True Concord Voices & Orchestra
True Concord Voices & Orchestra™, (our friends call us “True Concord”), was founded in 2004 as Tucson Chamber Artists. In 2015, the organization changed its name to True Concord. On the adoption of our new name, Music Director Eric Holtan explains, “The original 14th century meaning of ‘concord’ is ‘hearts together’. Shakespeare later described the emotional impact of music as ‘true concord’ — something we strive to achieve in our music-making between composer, performer and listener.”
True Concord draws upon the first rank of professional choral and instrumental musicians from around the United States in service of its artistic mission: to enrich lives through the transformational power of classical music. It accomplishes this primarily through the performance of masterworks and the diverse music of America. True Concord’s expanding repertoire includes Bach’s St. John Passion and Mass in B-Minor, Mozart’s Requiem and Mass in C-Minor, Brahms’s Ein deutsches Requiem, and Haydn’s The Creation. Committed to regularly premiering new works by America’s leading and emerging composers, we have commissioned Paul Crabtree, Stephen Paulus, Gerald Near and Ola Gjeilo, and regularly has premiered new works by promising emerging composers.
On September 11, 2015, True Concord will make its New York debut at Lincoln Center performing the Prayers and Remembrances oratorio commissioned in 2011 from the late Stephen Paulus to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks. Coinciding with the performance will be the release of the CD recording of the Paulus work—and other previously unrecorded works by the beloved composer—entitled “Far in the Heavens: Choral Music of Stephen Paulus,” on the Reference Recordings label.
Now in its 12th season, True Concord has quickly become a rising star in the American cultural scene. True Concord’s meteoric rise in the current economic climate is due in part to its immensely popular and unique programming that fuses professional voices and instruments. It is also because of the generous support of our patrons and donors, for which we are thankful.
True Concord Voices & Orchestra Reviews:
“… Most are a cappella and offer a chance to concentrate more on the angelic voices of the True Concord ensemble. … The result is an emotionally and spiritually evocative experience that has the power not only to assuage grief, but to uplift the soul.” —David Maurer, Culture Spot LA
“The choral singing is superb, as it is throughout this first-rate production, and in the accompanied selections the orchestra acquits itself equally well. True Concord Voices and its conductor Eric Holtan truly had a special relationship with Stephen Paulus and his music, and one couldn’t ask for more authoritative, caring, or musically refined advocates. Anyone wishing to get to know–or to know better–this very fine and sorely missed composer should be sure not to miss this.” —David Vernier, ClassicsToday
“… abundantly lyric, soothingly consonant works…True Concord’s…vocal blend gilds the unaccompanied works especially with a halo of resonance.” —Alexander Coghlan, Gramophone
“The performances are excellent and the recorded sound quite good. This disc is a must for every library of American music or for anyone who delights in hearing great verse beautifully set to music.” —Rad Bennett
“Congratulations to the True Concord Voices and Orchestra for living up to the ideals of their name and for the wonderful performance” —Jeffrey Williams, New York Concert Review