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Requiem for the People, a new work by Santa Clara University Composition Professor Dr. Pamela Layman Quist, will be premiered by the Santa Clara Chorale, the Santa Clara University Choral Ensembles, and the Mission Chamber Orchestra on Friday, June 2, 2006 at 8:00p.m. in the Mission Church. This twenty-five minute work for chorus and orchestra was commissioned by the Santa Clara Chorale following an invitation from the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra to perform in the Dvorak Festival in Prague, Czech Republic.
“It’s a thrill to be premiering this marvelous work here and in Europe,” said Thomas Colohan, director of both the Santa Clara Chorale and the Santa Clara University Choral Ensembles, who will be touring with Requiem for the People later in June. “The work is sophisticated and gorgeous, and the singers absolutely love singing this piece. Dr. Quist has made a significant contribution to the choral repertoire.”
Starting with an accompanied soprano solo, Requiem for the People developed into an intricate, six-movement form inspired by personal events combined with the public tragedy of September 11, 2001. “Requiem for the People addresses a range of universal spiritual thought and human emotion, and I intend for this work to have meaning for a diverse listening audience,” explains Dr. Quist. “Each movement contains a dedication to a different group of people whose lives and deaths have held great significance for us in varying ways.”
An accomplished composer and teacher, Dr. Quist describes the compositional process as “a bit like describing why one decided to give birth to a child. Some creations are dreamt of and planned—some just happen. Both kinds are blessings.” In addition to her work at SCU, Dr. Quist co-founded the Walden School, a summer school and music festival for young composers. She received her education at the Peabody Conservatory of Music, and in 1984, received a Doctoral degree in music composition from Johns Hopkins University.
Dr. Quist’s compositions from recent years include Revival for guitarist, Bryce Dessner (2004); Ice Dance for Clogs (2003); Rune for cello and piano (2000); Caelestis formam gloriae, a choral work with string quartet commissioned for Transfiguration Sunday (1999); and Dyad for oboe/english horn and piano (1998). Her most performed work to date remains the 1996 solo piano work Homage.
Tickets to the premiere performance of Requiem for the People range $6-$20, and can be purchased at the door, by calling the Santa Clara Chorale box office at 408-369-1289, or online at www.scc.org. The concert will also include Mozart's Mass in C minor “The Great,” in celebration of Mozart's 250th birthday. This project was supported in part by the Santa Clara University Center of Performing Arts, and a Thomas Terry Teaching Grant awarded by Santa Clara University. On the web at www.scu.edu/music.
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