The symphonic-coral work, STABAT MATER, created in 2008 by Welsh composer KARL JENKINS, is based on a 13th-century Gregorian sequence. Throughout its 12 movements, the text reflects on the suffering of Mary, mother of Jesus, during the crucifixion. Jenkins blends traditional Western music with ethnic musical and instrumental elements from the Middle East, using texts in Latin, Arabic, English, Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic.
For this performance, the collaboration of lyrical singer and voice actress Carla Mayer has been secured, who will interpret various characters with great expressive and emotional intensity. The Rectory Choir, composed of 70 mixed voices from the Marina Alta and Safor regions, will be accompanied by a Chamber Orchestra of 20 professional instrumentalists. The renowned concert artist Josep Vicent Giner will perform on the organ to deliver a moving spectacle.
The concert, to be held at the Church of Sant Francesc d’Assís, will be open and free until full capacity is reached.
STABAT MATER was created in 2008 by Welsh composer KARL JENKINS. It is based on a 13th-century Gregorian sequence and throughout its 12 movements the text reflects on the suffering of Mary, mother of Jesus, at the moment of the crucifixion.
The Rectory Choir, founded in September 2005, has a notable concert activity in the Valencian Community. It has participated in numerous festivals and cycles, closing the Pedreguer International Organ Festival since 2012 and serving as the resident choir for the Música Sacra a La Rectoria concert series since its inception in 2008. It has performed works by composers such as Purcell, Vivaldi, Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, Gounod, Fauré, and Karl Jenkins. In 2014, it was invited to the Auditorio Nacional in Madrid to perform Beethoven's 9th Symphony and Orff's Carmina Burana. Since the 2016/17 season, it has collaborated with orchestras in symphonic-coral programs at venues like the Teatre Principal d’Alacant and the Palau de Les Arts. It currently comprises 70 singers and annually participates in the Music and Theater Dissemination Campaign of the Provincial Council of Alicante. Since 2016, it has organized, together with organist Josep Vicent Giner, the participatory choral project La Veu i l’Orgue. Recently, it completed a concert tour in Barcelona with performances at the Sagrada Família and the Basílica del Tibidabo.
Musical direction will be by Jaime Morell, who holds advanced degrees in Solfège, Music Theory, Transposition and Accompaniment, Piano, and a Master's in Musical Pedagogy. He has furthered his training in choral conducting and vocal technique with renowned professionals. He has directed the Orfeó El Verger and the Grup Polifònic Ars Nova. Since 2005, he has been the founding director of The Rectory Choir and responsible for its choral preparation. With these ensembles, he has participated in festivals such as Maig Coral del Barcelonés, Trobada Nacional de Cors Valldigna, Música en l'Ateneu de València, Dia Valencià del Cant Coral, FIOP, and Dénia-Clàssics. In 2014, he conducted the Participatory Messiah in Algemesí. In cultural management, he coordinates vocal music projects as artistic director of the Música Sacra a La Rectoria festival and technical director of the La Veu i l'Orgue project.
