Eric Whitacre | The Sacred Veil Los Angeles Master Chorale 1 The Sacred Veil 1 The Veil Opens 6.40 Eric Whitacre 2 In a Dark and Distant Year 2.19 Text by Charles Anthony Silvestri, 3 Home 4.48 Julia Lawrence Silvestri & Eric Whitacre 4 Magnetic Poetry 6.30 5 Whenever There is Birth 3.36 6 I’m Afraid 5.17 7 I Am Here 2.23

Los Angeles Master Chorale 8 Delicious Times 5.20 Grant Gershon Artistic Director 9 One Last Breath 1.40 Lisa Edwards Piano 10 Dear Friends 3.17 Jeffrey Zeigler Cello 11 You Rise, I Fall 10.00 Eric Whitacre Conductor 12 Child of Wonder 4.44

The Sacred Veil was commissioned and recorded by the Los Angeles Total timings (music) 56.40 Master Chorale, co-commissioned by Monash Academy of Performing Arts MLIVE and NTR ZaterdagMatinee for Netherlands Radio Choir. 13 Interview with Eric Whitacre and Charles Anthony Silvestri 22.55

www.signumrecords.com

2 3 Foreword Grant Gershon Los Angeles Master Chorale, Artistic Director

As I write these words in early April engage in material that is this “close to of 2020, hospitals across large parts of the bone” emotionally, and I’m in awe of the world are in the midst of enormous everyone involved in this project. Just as tragedy and heartbreak. There are Eric and Tony wrote music and poetry of countless stories in the news of families uncompromising honesty, so too did the confronting loss and dealing with the singers of the LA Master Chorale, pianist fragility of life. Of course for so many of Lisa Edwards and cellist Jeffrey Zeigler us, the reality of losing cherished ones to bare their souls in these sessions. To all of the slow and sometimes lurching process them, and to everyone behind the scenes, of disease has been a part of our lives. I am profoundly grateful. I hope that their The veil that separates us from those empathy, humanity and artistry will reach we love is both sacred and inevitable. every listener and give comfort and clarity in times of distress. For the artists who gave voice to Eric and Tony’s (Charles Anthony Silvestri) creation on this recording, the experience of sharing The Sacred Veil has been cathartic and heart-wrenching. We as musicians are rarely called upon to

4 5 After a long while, ten years or so, I was as separated as I had felt. Our loved ones finally in a place where I could process what who have died stand so close to us. I had experienced, what Julie’s death had I brought this poem with me to Los meant to me, and what I had learned after Angeles to share at a family funeral, and Introduction all this time. My friends had encouraged I stayed in the home of my friend Eric me to write poetry about it, poetry that was Charles Anthony Silvestri Whitacre. I don’t know what possessed authentic, that came from a deep, personal me to leave a copy of the poem on Eric’s place. And so, with their support I began piano as I left for the cemetery, but I did What if our departed loved ones are not our guiding star. Julie was a gentle soul, but to experiment with writing about my grief, so. Perhaps I just wanted to share with my truly gone, but are closer than we think? with a tenacious and stubborn spirit, and gingerly touching that place in my heart, friend the little bit of catharsis I had found How can we mourn those we have lost she approached her diagnosis with grit and still tender after all this time, and exploring in it; perhaps I secretly wanted him to while still moving forward? We have determination to survive. She had always the deeper caverns of my emotions. consider setting it. Eric quickly found the all experienced the loss, in one way or wanted to be a mother; and now with the One of the earliest poems I wrote was music beneath the words, and the journey another, of someone or something we fulfilment of that dream all around her, she a reflection about birth, death, and eternity, toward this recording began. have loved deeply. How do we know faced the anguish of leaving her babies and which was the product of all the reflection, when it’s time to move forward? resolved to beat this disease. Throughout the entire process Eric was all the processing, all the spiritual struggle The Sacred Veil represents a journey more than a creative collaborator. He was But in spite of all her efforts and prayers, to find my way back to a solid place to toward the answers to these questions. my friend, my brother, my confidant, my cancer touched our family like it does to so stand in a universe with God in it. Many journeys, really. Working with confessor, my advocate, my voice when many, and took her away. Understandably I began to understand things differently, Eric to create The Sacred Veil has become I could not speak. I don’t think I could I was angry for a long time—at myself, for contemplating what Julie might be a significant part of my journey toward have explored those deepest places in not doing more to save her; at Julie for experiencing now, having crossed the veil healing and wholeness after great loss. my soul without his guidance and gentle leaving me to raise our kids without her; into eternity. It was comforting to realize encouragement. The music he created My wife, Julie (Julia Lawrence Silvestri), at God, for His cruel silence in the face of all that from her perspective, where time and cradles and embraces the text in the most died in May 2005 after a long battle with our prayers. I grieved, and mourned her loss, space have no meaning, she and I and our loving and respectful way. ovarian cancer, just a few days shy of her to be sure. But I had children to raise, and a children are already together, and have 36th birthday, leaving me and our two small demanding job. I couldn’t touch the deepest always been. That veil between here and The process took several years and children to navigate the world without her, places of my grief. At least not yet. And there is always very close, and we are not demanded that I read for the first time I certainly could not write poetry about it. 6 7 since her death Julie’s journals, her email creative journeys I have attempted. We blog, her medical records, and other all have pain. We all have experienced writing. I discovered (or, rediscovered) loss. We all long for catharsis and closure, what a deep and thoughtful writer she even as we grieve. What I have found was, how much she cared for me and is that through hard work and time the the kids, and how frightened her illness old wounds do close; but they leave made her, in spite of her powerful faith. scars behind. Those scars are powerful Reading these relics of her inner life was talismans, evidence that we loved—and the most challenging part of the process still love—those we have lost. Oh, but they for me, reopening all the old wounds and are not lost; their journey continues. The encouraging a new, deeper catharsis. I am Veil is thin. They stand so close, just there, very proud that her voice is included in just on the other side of eternity. this work. Encountering her voice again also reminded me what a deep honor it is to have loved, to have become so intimate with someone that theirs is the hand you hold when you experience the most intense and sacred moments of your life: birth and death, those moments when the two sides of eternity mingle. Those moments are all here in this work: love, life, loss, anguish and, eventually, acceptance, peace, and welcoming home. The Sacred Veil represents the deepest, most personal of all the lyric poetry I have written, and the most intense of all the

