Trinity Church Wall Street Announces Free Streamed Performances in July and August, Featuring New Content Each Thursday, in Ongoing “Comfort at One” Series

July 8, 2021

Photos courtesy of Trinity Church Wall Street

Trinity Church Wall Street continues its three-century role of bringing solace to New York's downtown community and the world at large throughout the summer, with a full roster of online 'Comfort at One' performances. Archived 'Bach at One' concerts will stream on Mondays; a selection of other archived concerts on Tuesdays; Choral Meditations, newly recorded by The Choir of Trinity Wall Street, on Wednesdays; and new 'at home' content each Thursday, including the world premiere virtual performances of trailblazing composer and steel pannist Andy Akiho's 'Pillar VII' and 'Pillar II' from Seven Pillars, performed by Sandbox Percussion (July 15 & Aug 19). With many of the performances professionally filmed in HD, the weekday Comfort at One concerts stream at 1pm on Facebook and Twitter, with full videos posted here. Even while regular programming is still curtailed by the pandemic, these offerings continue to deliver the spiritual renewal, cultural enrichment and 'indispensable and unmissable' music (New York Times) for which Trinity is rightly known.

In 2016, Trinity presented a series of concerts performed by outstanding NYC subway musicians, the last of which was devoted to Andy Akiho, a former subway busker on the steel pan whose compositions have been described by the New York Times as 'mold-breaking,' 'alert and alive,' 'dramatic,' and 'vital.' An encore presentation of Akiho's 'Subway Series' concert will be featured on July 13. Two days later, Comfort at One presents the world premiere of a Trinity-commissioned video performance of the work 'Pillar VII' from Akiho's Seven Pillars, and the world premiere video performance of 'Pillar II' will follow on August 19. The performers, who commissioned the composition of the work, are NOVUS NY principal percussionists Jonny Allen, Victor Caccese, Ian Rosenbaum and Terry Sweeney, collectively known as Brooklyn's 'virtuosic and utterly mesmerizing' (The Guardian) Sandbox Percussion. 'Pillar VII' is directed by Michael McQuilken (July 15), and 'Pillar II' is an animated video created by Deborah Johnson and Maggie Royce (Aug 19).

Also highlighting Trinity's July and August streams, Comfort at One introduces a series of Choral Meditations, newly recorded by The Choir of Trinity Wall Street, which throughout the pandemic has continued, distanced and masked, to lead the music ministry at daily services. The nine Wednesday performances feature meditative music of all genres and periods. Highlights include a concert of all female composers (Sep 1); two performances devoted to the music of Josquin (Aug 11 & 18); and composers ranging from Obrecht and William Byrd to William Dawson and Canadian composer and conductor Sarah MacDonald.

New at-home performances from three other Trinity-associated ensembles also stream on Thursdays in July and August. The NOVUS NY string quartet performs works by Jessie Montgomery and Florence Price (Aug 12); Associate Organist Avi Stein and members of Trinity Baroque Orchestra perform works of Bach and Vivaldi (Sep 2); and the St. Paul's Chapel Choir performs Vaughan Williams's God Be With You Till We Meet Again under the direction of Janet Yieh (July 8).

After a season in which Trinity's music education teaching artists successfully shifted to online learning for more than 350 students enrolled in outreach programs, the youth programs are featured in two Tuesday-Thursday Comfort at One combinations. On Tuesday, July 20 is an archived performance featuring Morten Lauridsen's Sure on this Shining Night by the Trinity Youth Chorus and the Coriste ensemble of the New Jersey Youth Chorus; a song from the year-end online concert by children from the Chrystie Street School-age Center is featured the following Thursday (July 22). On Tuesday, August 3 is an archived performance by The Trinity Youth Chorus of Vivaldi's Gloria, accompanied by the Trinity Baroque Orchestra, and the Thursday after that is a recording made last month, when Trinity Youth Chorus Schola members performed live together for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic in a prayer service celebrating Trinity's graduating seniors (Aug 5).

Trinity's semiprofessional choir Downtown Voices and conductor Stephen Sands have been working closely with renowned pedagogue Dr. J. Donald Dumpson and the Philadelphia Heritage Chorale for the past several months, collaborating online each week to improve musicianship skills and learn repertoire from the African diaspora, while also having discussions about spirituality, racial justice, and pandemic life. This partnership is showcased by two virtual Downtown Voices performances: 'Agnus Dei' from Gospel Mass by Robert Ray (July 29) and Adolphus Hailstork's Shout for Joy (Aug 26). Both Tuesdays preceding these performances are likewise devoted to Downtown Voices, in archived renditions of Beethoven's Mass in C (July 27) and Brahms's Zwei Motetten and Geistliches Lied (Aug 24).

The stellar Bach interpretations that have long been a feature of the Trinity weekday concert lineup also continue throughout the summer. Drawing from six years of Bach at One and its successor Bach + One, the performances showcase soloists from The Choir of Trinity Wall Street, the Trinity Baroque Orchestra, Director of Music Julian Wachner, Associate Organist Avi Stein, and a wide range of Baroque music from Bach and his contemporaries.

