NEWS
In the news
June 30, 2023
III International American Music Festival has ended its season in Russia
In every struggle arises an opportunity to bring people together to a new world that strikes and captivates the souls at just the right moment. The international festival of contemporary American classical music, "Spread New Music to the World," organized by American nonprofit music organization Lyrica Classic Entertainment, and envisioned by its artistic director and internationally acclaimed operatic soprano Yulia Petrachuk, delivered just that – a cultural contribution amid tumulus times of unrest between countries where music can no longer find its way across borders.
Lyrica Classic has taken on the mission to help contemporary American classical music be discovered by other countries by performing the works on famous stages by high-callable international artists.
The festival's III season rendition, which took place in Russia with the support of the United States Department of State to tighten the cultural ties between the countries, was dedicated to the great Russian-American composer Sergei Rachmaninoff in honor of his 150th anniversary.
In the news
May 18, 2023
Contrast as an idea: opuses by Rachmaninoff and Tamar at Moscow House of Music
The concert at the Moscow House of Music compared the famous work of the hero of the year and the Russian premiere of a modern American composition: the original move was justified, giving the audience a lot of impressions and emotions.
The 150th anniversary of Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff is widely celebrated throughout Russia, which cannot but rejoice. There have been no theatrical premieres yet, but there are plenty of concert premieres. In addition to the traditional Rachmaninoff monographs, where only one or another composition of the genius is heard in both parts, there are also comparison concerts, where Rachmaninoff's music is paired with some other author. In some cases, this is the music of contemporaries, for example, the young Seryozha Tchaikovsky, who admired the talent, or the Kuchkists, with whom Rachmaninoff had a difficult relationship, but whose music is of the same era and aesthetic paradigm as Rachmaninoff's. Or parallels are drawn with European contemporaries to show mutual influences, as well as the role and place of the work of the Russian master of the era of late romanticism at a turning point for European culture.
In the news
March 17, 2023
"Music of the New World" premiered in Moscow with a sold-out house.
On March 4, 2023, at the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Moscow, a concert program was presented to the Moscow audiences titled "Music of the New World."
The concert was held as part of the III international music festival, "Spread New Music to the World," dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the birth of Sergei Rachmaninoff. With the support of the U.S. Embassy in Russia, the event was held in collaboration with two non-profit organizations: Lyrica Classic and De Boni Arte Foundation. In these difficult times, such an event is of great interest to connoisseurs of high art. There was not a single empty seat in the Cathedral!
The musicians presented not only new music but music that united countries into one idea: peace and goodness among people. It seems that the theme is eternal, and composers and musicians spoke about these lofty virtues more than once in different voices. About the world, we hear intonations in the symphonies of Beethoven and Mahler and in the chamber music of romantic composers. The 20th century is full of this theme.
In the news
January 10, 2023
CHRISTMAS ORATORIO
Post-production Press Release
With great success and loud uplifting applause, the third concert of Lyrica Classic's contemporary music festival, "Spread New Music to the World," was presented to a sold-out house on January 9th at the beautiful St. Andrew Anglican Church in Moscow!
The event happened on the next day of the Orthodox Christmas, and It brought a special Christmas magic that captured the hearts and enriched the souls of everyone who witnessed it.
The program included the world premiere of Eli Tamar's aria, "Waft her, Angels, through the Skies," dedicated to the recently departed Queen of England, Elizabeth II.
The gentle voice of the soprano Svetlana Polyanskaya soared in the vaults of the temple, and the velvety sounds of the organ, performed by Marianna Visotskaya, carried it to the sky.
The second premiere of the evening was Elie Tamar's "Hymn to Brother Sun" for choir, soloists, and organ based on the text by St. Francis of Assisi, "Song of Brother Sun, or Praises of Creations."
With the help of organ colors and voices, the composer amazingly conveyed God's creations, the praises for which are conveyed in a text reminiscent of the "Psalms of David."
In the news
October 15, 2022
DIVINE LITURGY
Post-production Press Release
On November 30, at Sobornaya Palata, the Moscow musical world got acquainted with the new fantastic composition - the Slavic version of the "Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom» by a contemporary Orthodox American composer Kurt Sander.
To date, we already know a lot of liturgical works, but we really heard such music for the first time. How much sincerity, warmth, and light created Kurt Sander! Amazingly, a person with no Russian roots created such a deeply Russian composition with such truly Russian intonations!
People left with tears; this music touched them so much.
Here are the words of one of the priests in the audience: "The feeling is like I visited Favor. I want to stay in the World of these unearthly sounds and meanings. A deep impression! I am very glad I could be an accomplice in such a significant event!"
The composer wrote not just beautiful music. But people heard the words of God in it, its warmth and endless love. And it should be noted that the public was able to get such impressions exclusively thanks to the amazing work of high-level professionals - the vocal ensemble "Canticum Festum" under the leadership of its conductor Lyubov Shangina, and, of course, the organizer of the event - the non-profit organization Lyrica Classic, which brought this project in Russia as a part of its III international festival of contemporary music Spreading New Music to the World."