8 9 I think when you say the line the first entire movements would ‘cross’ the veil, time, “Whenever birth or death”, there often times up a third or down a third. is a sense of anticipation created in the And I knew that Julie’s theme would be based word-machine of the mind. What is the on three notes starting on middle C, up a On the Music next line? How will this idea unfold? third to E flat, then back down again to C. Eric Whitacre If the line is repeated again, the mind Thus, the very first sound we hear is the instantly recognizes it as a pattern. So, the solo piano playing Julie’s theme, middle C sense of anticipation shifts, and now there is He had been staying with me in Los (the veil) up a minor third, and a minor 1 The Veil Opens a more alert, more curious part of the mind Angeles for a few days, visiting, and had third down. We hear that little motive that looks for the pattern to be confirmed. Whenever there is birth or death, left early in the morning for his Aunt’s three times in a row; after that the cello The sacred veil between the worlds funeral. He left this poem sitting on my When spoken a third time, the pattern is gently enters on a middle C, marking the Grows thin and opens slightly up, piano, so first thing upon waking I saw it. confirmed, and I think we then feel a sense formal introduction of the ‘veil’. The cello Just long enough for Love to slip, I sat down at the piano and immediately of completion of the idea — there is no ‘leaves’ the ‘veil’ middle C three times, each Silent, either in or out began composing. If I recall correctly, reason to go on, because the pattern, time a higher note (further and further Of this our fragile, fleeting world, I had set about half of this by the time and thus the idea, is complete. from the veil, but each time being pulled Whence or whither a new home waits. he returned that afternoon. back into it). And our beloved ones draw near, I knew then that this was my ‘golden brick’ In rapt anticipation, or I remember reading the poem for the first — my essential idea that would hold the Then the choir enters with “Whenever In weary gratitude, they stand; time and repeating the first phrase over entire piece together. So, I began to build. there is birth or death”, repeated three and over, savoring it. After a moment times. The final repetition is voiced Our loved ones stand so close, right here, I knew that I would repeat texts and phrases I was already seeing the grand structures slightly differently at the end, designed Just on the other side three times every time I wanted to meditate built deep into Tony’s poetry. to complete the ‘island’ but to also create Of Eternity. on an idea, to ‘formalize’ the poetry and anticipation for the next line. This pattern — Charles Anthony Silvestri Try saying these three identical lines out to create a sense of stasis in the music. loud, one after the other: continues throughout the movement, I decided early on that the ‘veil’ would be always pulling the musical material back These are the very first words Tony Whenever there is birth or death, represented by a middle C (the third letter to the ‘veil note’ of middle C. showed me. Whenever there is birth or death, of the alphabet), and that moments or even Whenever there is birth or death. 10 11 2 In a Dark and Distant Year In 2008 — the same year Julie died — Tony As I began to set the poem to music, his We had a long phone conversation, and celebrated his 40th birthday. I wrote him word “wand’rer” immediately resonated as we spoke, I asked him to tell me about In a dark and distant year, a poem for the occasion and read it to him with me, so I constructed the music so that the day itself. Tony told me how it was A wand’rer ancient and austere, over dinner. (I think I also gave him a it ‘wanders’ from key to key to key. The their second date, they were sitting having He surrounds himself with books he’s bottle of wine from 1965, the year he was men begin in unison and then blossom a daytime picnic, overlooking the Pacific never read. born). Amazingly, neither of us can find open to four parts, painting the idea of Ocean. He said he remembered looking at He was a child then, the world inside the poem I wrote for him, but I was able the wand’rer adventuring and growing. her while she was talking and that a single his head. to remember the first stanza: It finally ends with the women’s voices thought filled his mind as he watched her He would often wonder, “Who In a dark and distant year, (Julie) descending and the men ascending speaking: “You feel like home.” When he Could love a dreamer such as you?” When I was young and full of fear, (Tony), merging on a middle C (back to told me that I said, “That’s it”, knowing home And so he trusted no one’s shadow I was called to fight a war that was not mine; our veil note) on the word “ ”. that was all the poetry we needed for this but his own. I was a child then, movement. (And, I think, all the poetry He was a fool then, and he was all alone. And I was thirty-nine. 3 Home we could possibly wish for when someone else loves us). Then quite to his surprise, As we began to build The Sacred Veil, You feel like home. The movement also quotes a piece I had Passing there before his eyes, movement by movement, I realized that — Charles Anthony Silvestri written just a few years earlier, a setting of A girl unlikely, gently laughing we needed to hear Tony’s story as well. e.e. cummings’ i carry your heart. I liked the by the shore. And I knew that Tony, one of the most This was the third movement we wrote. idea of taking a musical motive from my She had unlocked his heart and modest and humble men I know, would I asked Tony, very simply, to write about the idea of aspirational love (i carry your heart) let his spirit soar! have a hard time writing about himself. moment he first knew he was in love. He and placing it in the context of real love And on that golden, hopeful day So, I gave him the task of writing a new sent me several pages of poetry, beautiful, (Tony and Julie’s). The boy was bold enough to say, poem with the exact structure of my delicate memories; but as with everything “Come, hold my deepest secrets here original stanza and asked him to write in this piece I wanted it to be as simple and among the foam; about himself in the third person, as if compact as possible, hoping to illuminate all You are the world to me, and you… he were an ancient troubadour telling that emotional information with minimal, you feel like home.” a love story to a king and his court. elegant gestures, both music and words. Tony came back to me with this — Charles Anthony Silvestri beautiful poem, just perfect.

