Fourth and final post about the lives and works of the composers featured in our upcoming concert on 11th May in Stonehouse.
Although he studied music intermittently as a child, according to Wikipedia, when he rather reluctantly joined the college choir, young Eric Whitacre could not read music. Worthy of recalling when, so often new members ask plaintively if they might join Strathaven Choral even though they cannot sight read (the answer is yes, of course they will be welcome). No guarantee that such singers will go on to be Grammy award winning conductor composers like Eric Whitacre who is quoted as saying about his introduction to singing in a choir:
In my entire life I had seen in black and white, and suddenly everything was in shocking Technicolor. It was the most transformative experience I’ve ever had—in that single moment, hearing dissonance and harmony, and people singing.
Eric Whitacre, A Virtual Choir 2011
Born in Reno, Nevada in 1970, Whitacre followed his college choir experience with a substantial music education and has written for film (Pirates of the Caribbean, How to Train Your Dragon et al), many choral works and is the pioneer of the ‘The Virtual Choir’ a project which started in 2011 with ‘Lux Aurumque’. His many other choral works include the ever popular Seal Lullaby.
Eric Whitacre’s performance of Lux Aurumque can be seen in the BBC Singers Centenary Concert, due to be broadcast on BBC4 at 2100 and subsequently available on BBC iplayer.
For more information: https://ericwhitacre.com/ and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Whitacre