Angelic voices, soft and, at the same time, rich timbres, and a deep approach to conveying the meaning of the liturgical word - all this changed the evening of November 30 for many. The audience gave a standing ovation and did not let the artists go. Only after performing encore with the "Body of Christ" number, and with the closure of the Hall, the people left Sobornaya Palata, but they took all the light and new sensations with them.
In the news
October 15, 2022
SPREAD NEW MUSIC TO THE WORL 2023
Press Release
In collaboration with the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Lyrica Classic Entertainment is pleased to announce the joint artistic, and virtual cultural project "Spread New Music to the World - Tribute to Sergei Rachmaninoff."
Driven by the mission to unite nations through music, Lyrica Classic's annual international music festival, "Spread New Music to the World," will be held in Russia between November 2022 and May 2023 with the support of the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.
The festival will bring unknown American choral and organ music to Russian audiences through collaborations between artists from the U.S. and Russia as we celebrate the 150th anniversary of Sergei Rachmaninoff's birth.
Rachmaninoff, whose works are a unique synthesis of styles and cultures, is one of the most internationally famous and illustrious Russian-American composers. To celebrate Rachmaninoff's life and contribute to cross-cultural exchanges between the U.S. and Russia, Lyrica Classic will present six live and virtual concerts featuring three living American composers: Kurt Sander and his "The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom"; Eli Tamar and his "Requiem" and organ works; and Emmanuel Dubois and his Organ Sonata including Rachmaninoff's choral symphony, "The Bells," based on the poem by American writer Edgar Allan Poe.
The project's mission is to unite nations through music by having artists from the highest levels from the United States and Russia collaborate on these novel American masterpieces. This endeavor will provide a unique opportunity for Russian audiences to experience new American sacred music in a series of productions, as well as an amazing opportunity for Russian artists to work directly with living composers to bring new music to life in all its complexity and variety.
The festival will start on November 30, 2022, with the world premiere of “The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom” by Kurt Sander at the renowned Sobornaya Palata in Moscow, performed by Russian vocal ensemble Canticum Festum in combination with the digital art created by American artist Sue Slagle.
"I have never seen such a composer's Liturgy, where from the first to the last note this single idea of accompanying the semantic observation of the service was preserved," - says Lyubov Shangina, conductor of the Canticum Festum ensemble - "For me, Kurt Sander is the first author of such a Liturgical cycle. For either religious or far-from-religious people, this music becomes an important inspiration, air, breath, purity, and truth, which everyone needs so much today."
In the news
October 3, 2022
2022-2023 SEASON OPENING
Post-production Press Release
On Sunday, October 2, 2022, Lyrica Classic Entertainment’s fourth concert season began with our unique "Prayer for Peace" concert series at the beautiful Sligo Seventh-day Adventist Church. The presentation of the “Prayer for Peace” concert for our 2022-2023 season opening was challenging on many levels: we had to work with a new venue, new music, new artists, and new styles. The result was exceptional!
Lyrica's “Prayer for Peace” program was originally launched in 2021 during the pandemic with virtual and, ultimately, live production. It was a soul-cleansing and enriching experience so intense that our audience felt recreated as they shared their feedback on the impact of the performance. After that successful launch, Lyrica decided to share the program with larger audiences and created a concert series by the same name, the "Prayer for Peace" concert series. The series was designed to introduce contemporary sacred music by American composers explicitly written for organ in combination with other instruments and voice.
In 2022, the U.S. Embassy in Vienna chose our “Prayer for Peace” for its annual "U.S. Mission to Austria" program presented at the renowned Musikverein in Graz in March 2022 with the fantastic cast: mezzo-soprano Hermine Haselböck, soprano Elisabeta Marin, soprano Yulia Petrachuk, and organist Nicholas Will. The program featured two American composers: Emmanuel Dubois and Eli Tamar.
In the news
November 22, 2021
SPREAD NEW MUSIC TO THE WORL 2022
Press Release
Lyrica Classic, in collaboration with International Artistic Agency Künstleragentur Hollaender-Calix and with support of the U.S. Embassy in Vienna, is pleased to announce our annual international program “Spread New Music to the World” and its concert program “Prayer for Peace.” This musical collaboration introduces Austrian audiences to new sacred organ and vocal music based on Catholic and Orthodox prayer texts.
The concert program features works by two American composers Eli Tamar and Emmanuel Dubois, and will be performed by American and Austrian artists organist Nicholas Will, soprano Yulia Petrachuk, soprano Elisabeta Marin, and mezzo-soprano Hermine Haselböck. “It is our mission to unite nations through music and the amazing experience of working together with top-caliber artists from other countries,” says soprano Yulia Petrachuk, founder of Lyrica Classic.
