Abingdon Episcopal Church on Route 17 at White Marsh in Gloucester County will host “New York Polyphony” in the second concert this season in the Arts at Abingdon Series. The concert will be held Saturday, January 18, at 5 p.m. at the church. Admission is free but a free-will offering will be accepted.
Praised for a “rich, natural sound that’s larger and more complex than the sum of its parts” (National Public Radio), New York Polyphony is one of the foremost vocal chamber ensembles active today. The four men, “singers of superb musicianship and vocal allure” (The New Yorker), give vibrant, modern voice to repertoire ranging from Gregorian chant to cutting-edge compositions. Their dedication to innovative programming, as well as a focus on rare and rediscovered Renaissance and medieval works, has earned New York Polyphony two Grammy nominations.
Commissioning new works has been central to the mission of New York Polyphony since their founding in 2006. Both in performance and on recording, the ensemble has demonstrated a commitment to presenting contemporary compositions that explore the boundaries between ancient and modern music.
The ensemble’s growing discography includes two Grammy-nominated releases and albums that have topped the “best of” lists of The New Yorker, Gramophone, and BBC Music Magazine. The album, their seventh overall and fourth on BIS Records, debuted at #4 on Billboard magazine’s Traditional Classical Album chart. It has been hailed as “blissfully confident and beautiful” (BBC Radio 3 – Record Review), “resplendent and elegant” (San Francisco Chronicle), and “nothing short of revelatory” (AllMusic).
Called a “spacious, radiant retreat” by The New York Times and selected as a “must have” in their Holiday Gift Guide, 2014’s release “Sing thee Nowell” scored New York Polyphony its second Grammy nomination in the Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance category.
New York Polyphony tours extensively, participating in major concert series and festivals around the world. Noteworthy engagements include performances in London, Amsterdam, and Berlin, residencies at Dartmouth College and Stanford University, as well as Mexico and Canada. They have been featured on Performance Today for American Public Media, Footprints to Paradise: A Medieval Christmas for Public Radio International, and BBC Radio 3’s In Tune. In December 2011, New York Polyphony made its national television debut on The Martha Stewart Show.
New York Polyphony members are Geoffrey Williams, counter tenor; Steven Aldicott Wilson, tenor; Christopher Dylan Herbert, baritone; and Craig Phillips, bass.
Seating for the concert is limited so please arrive early. For more information, call the Abingdon Church Parish Office at 804-693-3035.
