On March 19, 2022, Grammy-nominated Pacific Chorale will continue their season with “Songs of the Soul.”

This new program, led by Artistic Director Robert Istad, blends the work of six contemporary composers around Galina Grigorjeva’s vocal symphony “On Leaving,” a musical meditation of the soul’s release from the body, and Frank Martin’s setting of the Latin Mass, “Double Choir.” The program also features Pulitzer Prize winner Caroline Shaw’s “and the swallow,” a setting of Psalm 84 inspired by the Syrian refugee crisis; Dale Trumbore’s “Spiritus Mundi,” a hymn of gratitude for the earth; Paul Fowler’s wordless composition “Calling;” and Edie Hills’ “We Bloomed in Spring,” a music setting of text from St. Teresa of Avila.

“These six extraordinary choral works explore the concept of spirit from multiple perspectives,” says Istad. “For example, ‘On Leaving’ by Grigorjeva, who has been hailed as the First Lady of Estonian Choral Music, is a gorgeous meditation on death and the afterlife that captures the mystery of the hereafter with neo-Gothic chant lines and enigmatic bells, revealing a modern approach to Slavonic chant that creates a kaleidoscope of sound rich with overtone. Swiss composer Frank Martin’s Mass for ‘Double Chorus’ is a tour de force that balances his respect for the Mass with a proclivity for vocal fireworks.”

The performance will be held at Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Newport Beach. Tickets are available starting at $20, with audience members required to show proof of vaccination and wear masks within the venue.