Lyrica Classic is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing recognition to new and undiscovered music. Founded in 2019, Lyrica Classic brings high-caliber performing arts experiences to stages in North America, Europe, and around the world.
The afternoon of music will be held at the Congress Graz Stefaniensaal in Graz, Austria, which is often called the small brother of the “Golden Hall” of the Vienna Musikverein, at 7:00pm CET on Sunday, March 20, 2022. A live broadcast will be available at 11:00am EST on Sunday, April 10 for those unable to attend in-person.
In the news
March 21, 2021
ORGAN APOTHEOSIS
Press Release
What makes the online concerts of new American classical music so special?
In March 2021, Lyrica Classic, with the Maryland State Arts Council's support, introduce new organ and sacred vocal music to the audience in a virtual setting in two parts with a live broadcast from three countries and three churches on March 28 and April 25 on YouTube Live.
The project features the works by two contemporary composers: American-Belgian composer Emmanuel Dubois and Israeli-American composer Eli Tamar.The program of the online concert Organ Apotheosis will include works written on the texts of Catholic and Orthodox prayers: "Prayer for Peace," "Canticum Fratris Solis," "Our Father" by composer Ellie Tamar, as well as an Organ Sonata and "Ave Maria" by composer Emmanuel Dubois.
In the news
December 3, 2020
SPREAD NEW MUSIC TO THE WORLD 2020
Joint Press Release
Lyrica Classic Entertainment, in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, is pleased to announce the joint artistic and virtual cultural project Spread New Music to the World to acquaint Russian audiences with the modern American classical music of the American-Belgian composer Emmanuel Dubois and present his oratorio "Requiem for the Fallen." The performance of this oratorio in Russia, composed in memory of the victims of wars, is dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the Second World War's victory.
Lyrica Classic Entertainment в сотрудничестве с посольством США в Москве рады объявить о
создании совместного художественного и культурного виртуального проекта «Распространяя новую
музыку по миру», цель которого - познакомить российскую аудиторию с современной американской классической музыкой американо-бельгийского композитора Эммануэля Дюбуа и представить его ораторию «Реквием по павшим». Исполнение этой оратории в России, написанной в память о жертвах воин, посвящено 75-летию победы во Второй мировой войне.
In the news
October 31, 2020
Spread New Music to the World 2020
We are happy to announce the "Spread new music to the world" project - a collaborative artistic and cultural program between Russia and the United States with the support of the US Embassy in Moscow. The project intends to enrich the audience and features the novel American masterpiece "Requiem for the fallen" by Emmanuel Dubois. Driven by the mission to unite nations through the music and amazing experience of working together with top caliber artists from other countries, this endeavor will provide a unique opportunity for young professionals from art-oriented educational institutes in Russia to be part of the preparation process of the project, interact with the composer and established artists, and see orchestration processes as well as how music comes alive in all complexity and diversity.
We will also be hosting multiple webinars with a lineup of esteemed and established conductors, composers, and other musicians to advise on succeeding in today's classical music industry in a live virtual setting. A Q&A session will follow each discussion with a language interpreter available to assist in each session.
In the news
October 2, 2019
Requiem for the Fallen at Carnegie Hall
It was after a chance encounter in 2015 in Washington, D.C., with the soprano and founder of the non-profit company Lyrica Classic, Yulia Petrachuk, that Emmanuel Dubois decided to compose almost exclusively for voice. As Emmanuel noted, “Yulia’s unique talent as a singer and actress prompted me to conceive of a new music project, and I imagined a large piece with choir and orchestra to commemorate the centennial of the end of World War I, with Yulia as soloist.” But by an incredible twist of fate, and most tragically, on March 22, 2016, the terrorist attack at Brussels airport in Zaventem killed and maimed scores of people. Among the victims was Dubois’ longtime friend and neighbor, André Adam, former ambassador of Belgium to the U.S. and the United Nations. André died instantaneously in the bombing, and his wife was grievously injured. The tragedy and sadness of this attack more than anything else galvanized Dubois’ energy, and the next two years were devoted almost exclusively to the composition of the 45-minute oratorio “Requiem for the Fallen.” It is a tribute to his lost friend and composed in memory of all victims of war and violence; a call for peace and understanding. It is about that which is most precious to our humanity: mutual respect. In June 2018 the oratorio premiered in the church of Saint Clare, France, by a community orchestra. It was touching to notice most of the young musicians had a parent or relative who perished in WWI.
In the news
July 20, 2019
The Love Letters at Carnegie Hall
On July 11th, 2019 at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall Lyrica Classic Entertainment presented the mono-opera The Love Letters by Ukrainian composer Vitaly Hubarenko.
The opera was performed about 17 times while the composer was alive and only few times after he died in 2000. Such a small number is due to significant difficulties in the soprano part, which requires perfect intonation, vocal technique, and excellent acting skills. Within sopranos who performed this piece are such accomplished singers as Evgeniya Miroshnichenko, Galina Pisarenko, and other known artists.
