Role

:

Ensemble

Period

:

Modern

Genre

:

Avant-Garde

 

 

Choral

 

 

Vocal

 

New Amsterdam Singers is a classical music choir based in New York City, founded in 1968 by Clara Longstreth. The choir has gained a reputation for its high-quality performances of choral music from a wide range of eras and styles, and has become a beloved fixture of the New York City classical music scene. Clara Longstreth, a graduate of Smith College and Columbia University, founded New Amsterdam Singers with the goal of creating a choir that would perform a diverse range of choral music, from Renaissance polyphony to contemporary works. Longstreth had previously sung with the New York Oratorio Society and the Gregg Smith Singers, and had a deep love for choral music. She recruited a group of singers from the New York City area, and the choir gave its first performance in 1969. From the beginning, New Amsterdam Singers was committed to performing a wide range of choral music, and the choir quickly gained a reputation for its adventurous programming. The choir's repertoire includes works by composers from all over the world, including Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Longstreth was particularly interested in promoting the work of contemporary composers, and the choir has premiered many new works over the years. One of the highlights of New Amsterdam Singers' early years was a performance of Bach's Mass in B Minor in 1971. The choir performed the work with the New York Philharmonic under the direction of Leonard Bernstein, and the performance was widely praised for its beauty and precision. This performance helped to establish New Amsterdam Singers as a major force in the New York City classical music scene. Over the years, New Amsterdam Singers has continued to perform at a high level, and has become known for its beautiful sound and impeccable musicianship. The choir has performed at many of New York City's most prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. The choir has also toured extensively, performing in Europe, Asia, and South America. One of the choir's most memorable performances was a concert at Carnegie Hall in 1998, which featured the New York premiere of John Tavener's "The Veil of the Temple." The work, which was written for choir, soloists, and orchestra, is a meditation on the nature of time and eternity, and is considered one of Tavener's most important works. The performance was a great success, and helped to cement New Amsterdam Singers' reputation as a choir that was willing to take on challenging and innovative works. In addition to its performances, New Amsterdam Singers has also been recognized for its recordings. The choir has released several albums over the years, including a recording of Bach's Mass in B Minor, which was praised by critics for its clarity and beauty. The choir's recording of "The Veil of the Temple" was also highly acclaimed, and was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2004. Throughout its history, New Amsterdam Singers has remained committed to its mission of performing a diverse range of choral music. The choir has continued to premiere new works by contemporary composers, and has also explored lesser-known works from the past. In recent years, the choir has focused on performing works by women composers, and has commissioned several new works by women. In 2018, New Amsterdam Singers celebrated its 50th anniversary with a series of concerts and events.

More....