12 13 4 Magnetic Poetry had made from those poetry magnets you buy and then stick on the refrigerator. The enormous need At the time they were really trying to have Egg-ache whispers urging their first child, and it wasn’t going as Moon wind chanting like sweet languid honey easily as they had hoped. Julie had written Sleep-swimming through sweaty summer the poem on the refrigerator and then Dream mists later wrote it down in one of her journals. The delirious girl When Tony sent it to me, I was Woman goddess thunderstruck by the poem. In fact, if I’m Not yet a mother honest, this is one of my favorite pieces But the spring life force is so near of poetry I’ve ever read. The imagery is What a bare symphony here so specific, from the “egg-ache” that Julie I recall our gorgeous moments together must have been feeling, to her own Beneath my heaving peach skin worries that she wasn’t conceiving “what Essential you a bare symphony here”, and her dream of Like some diamond gift incubating finally getting pregnant “like some diamond In love gift incubating”. More than that, I felt like — Julia Lawrence Silvestri I could hear Julie in those few words, her true character leaping off the page. “The As Tony and I got further into the creation delirious girl, woman goddess” is so Julie, of the piece we began to talk about how nice at least the Julie I knew well. it would be to include Julie’s voice in it. Julie The construction musically is fairly simple was a terrific writer — smart, sharp — and – literally two chords slowly alternating she had left behind dozens of pages in the back and forth. The first chord is a variation form of diary entries, journals and blog posts. on the fate theme. The second chord is As Tony was sorting through a box of her the chord we will hear much later on in pages, he found this ‘poem’, one that Julie movement 11, ‘You Rise, I Fall’ on the 14 15 words “you rise”. The cello plays a version 6 I’m Afraid bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, the awareness of your cancer was always of the notes from movement three, ‘Home’, paraaortic lymphadenectomy there, buzzing just below the surface symbolizing their future child, dreamed I’m afraid we found something... Bone scans in sacrum, left ilium, right of every conscious thought. about and made in a union of pure love. [Fifteen centimeter retroperitoneal cystic acetabulum I imagined that from the moment you mass with complex internal septation... metastasis... learned of the cancer an internal clock The patient is a twenty-eight-year-old metastasis... 5 Wherever There is Birth would begin to tick, a race against time, white female, primagravida, in the third metastasis...] This movement was meant to convey the trimester of pregnancy.] a countdown of remaining minutes, an tender wonder of childbirth. The cello I’m afraid we found something... ever-present wheel of anxiety turning I’m afraid we found something... playing the theme to the musical setting I’m afraid we found something... and turning and turning. To musically [Pathology confirms grades I, II, and III of the first words “whenever there is I’m afraid. represent this, I simply took Julie’s three mucinous cystic adenocarcinoma with birth or death”. And now we hear the note theme (the C up to the E flat and back focal carcinosarcoma consistent with — Charles Anthony Silvestri progression of those bending chords down to the C) and repeated it over and ovarian primary. that will later be heard in “laughter” over, a sort of humming motor of anxiety. Recommend six cycles Taxol and I remember talking to Tony about that in movement 8, ‘Delicious Times’, and Carboplatin...] moment the doctor walks in and says, Each time we hear the words “I’m afraid finally the last breaths in movement “I’m afraid we found something.” Tony we found something”, the women’s choir 11 ‘You Rise, I Fall’. I’m afraid we’ve found something... told me there is your entire life before that is divided into three notes, with the first [...Two left adnexal cysts and a septated In the middle section the cello quotes moment, and your entire life afterwards. three syllables (“I’m afraid”) sung as a triplet. right adnexal cyst...] another piece I wrote, When David Heard, The moment of learning you have cancer The introduction of the cancer theme playing the theme “O my son, O Absalom I’m afraid we’ve found something... becomes a central dividing pillar in all of is portrayed by the mutation of the third: my son.” It is quoted not as a sorrowful [...Exploratory laparotomy and excision of your memories. a minor third against a major third. moment, as it is in When David Heard, bilateral ovarian dermoids...] Over the years I have heard people talk I was struck when Tony sent me the but rather the sound of deepest love I’m afraid we’ve found something... about their cancer journey and they would from parent to child. diagnosis how much of the medical [...Uterus, tubes, sacral pain... ovaries... often say that once they received the language is still in Greek and Latin. recurrent, recurrent, recurrent...] diagnosis of cancer it was ‘always with To me it gave it a kind of sacredness, them’. Every moment of the day, whether [Exploratory laparotomy, an almost liturgical quality. And much the happy, sad, banal, sleepy, just waking up — total abdominal hysterectomy, way a liturgical text in Latin is perceived

