LISTEN! is not only the title of this concert—it is an invitation and an insistence. We are charged to listen to this rich collection of songs with more than ears: to listen with empathy, memory, and presence. A diverse group of composers and poets is united by a central idea: song as a conduit for the unspeakable, the personal, the painful, and the transcendent. Here, to listen is not passive reception, but an active moral and emotional task. In this program, Mirror Visions Ensemble premieres their latest commission, Randall Eng’s Song with poetry by Brigit Peegan Kelly. The program also includes two “mirror visions” (the same text set by different composers): Elizabeth Bishop’s evocative poem “I Am in Need of Music” in settings by Lori Laitman, Ben Moore, and Tobias Picker, as well as Siegfried Sassoon’s exultant “Everyone Sang” in settings by Paul Moravec and Deborah Pritchard.

Daniel will perform solos in a program of cantatas under the direction of conductor, Colin Mann, including, BWV 65, Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen and BWV 78, Jesu, der du meine Seele.

Matthew Aucoin’s Music for New Bodies (2024) is an uncategorizable work of music-theater: part opera, part song cycle, part vocal symphony. Based on poetry by Jorie Graham, the piece is a portrait of our moment in history as seen through the eyes of a cancer patient undergoing a drastic medical procedure. As the patient experiences the transformation of her own body, she meditates on questions that range from the personal to the cosmic: in a time when life is more and more virtual, what does it mean to have a body? And above all, after our species has poisoned the planet with uncountable toxins, can we still listen to what the earth has to tell us?

Daniel joins Koji Otsuki and the Bach Collegium Fort Wayne for a program of cantatas:

J.S. Bach: Siehe zu, daß deine Gottesfurcht nicht Heuchelei sei, BWV 179
J.S. Bach: Ich bin ein guter Hirt, BWV 85
J.S. Bach: Wer Dank opfert, der preiset mich, BWV 17

The Mirror Visions Ensemble brings their celebrated program, Journeys, to Canton, Ohio.

Daniel joins the Chattanooga Symphony for three performances of this holiday favorite.

Daniel joins the Chattanooga Symphony for three performances of this holiday favorite.

Daniel joins the Chattanooga Symphony for three performances of this holiday favorite.

Spend the morning surrounded by the glorious sounds of two outstanding Young Concert Artists. Winner of multiple vocal competitions, mezzo soprano Erin Wagner made her Metropolitan Opera debut during the 2024-25 season. Tenor Daniel McGrew has been heard in recital at Merkin Hall and the Kennedy Center, and in performance with the Boston Pops. Accompanied by Sarasota Opera pianist Jesse Martins, their program includes music from opera and Broadway, along with some holiday favorites.

Daniel will join mezzo-soprano, Erin Wagner and pianist, Albert Cano-Smit in a program of music inspired by the most influential writer in the German language.

Anticipate a concert program of evocative music and poetry featuring the world premiere of a Belvedere commission: Zachary Wadsworth's new song cycle, a unique piece drawing from the poetry of Joan Murray that utilizes the rich textures of a piano trio instead of the traditional solo piano accompaniment. In addition, experience the haunting beauty of Debussy’s Ariettes oubliées, set to the exquisite poetry of Paul Verlaine and performed by the captivating tenor Daniel McGrew. The concert concludes with Maurice Ravel’s stunning piano trio. Composed during the tumultuous years of World War I, the piece reflects both the era's turmoil and Ravel’s brilliance.

Anticipate a concert program of evocative music and poetry featuring the world premiere of a Belvedere commission: Zachary Wadsworth's new song cycle, a unique piece drawing from the poetry of Joan Murray that utilizes the rich textures of a piano trio instead of the traditional solo piano accompaniment. In addition, experience the haunting beauty of Debussy’s Ariettes oubliées, set to the exquisite poetry of Paul Verlaine and performed by the captivating tenor Daniel McGrew. The concert concludes with Maurice Ravel’s stunning piano trio. Composed during the tumultuous years of World War I, the piece reflects both the era's turmoil and Ravel’s brilliance.

Ned Rorem’s magnum opus explores the entire breadth of life in this evening-length song cycle. Daniel joins an intrepid team to tackle this brilliant, sprawling work, including Sara LeMesh, soprano; Anna Laurenzo, mezzo soprano; Steven Eddy, baritone; Mila Henry, Nana Shi, and Miori Sugiyama, piano.

Il Trionfo is where the eternal battle between fleeting pleasure and enduring truth unfolds through vivid allegory. Composed in Rome in 1707, George Frideric Handel’s very first oratorio Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno (The Triumph of Time and Disillusion) brings to life four embodiments: Beauty, Pleasure, Time, and Disillusionment. As the soaring melodies and ornate arias unfold, Beauty finds herself torn between the seductive promises of Pleasure and the sobering counsel of Time and Disillusionment, ultimately discovering a path of wisdom and spiritual clarity. Experience this story–as relevant now as it was three centuries ago–told through one of the Baroque era’s greatest musical minds.

Il Trionfo is where the eternal battle between fleeting pleasure and enduring truth unfolds through vivid allegory. Composed in Rome in 1707, George Frideric Handel’s very first oratorio Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno (The Triumph of Time and Disillusion) brings to life four embodiments: Beauty, Pleasure, Time, and Disillusionment. As the soaring melodies and ornate arias unfold, Beauty finds herself torn between the seductive promises of Pleasure and the sobering counsel of Time and Disillusionment, ultimately discovering a path of wisdom and spiritual clarity. Experience this story–as relevant now as it was three centuries ago–told through one of the Baroque era’s greatest musical minds.

Daniel joins Koji Otsuki and the Bach Collegium Fort Wayne for a program of cantatas:

J.S. Bach: Höchsterwünschtes Freudenfest, BWV 194
J.S. Bach: Overture IV, BWV 1069 [early version]
J.S. Bach: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 140

Join us for a grand finale to the Salinas Symphony’s 70th anniversary season with Beethoven’s awe-inspiring Ninth Symphony! A cornerstone of classical music and a triumph of human spirit, this legendary work unites orchestra, chorus, and soloists in a powerful celebration of unity and hope. Experience the emotion, energy, and brilliance of one of history’s most influential masterpieces—live in all its glory.

Join us for a grand finale to the Salinas Symphony’s 70th anniversary season with Beethoven’s awe-inspiring Ninth Symphony! A cornerstone of classical music and a triumph of human spirit, this legendary work unites orchestra, chorus, and soloists in a powerful celebration of unity and hope. Experience the emotion, energy, and brilliance of one of history’s most influential masterpieces—live in all its glory.