Helios Ensemble and The Church of the Incarnation To Present Sergei
Rachmaninov's "All Night Vigil" (Vespers)

The Helios Ensemble will join forces with the Chancel Choir of the Church
of the Incarnation to present Sergei Rachmaninov's monumental "All Night
Vigil" opus 37, on Saturday Evening May 18, 2002 at the Church of the
Incarnation, 3966 McKinney Ave, Dallas, TX.  The concert, which begins
at 8:00 p.m., will feature two internationally renowned soloists, and a
choir of 80 voices.  Composed in 1915, this hauntingly beautiful work was
an accomplishment in which Rachmaninov himself claimed to be one of his
proudest achievements.  Scored for an unaccompanied choir dividing at
times into eleven parts, this rarely heard masterpiece is a landmark of
Russian liturgical music and is certain to thrill and move the listener.
Elizabeth Jackson, who has appeared in dozens of concerts and opera
productions throughout the United States as well as with companies in
Hong Kong and Japan, will be the contralto soloist.  Miss Jackson's rich
dramatic voice, commanding stage presence and her remarkable ability to
wed text and music to profoundly move the listener has won her praise in
the press.  A frequent soloist with The Helios Ensemble and other Dallas
Groups, Miss Jackson is also widely recognized for her appearances in
opera, in particular, as the Mother in Menotti's Amahl and the Night
Visitors, a role that has become a signature for her.  Swedish-born tenor
Leif Aruhn-Solen will be the other featured soloist.  Mr.  Aruhn-Solen
enjoys a remarkable and ever-growing career.  Only twenty-nine years old,
the lyric tenor has appeared with opera companies and symphony orchestras
throughout the world including The Cleveland Orchestra, The Drottingholm
Baroque Ensemble and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.  Mr.
Aruhn-Solen began his career as the youngest member of the Swedish Radio
Choir, one of the world's finest a cappella choruses.  He now travels
extensively singing in opera productions and concerts.  He is particularly
recognized for his work in early opera and oratorio, and is in demand as
the Evangelist in Bach's Passions among other roles.  Both The Helios
Ensemble and the Incarnation Chancel Choir have carved out reputations as
outstanding practitioners of the choral art.  Both groups have been hailed
in press and public as great assets to the artistic community of Dallas.
It is rare that two of the city's leading ensembles are able to meet
schedules in order to embark on a joint venture of this scope.  Kevin M.
Clarke leads the Incarnation Choir, and is also the resident organist and
composer for the Helios Ensemble.  He is one of the nation's leading organ
recitalists, having performed in the United States, Canada, and Mexico
and throughout Europe.  His recordings with the Incarnation choir have
consistently won critical acclaim.  The concert will be under the baton of
Helios Artistic Director and Conductor, Kevin Sutton.  Mr.  Sutton, who in
addition to his work as a conductor and clinician, is also recognized as
a tenor soloist in the United States, Central America and in Europe.  He
makes regular appearances with the Dallas Bach Society, The Denton Bach
Society, and The Arlington Choral Society and was recently featured in
Monteverdi's Vespers of 1610 with Atlanta's New Trinity Baroque.  He
founded The Helios Ensemble in 1994 as a five-voice chamber group and
expanded it to its current twenty-four-voice composition in 1999.  Scott
Cantrell, music critic of the Dallas Morning News has praised The Helios
Ensemble as "the cause for rejoicing." Critic Olin Chism called the singing
of The Helios Ensemble "haunting." Tickets for the concert are $15 for
adults, and $12 for students and seniors.  Advanced reservations are
available by calling either 214.696.5614 or 214.893.1573.  It is
recommended to reserve seats for this concert

Kevin Sutton <[log in to unmask]>