O Virtus Sapientiae
Choral Music
chorus a cappella
work detail
instrumentation: SATB (divisi) and three sopranos, a cappella
completion date: january 2013
duration: 5 minutes
texts: Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179)
audio
O Virtus Sapientiae
Arianne Abela, Kathryn Aaron, &
Lucy Fitzgibbon, sopranos
Simon Carrington, conductor
(purchase the score)
Recorded by STUDIOTEO / Mateusz Zechowski, recording engineer
videos
O Virtus Sapientiae
NOTUS: IU Contemporary Vocal Ensemble; Dominick DiOrio, conductor
Martha Eason, Elise Marie Kennedy, and Sandra Period, sopranos
performances
ACDA Interest Session - Cincinnati Central Division Convention
NOTUS: IU Contemporary Vocal Ensemble
Dominick DiOrio, conductor
Sandra Periord, Martha Eason, & Elise Marie Kennedy, sopranos
Cincinnati, OH
"Hot Off the Press"
NOTUS: IU Contemporary Vocal Ensemble
Dominick DiOrio, conductor
Sandra Periord, Martha Eason, & Elise Marie Kennedy, sopranos
Jacobs School of Music - Auer Hall - Bloomington, IN
(Premiere; revised version)
"a cappella NEXT!" presented by DCINY
NOTUS: IU Contemporary Vocal Ensemble
Dominick DiOrio, conductor
Sandra Periord, Martha Eason, & Elise Marie Kennedy, sopranos
Carnegie Hall - Weill Recital Hall - New York, NY
"Nine Greek Muses"
Six Degree Singers
Rachel Carlson, conductor
Rockville United Church - Rockville, MD
"Nine Greek Muses"
Six Degree Singers
Rachel Carlson, conductor
Hughes United Methodist Church - Silver Spring, MD
Piedmont College Singers
Wallace C. Hinson, conductor
The Cathedral of St. Philip - Atlanta, GA
Ora Singers
Suzi Digby, conductor
St. John's Smith Square - London, UK
scores
press
- 2014-03-24: REVIEW: DCINY presents "a cappella NEXT"
- 2014-03-24: REVIEW: Weill Concert of New Choral Works Proves Promising
- 2014-03-13: REVIEW: NOTUS ready for New York audience
- 2018-11-22: Americana '18 at St John's Smith Square "Thanksgiving" ORA Singers/Suzi Digby
- 2018-12-12: Keeping your ears open...
prize
Finalist for the Simon Carrington Chamber Singers Choral Composition Competition - 2010
program note
O Virtus Sapientiae is a bold reimagining of Hildegard's chant, both tune and text. "Actively quoting" the source material, my setting takes Hildegard's music as a launching point from which to imagine new sonic possibilities. Echo effects and metrical relationships are achieved with the use of three soprano soloists, positioned at North, South and West corners of the room, while the larger chorus inhabits the East. The music is meant to be experienced in the round, as the voices surround the audience and attempt to create an enactment of Hildegard's visions.
information
audio
O Virtus Sapientiae
Arianne Abela, Kathryn Aaron, &
Lucy Fitzgibbon, sopranos
Simon Carrington, conductor
(purchase the score)
Recorded by STUDIOTEO / Mateusz Zechowski, recording engineer
videos
O Virtus Sapientiae
NOTUS: IU Contemporary Vocal Ensemble; Dominick DiOrio, conductor
Martha Eason, Elise Marie Kennedy, and Sandra Period, sopranos
performances
ACDA Interest Session - Cincinnati Central Division Convention
NOTUS: IU Contemporary Vocal Ensemble
Dominick DiOrio, conductor
Sandra Periord, Martha Eason, & Elise Marie Kennedy, sopranos
Cincinnati, OH
"Hot Off the Press"
NOTUS: IU Contemporary Vocal Ensemble
Dominick DiOrio, conductor
Sandra Periord, Martha Eason, & Elise Marie Kennedy, sopranos
Jacobs School of Music - Auer Hall - Bloomington, IN
(Premiere; revised version)
"a cappella NEXT!" presented by DCINY
NOTUS: IU Contemporary Vocal Ensemble
Dominick DiOrio, conductor
Sandra Periord, Martha Eason, & Elise Marie Kennedy, sopranos
Carnegie Hall - Weill Recital Hall - New York, NY
"Nine Greek Muses"
Six Degree Singers
Rachel Carlson, conductor
Rockville United Church - Rockville, MD
"Nine Greek Muses"
Six Degree Singers
Rachel Carlson, conductor
Hughes United Methodist Church - Silver Spring, MD
Piedmont College Singers
Wallace C. Hinson, conductor
The Cathedral of St. Philip - Atlanta, GA
Ora Singers
Suzi Digby, conductor
St. John's Smith Square - London, UK
scores
press
- 2014-03-24: REVIEW: DCINY presents "a cappella NEXT"
- 2014-03-24: REVIEW: Weill Concert of New Choral Works Proves Promising
- 2014-03-13: REVIEW: NOTUS ready for New York audience
- 2018-11-22: Americana '18 at St John's Smith Square "Thanksgiving" ORA Singers/Suzi Digby
- 2018-12-12: Keeping your ears open...
published
prize
Finalist for the Simon Carrington Chamber Singers Choral Composition Competition - 2010
program note
O Virtus Sapientiae is a bold reimagining of Hildegard's chant, both tune and text. "Actively quoting" the source material, my setting takes Hildegard's music as a launching point from which to imagine new sonic possibilities. Echo effects and metrical relationships are achieved with the use of three soprano soloists, positioned at North, South and West corners of the room, while the larger chorus inhabits the East. The music is meant to be experienced in the round, as the voices surround the audience and attempt to create an enactment of Hildegard's visions.
