Executive Overview
On Sunday, December 6, 2026, New York City’s premier chamber choir, Musica Viva NY, will present LUMINOSITY: Pärt, Whitbourn and Einhorn at Manhattan’s historic All Souls NYC (1157 Lexington Avenue). Scheduled for a single 5:00 p.m. performance preceded by a 4:15 p.m. pre-concert lecture, the event marks a milestone in the ensemble’s 2026–27 season. The program explores physical, metaphoric, and spiritual dimensions of light across nearly 900 years of choral and instrumental composition.
Led by Artistic Director and Conductor Alejandro Hernandez-Valdez, LUMINOSITY anchors its broad thematic scope with a major world premiere: The Radiant Ground, a newly commissioned work by acclaimed American composer Richard Einhorn. scored for choir, three tenor trombones, and Soh Daiko, one of North America’s preeminent Japanese Taiko drumming ensembles. Singing in ancient Sanskrit, the choir will articulate text drawn from the Indo-Tibetan Buddhist canon, creating a rare dialogue between Eastern philosophical traditions and Western chamber instrumentation.
The concert also highlights major works by contemporary masters Arvo Pärt, James Whitbourn, James MacMillan, and Joanna Marsh, alongside medieval monophony from 12th-century mystic Hildegard von Bingen. By framing light as an instrument of divine revelation, maternal warmth, cosmic reflection, and kinetic human effort, Musica Viva NY underscores its reputation as an essential champion of adventurous, high-concept sacred and secular vocal music.
Detailed Chronology & Program Blueprint
The curation of LUMINOSITY traces an expansive historical arch. Rather than presenting works in strict chronological order, the program is constructed as a continuous reflective journey. It moves from intimate chamber configurations to resonant symphonic-choral forces.
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| PROGRAM ARCHITECTURE & TIMELINE |
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| c. 1150s | HILDEGARD VON BINGEN | O coruscans lux |
| 1978 | ARVO PÄRT | Spiegel im Spiegel |
| 2007 | JAMES MACMILLAN | The Strathclyde Motets: O Radiant Dawn |
| 2008 | JAMES WHITBOURN | Luminosity |
| 2018 | JOANNA MARSH | The Hidden Light |
| 2026 | RICHARD EINHORN | The Radiant Ground (World Premiere) |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------+1. Medieval Mystic Roots: Hildegard von Bingen
The programmatic foundation of the evening begins in the 12th century with Hildegard von Bingen’s O coruscans lux ("O Glimmering Light"). Hildegard, a Benedictine abbess, polymath, and mystic, envisioned divine light as a vital force (viriditas) animating all creation. O coruscans lux uses monophonic lines that ascend into ecstatic vocal registers, symbolizing the celestial radiance that unites Christ with the church. Within the acoustics of All Souls NYC, this ancient chant serves as a tonal palette cleanser, grounding the evening’s modern compositions in medieval contemplative traditions.
2. Radical Stillness: Arvo Pärt
Shifting from medieval monophony to 20th-century minimalism, the ensemble presents Arvo Pärt’s seminal 1978 work Spiegel im Spiegel ("Mirror in the Mirror"). Scored for piano and viola—featuring violist Sathvi Ramaseshan alongside pianist Alejandro Hernandez-Valdez—the piece employs Pärt’s signature tintinnabuli technique. Built around simple tonic triads and stepwise scalar movements, the music models the optical phenomenon of endless reflection between parallel mirrors. It acts as an instrumental meditation on stillness, space, and quiet illumination.
3. Modern Sacred Interpretations: MacMillan and Marsh
The concert explores modern interpretations of the Nativity through light:
- James MacMillan’s The Strathclyde Motets: O Radiant Dawn (2007): Draws inspiration from the fifth traditional "O" Antiphon (O Oriens), sung on December 21 during Advent. MacMillan combines traditional Scottish harmonic inflections with rich choral polyphony, calling upon the morning star to enlighten those dwelling in darkness.
- Joanna Marsh’s The Hidden Light (2018): Focuses on maternal anticipation. Marsh concentrates on Mary’s journey toward Bethlehem, framing her womb as an enclosed vessel carrying the uncreated light of the world through physical darkness.
4. Hypnotic Modernism: James Whitbourn
At the program’s core lies British composer James Whitbourn’s seven-movement masterwork Luminosity (2008). Written for choir, organ, viola, and percussion, Whitbourn’s score sets texts spanning centuries—including passages from Saint John of the Cross, Julian of Norwich, and Saint Teresa of Ávila. The piece builds hypnotic textures that move between introspective chants and expansive instrumental passages, exploring divine love as an active radiance.
