Who is Antioch Chamber Ensemble?

Answer 1

Antioch debuted at the gala opening of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in 1997, and quickly emerged as one of the New York Metropolitan area’s finest vocal ensembles. In recent seasons, critics have called Antioch “stellar,” “flawless,” and “an exceptional group.” Seeking to present as diverse a program as possible of the world’s greatest choral literature, both sacred and secular, Antioch has performed works ranging from William Byrd’s Mass for Four Voices to Brahms’ Liebeslieder Waltzes to Frank Martin’s Mass for Double Choir, with a core group of only eleven singers. Since their debut as the ensemble-in-residence at Trinity Church, Wall Street in 2001, Antioch’s performance highlights have included feature performances for Carnegie Hall’s Neighborhood Concert Series and the Trinity Wall Street “Noon-Day” Concert Series in New York. They appeared for a fourth time in May of 2005 at the renowned Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, South Carolina for the “Spotlight on Choral Music” series. They have performed feature concerts for numerous venues, including the Hayes Mansion in San Jose, California. As part of their commitment to music education, Antioch also conducts master classes for young choral artists, such as the Bernardsville High School Madrigal Ensemble in Bernardsville, New Jersey. The 2005-2006 season will mark Antioch’s third season as ensemble-in-residence at Calvary Church in Summit, New Jersey. The debut of their independent “Concerts at Calvary” series was met with acclaim by Classical New Jersey, which raved, “The intonation was pure, the blend exquisite, the voices ethereal in the church's sympathetic acoustics.” Further, Antioch’s first full-length recording, Winter Songs, featuring the Mid-Winter Songs by contemporary American composer Morten Lauridsen, was released in December of 2003. Mr. Lauridsen has said of the recording, “Antioch is certainly in the top rank of a cappella choirs in the United States… I recommend this CD most highly, especially to choral aficionados". In June of 2005, Antioch toured for the first time, in beautiful Nova Scotia. The eleven exceptional musicians who comprise Antioch are music educators and singers who have performed with ensembles such as the Choir of Trinity Wall Street, Vox Vocal Ensemble, Cantori New York, Philadelphia’s Bridge Ensemble, and the world-renowned Westminster Choir. They are led by artistic director Joshua Copeland