Masterworks 4: The Armed Man

Presented by Wedgwood Insurance

8:00 PM | ST. JOHN'S ARTS AND CULTURE CENTRE | 03.24.2023
CONCERT DETAILS

A descent into war, moments of reflection, and the hope of peace in a new millennium – this is Karl Jenkins’ incredible mass dedicated to the victims of the Kosovo crisis, The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace. In addition to extracts from the Ordinary of the Mass, the text incorporates words from other religious and historical sources, including the Islamic call to prayer, the Bible, and the Mahabharata. Join the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Marc David together with the Philharmonic Choir of the NSO for this moving and important work. Soloists are: Krista Howe-Croke, soprano; Abra Whitney, alto; Jeffrey Taylor, tenor; and Colin Mackey, baritone. Masterworks 4 takes place on Friday March 24, 2023 at the Arts & Culture Centre St. John’s, and is presented by Wedgwood Insurance.

 

About The Philharmonic Choir of the NSO

The Philharmonic Choir of the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra (PCNSO) is a community choir based in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Founded in 1987 as an oratorio choir specifically to perform Handel’s Messiah with the NSO, the PCNSO has broadened itself substantially and now performs several concerts each season with a wide variety of repertoire.  The PCNSO continues to be dedicated to working cooperatively with the NSO to foster and perform symphonic choral music.

About Our Guest Artists

Krista Howe-Croke (soprano) – Krista completed her Bachelor of Music (performance) and Bachelor or Music Education degrees at Memorial University. She also completed a Masters of Music (vocal performance) degree from McGill University in Montreal. Krista spent 2 summers as an artist in residence at the Banff Centre of performing Arts. She has performed in numerous concerts and theatre performances spanning a variety of genres including opera, pop, folk and musical theatre in St. John’s as well as in Montreal and Banff. Her most recent performance credits are with Tada Entertainment’s “Our Diva’s do Christmas”. Krista is a mom of 2 busy boys. She currently teaches classroom music at Elizabeth Park Elementary in Paradise, and private vocal instruction at her home studio in Topsail.

Abra Whitney (alto) – Abra is a very active member of the local arts scene in St. John’s and holds a BMus in Vocal Performance and an MMus in Choral Conducting, both from the University of Alberta. She has been a singer, actor, clinician, conductor, and educator, with recent credits including Chorus Master (Shanawdithit and The Phantom of the Opera) with Opera on the Avalon, Alto Soloist in Handel’s Messiah with the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra (NSO) and has performed in many musical theatre productions, and produced her own shows over the past 10 years. She is the Artistic Director of Aurora Women’s Choir, a member of Projekt Chamber Voices and Lady Cove Women’s Choir, is a Kindermuisk, Voice, and a piano teacher at Intervals Music Studio.

Jeffrey Taylor (tenor) – Jeffrey Taylor, tenor, was born and raised in St. John’s, Newfoundland. He holds a Master of Music in Vocal and Opera Performance from the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, England and earned his Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Memorial University of Newfoundland. While at the RNCM, Jeffrey performed in several concerts, recitals, opera galas, oratorios and operas. Some credits include the roles of Cléon/Pluto in Gluck’s L’ivrogne corrigé, Flute/Thisbe in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a solo recital in Preston, England, an oratorio concert of Buxtehude’s Jesu Mabra Nostil and the Bach Magnificat in the RNCM Concert Hall. He has also twice been the tenor soloist for Handel’s Messiah with the Wigan Choral Society and Chesterfield Choral Society, performed in an opera gala featuring both opera and musical theatre works and a performance of Mozart’s Requiem and Litaniae Lauretanae with the Chesterfield Philharmonic Choir.

While studying at Memorial, Jeffrey sang several opera mainstage roles, Opera RoadShow and chorus roles, including: Ferrando in Mozart’s Così fan tutte. Le théière and Le petit vieillard in Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges, Bill in A Hand of Bridge, Prince Charming in Cinderella, and Renard Bleu in the Opera RoadShow commission, Le nez de la sorcière by Dean Burry. Jeffrey has twice performed with the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra as the tenor soloist for Haydn’s Seven Last Words of Christ and as a soloist in their annual “Big Ticket” benefit concert. Jeffrey maintains a private music studio teaching voice and piano to children and adults of all ages, here in St. John’s. Jeffrey is also a music teacher at the King’s Bridge Montessori School.

Colin Mackey (baritone) – Born and raised in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Colin has found great fulfilment performing in opera, musical theatre, concert, and choral settings. This past spring Colin earned a Master of Music in Opera & Voice from McGill University having attended Memorial University for his undergraduate in Voice Performance. Currently, Colin is located in Toronto where he is pursuing an Artist Diploma at the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory. Recent credits include Minskman in Jonathan Dove’s Flight, Adonis in Venus and Adonis (Glenn Gould School), Dr. Falke in Die Fledermaus (Toronto Operetta Theatre), Bob in Old Maid and the Thief, Zoroastro in Orlando, and Le Director in Les mamelles de Tirésias (Opera McGill). Colin is also fortunate to maintain an active teaching and conducting schedule and recently made his Toronto conducting debut with the St. Michael’s Boy Choir at Massey Hall. Colin is very grateful to be joining the NSO and hopes you enjoy the performance!

 

 

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