Melodia Women’s Choir, New York’s premier ensemble for women’s choral music conducted by Cynthia Powell, continues its 14th season with Awakening the Spirit in a soaring concert featuring the U.S. premiere of John Rutter’s “Visions.” Written by Rutter as a showcase for violin and choir, “Visions” is a powerful work that examines the spiritual, religious, and historic importance of Jerusalem as a symbol of “a utopian ideal of heavenly peace and seraphic bliss for redeemed humanity” in four movements. Melodia is excited to work with accomplished violin soloist Areta Zhulla, along with harpist Rita Costanzi, and an all-female string quintet.

Also on the program is “The Dancers” from notable Welsh composer Grace Williams (1906-1977), and women’s choral favorite “Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda” by Gustav Holst (1874–1934). “To say that I’m excited about this music would be an understatement,” says Artistic Director Cynthia Powell. “To be able to offer the U.S. premiere of a new work by John Rutter is a thrilling thing in and of itself, but to bring to life the gorgeous choral suite ‘The Dancers’ by Grace Williams.... Add to that the exquisite playing of violinist Areta Zhulla, and we have a knockout concert.”

PERFORMERS
Melodia Women’s Choir led by Cynthia Powell, Areta Zhulla (violin), Rita Costanzi (harp), an all-female string quintet, and Taisiya Pushkar (collaborative pianist)

PROGRAM
John Rutter, "Visions" (U.S. premiere)
Grace Williams, "The Dancers"
Gustav Holst, "Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda"

DETAILS
APRIL 29, 2017 @ 7:30 PM
Church of the Holy Apostles
296 Ninth Ave
(@ 28th Street)
NYC, New York
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2880667

APRIL 30, 2017 @ 3:00 PM
West End Collegiate Church
245 West 77th St
(@ West End Ave)
NYC, New York
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2880783

TICKETS
$20 adv ($25 door)
$15 adv (students & seniors)
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/producer/5998
Tel: 212-757-2945
More at melodiawomenschoir.org

ABOUT MELODIA
With more than a decade of adventurous, fresh and wide-ranging repertoire that offers rarely heard, stylistically diverse works, Melodia has established a reputation as the premier women’s choir of NYC. Called “riveting” by The New York Times and hailed by composers such as Meredith Monk, Hilary Tann and Ronald Perera, Melodia is also committed to nurturing emerging women composers through commissions and performances. Founded by Executive Director Jenny Clarke and Artistic Director Cynthia Powell in 2003, Melodia collaborates with and supports women composers, musicians and performers across a broad musical spectrum.
www.melodiawomenschoir.org

ABOUT ARETA ZHULLA
Praised by the critics for her “rare emotional sensitivity and internal articulation,” Greek violinist Areta Zhulla was recently named “Young Artist of the Year” by the National Critics Association of Music and Drama in Greece, and is a recipient of the Triandi Career Grant as well as the Tassos Prassopoulos Foundation Award. Zhulla has appeared as a soloist, recitalist and chamber musician throughout the United States, Europe, Canada and Asia at many renowned venues such as Carnegie Hall, Auditorium du Louvre, Alice Tully Hall, Kennedy Center, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and National Arts Centre of Canada. aretazhulla.com

ABOUT CYNTHIA POWELL
Cynthia Powell celebrates her 14th season with Melodia. A graduate of Westminster Choir College, she has served on the guest faculty at Sarah Lawrence College, led the St. George’s Choral Society in NYC, and was a guest conductor at the International Choral Festival in Havana, Cuba. She is also the Artistic Director of the Stonewall Chorale, and currently serves as Director of Music and Organist at West End Collegiate Church in NYC, and Organist/Choirmaster of Temple Sinai in Tenafly, NJ. melodiawomenschoir.org/the-choir/