曼彻斯特 professor invited to conduct her oratorio at Carnegie Hall

Sneak peek of 黛博拉•林恩’s A 家庭 Portrait is May 1 at  North 曼彻斯特 campus

A collection of a family’s letters from the Civil War era inspired 曼彻斯特 University Professor 黛博拉•林恩 to write A 家庭 Portrait.

The North 曼彻斯特 resident has been invited to conduct the oratorio at Carnegie Hall on May 30 with the New England Symphonic Ensemble and combined voices from MU’s A Cappella Choir, 曼彻斯特 校友, other northern Indiana singers and choirs from Ridgevue High School in Nampa, Idaho and Boonville High School in Boonville, 密苏里州.

Closer to home, t在这里 will be a performance at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 1 in Cordier Auditorium on the North 曼彻斯特, Indiana, campus. Admission is free. This will be a version for chorus, two pianos and percussion, featuring the A Cappella Choir and guest choristers.

A 家庭 Portrait is an hour-long masterwork (10 movements) for chorus, orchestra, hammered dulcimer, and two soloists.

The lyrics for eight of the movements come from letters written by three people in the Houghtaling family line. The oldest was a soldier in the Union Army, stationed at Manassas during the Civil War. The outer two movements are settings of an excerpt from Walt Whitman’s epic poem To Think of Time.

“It has wonderful educational value because much of the multi-layered musical material is derived from folk songs, 赞美诗, and children’s songs from the Civil War era,林恩说。. “If you’re an American history buff, you’ll be in heaven learning and performing this piece.”

The May 30 performance at Carnegie Hall is 7 p.m. on the Perelman Stage in Stern Auditorium and includes John Rutter conducting his 安魂曲 and Cheryl Dupont conducting a treble chorus festival. Tickets range from $20 to $150 and can be purchased 在这里.

A 家庭 Portrait had its Indiana premiere with the 曼彻斯特 Symphony Orchestra and choristers at 曼彻斯特 University in 2017.

Lynn has conducted at Carnegie Hall twice before, in 2001 and 2007. 

She serves as director of choral organizations and vocal studies at 曼彻斯特. Choral ensembles under her direction include the A Cappella Choir, Chamber Singers and Cantabile. She is conductor of the 曼彻斯特 Symphony Orchestra, a collaboration that involves MU students, 校友, employees and residents of nearby communities. 

For the media

More about Dr. 黛博拉•林恩
More about music at 曼彻斯特
More about the 曼彻斯特 Symphony Orchestra