5. The Commission Premiere: Richard Einhorn’s The Radiant Ground
The climax of the concert is the world premiere of Richard Einhorn’s The Radiant Ground, commissioned specifically for Musica Viva NY.
Einhorn—nationally recognized for his large-scale multimedia opera Voices of Light—looked to Mahayana Buddhist philosophy for inspiration. The title references the fourth bhūmi (stage) of the Bodhisattva path to enlightenment, known in Sanskrit as the Arciṣmatī-bhūmi ("The Radiant Ground"). This stage centers on the mastery of vīrya—translated as "joyful effort," "zeal," or "energetic perseverance."
To translate this philosophical concept into sound, Einhorn selected an unconventional instrumentation:
- A four-part SATB chamber choir singing Sanskrit verses compiled from classical Indo-Tibetan texts (including works by master scholars Candrakīrti and Śāntideva).
- A brass trio of three tenor trombones, providing low-frequency acoustic warmth and architectural resonance.
- Soh Daiko, the New York-based Taiko drumming ensemble, contributing complex rhythmic patterns on traditional Japanese instruments.
Einhorn’s aesthetic vision emerged from a vivid memory of a live Taiko performance. Struck by the musicians’ physical intensity, synchronized movements, and focused joy, he identified the art form as a visual and auditory embodiment of joyful effort. The Radiant Ground fuses percussion, brass fanfares, and Sanskrit choral writing into a singular work exploring human persistence and spiritual awakening.
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| INSTRUMENTAL & VOCAL SCOPE MATRIX |
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| Work | Vocal Forces | Key Instrumentation |
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| O coruscans lux | A Cappella | None (Monophonic Voice) |
| Spiegel im Spiegel | Instrumental | Viola, Piano |
| O Radiant Dawn | SATB Choir | A Cappella |
| The Hidden Light | SATB Choir | A Cappella |
| Luminosity | SATB Choir | Organ, Viola, Percussion |
| The Radiant Ground (Prem)| SATB Choir | 3 Tenor Trombones, Taiko Drums (Soh Daiko)|
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------+Supporting Context & Metrics
Musica Viva NY approaches its 50th anniversary season as a key institution in New York City’s classical music ecosystem. Founded in 1977 as an annual concert series by Walter Klauss—who directed the ensemble for 38 years before stepping down in 2015—the organization formally adopted the name Musica Viva in 1985.
Under the leadership of Alejandro Hernandez-Valdez, who assumed artistic directorship in 2015, the choir has expanded its repertoire and increased its commitment to commissioning modern music.
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| MUSICA VIVA NY: INSTITUTIONAL MILESTONES |
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| 1977 | Founded by Walter Klauss as an annual NYC concert series |
| 1985 | Officially adopts the corporate identity "Musica Viva NY" |
| 2004 | International debut tour in Paris, France |
| 2006 | European tour through Germany and the Czech Republic |
| 2012 | Concert tour across historical cathedrals in Italy |
| 2015 | Alejandro Hernandez-Valdez appointed Artistic Director & Conductor |
| 2022 | Release of "Crimson Roses" on Naxos Records featuring Frederica von Stade |
| 2026 | Major Spanish tour under the auspices of Teatro Real of Madrid |
| 2026 | Premiere of Richard Einhorn's "The Radiant Ground" |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------+Commissioning and Diversity Initiatives
Musica Viva NY regularly balances traditional sacred repertoire with contemporary compositions. The organization places particular emphasis on performing works by living American composers, women, and artists of color, often addressing social, racial, or environmental themes.
- Featured Composers: Florence Price, Alexandra T Bryant, Steve Reich, Frank Ticheli, Missy Mazzoli, Alice Walker, Joel Thompson, and Jessie Montgomery.
- Commissioning History: Premieres commissioned by the ensemble include works by Bora Yoon, Seymour Bernstein, Elena Ruehr, Joseph Turrin, Bruce Saylor, Jean-Louis Petit, Eugenio Toussaint, Gilda Lyons, Trent Johnson, Trevor Weston, and Richard Einhorn.
Critical Acclaim and Discography
The ensemble’s recording catalog includes Crimson Roses: Contemporary American Choral Music, released globally on Naxos Records. Featuring legendary mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade, the album presents works by Joseph Turrin, Richard Einhorn, and Gilda Lyons.
