INTERVIEW: Dessoff focuses on ‘Mother and Child’ for holiday season
Photo: Malcolm J. Merriweather leads The Dessoff Choirs as music director and conductor. Photo courtesy of the Dessoff Choirs / Provided by AMT PR with permission.
The Dessoff Choirs is a celebrated chorus that is nearing its 100th anniversary. In 2024, the group of singers, under the musical direction of Malcolm J. Merriweather, will honor their history-making past and their championing of a diverse repertoire that represents many styles and eras. There is no better way to prepare for that centennial than enjoying one of The Dessoff Choirs’ upcoming holiday shows.
This year, audience members have a few options. On Friday, Dec. 2, the group will offer a “Messiah Sing” version of Handel’s holiday classic at the Union Theological Seminary in Manhattan. The following weekend, they will offer a pair of church concerts featuring John Tavener’s “Mother and Child” and other holiday-inspired compositions, including “Silent Night” by candlelight. These “Welcome Yule: Mother and Child” concerts take place Friday, Dec. 9 at St. Paul the Apostle in Manhattan and Sunday, Dec. 11 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Brooklyn.
Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Merriweather about the holiday concerts. In addition to his work as music director of The Dessoff Choirs, he is the director of choral studies and the voice department coordinator at Brooklyn College. The baritone singer also serves as artist-in-residence at Union Theological Seminary and director of the New York Philharmonic Chorus. He is known for several acclaimed recordings, including his interpretation of songs by Margaret Bonds. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
What can audiences expect from the December concerts? What are you most excited for?
Our December concerts are holiday favorites that attract concert-goers from all over the tri-state area. Our attendees can expect to join in the singing of carols like “Hark, the herald angels sing!” alongside Renaissance gems and new contemporary arrangements of “Go, Tell it on the Mountain” and “Coventry Carol.” I am really looking forward to hearing these pieces in these incredible churches. Our singers will be enhanced by accompaniments played on some really beautiful pipe organs.
Does the “Messiah Sing” present any logistical challenges?
The “Messiah Sing” is beloved by audiences because they can sit alongside the singers. The singers love this event because they can sit near their loved ones. With soloists from among our talented choir roster, this informal concert is the perfect way to kick off the holiday season.
What do you like about John Taverner’s “Mother and Child”?
Taverner’s “Mother and Child” is incredibly atmospheric piece that alternates between the hushed tones of the choir and full organ. We will be performing in amazing acoustical spaces, and these contrasting moods will be ethereal and meditative.
Are you generally a fan of this festive time of year?
Yes, I love this time of year. We have the best music, and I enjoy the crisp weather. Of course, I am a native of Buffalo, New York. I love this time of year so much that I put up my Christmas tree in mid-November!
One of the stated goals of the choir is to address social justice and equity. How do you achieve these goals?
One of the ways we have addressed this is by performing the music of Black composers and music written by women. Our December Welcome Yule concerts will feature music written by Vicente Lusitano, the first Black composer to have music published. We will also sing an arrangement of Black female composer Evelyn Curenton Simpson.
When did you first fall in love with conducting?
I first fell in love with conducting when I began conducting an ensemble with the Syracuse Children’s Choir. It was around this time of year that I first began conducting this group. I will never forget how beautifully they sang and, more importantly, how hard they worked throughout the rehearsal process!
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
The Dessoff Choirs, led by music director Malcolm J. Merriweather, will present Messiah Sing on Dec. 2, and Welcome Yule: Mother and Child on Dec. 9 and 11. Click here for more information and tickets.
