Performances + Events
On Thursday, April 23, New England Conservatory’s Symphonic Choir and Chamber Singers will perform new works by five current NEC composition students alongside rarely programmed pieces by Benjamin Britten and Tarik O’Regan. Led by Erica J. Washburn, NEC’s Director of Choral Activities, the concert, Voices of NEC, is the third and final program in a three-year series that since 2023 has showcased choral repertoire by composers with ties to NEC.
“The Voices of NEC series has been a remarkable initiative, inspiring students and alumni alike to explore the choral medium,” Washburn said. “Whether motivated by the opportunity of a premiere or the desire to experiment with a new form, more than 100 composers have shared their work(s) with us over the past few years. Collectively, these composers haven’t just written new music; they have genuinely moved the choral genre forward.”
The program’s first half will feature the premieres, by NEC’s Chamber Singers, of works by Junho Kim ’27 MM, Mathew Lanning ’23 MM, ’26 DMA, Runchen Li ’29, Daeun Seong ’27 MM, and Matthew Tirona ’27.
In the second half of the concert, NEC’s Symphonic Choir will be joined by the Auréya Quartet, a 2025-26 NEC Honors Ensemble, and a chamber orchestra comprised of musicians from NEC’s Philharmonia, Symphony Orchestra, and Prep Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, for performances of Britten’s Cantata Misericordium and O’Regan’s Triptych. Tenor Shijin Sun ’27 MM and baritone Graham Lin ’27 MM will be the featured soloists for the Britten and Kira Lim ’27 MM will be the soprano soloist for the O’Regan.
“The texts of these pieces by Britten and O’Regan call upon their performers, and listeners, to consider the ways in which they can use their voice to advocate and encourage meaningful societal change, and to honor the legacy of their predecessors while celebrating their own purpose and future,” Washburn said.
The Voices of NEC series was launched in the 2023–2024 academic year with a performance of works by current and former faculty composers. Last year’s program featured works by alumni composers selected through an open competition.
“As the Voices of NEC series concludes,” Washburn said, “I am hopeful that the initiative will reinvent itself as a dedicated platform for our current composition students. My vision is to provide a space where they can deepen their understanding of vocal writing — whether through choral works, art songs, or opera. It is clear that our students possess a strong desire to write in this medium; the NEC Choral Department is committed to finding new ways for them to study the unique nuances of the human voice, and to provide the resources and mentorship to do so.”
New England Conservatory’s Choral Department presents Voices of NEC on Thursday, April 23, at 7:30 p.m., in Jordan Hall. Learn more.
