SZSO's choral concert to celebrate New Year

Nothing captures the festive spirit or resonates as deeply as a collective of jubilant voices singing in harmony. As another year is waving around the corner, the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra (SZSO) is presenting a choral concert this Friday.

The SZSO Chamber Chorus

Helmed by Luo Shenka, resident conductor of the SZSO Chamber Chorus, the ensemble will join hands with the SZSO Children’s Choir to perform “Carmina Burana” (“Songs of Beuren”), the best-known piece by 20th-century German composer Carl Orff. This musical extravaganza will also feature soprano Liu Zhiyun, tenor Li Biao, baritone Shen Minghao and pianists Li Wenwen and Guan Jun.

“Songs of Beuren” refers to a collection of early 13th-century songs and poems that was discovered in Beuren, a monastery in Bavaria, Germany in 1803. The songs (over 1,000 of them) were written in a mix of Latin, German and medieval French by the Goliards, a band of poet-musicians comprising scholars and clerical students, who celebrated with earthy humor, the joys of the tavern, nature, love and lust.

Orff chose 24 of these songs and set them to music in what he termed a “scenic cantata” in 1935-1936. The work is divided into three sections — “Springtime,” “In the Tavern” and “The Court of Love” — preceded by and ending with an invocation to “Fortune.” “O Fortuna” (“Oh Fate”), a lament about the inescapable power of fate, is a familiar piece to music fans. Orff’s harmonic treatment, which is modal until the last nine bars, creates an ominous feeling, making it the perfect musical soundtrack for films and TV shows, including “The X Factor,” in which Orff’s melody is used to introduce the four judges.

Distinct from the mostly dissonant-sounding classical music of the 20th century that is difficult to understand, “Carmina Burana” strikes the audience as simple and very pleasing to the ear.

The SZSO Chamber Chorus, previously known as the SZSO Chorus, established in 2007, comprises graduates from premier music conservatories worldwide.

Undergoing a reformation in 2020, the ensemble has showcased their exceptional talents, ranging from enchanting performances of commissioned Chinese works to enthralling collaborations with the SZSO in renditions of classical masterpieces such as Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 9” and Mahler’s Symphonies 2 and 3. Their ability to deliver a diverse and vibrant repertoire with consummate skills has earned them rightful acclaim.

Luo, a young teacher with the Xinghai Conservatory of Music in Guangzhou, graduated with a master’s degree in conducting from the F. A. Bonporti Music Conservatory in Trento, Italy. The two pianists are teachers with the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, while the three singers are also from top music academies in China.

This is also the first time that the SZSO Children’s Choir joins the New Year’s choral concert, in the hope that the pure crystalline voices of children will add luster to the time-honored tradition.

Time: 8 p.m., Dec. 15

Tickets: 50-880 yuan

Venue: Shenzhen Concert Hall, Futian District (深圳音乐厅)

Metro: Line 3 or 4 to Children’s Palace Station (少年宫站), Exit D