA OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE
“THE JOY OF CHRISTMAS: PEACE ON EARTH”
Kent Tritle & Bryan Zaros, conductors
Music by Amy Beach, Franz Biebl, and Hannah Kendall, J.S. Bach’s Gloria in Excelsis, and Christmas carols sung by all.
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December 12-16, 2023
David Geffen Hall
New York, NY
NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC
Fabio Biondi, conductor
Hera Hyesang Park, soprano
Hannah Ludwig, alto
John Matthew Myers, tenor
Joshua Conyers, baritone
Handel and Haydn Society Chorus,
Jonathan Cohen, Artistic Director
G.F. HANDEL Messiah
Kent Tritle is the organist of the New York Philharmonic.
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Monday, December 18, 7 PM
Carnegie Hall
New York, NY
ORATORIO SOCIETY OF NEW YORK
Kent Tritle, conductor
Kathryn Lewek, soprano
Daniel Moody, countertenor
Martin Bakari, tenor
John Brancy, baritone
G.F. HANDEL Messiah
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Wednesday, December 20, 7:30 PM
Carnegie Hall
New York, NY
MUSICA SACRA
Kent Tritle, conductor
Susanna Phillips, soprano
Clifton Massey, countertenor
Steven Wilson, tenor
Joseph Parrish, bass-baritone
G.F. HANDEL Messiah
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Sunday, December 31, 7:30 PM
Cathedral of St. John the Divine
New York, NY
CATHEDRAL CHOIR AND ORCHESTRA OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE
“NEW YEAR’S EVE CONCERT FOR PEACE: HEARTS, HANDS AND FORGOTTEN VOICES”
Harry Smith, host
Kent Tritle and Bryan Zaros, conductors
CAROLINE SHAW “To the Hands”
NICHOLAS CLINE “She took his hands”
STANLEY GRILL “Voices of Afghanistan” (World premiere)
The program will also include music of J. S. Bach, and African American spirituals arranged by Adolphus Hailstork and Marques L.A. Garrett, concluding with “This Little Light of Mine,” sung by all.
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Tuesday, March 5, 7 PM
St. Bartholomew’s Church
New York, NY
ORATORIO SOCIETY OF NEW YORK
150th ANNIVERSARY CONCERT
Kent Tritle, conductor
Susanna Phillips, soprano
Heather Petrie, contralto
Joshua Blue, tenor
Tyler Duncan, baritone
David Briggs, organ
L.V. BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 9, finale: “Ode to Joy” (arr. David Briggs)
GUSTAV MAHLER Symphony No., 2, “Resurrection,” choral finale (arr. David Briggs)
Work to be announced
This special program features the choral finales of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2 and Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 transcribed for chorus and organ by David Briggs, and a work to be announced resulting from a call for scores by the OSNY.
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Tuesday, March 19, 7:30 PM
Cathedral of St. John the Divine
New York, NY
MUSICA SACRA
SCHÜTZ & HANDEL
Kent Tritle, conductor
Elisse Albian and Emily Donato, sopranos
Kirsten Sollek, contralto
Richard Pittsinger, tenor
Nathaniel Sullivan, bass-baritone
Joseph Beutel, bass-baritone
Musica Sacra Chorus & Orchestra
HEINRICH SCHÜTZ Musikalische Exequien
G.F. HANDEL Dixit Dominus
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Tuesday, April 9, 7:30 PM
Cathedral of St. John the Divine
New York, NY
CATHEDRAL CHOIR OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE
ROSE OF THE COMPASS
“THIS MAGIC EARTH”
Kent Tritle and Bryan Zaros, conductors
Through the world and early music instrumentation of Rose of the Compass — recorder, oud, kanun, percussion and cello — combined with the voices of the Cathedral Choir, this celebration of our Planet Earth takes place under the Cathedral’s art installation “Divine Pathways.” Music spanning over 1,000 years illuminates and illustrates kingdoms animal and mineral, verdant and elemental.
Rose of the Compass: Nina Stern, recorder; Ara Dinkjian, oud; Tamer Pinarbasi, kanun; Glen Velez, percussion; Arthur Fiacco, cello
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Saturday, April 20, 7:30 PM
Cathedral of St. John the Divine
New York, NY
CATHEDRAL CHOIRS AND ORCHESTRA OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE
Kent Tritle, conductor
Eva Martinez, soprano
Kirsten Sollek, contralto
Paul D’Arcy, tenor
Joseph Beutel, baritone
W.A. MOZART Coronation Mass, K. 317
ANTON BRUCKNER Te Deum
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Monday, May 6, 7 PM
Carnegie Hall
New York, NY
ORATORIO SOCIETY OF NEW YORK
Kent Tritle, conductor
Nola Richardson, soprano
Mary Beth Nelson, mezzo-soprano
Lawrence Jones, tenor
Sidney Outlaw, baritone
Joseph Beutel, bass-baritone
G.F. HANDEL Samson
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May 23 & 28, 2024
David Geffen Hall
New York, NY
NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC
Jaap van Zweden, conductor
Amanda Forsythe, soprano
Cecelia Hall, mezzo-soprano
Nicholas Phan, tenor
Michael Sumuel, bass-baritone
Antoine Tamestit, viola
Musica Sacra,
Kent Tritle, director
SOFIA GUBAIDULINA Viola Concerto
W.A. MOZART Requiem*
*Kent Tritle is the organist of the New York Philharmonic.
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May 28 – June 2, 2024
David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center
New York, NY
NEW YORK CITY BALLET
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Musica Sacra, Kent Tritle, director, is featured in performances of Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
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