16 17 by the listener — in this case Julie and 7 I Am Here Tony receiving the diagnosis — it sounds monolithic, dreadful, and unintelligible. This movement was meant to be the sound of the moments after Julie was I have been told that every patient diagnosed. As the three-note chord of eventually becomes an expert in their own “I’m afraid” hangs over, the piano enters cancer treatment. But I imagine that when on an E major chord. (E major because you are first told in stark medical terms of the mutated third of the cancer theme, what you have, and what the treatment a third above the veil). will be, the words come at you like a wall of sound, unintelligible and dreadful. And Then the cello plays the “Whenever there I imagined that sitting in that small room, is birth or death” theme three times, the hearing the diagnosis, the only word third time rising to a cry of anger and that every single person would recognize despair. Then we hear Julie’s theme three would be “metastasis”, and the force of times, slowly picking up the pieces of her that would shatter around you like shards life and finding her feet. of broken glass. Imagining all of this I constructed the 8 Delicious Times entire movement so that as the diagnosis My hair started to fall out at precisely 1:00 unfolds there is a slowly dawning on my birthday. realization, the sheer horror of the By Thursday it was making a terrible mess, information becoming more and more so the kids helped me shave off whatever was clear. As the movement finally ends, left. They’d pick up my hair from the ground I shortened the phrase “I’m afraid we and slap it on my head and say, “You need found something” to reveal the simple truth more hair!” and they would laugh and laugh. of the moment: “I’m afraid.” Then at bath time I wore my wig, and they would beg me to take it off and put it back on again – they howled with laughter. 18 19 At bedtime, when my little one plays with my these moments with them — the fear, From the shore he sees his bride 10 Dear Friends hair, she just stroked my head and said, “It’s so the uncertainty, for yourself, for them, As she fights hard against the tide. soft and clean!” She says, “Mommy, your hair for your family. He swears a sacred vow that every Dear friends: tonight I feel that I must ask went bye-bye but it’ll be back soon!” I was most loved one keeps. you to pray. In the middle of the moment, the cello worried about her because she loves my hair He steels himself, again quotes When David Heard, only this I just got out of the hospital tonight and so much, but she is just fine! Takes one last breath, and leaps. time I add Julie’s three note theme to the I received some bad news. The scan showed Today I visited my oldest at school and he end of it. It is meant to musically symbolize — Eric Whitacre that I had numerous liver and peritoneal shouted, “Hey everybody! My mom has a the love a parent has for their child, the metastases. My doctor said this meant I most wig!” He was the star of the class as all the deepest possible love. As a parent myself, I really struggled with whether or not likely had about two months to live. kindergarten stared, open-mouthed, in I believe there really ought to be another to insert my own poetry — my ‘voice’ — I am now asking you to pray as you have wonderment. It’s been a very funny week. word than ‘love’ for the way we feel about into the narrative of the piece. Ultimately, never prayed before. Please don’t pray that The kids have been amazing, and we’ve children. ‘Love’ really isn’t enough. I decided to do it, because having known I will have a peaceful death. Please don’t feel had some really delicious times together. Tony for nearly thirty years I knew that he pity for me. Just pray hard. Pray that I will — Julia Lawrence Silvestri 9 One Last Breath would never be able to write himself as a be healed in a miraculous, supernatural way. hero. And I very much see him as a hero. Pray that God will give me wisdom as to what In a dark and distant year to do next. Fight with me, don’t give up on me. In the last year of her life, Julie wrote The wand’rer weary, full of fear, In my poetry I quoted Tony’s poetry twice, updates to a growing number of Confronts a fated force more powerful both times from pieces he and I have — Julia Lawrence Silvestri followers. By the time she died she than life — written together. “Dark and deep” comes had several thousand people on her A carriage made of sea from Sleep, which we wrote in 2000; and This was far and away the most difficult email list and reading her blog. Has come to take his wife. “He steels itself, takes one last breath, and text for me to set. I knew Julie well, knew leaps” from Leonardo Dreams of His Flying On the surface you can hear Julie being The waves too dark and deep to swim, her spirit. She was always the last person Machine, which we wrote in 2001. light as a feather, trying to dance through He hears his love cry out to him, to put someone out, the last to ask for the madness of her condition and making Her piercing anguish rising high above help. Reading these words, hearing her it fun and memorable for her kids. Anyone the foam. pleading to her friends to do something, who has children of their own can imagine “Please don’t let go of me anything — I could hear in her words the what it would be like trying to navigate For you, you are my home!” moment she was staring into the abyss,

