When most congregants attend Sunday services, they’re probably not expending a lot of thought on all the work that goes into the preparation of the music, or the broader creative lives of those who compose and arrange it.
Tim Keyes has been the pastoral assistant of music and liturgy at The Catholic Community of St. Charles Borromeo Service and Justice in Skillman, NJ, for 23 years. His latest symphony is in rehearsals – with his own ensemble, the Tim Keyes Consort – in preparation for the work’s world premiere at Princeton University’s Richardson Auditorium, on Saturday at 8 p.m.
The “Symphony in Bb: Elegy” is Keyes’ 4th symphony and the first to be scored exclusively for orchestra. The 30-minute, three-movement work is dedicated to the memory of his father and, according to the composer, “explores the grief associated with the loss of a loved one and an enduring belief in eternal life.” The timing couldn’t be better, as Sunday is Father’s Day.
The second half of the program will be devoted to the world premiere of an hour-long, 12-movement oratorio, “The Stone.” Keyes says the work is the second of a triptych, which began with his oratorio “The Well,” given its debut at Richardson in 2016. The trilogy explores scriptural stories in John’s gospel.
According to Keyes, “‘The Stone’ examines the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead and embraces the emotional drama between Martha, Mary and Jesus.”
The oratorio is scored for orchestra, choir and three soloists. On Saturday, it will be sung by tenor Justin Connors (Jesus), mezzo-soprano Victoria Lotkowictz (Mary), and soprano Danyelle Dellolio (Martha).
For tickets, call 609-258-5000, or visit princeton.edu/utickets.
For more information about the Tim Keyes Consort, now celebrating its 29th year, visit timkeyesconsort.org.
News about the event came in while I was down with COVID, so I couldn’t write it up for the paper, but here’s a link to an article I wrote about Keyes and the consort in 2019.
And one I wrote about “The Well” in 2016, for The Times of Trenton.
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