As Spring begins to bloom and unfold, PARMA is seeing a number of different projects do the same. This month, featured recording opportunities moved into the production phase, poetic works for chamber ensembles reached the studio, and baroque masterworks made their return to the concert hall. Read on to unveil the inner-workings of PARMA’s April productions.
PARMA kicked off April productions in Maine with the Portland Symphony Orchestra to produce audio and video for the latest installment of their digital concert series. Joined by ChoralArt, USM Chamber Singers, and four featured vocalists, the Orchestra performed St. Matthew Passion, one of the hundreds of sacred pieces Bach wrote during his long tenure as director of church music and cantor of the school at Thomaskirche.
Profound in its complexity and universal in its appeal, the piece is considered by many as one of the greatest works by the Baroque master, and of all Baroque sacred music. The concert is available to stream now through May 20, 2022 on the PSO website.
ChoralArt and USM Chamber Singers performing St. Matthew Passion
Soon after, the production team made their way to Rockport MA’s Shalin Liu Performance Center to work with composer Carl Vollrath on his upcoming album, OLD & NEW POETRY VOL 2. In this follow up to his 2021 Navona Records release, Vollrath continues with his settings of the words of poet William Blake in Songs of Experience, this time featuring tenor Jonas Budris and pianist Yoko Hagino.
The production team closed out this month’s productions overseas in the Czech Republic with the Brno Contemporary Orchestra. The result of a Featured Recording Opportunity that took place at the beginning of 2022, the first round of selected composers had their works recorded at Janáček Theatre’s Recording Studio in Brno, and will be included in an album to be released by Navona Records in Dolby Atmos Immersive Audio.
Brno Contemporary Orchestra
With April in the books and more projects on the way, we’re looking forward to next month’s productions with the Portland Symphony Orchestra, Trio Casals, and more.
