ARTS AT ST. JOHN’S -
DECEMBER - JANUARY
INTRODUCTION
The Church has been a patron of the arts for centuries. It is arguable that music, drama, painting, literature, and other arts all owe their development to the ways in which these means of expression have been put to use in the expression of faith: the partnership between faith and the arts is both ancient and living. When St John’s in the Village suffered a catastrophic fire in the 1970s, destroying the previous church building on this site, the decision to build a new church along with diverse performance and exhibition spaces came with a mission statement which committed St John’s “to facilitate a continuing dialogue between the Christian faith and the artistic professions, acknowledging in this encounter that we share in common the enterprise of interpreting life, of advancing the quest for truth, and of reaching a fresh vision of reality.”
In this 40th Anniversary Year we are pleased not only to continue this dialogue, but to deepen, enrich, and expand it with the inclusion of new genres of artistic expression not previously presented here and to encourage the commission of new works of music and drama to be premiered here at St John’s. With over forty events in this Autumn-Winter Arts Series we are glad to play our part in the artistic life of Greenwich Village.
In addition to these special events St John’s professional choir offers, every Sunday at 11am, a wide repertoire of sacred choral music in the liturgical context for which it was written.
Fr Graeme Napier Rect
DECEMBER
CONCERT Saturday 1 December - 8:00 PM
PREMIERES:
C4 presents world premieres of music by Alexander Boostrom, Cem Güven, Tamsin Jones, Jamie Klenetsky Fay, Anselm McDonnell, Artemisz Polonyi, and Harriet Steinke; with a composer talk-back, where the composers can engage with the audience. $15, $20 (at the door), $4 (students).
For information and booking click here.
SPECIAL SERVICE Sunday 2 December - 4.30PM
CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT
A sequence of music and readings for Advent with the (professional) Choir of St John’s in the Village, Dignity Chorus, soloist Chloe Holgate (soprano), and organist Ed Broms.
Music by Carson Cooman (born 1982), Heinrich Isaac (1450-1517), Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625), Buddy Greene (born 1953) and others, with excerpts from Handel’s Messiah.
The carol service is followed by a mulled wine reception (with hot soft drink alternative). Free.
SINGING Monday 3 December - 7:30 PM
CHANT WORKSHOP (PART 4)
Join Lawrence Harris at St. John’s In the Village for an evening of singing the MOST BEAUTIFUL CHANTS OF CHRISTMAS including Hodie Christus natus est, hymns from the Liturgy of the Hours, and selections from the Christmas masses. Free admission.
CONCERT Thursday 6 December 6 - 8PM
DACAPO SALON SERIES – DUETS AND A SEXTET
Chantal Balestri and colleagues perform a concert including the sextet for piano and winds Sextuor by Francis Poulenc. Other pieces in the program include works by renowned American composer David Winkler and other duets for guitars.
For information and booking click here.
CONCERT Friday 7 December - 7:30PM
AMBER PLUS: III
Amber Evans (soprano) with Issei Herr (cello) performing Hansen’s Three Minatures, Birtwistle’s 9 Settings of Lorraine Niedecker, Babbitt’s Autobiography of the Eye, Tavener’s Lament for Phaedra, Carter’s Movement 4 from Tempo e Tempi, plus a premier of a work with electronics by Su Jin Kang.
$20
For Information and booking click here.
SPECIAL SERVICE Saturday 8 December - 5PM
OUR LADY IN WINTER
Solemn Evensong for the Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, sung by Voyces (of Staten Island). Music by Britten, Parsons, Purcell, and others. Mulled wine reception. Free but booking is advised for catering purposes.
CONCERT Sunday 9 December - 3PM
SONGS FOR CHRISTMAS
It’s that time of the year again! Praised for her “strongly centered, richly textured soprano” by New York Magazine, the Marian Anderson Award-winning soprano, Indira Mahajan is joined by tenor, Everett Suttle for a beautiful concert of Christmas favorites!
$10-$20.
For information and booking click here
GALLERY OPENING Tuesday 11 December - 7PM
TABULA RASA
You are invited to the opening of Greenwich Village’s newest small gallery space. An evening of conversation, live music, refreshments, clean white walls, and bright ideas.
The event is free but booking is essential (no admittance without registration)
For further information and registration click here.
Enter by 224 Waverly Place.
CONCERT Friday 14 December - 8PM
IN GUT WE TRUST
This fall the Mob celebrates feelings, instinct, and, of course, digestion. It’s amazing how many songs seem to be about feelings but are really about food. And why search for truth when you can have a hamburger instead?
No tickets needed: donation ($10–or more!) at the door.
CONCERT Saturday 15 December - 7:30PM
AMBER PLUS: IV
Amber Evans (soprano) with Jon Clancy (percussion) perform works by B. Younge, A. Perini, K. Soper, S. Steen-Andersen, and A.L. Scartazzini.
Jon Clancy (Westfield, NJ) and Amber Evans (Brisbane, AUS), panSonus is an interdisciplinary duo that seeks to promote and collaborate in the creation of new works for combinations of voice, percussion, theatre, and electronics that transcend their respective traditional practices; with visceral performance experiences through works that heighten awareness of corporeal, spacial, and material resonance.
