Contact: Michele Abba

805-756-2406; mabba@calpoly.edu

Featuring a Preview of Cantabile’s Lincoln Center Performance

SAN LUIS OBISPO — Cal Poly’s Cantabile and University Singers will present a concert titled “Contemporary” at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 19, in the San Luis Obispo United Methodist Church.

The concert will be a preview of Cantabile’s March 25 performance in New York City’s Lincoln Center and will feature music of contemporary female composers, including two world premieres.

Cantabile will give the premiere performance of “While I Breathe, I Hope” by Jocelyn Hagen, which was commissioned by Cantabile. It has beautiful soaring melodies and strong block chords which generate an overwhelming feeling of optimism and hope for the future. The composer will be in attendance and will present a pre-concert Q&A.

“I Pastured My Wolves” by Cal Poly Professor Meredith Brammeier will also be premiered by Cantabile. Brammeier will accompany the group on piano and will join Cantabile on stage at Lincoln Center.

University Singers will perform modern compositions with texts by female poets Sara Teasdale, Christina Rossetti and Maya Angelou. The group will also perform works by California composer Ruth Morris Gray, Domanick Diorio and Rollo Dilworth.

Cantabile’s invitation to perform in Lincoln Center is a result of the group’s February 2022 performance for the California Music Educators Conference in Fresno. Its performance caught the attention of New York City-based National Concerts, which produces concerts in New York City venues.

The pre-concert Q&A with Hagen will be at 2 p.m. and is included in the ticket price. Her attendance is made possible in part by a generous gift from Cricket Handler and The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo County.

Scott Glysson conducts the choirs, and Paul Woodring accompanies the choirs.

Tickets to the concert are $20 general and $10 students. Tickets can be purchased from the Cal Poly Ticket Office between noon and 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. To order by phone, call 805-SLO-4TIX (805-756-4849). The Music Department offers a 20% discount to patrons who buy season tickets to four of its events through the Cal Poly Ticket Office.

The concert is sponsored by Cal Poly’s Music Department, College of Liberal Arts and Instructionally Related Activities program. For more information, visit the Music Department’s calendar website, email music@calpoly.edu or call 805-756-2406.