Announcing the Hawaiʻi Premiere of Forrest’s JUBILATE DEO and Fraley’s ISLAND HOME (AWAKENING)

Please join the Kona Choral Society for the Hawaiʻi premiere of Dan Forrest’s Jubilate Deo and the world premiere of Chris Fraley’s Island Home (Awakening) on Sunday, June 4, 2023, 4:00-5:00 PM.

This is the first performance on island of these choral works and we are very happy to announce that both composers will be in attendance!

Held at the Hilton Waikoloa Grand Ballroom, Conductor Susan McCreary Duprey will lead an orchestra of 38 local professional musicians and the 100 voice festival chorus of the Kona Choral Society and guest singers in these musical gems.

Dan Forrest’s Jubilate Deo brings to life the global aspect of the traditional Psalm 100 text, “O be joyful in the Lord, all ye lands,” by setting it in seven different languages and drawing from a wide spectrum of musical influences. Each movement combines some characteristics of its language-group’s musical culture with the composer’s own musical language. Movements include liturgical Latin, intertwined Hebrew and Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, Zulu, Spanish, Song of the Earth (untexted), and a closing movement combining several of these languages with English. The result is a stunning global celebration of joy, as all the earth sings as one, “omnis terra, jubilate!”

A commission by KCS to one of its own singers, Island Home (Awakening) was composed by Chris Fraley in celebration of their 30th anniversary season (2020-2021.) Set to his own words, the imagery he experienced on his early morning walks is incorporated directly into the music while the lyrics speak of the mountains in the sunrise, the sand and sea, and the rejoicing of living in this beautiful land and the joy of singing.

The audience is invited to remain after the concert for a talk story with composers Dan Forrest and Chris Fraley and KCS Artistic Director Susan McCreary Duprey.