Tickets $10- $20.
For information and booking click here.
CONCERT Sunday 16 December - 3PM
BACH TO THE FUTURE
Foundation for the Revival of Classical Culture presents Organist and pianist Jonathan DePeri and baritone Frank Mathis joining forces again to perform Christmas highlights of the Baroque sacred vocal repertoire by Bach and Handel, together with celebrated organ works by Bach.
For information and booking click here.
CONCERT Friday 21 December - 7:30PM
AMBER PLUS: V
Amber Evans (soprano) and Sam Zagnit (double bass) present an interdisciplinary collaboration with Michael Greenberg and NE14 Dance, featuring works by: Katherine Balch, Jay Julio (world premiere), Ledah Fink , Naomi Weinroth (world premiere), and György Kurtág.
$20.
For information ant booking click hjere.
CONCERT Saturday, December 22, 2018, 7:30 PM
ANGLICA ANTIQUA AT YULETIDE
Seasonal musical selection from 17th century England by Byrd, Dowland, Purcell, Campion and more
Catherine Hancock and Karin Weston, sopranos
Anna Wilson, mezzo-soprano
Christopher Baum, lute/tenor
Michael Conwill, bass
Sarah Stone, viol
$20 Suggested Donation
SERVICE Sunday, December 23, 2018, 4:30 PM
CAROLES BY CANDEL-LĒOHT
Lessons & Carols by candlelight with early music for voices and period instruments, along with ‘new’ mediëval music. Readings in Middle English from John Wycliffe’s 14th century translation of the Bible. A reception of hypocras and sweetmeats follows. Free but booking is advised for catering purposes.
CONCERT Monday, December 24, 2018, 8:00 PM
West Views Carol Concert: Silent Night at 20
Relive the magic of that Christmas Eve in 1818 when the world first heard Silent Night. The New York Weinachtschor sings a selection of popular English and other carols and also leads the audience in singing the music that makes Christmas. Soloists include Katrin Bulke (soprano), from Salzburgerland in Austria, the home of Silent Night. A reception of hot spiced drinks and sweetmeets follows the carol concert.
$20 but free to seniors and children. Booking essential (both for free and for paid tickets). For booking click here.
MIDNIGHT MASS Monday 24 December - 10:00 PM
Following the Carol Concert reception the traditional Midnight Mass of Christmas is sung by St John’s (professional) Choir and is followed by a champagne reception. Free.
Tuesday 25 December - 10:00 AM
CHRISTMAS DAY MASS BY CANDLELIGHT
The ‘Christ-mass’ is sung to the timeless music of plainsong in the candle-lit church. Free.
SPECIAL SERVICE AND DINNER Thursday 27 December - 6:15 PM
PATRONAL FESTIVAL
Patronal Mass by Candlelight with fully catered Long Table Boar’s Head Dinner with the singing of the Boar’s Head Carol.
Dinner $20.
Monday 7 January - 7:30 PM Church
JAZZ CONCERT
Kevin Hayes
jazz pianist
Monday, 7 January - 7:30 PM Gallery
GREGORIAN CHANT WORKSHOP
A continuation of the series of workshops exploring Gregorian chant
For singers, conductors and the merely curious
In the gallery
Enter 224 Waverly Place
Tuesday, January 8, 2018, 7:00 PM GALLERY
LA VIE EN ROSE
Opening Reception 7:00 to 9:00 PM
Enter through 224 Waverly Place
Photographs by the Village’s own and incomparable Rose Hartman.
Continuing through ….
Wednesday, January 9, 2019, 7:30 PM
CONCERT: A CEREMONY OF CAROLS
Benjamin Britten’s charming setting of Middle English and Middle Scots carol texts for harp and upper voices.
Friday, 11 January - 8:00 PM
CONCERT - IL TROVATORE
Opera in concert - Details to follow
Sunday, January 13 - 3:00 PM
CONCERT - TALI ROTH
BOOKING
Booking, both for free and for charging events, is chiefly via our website. A link within the event description will take you to online ticketing. In some cases online ticketing will not become available until a month or so before the event. Those who cannot access the internet are encouraged to ask friends or family for assistance and to book in that way. Tickets can, however, be purchased in cash on the door (except when an event has sold out).
SENIORS
St John’s is aware that many residents of Greenwich Village, particularly those on fixed incomes, find access to the arts a challenge. That is why St John’s events are typically economically priced or simply free. We offer, however, further access in two ways.
⦁ Unless otherwise stated each event has an allocation of free seniors’ places which can be booked in advance. Bookings open, by email or phone, one week prior to the event and close at noon on the day before the event.
⦁ In our ‘Senior Standby’ scheme seats unsold at the time of the event can be given to seniors at the door free on a first-come first-served basis. This would typically be a few minutes before the event begins. There is no guarantee of admission.
Website: stjvny.org
Email: admin@stjvny.org
Phone: 212 243 6192