20 21 22 23 resolute, desperate. Several times as I was of several themes: the fate theme; the rising working through the movement I would cello theme from movement 1’s “in rapt suddenly start sobbing. anticipation or in weary gratitude they stand”, signaling her standing on the very The movement begins musically by edge of the abyss; and finally, her last cry as bringing back the ‘ticking clock’ motive the sopranos sing “don’t give up on me”, with from movement 6, ‘I’m Afraid,’ the minor the word “me” on Julie’s minor third motive. thirds repeating over and over. Then, beginning with “I just got out of the hospital tonight” the three sentences (always threes) 11 You Rise, I Fall echo the ‘fate theme’ introduced by the Listening to your labored breath, cello at the very beginning of the piece. Your struggle ends as mine begins. Each sentence is a tone higher, reaching, You rise; I fall. aspirational, only to get pulled back down Fading, yet already gone; into the reality of the veil. What calls you I cannot provide. Then, at the lyric “I am now asking you You rise; I fall. to pray as you have never prayed before”, the Broken, with a heavy hand music turns major. The sopranos and altos I reach to you, and close your eyes. rise above the veil, three times striving, You rise; I fall. splitting into threes at the end of each phrase. The cello, on the other hand, — Charles Anthony Silvestri starts well below the veil on a major third (the mutated cancer note from movement This was actually the second movement 6) and slowly rises up through the veil, Tony and I wrote together, just after I had finally catching the sopranos and altos set ‘Whenever There is Birth or Death’. and smearing them as they rise. Before I had a note of music written The movement is really the culmination I jotted down the words “You rise, I fall”,

24 25 thinking that it perfectly encapsulated the 12 Child of Wonder Stretched on ocean waves culmination of Tony and Julie’s journey Of endless foam together — just as Julie was finally released Child of wonder Welcome home my child from all the suffering, Tony began his Child of sky Welcome home. spiral downward. Time to end your voyage Time to die. — Eric Whitacre Taking the melody from the first movement’s line “Silent, either in or Silent slumber calls you I decided to write the poetry for ‘Child out of this our fragile, fleeting world,” Dark and deep of Wonder’ myself, with the hope that it I recorded it and sent it to Tony, asking Child of soft surrender would serve as a kind of benediction, not him to write three stanzas (always three) Child of sleep. only for Julie, but for my best friend Tony. about the final moments of Julie’s life. Again, I quoted Tony’s poetry from Sleep What he sent me back was so direct, Child of sorrow twice: “Dark and deep”, and “surrender/ so honest, I remember tearing up as Child of rain sleep”. And I quoted another poet, Octavio I read his words. There is no tomorrow Paz, who wrote the poetry to Tony’s Musically, we now hear the ‘full bloom’ No more pain. favorite piece of mine, A Boy and a Girl: of the breathing motive, first introduced “Stretched… exchanging foam.” Turn your silvered sail in movement number 5. Toward the light The piece ends as it began, three wordless For the “you rise” section, I wanted to find Child of mourning iterations of the musical material for music that felt healing, like a soft embrace. Child of night. “Whenever there is birth or death”. The first two iterations of that motive are In the final moments, the men drop out, just like that; but at the third iteration, the and the women join the cello in unison world turns dark as we move to Tony’s Child of iridescence on a middle C, our veil note. journey of grief and horror. For the falling Child of dream motive, I imagined the chords slowly Stars and moons will guide you melting and collapsing. Down the stream.

26 27 Los Angeles Master Chorale Grant Gershon Artistic Director

Soprano Tenor Tamara Bevard Adam Faruqi Christina Bristow Jon Lee Keenan Biographies Emma-Grace Dunbar Dermot Kiernan Claire Fedoruk Charlie Kim Kelci Hahn Michael Lichtenauer Karen Hogle Brown Robert Norman Caroline McKenzie Anthony Ray Suzanne Waters Matthew Thomas Elyse Willis Matthew Tresler Andrea Zomorodian Nate Widelitz

Alto Bass Los Angeles Master Chorale Garineh Avakian Derrell Acon Eric Whitacre Conductor Sharmila G. Lash Michael Bannett Sarah Lynch John Buffett Charles Anthony Silvestri Eleni Pantages Dylan Gentile Lisa Edwards Piano Laura Smith Roethe David Dong-Geun Kim Jessie Shulman Luc Kleiner Jeffrey Zeigler Cello Leslie Inman Sobol Ben Lin Niké St. Clair Brett McDermid Ilana Summers Adrien Redford Kristen Toedtman Mark Edward Smith

The singers of the Los Angeles Master Chorale are represented by the American Guild of Musical Artists, AFL-CIO, Elyse Willis, AGMA Delegate.

