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Shaker Celebrates Mozart's 250th Birthday |
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Shaker Heights High School An Evening of Mozart
7:00 p.m., March 29, 2006 The Shaker Heights High School A Cappella Choirs, the Shaker Heights Symphonic Orchestra, and the First Baptist Church of Greater Cleveland Chancel Choir and soloists join forces to perform music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in celebration of his 250th birthday. The program will include selections from his Symphony in D Major (“Haffner”), No. 35, and his unfinished masterpiece, Requiem. The program will conclude with his last completed work, Ave Verum Corpus. “The Requiem is a monumental work of art,” says Robert Schneider, chair of the music department at Shaker and music director at First Baptist. “We are honored to be performing this masterpiece in an acoustically superb Shaker landmark. I’m excited by how quickly the students are taking to it and how much they’re enjoying it.” Mozart composed the first movement and portions of the rest of the Requiem, but died in December 1791 before its completion. At his widow’s request, the work was completed by one of Mozart’s students, Franz Xaver Süssmayr (not by Antonio Salieri, as depicted in the play and movie Amadeus). The Requiem is considered “the culmination of Mozart’s genius,” Schneider said, notable for both dynamic power and exquisite tenderness. The work, sung in Latin, showcases every section of the choir and orchestra. “This is a real community event. We have the 120 voices of the Shaker A Cappella choirs, 30 voices from the church choir, and the High School orchestra with the addition of talented brass, wind, and percussion players from our band program.” Soloists will include Shaker Heights High School student and faculty members, as well as professional singers from the First Baptist choir. Following the concert, the High School choir and orchestra parent group SMASH (Supporters of the Musical Arts in Shaker Heights) will celebrate this community event with a reception for the musicians and guests.
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