Voices of the World by Copland, Scriabin, Wing Wah, De la (2019/2019), Dirijor Chan Wing Wah, Kemuel Wong, Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, Richmond Hill, Canada

Voices of the World Saturday, June 22, 2019 at 8:00 p.m. Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts In an exclusive concert to cap off the season, the Kindred Spirits Orchestra is united with the voices of the Hong Kong Oratorio Society and the Vancouver Oratorio Society. Russian composer Alexander Scriabin’s first foray in the world of symphonic writing was ambitious to say the least. His six-movement Symphony No. 1 is a lush and dramatic work, which begins with an atmospheric prelude and concludes with a glorious epilogue. The finale is one of the few compositions Scriabin wrote that highlights the human voice. Featuring soloists and a chorus, the composer himself penned the poetic prose which praises the significance and power of Art: “O wonderful image of the divine,
harmony’s pure Art!
 To you we gladly bring
 praise of that rapturous feeling.
 You are life’s bright hope,
 you are celebration, you are respite, 
like a gift you bring to the people
 your enchanted visions”. Expressly written for this very concert, celebrated Chinese composer Chan Wing-Wah bestows Kindred Spirits Orchestra the honour of the world première of his Symphony No. 9 for soloists, choir and orchestra, a large-scale, two-movement piece set on poetic texts in Chinese and English languages. Kristian Alexander | music director Chan Wing-Wah | conductor Kemuel Wong | conductor Stephanie deCiantis | mezzo-soprano Ryan Downey | tenor HONG KONG ORATORIO SOCIETY VANCOUVER ORATORIO SOCIETY Michael Berec | host 7:15 p.m. Prélude (pre-concert recital) 7:30 p.m. Pre-concert talk in the foyer of Richmond Hill Centre Intermission discussion with Michael Berec and Chan Wing-Wah Copland, Fanfare for the Common Man Scriabin, Symphony No. 1, Op. 26 Chan Wing-Wah, Symphony No. 9 (world première)