- Gramophone praised the album’s "warmth, vitality and cohesion."
- Fanfare highlighted its "superbly articulated, tonally rich and keenly balanced exceptional performances."
Talent Pipeline and Community Engagement
Over five decades, Musica Viva NY has served as a launchpad for major vocal talent. Notable alumni who have performed as ensemble singers or featured soloists include Metropolitan Opera star Renée Fleming and Broadway lead Michael Maliakel (Aladdin).
Beyond mainstage performances at All Souls NYC, the organization maintains community engagement programs across the five boroughs, including:
- Educational Partnerships: Direct collaboration with New York City public schools and youth extracurricular music groups.
- Public Literacy Initiatives: Free pop-up concerts and interactive workshops hosted across New York Public Library branches.
- Social Services Synergy: Free artistic events presented in partnership with the Monday Night Hospitality dinner program at All Souls, serving unhoused and low-income New Yorkers.
Official Statements & Artistic Philosophy
The thematic vision for LUMINOSITY centers on the relationship between auditory vibrations and visual light.
Artistic Director Alejandro Hernandez-Valdez framed the philosophical underpinnings of the performance:
"It is no surprise that impressive compositions in music history deal with the representation of light. The association of sound and light has been explored for millennia. Musica Viva NY is thrilled to add a newly commissioned piece to the repertoire by Richard Einhorn, bringing the impressive natural event of sunlight into music. We hope audiences will enjoy and appreciate light as a source of wonder, renewal, and connection."
Composer Richard Einhorn detailed the inspiration behind The Radiant Ground, pointing to the intersection of physical effort and artistic expression:
"I was inspired by the fourth stage on the Buddhist path to enlightenment, which is the goal of perfecting the quality of ‘joyful effort.’ As I considered how to portray joyful effort in music, I was reminded of a taiko ensemble performance I saw many years ago. Multiple drummers beat immense drums and moved in elaborate choreography around the drums with both reverence and purpose. The broad smiles of the performers struck me as an ideal visual and musical metaphor for joyful effort—as did their pouring sweat!"
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| THE DUALITY OF SOUND AND LIGHT |
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| Sound/Acoustics | Light/Metaphor |
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| Monophonic Chant (Hildegard) | Uncreated Celestial Spark (Divine Light) |
| Tintinnabuli String Polyphony (Pärt) | Infinite Mirror Image (Visual Illusion) |
| Mixed SATB Harmony (MacMillan/Marsh) | Dawn Breaking / Womb-Enclosed Hope |
| Hypnotic Organ & Viola (Whitbourn) | Creative Love & Hypnotic Radiance |
| Taiko Percussion & Brass (Einhorn) | Joyful Effort (*Vīrya*) & Awakening |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------+Future Outlook & Cultural Impact
Following its performance at All Souls NYC, Musica Viva NY plans to integrate The Radiant Ground into its touring repertoire. This follows its recent tour of Spain under the auspices of the Teatro Real of Madrid.
By bringing together high-intensity Taiko drumming, brass, and ancient Sanskrit text, LUMINOSITY offers a compelling template for the future of choral music. The program demonstrates how traditional sacred spaces can serve as venues for cross-cultural synthesis, bridging medieval European mysticism, modern acoustic minimalism, and Asian spiritual traditions.
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| CONCERT LOGISTICS SUMMARY |
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| Event | LUMINOSITY: Pärt, Whitbourn and Einhorn |
| Date & Time | Sunday, December 6, 2026 | 5:00 p.m. (Pre-Talk at 4:15 p.m.) |
| Location | All Souls NYC, 1157 Lexington Avenue, New York City |
| Ensemble | Musica Viva NY Chamber Choir |
| Artistic Leadership | Alejandro Hernandez-Valdez, Conductor & Pianist |
| Guest Artists | Soh Daiko (Taiko), Sathvi Ramaseshan (Viola), |
| | Trent Johnson (Organ) |
| Ticket Access | Starting at $10 via MusicaViva.org |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------+As classical music organizations seek to engage broader audiences, Musica Viva NY’s commitment to new commissions, varied instrumentation, and inclusive programming provides a sustainable roadmap for contemporary ensemble performance. LUMINOSITY stands as a key highlight of New York’s winter 2026 cultural calendar, offering a thoughtful exploration of how sound can illuminate the human experience.
