Westminster Symphonic Choir Performs Mahler's Symphony No. 8 "Symphony of a Thousand" with The Philadelphia Orchestra

The Westminster Symphonic Choir will join the Philadelphia Orchestra for a series of historic performances of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 “Symphony of a Thousand” at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia and at Carnegie Hall in New York April 30 through May 6.

This will be the ensemble’s first performance with the Philadelphia Orchestra since it collaborated to present another choral masterwork – Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis – in 2001.  Philadelphia Orchestra Artistic Director Christoph Eschenbach will conduct the Mahler 8 performances.  Nicknamed the 'Symphony of a Thousand' for the sheer size of its performing forces, this gargantuan work features eight soloists, two additional choirs from Philadelphia and the American Boychoir from Princeton.  Its theme focuses on life’s challenges, faith's strength, and love's power for redemption.
 
“This is a tremendous opportunity for our students to participate in this series of performances,” says Westminster Choir College Dean Robert Annis.  “Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 presents an artistic challenge that I know they will meet, one that will profoundly touch their lives as musicians.”

Composed of students at Westminster Choir College of Rider University, the Westminster Symphonic Choir has performed and recorded with virtually every major conductor and orchestra over the past 70 years.  In addition to this series of performances with the Philadelphia Orchestra, this season the ensemble opened Carnegie Hall’s season with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra performing Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.  It also performed Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 with the Cleveland Orchestra, also at Carnegie Hall, and with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra.  In March it performed Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with the New York Philharmonic.