Winning composition to be premiered at the Chorus' 6th Annual Stars and Stripes Forever Concert in San Juan Capistrano, CA.

Hunitngton Beach, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 06/04/2010 -- The Orange County Choral Society (OCCS) is pleased to announce selection of the first and second place winners of its First Annual Magnum Opus Composition Competition. According to Christopher Gravis, OCCS Artistic Director, first place was awarded to Daniel McDavitt from Urbana, IL for his composition entitled "Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal" – an eight-part a cappella arrangement. In addition to a cash prize of $1,000 and a professional recording of the work, McDavitt's composition will be premiered at the Orange County Choral Society's 6th Annual Stars and Stripes Forever concert to be held July 3 at Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano. Second place honors and a check for $500 went to Elaine Hagenberg of Des Moines, IA for her composition "A Child of Peace."

Daniel McDavitt is an active conductor, composer, and arranger. Born and raised in Missouri, he earned a BA in music and humanities and an MM in choral conducting from Brigham Young University, and is currently completing a DMA in choral conducting and literature at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. During the 2010-2011 academic year, he will be a visiting faculty member at Knox College in Galesburg, IL, where he will teach music theory, music history, and will serve as Acting Director of Choirs. Recently, he has directed the BYU University Chorale and the University of Illinois Chorus, and is the artistic director of the Heritage Singers. He lives in Urbana, IL with his wife Jenika.

The Magnum Opus competition was created by the Orange County Choral Society specifically to encourage the creation of new choral works by today's gifted composers. In late 2009, OCCS issued a nationwide invitation requesting composers to submit an original composition or arrangement of American folk song, patriot theme or American hymn-tune for the competition. More than 25 composers from the U.S and around the world submitted their compositions and five semifinalists were selected and evaluated by a distinguished three-member panel consisting of: Jo Michael Scheibe – chair of the Thornton School of Music's Department of Choral and Sacred Music at the University of Southern California; Frank Ticheli - an American composer of orchestral, choral, chamber and concert band works and professor of composition at the University of Southern California; and, Christopher Gravis - Artistic Director, Orange County Choral Society.

The Chorus' Magnum Opus Composition Competition was made possible through a generous grant by the Robert & Doreen Marshall Fund for Dramatic Arts & Classical Music. The OCCS is a nonprofit 501( c ) 3 performing arts organization, dedicated to promoting the appreciation of choral music in Orange County through accessible and affordable performances of masterworks concerts.

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Highlighting the concert will be the world premiere of the winning composition of the First Annual Magnum Opus Composition Competition.

Hunitngton Beach, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 06/04/2010 -- The Orange County Choral Society (OCCS) will present its 6th Annual Stars and Stripes Forever Concert, Saturday, July 3 at 8:00 p.m. at Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano, 31520 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. .

This year's free concert, "A Portrait of Liberty," includes the inspiring works of Copland, Berlin, Sousa and others in addition to many well-loved patriotic songs. Also featured will be the world premiere of the wining entry in the Chorus' First Annual Magnum Opus Choral Composition Competition. This competition was made possible through a generous grant by the Robert & Doreen Marshall Fund for Dramatic Arts & Classical Music.

Under the direction of Christopher Gravis, the Chorus consists of more than 75 singers and brass and wind musicians from Orange County and the surrounding area. OCCS is a nonprofit 501( c ) 3 performing arts organization, dedicated to promoting the appreciation of choral music in Orange County through accessible and affordable performances of great music literature. For more information, visit http://www.OCChoralSociety.org.

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Orange County Choral Society to Perform Brahms’ “Ein deutches Requiem” in Tustin May 15

Huntington Beach, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 04/20/2010 -- The Orange County Choral Society (OCCS), under the direction of Christopher Gravis, will present the full orchestral version of Johannes Brahms' Ein deutches Requiem, Saturday, May 15, 8 p.m. at Red Hill Lutheran Church of Tustin, 13200 Red Hill Avenue, Tustin. Also called "The German Requiem" this Brahms masterwork is not your typical requiem as it is intended for the living, not the dead. Written to provide comfort and consolation to the living, it emphasizes the transience of life, the need for comfort, the hope of a final resolution, and a reward for effort.

OCCS guest soloists include Lori Stinson and Steve Pence. Ms Stinson has performed featured roles with the San Diego Opera, Opera San Luis Obispo, Opera Pacific, Long Beach Opera, and New York City Opera. Mr. Pence has appeared as guest soloist at Disney Concert Hall with the Los Angeles Master Chorale and has also performed with the Cypress Masterworks Chorale and Orange County Catholic Chorale.

The Brahms' Requiem is a featured performance of Orange County's 25th Anniversary of Imagination Celebration (April 17 - May 23) – a selection of creative theatre, dance, music, film, literary and visual arts experiences through collaborating Orange County professional arts organizations, cities, schools, libraries, universities and community venues.

The OCCS is a nonprofit 501( c ) 3 performing arts organization, dedicated to promoting the appreciation of choral music in Orange County through accessible and affordable performances of masterworks concerts. Tickets are available for $15 at the door (students are free). For more information, visit http://OCChoralSociety.org.

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