photo: Peter Patricelli
The Eugene Concert Choir organization was formed in 1974 and has grown to include the masterworks chorus Eugene Concert Choir, Eugene Concert Orchestra, and chamber choir Eugene Vocal Arts. A Resident Company of the Hult Center for the Performing Arts in Eugene OR, they present an annual concert series of great choral masterworks and diverse artistic experiences, and feature a growing discography of recordings and videos on streaming platforms and their website eugeneconcertchoir.org
Albums
Black is Beautiful
Release Date: February 9, 2024
Catalog Number: NV6599
Catalog Number: NV6599
21st Century
Vocal Music
Choir
Orchestra
BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL from Dr. Diane Retallack and The Eugene Concert Choir is an ode to hope in the face of injustice. This Navona Records release showcases music by Black composers that shed light on the Black experience including two choral masterworks: Seven Last Words of the Unarmed by Joel Thompson and the world premiere recording of Dr. Undine Smith Moore’s oratorio Scenes from the Life of a Martyr.
Thompson’s composition is modeled after Haydn’s The Seven Last Words of Christ; in this work, Joel Thompson quotes the last words of seven unarmed African American men killed by police or authority figures. Moore’s oratorio depicts the life of Martin Luther King, Jr, from birth to carefree childhood, young love, a calling to amplify the voice of his people, the hatred he experienced for his commitment, the grief of his untimely death, and the power of his message.
These works are joined by the world premiere of The Hymn! by Stacey V. Gibbs and an arrangement of Glory from the film Selma by Dr. Eugene Rogers.
