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The news site of Santa Barbara City College.

The Channels

The news site of Santa Barbara City College.

The Channels

Quire of Voyces to play Bach’s piece

A collaborative effort between City College’s Quire of Voyces and Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra will bring a choral performance based on the story told by a Johann Sebastian Bach classic.

The two groups will perform Bach’s piece, “Mass in B Minor,” among other pieces. Quire of Voyces usually performs at the historic St. Anthony’s Seminary, but a larger venue was needed for this event to accommodate the number of musicians and projected audience size for this classic piece.

Nathan Kreitzer, director of Choral and Vocal Activities at City College, founded Quire of Voyces in 1993.

The group holds annual auditions and is dedicated to the highest quality performances of the choral music of the Renaissance and 20th century.

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According to Kreitzer, “Mass in B Minor” is Bach’s interpretation of a traditional Latin Mass, told as a story though the music. The classic dates to 1724, though the whole piece was completed in 1749.

Kreitzer said Quire of Voyces, made up of City College students and professionals in the community, added more singers for this upcoming choral concert because of the magnitude of performing the historic piece.

“They’re a really strong group,” Kreitzer said of the group as a whole. The choir will return to its original size after the show.

Kreitzer will not be assuming his usual role in conducting during this performance. While he will be singing in the choir with the other group, the concert will be in the hands of Santa Barbara Chamber Director Heiichiro Ohyama.

Kreitzer said he and Ohyama have worked together in the past and created a well-crafted performance. “We’re all really excited about this concert,” Kreitzer said on behalf of himself and the choir members.

Last year Quire of Voyces teamed up with Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra in a performance featuring Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s piece, “Requiem.”

Kreitzer said because of the praise and the similar historic importance of the past performance, the audience will have high expectations for this year’s performance.

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