28 29 the orchestra to Europe and throughout Committed to community engagement the United States. Since the 2018-19 and fostering music education in schools, season, the Master Chorale has been the Los Angeles Master Chorale’s touring its production of Lagrime di San education programs include Voices Pietro, directed by Peter Sellars, with Within residencies that encourage performances in London and Paris, and students to write and perform their at the Salzburg Festival. own songs, and an expansive Oratorio Project for high school students. The Praised for its definitive performances, Master Chorale also presents an annual the Los Angeles Master Chorale is also High School Choir Festival, which brings committed to recording the choral teenagers from around the Southland to repertoire. Its esteemed discography perform in Walt Disney Concert Hall. In includes seven recordings under Gershon, May 2019 the High School Choir Festival the most recent being the national anthems celebrated 30 years as one of the longest- / the little match girl passion by David running and widereaching arts education Lang on Cantaloupe Records. Albums programs in Southern California. In July released under former music director 2018 the Master Chorale presented Big Paul Salamunovich on RCM include the The Los Angeles Master Chorale is it is a founding resident company of Sing California, the largest group singing Grammy® Award-nominated Lauridsen: widely recognized as the country’s The Music Center and choir-in-residence event in state history, encompassing a Lux Aeterna, a recording that helped leading professional choir and one at Walt Disney Concert Hall. Chorister concert in Disney Hall that was broadcast to secure the work’s place as a modern of Southern California’s most vibrant positions are highly sought after and the live to venues in five other cities in masterpiece. The Master Chorale is cultural treasures. Hailed for its powerful fully professional choir is a diverse and California and livestreamed online. performances, technical precision, and vocally dynamic group showcasing the featured with Gershon on the soundtracks artistic daring, the Master Chorale is led many voices of L.A. The Los Angeles of many major motion pictures, including by Grant Gershon, Kiki & David Gindler Master Chorale has performed in more Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and is Artistic Director, and Jean Davidson, than 500 concerts with the Los Angeles further heard beyond the concert hall President & CEO. Created by legendary Philharmonic at both Disney Hall and the via broadcasts by Southern California’s conductor Roger Wagner in 1964, Hollywood Bowl, and has toured with Classical KUSC.

30 31 Eric Whitacre

Grammy® Award-winning composer and conductor Eric Whitacre is one of the world’s most performed living composers. His works have been programmed worldwide by millions of amateur and professional performers, while his ground- breaking Virtual Choirs have united singers from over 120 different countries. Eric, a graduate of the prestigious Juilliard School of Music, is presently Artist in Residence with the Los Angeles Master Chorale, following five years as Composer in Residence at the University of Cambridge, UK.As conductor of the Eric Whitacre Singers, he has released such chart-topping albums including Light and Gold and Water Night. In high demand as guest conductor, he has drawn capacity audiences to concerts with the Netherlands Radio Choir, London Symphony © Marc Royce Orchestra, Flemish Radio Choir, and Minnesota Orchestra. His creative versatility shines through collaborations with legendary Hollywood composer

32 33 Charles Anthony Silvestri

Hans Zimmer and British pop icons conference in Long Beach CA received Poet, author, composer, and speaker Laura Mvula, Imogen Heap and Annie standing ovations. Eric’s symphonic Charles Anthony Silvestri has worked Lennox, and major classical commissions work, Deep Field, became the foundation with other artists from all over the world for the BBC Proms, Minnesota Orchestra, for a pioneering audiovisual collaboration to create texts tailor-made for their Rundfunkchor Berlin, The Tallis Scholars, with NASA, the Space Telescope Science commissions and specific artistic needs. Chanticleer, Los Angeles Master Chorale Institute, Music Productions and 59 He enjoys the challenge of solving these and The King’s Singers. Productions. First seen at Kennedy Space creative problems and has provided Center, Cape Canaveral (Florida), the film, custom choral texts, opera libretti, A charismatic speaker, Eric Whitacre has Deep Field – The Impossible Magnitude of our program notes and other writing for given keynote addresses for many Fortune Universe, has since been seen in concert halls composers including Eric Whitacre, Ola 500 companies and global institutions, from and music festivals around the world, at Gjeilo, Kim Arnesen, and Dan Forrest, and Apple and Google to the World Economic the World Science Festival and in multiple for ensembles ranging from high schools Forum in Davos and the United Nations museums and planetariums. to the Houston Grand Opera, from the Speaker’s Programme. His two mainstage King’s Singers to the San Francisco Gay talks at the hugely influential TED Men’s Chorus, from Westminster Choir College to Westminster Abbey. ​As a clinician, Silvestri speaks to choirs, ericwhitacre.com classes, and concert audiences about instagram.com/ericwhitacre his works, the creative process, the facebook.com/ericwhitacreofficial marriage of words and music, and about youtube.com/ericwhitacre his collaborative relationships with of his lyric poetry. He teaches Ancient and twitter.com/ericwhitacre composers. He is the author of three Medieval History at Washburn University books, including A Silver Thread (GIA and lives in Lawrence, KS. 2019), a retrospective of almost 20 years