About Music at Trinity Church Wall Street
Trinity Church Wall Street's groundbreaking music program - 'the top of musical life in New York' (New York Times) - has changed the landscape of performing arts in New York City, re-envisioning the impact arts organizations can have, with its peerless ensembles, uniquely broad range of expertise from early to new music performance, long tradition of championing underrepresented composers, and extensive and growing discography. Conductor and composer Julian Wachner serves as the director of music at Trinity and as the principal conductor of The Choir of Trinity Wall Street, NOVUS NY and the Trinity Baroque Orchestra.

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Trinity Church Wall Street presents free July streaming in 'Comfort at One'
Videos stream at 1pm EDT on Facebook and Twitter, and are archived here.

Thurs, July 8
The St. Paul's Chapel Choir is featured in an at-home performance of Ralph Vaughan Williams's God Be With You Till We Meet Again, directed by Associate Organist Janet Yieh.

Mon, July 12
From February 2018: The Choir of Trinity Wall Street members Molly Netter, Sarah Brailey, Clifton Massey, Stephen Sands, and Jonathan Woody were the soloists for this Bach at One performance of Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott, BWV 80, dating from the week in 2018 the St. Paul's Chapel Noack three-manual organ was inaugurated.

Tues, July 13
From November 2016: Mold-breaking composer and steel-pan player Andy Akiho, winner of the 2014-15 Rome Prize and a former busker in the New York City subway, was featured in the last of six concerts in the 'Subway Series.'

Wed, July 14
The Wednesday series of Choral Meditations, newly recorded by The Choir of Trinity Wall Street, continues with works by Obrecht, Gombert, and Bruckner.

Thurs, July 15
Comfort at One presents the world premiere of Sandbox Percussion's video performance of the movement 'Pillar VII' from Andy Akiho's Seven Pillars, directed by Michael McQuilken.

Mon, July 19
From November 2016: Soloists Brian Giebler, Edmund Milly, Molly Netter, and Luthien Brackett along with The Choir of Trinity Wall Street and Trinity Baroque Orchestra, all under the direction of Julian Wachner, performed Komm, Jesu, komm, BWV 229 and Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit, BWV 106.

Tues, July 20
From 2019: The Trinity Youth Chorus was joined by the Coriste ensemble of the New Jersey Youth Chorus for this performance in St. Paul's Chapel that featured Morten Lauridsen's Sure on this Shining Night.

Wed, July 21
This Choral Meditations performance, newly recorded by The Choir of Trinity Wall Street and led by Julian Wachner and associate organist Janet Yieh, includes works by Duruflé, Dawson, Sowerby, Wood and Tippett.

Thurs, July 22
After a season in which Trinity's music education teaching artists successfully shifted to online learning for more than 350 students enrolled in outreach programs, this Comfort at One performance features a song from the year-end online concert by children from the Chrystie Street School-age Center.

Mon, July 26
From October 2018: The Choir of Trinity Wall Street and Trinity Baroque Orchestra in a Bach + One concert performed Bach's Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein, BWV 2 and Christoph Graupner's Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein.

Tues, July 27
From 2020: Downtown Voices performed Beethoven's Mass in C, featuring soloists Sonya Headlam, Melissa Attebury, Brian Giebler, Paul An, and organist David Enlow, in celebration of the composer's 250th birthday.

Wed, July 28
This Choral Meditations performance, newly recorded by The Choir of Trinity Wall Street, includes works by William Dawson, Edward Elgar, Ralph Vaughan Williams and Sarah McDonald.

Thurs, July 29
Downtown Voices, led by conductor Stephen Sands, performs 'Agnus Dei' from Robert Ray's Gospel Mass.

Mon, Aug 2
From October 2016: Soloists Clara Rottsolk, Tim Keeler, Steven Caldicott Wilson, and Jonathan Woody joined the Trinity Baroque Orchestra and The Choir of Trinity Wall Street, all led by Julian Wachner, for Bach's cantatas Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf, BWV 226 and Laß, Fürstin, laß noch einen Strahl, BWV 198.

Tues, Aug 3
From February 2017: The Trinity Youth Chorus performed Malcolm Bruno's SSAA arrangement of Vivaldi's Gloria, accompanied by the Trinity Baroque Orchestra.

Wed, Aug 4
The Wednesday series of Choral Meditations, newly recorded by The Choir of Trinity Wall Street, continues with O Sacred Head by David Hurd, along with works by Elliott Schenck, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Walford Davies, and William Byrd.

Thurs, Aug 5
From June 2021: Trinity Youth Chorus Schola members performed live together for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic in this special evening prayer service celebrating Trinity's graduating seniors.

