Arts Global

The elite British professional choir, Tenebrae, embarked on a Swiss concert tour in December. 15 and 16 December brought the ensemble to Le Collégiale de Romont and the Abbaye de Bonmont (pictured right), in Canton Vaud, Switzerland, for Christmas celebration concerts. The historic venues added an immeasurably contemplative quality to the programme, which featured a variety of traditional and modern Christmas works, from composers including Britten, Poulenc and Rutter. Tenebrae is represented and managed by Swiss Global in the United States.

Please click the underlined date to view the concert programme and poster.

Swiss Global continued its association with the Playhouse Project in a two-day Workshop and Performance of various choral works. Representing several schools and community choruses in the South Fork region, approximately 100 musicians ranging in age from 14 to over 70 collaborated on this exciting project.

Foundation Artistic Director Geoffrey Simon led the proceedings and conducted the concert. He drew on many years experience at an international level to create "harmony" from the different abilities of the varied musicians and capture the unique essence of the individual works.

Please click the underlined date for the programme and further information.

“Nobody was left unmoved by Tenebrae's atmospheric and deeply spiritual performance.”
BBC Wiltshire

Wednesday, 21 October at 7:30pm, Church of St. Mary the Virgin, 145 W46, NYC, near Times Square.

Tickets: $45, $25, Students and Seniors $20, Patrons $150, $110 from www.gemsny.org; (212) 866-0468

Click here for more on the Patrons' post-concert Reception at the Harvard Club of New York City.

“Trying to describe the effect of this choir is liable to create a wasteland of superlatives.” Newbury News

The British professional choir Tenebrae performed to rapturous applause Wednesday evening in its New York debut concert. The ensemble, directed by Nigel Short, presented a variety of works for unaccompanied choir, including pieces by Duruflé and Poulenc, medieval chants, and 21st-century compositions. The appreciative audience filled the Times Square venue, namely the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, and enjoyed the solemnity of the candlelit atmosphere.

Festivities continued later at the Harvard Club, where lucky patrons were serenaded by a small group from members of Tenebrae. Musical numbers included Billy Joel and The Beatles! Click on the underlined date to see a large concert photo, and please read the News and Events articles from 21 October for additional information.

On Thursday, May 21 and Friday, May 22, the Playhouse Project, in association with Swiss Global, hosted the 5th Annual Master Class at The Playhouse, located in the heart of East Hampton, New York. The classes, open to middle school and high school students on the South Fork, were led by Artistic Director Geoffrey Simon. Maestro Simon, assisted by the Master Class Panel, selected Elizabeth Oldak voice and Shanna Polley composition as this year's student winners of the Elizabeth Brockman Award in Music. There is one award for Excellence and one award for Promise, and each recipient receives a prize of $1,000. Australian guitarist Simon Powis (pictured right) performed for participants and audience members at the close of each day.

The awards presentation took place at the 5th Annual Playhouse Project Benefit Concert on Saturday, June 13th. The two winning students performed on the same bill with Anonymous 4, the virtuoso a cappella women's quartet. Please click the underlined date to read the press release.

Following the Foundation's recent loan of the treasured Grancino cello (dated 1700) to the Jerusalem Quartet, the dynamic and exciting ensemble performed string quartets of Haydn and Debussy in mid-May. The venue, London's Middle Temple Hall, is a 16th-century structure where Shakespeare's Twelfth Night was first performed.

This event was the Quartet's first performance in the United Kingdom with the new instrument. Swiss Global supported the concert in association with Sir Stanley and Lady Burnton.

Click the underlined date to read the invitation, and please read the 5 April News article which contains further details about the Quartet.

The Playhouse Project, a Swiss Global collaborative artistic organisation based in East Hampton, presented a Preview Concert and Masterclass in New York on 15 March. The masterclass, led by Artistic Director Geoffrey Simon, featured prominent teenage musicians (one as young as 11!), all of whom were past winners of Elizabeth Brockman Awards.

Two Swiss Global roster artists were presented as well: Simon Powis, the superb young Australian guitarist, and Saeunn Thorsteinsdottir cello, our first Icelandic artist and recent addition to the roster.

This Preview Concert and Masterclass heralds the return of the annual Playhouse Project Masterclasses, to be held in May and June the Hamptons (see Future Events). The Preview was held at the Manhattan home of The Playhouse Project's founders, acclaimed film director Mirra Bank and writer and Columbia Medical School Professor Richard Brockman. The informal yet elegant affair was concluded with a buffet dinner. 

Please click the underlined date to view the photos!