On Saturday, April 13 at 7:30 and Sunday, April 14 at 3 p.m., the Santa Barbara Master Chorale will present this concert, featuring works of Ludwig van Beethoven, Leonard Bernstein, Alice Parker, and others. The pieces chosen focus on humanity’s resilience to struggle and thus to flourish.

The concert pays tribute to Beethoven with "A Silence Haunts Me," a moving choral meditation on the composer's anguish over his deafness; it features a stirring arrangement by the late Alice Parker, a renowned choral arranger; and it presents the Santa Barbara premier of a bravura work by Baltic composer Eriks Esenvalds. The concert ends with Sondheim’s uplifting lyrics in "Make Our Garden Grow" from Leonard Bernstein's "Candide."

The concert will be led by Master Chorale’s artistic director and conductor, David Lozano Torres. In addition to his inspiring leadership of Master Chorale, Torres founded and continues as artistic director and conductor of the elite choral ensemble Vocal Infinity. He also recently established the Vocal Scholars program, a training opportunity for aspiring chamber music singers. He completed his Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree in Choral Conducting at UCSB.

Established in 1984, the Santa Barbara Master Chorale is a vital contributor to the performing arts scene in Santa Barbara County. With the mission of bringing the world’s best choral music to the community, the Master Chorale is committed to making its concerts available to underserved communities, youth and seniors.