34 35 Lisa Edwards

Lisa Edwards is a widely sought after pianist, Concert Hall, and Ian chamber music recitals with faculty and keyboard collaborator and teacher, based Krouse’s Lorca, Child students. Additionally, Ms. Edwards in Los Angeles. She is currently in her 19th of the Moon at the has held faculty positions at Glendale season as pianist/music assistant with Los Bilingual Foundation Community College and Pasadena City Angeles Master Chorale, under the direction of the Arts. College. On disc, she can be heard on of Grant Gershon, the Kiki and David Ms. Edwards is in two Nonesuch recordings of Steve Reich’s Gindler Musical Director. As a project demand appearing music, You Are (Variations) and Daniel collaborator, Ms. Edwards is frequently with Los Angeles Variations. Obtaining her Master of Music involved with preparing productions Philharmonic, Degree from the University of Southern with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Such Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, as well California in Keyboard Collaborative projects include John Adams’ operas, as other national professional orchestras Arts, Ms. Edwards graduated with El Niño, Nixon in China, A Flowering Tree, and choruses. Currently, she holds honors, and received her undergraduate and The Gospel According to the Other Mary, positions as Faculty Artist at Idyllwild degree in Piano Performance from as well as Schumann’s Das Paradies und die Summer Arts, pianist for Vox Femina University of North Texas. Peri, Stravinsky’s Persephone, Oedipus Rex Los Angeles, organist/pianist at San and Symphony of Psalms, Shostakovich’s Marino Community Church, organist/ Prologue to Orango, and Bernstein’s Mass, pianist at Stephen Wise Temple in Bel among others. Performances with the Los Air, and pianist at Congregation Kol Angeles Philharmonic Green Umbrella Ami in West Hollywood. Previously, she series include, War of the Worlds by Annie also held a faculty position at California Gosfield, and Lou Harrison’s opera, Young State University Long Beach, where she Caesar. Other performances include, Steve taught song repertoire, worked as vocal Reich’s You Are (Variations) at Alice Tully coach with undergraduate and graduate Hall, Stravinsky’s Les Noces at Walt Disney students, and collaborated on vocal and

36 37 Jeffrey Zeigler

Jeffrey Zeigler is one of the most Radio Symphony and As a champion of interdisciplinary innovative and versatile cellists of our the Ulster Orchestra collaboration, Zeigler is the cellist of time. He has been described as “fiery”, under the batons of the vocal punk band (M)iyamoto is Black and a player who performs “with JoAnn Falletta, Dennis Enough alongside slam poetry champion unforced simplicity and beauty of tone” Russell Davies, Peter Roger Bonair-Agard, Rome Prize recipient by the New York Times. Acclaimed Oundjian and Dmitry Andy Akiho and drummer Sean Dixon. © Axel Dupeux for his independent streak, Zeigler has Sitkovetsky. Zeigler is also featured in a new cello opera commissioned dozens of works, and is Mr. Zeigler has released dozens of entitled Old Man and the Sea directed by admired as a potent collaborator and recordings for Nonesuch Records, Karmina Silec with music by Paola Prestini unique improviser. Zeigler is the recipient Deutsche Grammophon, Cantaloupe and and libretto by Royce Vavrek. of the Avery Fisher Prize, the Polar Music Smithsonian Folkways and has appeared Jeffrey Zeigler was the cellist of the Prize, the President’s Merit Award from with Norah Jones on her album Not Too internationally renowned Kronos Quartet the National Academy of Recorded Arts Late on Blue Note Records. Zeigler can for eight seasons. During his tenure, (Grammy’s), the Chamber Music America also be heard on the film soundtrack Zeigler had the opportunity to collaborate National Service Award and The Asia for Paolo Sorrentino’s Academy Award with a wide range of luminaries from Society's Cultural Achievement Award. winning film, La Grande Bellezza, as well as Henryk Gorecki and Steve Reich to Noam Zeigler’s multifaceted career has led to Clint Mansell’s Golden Globe nominated Chomsky, Howard Zinn and Tom Waits. collaborations and tours with a wide array soundtrack to the Darren Aronofsky film, of artists from Yo-Yo Ma and Roomful of The Fountain. Zeigler can also be seen Teeth to Tanya Tagaq and Hauschka, and making an on screen cameo performing from Philip Glass and John Corigliano to the music of Paola Prestini in Season 4 of Laurie Anderson and John Zorn. He has the Amazon Prime’s Golden Globe Award also performed as a soloist with the Los winning series Mozart in the Jungle. Angeles Philharmonic, the Royal Danish

