The Taghkanic Chorale proudly announces its highly anticipated Winter Concert, showcasing the extraordinary talents of local professional musicians and soloists from the New York classical music scene who make their home in northern Westchester. The Chorale in its 58 th Season makes the First Presbyterian Church in Yorktown their rehearsal home and their annual winter concert entitled “Rejoice and Sing! Chorale Masterworks for the Season” will be performed on December 13 and 14 at St. Columbanus Church, 122 Oregon Road in Cortlandt Manor.
Supported by a generous grant from the New York Community Trust-Westchester, and under the direction of Music Director Jason C. Tramm, the Chorale is accompanied by an orchestra of baroque period instruments, bringing historical authenticity, vibrant color, and a sound wholly different from modern ensembles to these beloved works.
The concert features the youthful brilliance and contrapuntal vitality of Handel’s Dixit Dominus, along with motets by Praetorius, Brahms, and Mendelssohn. The performance concludes with the luminous Herr, wenn die stolzen Feinde schnauben from J.S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio.
In addition to featured soloists soprano Zen Wu and tenor Maximillian Jansen, the concert will highlight solo performances by local professional artists soprano Sophia Low, contralto Kirsten Sollek, and bass Richard Lippold. Yorktown-raised soprano Sophia Low, an alum of Lakeland High School and a recent graduate of the prestigious Peabody Institute of Music of Johns Hopkins University—returns to sing with the community that nurtured her, making music alongside friends and mentors.
Sophie recalls singing with multiple members of the Taghkanic Chorale as she was growing up in the Yorktown Presbyterian church, and is thrilled to be home, and making music with them. Joining her are contralto Kirsten Sollek and bass Richard Lippold, who call Cortlandt Manor home with their dog Bailey, when they are not performing nationally and internationally.
This season, Ms. Sollek’s engagements include Handel’s Messiah with Epiphany Seattle, Bach’s Magnificat with the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, and John Zorn’s Holy Visions at the Southern Exposure Festival at the University of South Carolina, amongst other engagements. After moving to New York in 2000, Mr. Lippold has been a featured soloist internationally and throughout the U.S. and N.Y.C. including solo appearances at Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall. After 21 years at St. Thomas Fifth Avenue, Mr. Lippold is now staff singer and adjunct voice teacher at Christ Church Greenwich in Connecticut, and maintains an active voice studio at home in Cortland Manor.
“Welcome to the Taghkanic Chorale’s performance of “Rejoice and Sing,” invites Music Director Jason C. Tramm, “where we journey through the rich tapestry of sacred choral music across three centuries – culminating in a vibrant display of Baroque brilliance. These works are living, breathing forces—capable of stirring the heart and elevating the spirit. We’d love to share this historic sound and timeless inspiration with you.”
The performances will take place at St. Columbanus Church, 122 Oregon Rd. Cortlandt Manor, NY on Saturday, Dec. 13 at 8:00 PM and Sunday, Dec. 14 at 4:00 PM. Tickets are available online ($25, seniors $22, students $12) or in person at the concert.
About the Taghkanic Chorale: Now in its 58th season, the Taghkanic Chorale is a cornerstone of the Hudson Valley’s musical community. The Chorale is committed to presenting high-quality performances of choral masterworks and contemporary compositions, while fostering local talent and enriching the cultural life of Westchester and beyond. It is a non-profit, non-sectarian group that rehearses Tuesday evenings in Yorktown and performs each Spring and Fall. For information about concert tickets, livestreaming, and Chorale membership visit www.taghkanicchorale.org.