MCP in National Broadcast of Tree of Life Concert
The national broadcast of Tree of Life: A Concert for Peace and Unity will be aired on PBS and locally on WQED on Tuesday, December 11 at 8pm. The concert was hosted by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO), conducted by PSO Music Director Manfred Honeck, and featured world-renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman, and the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh (MCP). The performance was taped on November 27, was free to the public, and was presented as a beacon of hope, peace, and unity for the Pittsburgh community, as well as the nation.
“Through our production of this Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra concert, we hope to inspire healing and to repay the kindness the world has shown Pittsburgh during the city’s darkest days in the aftermath of the tragedy,” said WQED President and CEO, Deborah L. Acklin.
Mary Persin, Vice President of Artistic Planning agrees, adding, “We want to thank you and the Choir members for joining together with us on such a special evening. We truly see the Choir as part of our family, so this was so meaningful that everyone went above and beyond to make all of this work on such short notice. The Choir truly did a beautiful and amazing job, and we are so appreciative of everyone’s time, effort, commitment and spirit in making this possible.”
The outpouring of love and support and positivity from the audience members who attended the concert was overwhelming, especially when it came from people who were directly affected by the events of October 27. “You gave a gift last night….People sat together as a community, while being profoundly touched as individuals….The music filled all of the little cracks that words might not reach, and filled us with space for some healing.”
The concert will be rebroadcast on WQED on Thursday, December 13 at 8pm, and Saturday, December 16 at noon.
The performance features the following works:
Maurice Ravel: “Kaddish” from Deux Mélodies Hébraïques for Clarinet and String Orchestra
Dmitri Shostakovich: “Largo“ from Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Opus 47
David Zehavi (arr. Pigovat): Eli, Eli (“My God, My God”)
Felix Mendelssohn: “Lift Thine Eyes to the Mountains” from Elijah (with the MCP)
Johannes Brahms: Ein deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem)
Opus 45 IV. Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen
John Williams: Three Pieces from Schindler’s List for Violin and Orchestra
Edward Elgar: “Nimrod” from Variations on an Original Theme, “Enigma”, Opus 36