Resounding Joy
WHEN: Saturday, December 9, at 8:00 p.m.; Sunday, December 10, at 3:00 PM
WHERE: Bickford Theatre at the Morris Museum, 6 Normandy Hgts. Rd. Morristown
TICKETS: $15 to $25 and are available through the Bickford Theater box office, 973-971-3706, or online at www.morrismuseum.org/la-carte-series
For more information about Morris Choral Society, call 973-998-7239 or visit www.morrischoralsociety.org.
Under the baton of Music Director Jason Tramm, the Morris Choral Society will perform seasonal favorites including works by John Rutter, Camille Saint-Saens, Ola Gjeilo, and George Frideric Handel.
Some of the highlights of the program include selections from John Rutter’s “Magnificat,” “Praise Ye Lord of Hosts” by Camille Saint-Saens, “Hallelujah” from Handel’s The Messiah, and two compositions by Morris Choral Society Founder and Director Emeritus, Wayne Walters.
Joining the Morris Choral Society for this holiday show will be Express Male, a sextet of tenors, baritones and basses drawn from the Chorus. And the concert will once again include the very popular audience sing-along.
Accompanying the chorus is pianist Michael Shane Wittenburg (left) who is a highly regarded conductor, soloist, and orchestral player. His extensive credits include performances with the celebrated Ensemble Tremblay, Amore Opera, Hudson Valley Chorale, and the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera.
Also on stage for the concert will be the Morris Knolls Chorale, one of six choirs at Morris Knolls High School. An elite 60-voice ensemble under the direction of Mr. Michael Semanick, the group has performed at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. The Chorale is a prestigious, highly acclaimed ensemble which has received many awards and has been featured at conferences and festivals including the New Jersey Educators Association and the National Association for Music Educators.
The Morris Choral Society has been recognized by Morris Arts as an Outstanding Arts Organization and has performed alongside famous musicians such as jazz legend Dave Brubeck and beloved singer Judy Collins. In addition to performing for enthusiastic audiences in New Jersey, the chorus has toured England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France, Italy, Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic.
Music Director Jason Tramm has received critical acclaim throughout the United States and abroad. In addition to his role with the Morris Choral Society, Mr. Tramm serves as Artistic Director and Principal Conductor for MidAtlantic Opera with whom he made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2015 and his Lincoln Center debut in 2016. He is also the Director in Residence of the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association where he leads choral, orchestral, and oratorio performances in the historic Great Auditorium. He served as Artistic Director of the New Jersey State Opera from 2008 to 2012 for which his 2009 HDTV broadcast of the Verdi Requiem earned a regional Emmy Award nomination. He currently serves as Director of Choral and Orchestral Activities for Seton Hall University where he teaches voice and conducting. He has earned music degrees from the Crane School, the Hartt School, and Rutgers University.
“I am honored to be associated with Morris Choral Society which has such a long tradition in New Jersey,” said Mr. Tramm. “Under Founder and Director Emeritus Wayne Walters, the chorus has established a reputation for excellence and together we are building on that. This holiday concert has become a favorite over the years and we have put together a program that we know everyone will enjoy.”
The Bickford Theatre performances have been made possible in part by Morris Arts through the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Secretary of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.
