23 Oct, 2009
Cathedral Echoes in Costa Mesa Features European Cathedral Reverberation
Posted by: Beach Reporter In: california| events
Cathedral Echoes features a varied program of sacred music from Europe and America, bolstered by guest artist Craig S. Williams on the William J. Gillespie Concert Organ. The launch of the 42nd season of the Pacific Chorale includes sets of works representing different nations and musical traditions premiering on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009.
Craig S. Williams is Organist and Choirmaster of the Cadet Chapel, United States Military Academy West Point, where he plays the world’s largest church pipe organ and directs the Cadet Chapel Choir. He is only the fourth organist to hold that position since the present cadet chapel building was erected in 1910. He was the first Currin Scholar (full graduate scholarship) in organ performance at Westminster Choir College, studying under Eugene Roan. Also, he received degrees in piano performance from the Juilliard School, where he performed with the Juilliard Chamber Symphony at Lincoln Center, and the University of Southern California.
The concert performance in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall features an astounding variety of acoustical settings, made possible by the use of four reverberation chambers, 128 concrete and wood doors that adjust the volume of the space and reverberation time in the chambers, and three adjustable acoustical canopies above the performance platform. For this performance, the acoustic will be set to the most open and resonant position to evoke the reverberation of a European cathedral coupled with the clarity of a modern American concert hall. Read more
Where to stay: You can walk back over from the concert to a hotel room at the Westin for around $169/night. Just steps from the concert hall is the Wyndham for around $118.15/night, and Costa Marriott for around $107/night.