BCI brings a free concert of Haydn and African-American spirituals to Seattle on Saturday, June 24, 2023

Berkshire Choral International brings one of its signature singing weeks to Seattle’s University of Washington in June 2023. 100 singers from across the world will attend an intensive week of rehearsals under the leadership of acclaimed conductor Rollo Dilworth. The week culminates with a free public concert on Saturday, June 24 at 7:30 pm at UW’s Meany Center for the Performing Arts.

The concert, led by Rollo Dilworth, will feature Haydn’s exquisitely crafted Paukenmesse (Mass in the Time of War), paired with the conductor’s gospel-hued choral-orchestral arrangements of African-American spirituals and an original work, Freedom’s Plow, commissioned by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. Dilworth calls it “a song of freedom, hope, and inspiration that celebrates the contributions of African Americans to the American musical landscape.”

Other spirituals on the program include My Soul’s Been Anchored in The Lord arranged by Florence Price; Let Us Break Bread Together arranged by Moses Hogan; and Take Me to the Water, No Ways Tired, and Walk in Jerusalem, all arranged by Dilworth. These works will speak to each other across the centuries about the challenges of living through conflict and the quest for peace. The Northwest Sinfonietta will join the program along with a distinguished quartet of vocal soloists. Tickets for the program are free, but advance reserved tickets are recommended. Tickets may be reserved online at https://bit.ly/BCISeattle.

Dr. Rollo Dilworth is Professor of Choral Music Education and Vice Dean of the Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts at Temple University. He has published more than 150 compositions and arrangements and is a frequent presenter at local, state, regional and national festivals and conferences. Vocal soloists for the program include Soprano Kimberly Eileen Jones; Meg Bragle, Mezzo-Soprano; Cornelius Johnson, Tenor; and Enrico Lagasca, bass-baritone.

Complete Program Listing: