Opening Night Concert: Vocal Arts Ensemble

Vocal Arts Ensemble (VAE), greater Cincinnati’s premier professional vocal ensemble, caps opening night of Conference 2016 with a performance of a new work, Canticle, by Kile Smith. VAE gives the world premiere of the piece on April 30 in Cincinnati.

The music of composer Kile Smith, most recognizable to choral fans for his monumentally successful Vespers, has been hailed as “almost preternaturally beautiful” by critics.  Commissioned by Vocal Arts Ensemble to create this work, Mr. Smith describes Canticle as “one of the largest, most compelling projects I’ve had.”

The performance will open with the world premiere of "Invitation to Love" by Jennifer Higdon, set to a poem by Paul Lawrence Dunbar. A Pulitzer Prize winner, Higdon is one of America’s most acclaimed and most frequently performed living composers.

Craig Hella Johnson, conductor
Vocal Arts Ensemble of Cincinnati

Jennifer Higdon Invitation to Love
Kile Smith Canticle