Seraphic Fire Makes West Coast Debut At St James

The Grammy Award-nominated Seraphic Fire, joined by the American Brass Quintet, will make their West Coast debut when they bring their acclaimed program "A Spanish Pilgrimage" to St. James Music Series on Sunday, February 24, 2019 at 4 p.m. at St. James by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, 743 Prospect Street in La Jolla.
Conducted by founder and artistic director Patrick Dupré Quigley, the American Brass Quintet and Seraphic Fire explore the rich Spanish tradition of music for voice and brass. Audiences will join a journey across the Camino de Santiago via the music of Victoria, Morales, Guerrero, and a world premiere, "O Antiphons," by Australian-Canadian composer Julian Revie.

"We are excited to host Seraphic Fire for their West Coast debut," says St. James' Director of Music, Alex Benestelli. "With such a celebrated reputation for artistry and quality, this is sure to be a memorable performance."

Patrick Dupré Quigley brings top ensemble singers and instrumentalists from around the country to perform repertoire ranging from Gregorian chant and Baroque, to Mahler and newly commissioned works by leading composers. Two of Seraphic Fire's recordings were nominated for 2012 Grammy Awards, making it the only choral ensemble in North or South America to be nominated that year and the only classical ensemble in the world to be nominated for two separate projects.

Since 2002, Seraphic Fire has put its South Florida home at the center of artistic innovation. The 2018-19 Season celebrates cultural diversity through collaborations with 2013 National Arts and Humanities Presidential Award recipient Anthony Trecek-King for an exploration of the African-American experience, and with National Chorus of Korea Artistic Director E. J. Yoon in a journey that showcases gems of Korea's choral tradition, among other innovative programming.

The American Brass Quintet is internationally recognized as one of the premier chamber music ensembles of our time, celebrated for peerless leadership in the brass world. As 2013 recipient of Chamber Music America's highest honor, the Richard J. Bogomolny National Service Award for significant and lasting contributions to the field, ABQ's rich history includes performances in Asia, Australia, Central and South America, Europe, the Middle East, and all fifty of the United States; a discography of nearly 60 recordings; and the premieres of more than 150 contemporary brass works.

Tickets are $30 per person for individual concerts and can be purchased online. Children and students are admitted free at concert time, space permitting. Music Series Patrons enjoy additional advantages. A season subscription for the St. James Music Series is just $95 for four performances.

The St. James Music Series 2018-19 season concludes with Chanticleer: Then and There, Here and Now, on Sunday, May 19.

In addition to being the home of concerts by acclaimed groups such as Bach Collegium San Diego and San Diego Early Music Society, St. James by-the-Sea is known throughout the county for its outstanding music programs under the leadership of the Director of Music, Alex Benestelli. Every year, St. James presents its highly acclaimed Music Series as an outreach to the community. Past performances have included the Vienna Boys Choir, The Australian Chamber Orchestra, Anonymous 4, The Tallis Scholars, The Westminster Abbey Choir, The Hereford Cathedral Choir, the Venice Baroque Orchestra, and a mainstay of the series, the Grammy Award-winning Chanticleer (returning in 2019).