The Southland Symphony Orchestra and Chorus Invited to Perform Rutter’s Requiem at Carnegie Hall

Outstanding music program receives special invitation

Distinguished Concerts International New York City (DCINY) announced today that Sylvia Mann and The Southland Symphony Orchestra and Chorus have been invited to participate a performance of John Rutter’s Requiem on the DCINY Concert Series in New York City. This performance is planned to take place on Sunday, February 16, 2020 in Isaac Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall under the baton of DCINY

Artistic Director, Dr. Jonathan Griffith. These outstanding musicians will join with other choristers to form the Distinguished Concerts Singers International, a choir of distinction. Dr. Griffith will serve as conductor of the performance and clinician for the residency.

Why the invitation was extended

Dr. Jonathan Griffith, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor for DCINY states: “The Southland Symphony Orchestra and Chorus received this invitation because of the quality and high level of musicianship demonstrated by the singers as well as their stellar previous appearance on the DCINY Concert Series.”

“It is quite an honor just to be invited to perform in New York. These wonderful musicians not only represent a high quality of music and education, but they also become ambassadors for the entire community. This is an event of extreme pride for everybody and deserving of the community’s recognition and support.”

The singers will spend 5 days and 4 nights in New York City in preparation for their concert. “The singers will spend approximately 9-10 hours in rehearsals over the 5 day residency,” says Griffith. “Not all of the time is spent in rehearsals, since there is so much history and culture to see in New York City. However, the performance is the primary purpose for their visit to the city.” Members of the community are encouraged to give financial support in sending these singers to New York by contacting Sylvia Mann at [email protected].

Conductor Jonathan Griffith

Dr. Jonathan Griffith, conductor, co-founder, and artistic director of Distinguished Concerts International New York, is an active conductor, educator, lecturer, and consultant. His conducting credits include the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Salt Lake City; Manhattan Philharmonic and New England Symphonic Ensemble, both in performances at Carnegie Hall; Nova Amadeus Orchestra, Italy; the European Symphony Orchestra, Spain; Bohuslava Martinu Philharmonia and Philharmonia Chorus; Virtuosi Pregensis Chamber Orchestra, Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra, and Dvorák Chamber Orchestra, Czech Republic; Bialystok State Philharmonic, Poland; and several regional orchestras and choruses in the U.S. As the conductor of the world premiere of Earnestine Rodgers Robinson’s The Nativity in Carnegie Hall, he was featured in an interview which aired on National Public Radio’s Morning Edition, and also appeared in two recent documentaries about Ms. Robinson and her music—“Hidden Treasure” and “Sounds of a Miracle”.

During the summer of 2007 he conducted his ensemble, the JonathanGriffith Singers, in performances of Verdi’s Requiem at two historic venues in Italy—the Church of Santa Marie Sopra Minerva in Rome and the Cathedral Duomo in Pisa. He made his Carnegie Hall conducting debut in 1989. His 45+ Carnegie Hall appearances include the U.S. premieres of BBC’s Planet Earth documentaries, and the Master Musicians of Joujouka and most recently was heard on television in The Last Enemy (Magnus Fiennes), The Passion (Debbie Wiseman), and Planet Earth (George Fenton).