Mon, Aug 9
From April 2019: This Bach + One concert featured The Choir of Trinity Wall Street members Elena Williamson, Clifton Massey, Nick Karageorgiou, and Paul An as soloists, along with the Trinity Baroque Orchestra and conductor Julian Wachner, performing Bach's Wo soll ich fliehen hin, BWV 5 paired with Handel's Concerto Grosso in D minor, Op. 3, No. 5, HWV 316.

Tues, Aug 10
From April 2016: In celebration of Alberto Ginastera's centennial, Concerts at One presented Cantata Bomarzo, Op. 32, a work about the tortured psyche of 16th-century Italian eccentric Pier Francesco Orsini, on a program with Fauré's Requiem.

Wed, Aug 11
The Choral Meditations series continues with works by Josquin conducted by Associate Organist and Chorusmaster Avi Stein.

Thurs, Aug 12
From July 4, 2021: NOVUS NY gave its first live chamber music performance in over a year in Trinity's 11:15am worship service. For the prelude, members of the NOVUS NY string quartet performed Jessie Montgomery's Source Code alongside Florence Price's arrangement of Swing Low Sweet Chariot.

Mon, Aug 16
From May 2015: Soloists Melanie Russell, Melissa Attebury, Owen McIntosh, and Dashon Burton join The Choir of Trinity Wall Street and Trinity Baroque Orchestra for Bach's cantatas Wo soll ich fliehen hin, BWV 5 and Ein ungefärbt Gemüte, BWV 24. The performance also features Associate Organist Avi Stein performing Buxtehude's Prelude in F-sharp minor, BuxWV 146.

Tues, Aug 17
From June 20, 2021: NOVUS NY percussionist Ian Rosenbaum performed prelude music on marimba for Trinity's 11:15am service, playing his arrangement of Messiaen's O Sacrum Convivium alongside Andy Akiho's 'Murasaki (Purple)' and 'Daidai Iro (Orange)' from the Synesthesia Suite.

Wed, Aug 18
The Wednesday series of Choral Meditations, newly recorded by The Choir of Trinity Wall Street, continues with the Sanctus, Benedictus, and Agnus Dei from Josquin's Missa de Beata Virgine, conducted by Julian Wachner.

Thurs, Aug 19
Following the July 15 world premiere of the video performance of the movement 'Pillar VII' from Andy Akiho's Seven Pillars, Comfort at One presents another world premiere video from the same work, commissioned and performed by Sandbox Percussion. The videos are co-commissioned by Trinity, and 'Pillar II' is an animated video created by Deborah Johnson and Maggie Royce. The work will be presented in its entirety later in the season.

Mon, Aug 23
From April 2018: The Choir of Trinity Wall Street members Megan Chartrand, Luthien Brackett, Brian Giebler, and Edmund Milly joined the Trinity Baroque Orchestra led by Associate Organist and Chorusmaster Avi Stein in performances of Bach's cantatas Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit, BWV 106 and Tritt auf die Glaubensbahn, BWV 152.

Tues, Aug 24
From 2020: In their last live performance of 2020, Downtown Voices performed two works by Johannes Brahms: Zwei Motetten and Geistliches Lied.

Wed, Aug 25
The Wednesday series of Choral Meditations, newly recorded by The Choir of Trinity Wall Street, showcases the choir's ability to perform styles from early to new with performances of Schütz's So fahr ich hin zu Jesu Christ, SWV 379, William Dawson's Ain'-a that good news, Richard Farrant's Lord, for thy tender mercy's sake, Julian Wachner's Seek the Lord, and Thomas Dorsey's Precious Lord.

Thurs, Aug 26
Showcasing the past season's partnership with the Philadelphia Heritage Chorale and renowned pedagogue Dr. J. Donald Dumpson, Downtown Voices presents a virtual performance of Adolphus Hailstork's Shout for Joy.

Mon, Aug 30
From May 2016: Soloists Christopher Dylan Herbert, Oliver Mercer, Clifton Massey, Elizabeth Bates, Jonathan Woody, and Molly Netter join The Choir of Trinity Wall Street and the Trinity Baroque Orchestra under the direction of Julian Wachner for Bach's cantatas Erschallet ihr lieder, erklinget, ihr Saiten!, BWV 172 and Dem Gerechten muß das Licht, BWV 195.

Tues, Aug 31
From May 2015: Pioneering jazz pianist Chris Pattishall and his quintet pay homage to one of the greatest voices in jazz, the 'Mother of Bebop,' Mary Lou Williams, performing their interpretation of her Zodiac Suite. The piece was also released this year on Pattishall's debut album.

Wed, Sep 1
The Wednesday series of Choral Meditations, newly recorded by The Choir of Trinity Wall Street, continues with sacred works by female composers including Melanie DeMore, Sarah MacDonald, Rani Arbo, and Raffaella Aleotti.

Thurs, Sep 2
Trinity Baroque Orchestra members Aisslinn Nosky and Michael Unterman and Trinity's Associate Organist and Chorusmaster Avi Stein play the Gigue from Bach's E-minor Violin Sonata, as well as an excerpt from Vivaldi's Violin Sonata in D minor.

© 21C Media Group, July 2021

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