The Aspen Choral Society will host an upcoming concert series, “A Luminous Night,” April 17 to 19 across Roaring Fork Valley — the final series under longtime Music Director Paul Dankers.
Having grown up in Wisconsin, Dankers moved to Colorado in 2004 and began working part-time at Snowmass Chapel in 2005. He became the full-time music director there in 2006, also serving as the creative director for the Snowmass Chapel Concert Series along with organizing and directing Christmas and Easter choirs and orchestras. Dankers also appeared in Aspen Community Theatre.
In 2013, Dankers became the music director for the Aspen Choral Society. He led a plethora of performances, including Handel’s “Messiah” and Stephen Schwartz’s “Children of Eden.”
The April 17-19 program centers on John Rutter’s “Requiem” (1985), recognized as a staple in choral literature and known for its rich melodies and reflections on life and death
The series also highlights Ola Gjeilo’s choral trilogy:
- “Dark Night of the Soul,” a dramatic look at heartache
- “Luminous Night of the Soul,” a movement toward clarity
- “Across the Vast Eternal Sky,” a celebration of renewal and the enduring spirit
“This program tells the truth about love and loss — whether personal or collective — and finds a way to embrace and share that grief through the healing power of music and ritual held in community,” Dankers said in a press release. “It is a profound honor to conclude my tenure with a program that begins in the dark night of the soul and concludes with the majestic image of the Phoenix rising from the ashes.”
Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and performances begin at 7 p.m.
- April 17, at 3rd Street Center, Carbondale
- April 18, at Harris Concert Hall, Aspen
- April 19, at Glenwood Springs High School Auditorium, Glenwood Springs
Tickets are available for purchase online and at the door.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit aspenchoralsociety.org.