38 39 Eric Whitacre

There are many people that I would like To Elaine Martone, whose ears are Thanks and Acknowledgements to thank who have helped to make the matched only by her exceptional taste, recording of The Sacred Veil possible. thank you for your steady hand and unwavering passion. Firstly, Grant Gershon, conductor and Artistic Director of the Los Angeles Master To Jenny Wong, Associate Conductor Chorale. Thank you maestro, for letting me of the Los Angeles Master Chorale, you Los Angeles Master Chorale stand in front of this extraordinary choir are one of the most talented and smartest you have so brilliantly built. I have learned musicians I know. I couldn’t be more The Sacred Veil was commissioned by honor of Robert Hanisee, Lorri and so much from you these past four years. grateful for your advice and input in these recording sessions. the Los Angeles Master Chorale. The Steve Benson, and Oren Hadar. To Jean Davidson, Kevin Koelbl, Elizabeth commission and recording were made The production was supported by Greenway, Susie McDermid and the To Iris Derke, Jonathan Griffith and the possible with generous support from the donors to the Artistic Innovation Fund: whole team at the Los Angeles Master exceptional team at Distinguished Concerts National Endowment for the Arts, Denise Philip A. Swan, Leeba R. Lessin, and Chorale for taking a leap of faith and International New York (DCINY). You and Robert Hanisee, Linda J. Hodge, Priscilla and Curtis Tamkin. commissioning, premiering and recording have been such important supporters of Kathleen and James Drummy, Faith this work. It has been an honor to serve my career for over a decade and I thank The Los Angeles Master Chorale’s Swan Raiguel and Billy Weber, Nancy Revy two terms as Artist-in-Residence and your you from the bottom of my heart for Family Artist-in-Residence is made Barber and Rocky Barber, Sonia Messer contribution to the arts is remarkable. helping to make this record possible. Randazzo, Dr. Bradley R. Straatsma, possible by the Swan Family Trust. Susan Erburu Reardon and George To the co-commissioners without To Yamaha, thank you for your Reardon, The Aaron Copland Fund whom we wouldn’t have been able to impeccable craftsmanship. Every note for Music, Cindy and Gary Frischling, bring this work into the world. Monash of The Sacred Veil was written on one Dr. Marguerite Marsh, Courtland Palmer, University (Melbourne, Australia) and of your beautiful pianos. the Netherlands Radio Choir – thank you. Ann Graham Ehringer, Rosemary To Rosie Moore and Raimonds Zelmenis, I couldn’t be more thrilled to have the Schroeder, Arthur and Marjorie Fine in many thanks for your meticulous attention chance to work with you.

40 41 to detail and your delicate artistry. To my wife (and love-of-my-life) No more changes, I promise. Laurence Servaes, thank you for gently The Sacred Veil is published by Boosey and Hawkes and available guiding me back to the light, again and To Meg Davies, thank you for simply worldwide through Hal Leonard. Recorded at the Musco Center again. And for making me laugh my a** making it all work. I am forever grateful for the Arts (California, USA) on January 13 & 14, 2020 off, again and again. for the way you somehow keep the myriad Los Angeles Master Chorale gears gracefully turning. And finally, to poet and lyricist Charles Kiki & David Gindler Artistic Director Anthony Silvestri: There are no words, Grant Gershon To Claire Long, my personal manager President & CEO my brother. I cherish our friendship and Jean Davidson and business partner for the past ten Producer our work together more than I could Elaine Martone years, I honestly don’t know what I would Associate Producer ever express. Jenny Wong do without you. Thank you for your Fred Vogler Recording Engineer brilliance, your counsel, your wit, your Sergey Parfenov Editor guidance, and your endless patience. Fred Vogler & Scott Sedillo Mastering Kevin Koelbl Executive Producer Susie McDermid Senior Production Manager Musco Center for the Arts David Stoneman RPT, MM Piano Technician Seiyua Tang Audio / Video Head Aaron Thompson Production Manager 2020 The copyright in this sound recording is owned by Signum Records. © 2020 The copyright in this CD booklet, notes and design is owned by Signum Records. Eric Whitacre General Management Music Productions Any unauthorised broadcasting, public performance, copying or re-recording of Signum Cover Image Compact Discs constitutes an infringement of copyright and will render the infringer liable Eric Whitacre to an action by law. Licences for public performances or broadcasting may be obtained from Booklet Session Photos Jamie Pham Phonographic Performance Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this booklet may be reproduced, Design & Artwork Marshall Light Studio stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from Signum Records Ltd. The interview with Eric Whitacre and Tony Silvestri is taken from Signum Records, Suite 14, 21 Wadsworth Road, Perivale, Middlesex UB6 7LQ, UK. “New Classical Tracks,” with Julie Amacher, from American Public Media. +44 (0) 20 8997 4000 | E-mail: [email protected] | signumrecords.com www.yourclassical.org/newclassicaltracks

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