UNM’s choral program commissioned a piece on death to celebrate its 100 years of life.
About a year ago, UNM Choral Activities Director Brad Ellingboe approached world-renowned composer Rene Clausen to request a piece to celebrate the program’s centennial. It just so happened that, at the time, Clausen was thinking about doing a Requiem.
“The choir that he works with at Concordia College is basically the best on the planet,” Ellingboe said. “But also he writes a lot of music. So when we’re having this 100th anniversary, it was just a plum for us.”
The University Chorus, the Concert Choir and UNM Orchestra are collaborating to execute the world debut of Clausen’s Requiem, which departs from a 20th-century modern style and encompasses fuller, more traditional 21st-century harmony, Ellingboe said.
Already, Clausen’s piece is scheduled to be performed the next concert season at Lincoln Center in New York City and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
He served as the conductor of the Concordia Choir of Concordia College for 25 years, during which time he was the artistic director of award-winning Christmas concerts. He has been a guest conductor of major choruses and orchestras and has composed 32 works.
“The implication is we’re pretty good to have had this piece written for us,” Ellingboe said. “Otherwise he would’ve written a different piece.”
Camille Kelly, alto section leader for the Concert Choir, said that the group performed other Requiems so the Latin wasn’t difficult to sing.
She said an audience with no exposure to the music should still draw meaning from it.
“It’s really a unique piece, not like any other Requiem out there,” she said. “Rene Clausen was able to create these images almost. There’s this one piece called ‘In Paradisum,’ which is ‘In Paradise,’ and the strings and orchestra comes in, and it just sounds heavenly.”
Ellingboe said the UNM choral program was honored that the piece will debut at UNM. He said it will enjoy longevity.
“It is a major new contribution to our repertoire, and we’re really proud to be the people that made it happen,” he said. “I have no doubt that this piece will continue to live on to be done around the country, around the world, and I’m really proud that UNM brought it into birth.”
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*Rene Clausen’s Requiem
Tuesday
Popejoy Hall
7:30 p.m.
$10 adults
$8 seniors, UNM faculty, staff
$6 for students*
