You are invited to join us in what will truly be a landmark year for our organization. Subscribe Now!
During the past year our magnificent home venue, the historic Church of the Ascension, has undergone the most substantial restoration since the end of the nineteenth century. And, in this coming season, we will see the installation and inauguration of the first French-built organ ever installed in New York. This important new organ will not only greatly enrich our choral series, but, beginning this season, we will be presenting the world's greatest organists in major recitals.
Built by Pascal Quoirin of St. Didier in Southern France, this instrument is the largest and most significant new organ project to take place in France in almost fifty years. It will have over 6,000 pipes and two organ consoles, and it will be highly eclectic in its tonal style: there will be many stops with the clarity and nuance appropriate for early organ and choral music, as well as the rich expressive sounds, the giant pedal Bombarde stops, and the brilliant horizontal trumpet pipes ("trompettes en chamade") found in the great cathedral organs of France.
This new organ is made possible by a grant from the Manton Foundation to honor the memory of Sir Edwin and Lady Manton, who were active members of the Church of the Ascension for over 50 years.
Our celebrated choral series this year offers one of the richest selections of great music ever. Highlights include a return to the Church of St. Mary the Virgin for our enormously popular Christmas Concert; then we come back to the beautifully-restored Church of the Ascension for our Renaissance Concert - this year dedicated to the music of Lassus and Byrd; and, in March, a Vivaldi Festival with orchestra, featuring a delightful program of seldom-performed pieces. The final two choral concerts will include the exciting new organ in prominent roles: a Gala evening of French Choral Music including our signature piece, the transcendent Requiem of Maurice Duruflé; and, finally, a special June concert consisting entirely of works for chorus and organ.
In this landmark year, we invite you to join us for our celebrated choral concerts, our world class organ recitals, or both!
Choral Concerts
- Saturday, December 11 or Monday, December 13, 2010 at 8:00 pm (choose one date)
- at Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, 145 West 46th Street, just East of Times Square
- Voices of Ascension Christmas Concert
- Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 8:00 pm
- Masters of the Renaissance: Orlande de Lassus, William Byrd
- Thursday, March 3, 2011 at 8:00 pm
- A Vivaldi Festival
- Inaugural Organ Event: Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at 8:00 pm
- Duruflé Requiem; French music for organ and chorus
- Inaugural Organ Event: Wednesday, June 8, 2011 at 8:00 pm
- Pipes and Voices: Works for Organ and Chorus. Sorel Competition Winners.
Click any concert date or title for details on that event.
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Organ Recitals
- Thursday, May 5, 2011 at 8:00 pm
- Jon Gillock: French 19th and 20th Century Music
- Thursday, May 26, 2011 at 8:00 pm
- Francis Chapelet (Montpon Ménestérol, France): Baroque Music from France, Spain and Germany.
- Thursday, June 16, 2011 at 8:00 pm
- Christoph Bossert (Würzburg, Germany): German Organ Music.
SUBSCRIBE NOW to our 3-concert Organ Recital Series