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Concordia University Alum and Adjunct Faculty Member Chosen as Winner of Pacific Chorale's 2016 Young Composers Competition

Concordia University Alum and Adjunct Faculty Member Chosen as Winner of Pacific Chorale's 2016 Young Composers Competition

IRVINE, Calif. (March 13, 2017)Concordia University Irvine (CUI) today announced that university alumnus and adjunct faculty member Christian Guebert of Orange has been chosen as the winner of the Pacific Chorale's 2016 Young Composers Competition for American composers under the age of 35. His winning composition, "The Untold Want," will receive its world premiere with a performance by the nationally-renown, 24-voice John Alexander Singers under the direction of Pacific Chorale Artistic Director and Conductor John Alexander during his final American Voices concert. The concert will take place on Saturday, April 8 at 4 p.m. at the Meng Concert Hall on the campus of California State University, Fullerton.

Christian Guebert

In addition to the premiere of his composition, Guebert received a $1,050 prize for his win and will receive a recording of the premiere performance of his composition. Guebert was a finalist in the Young Composers Competition in 2012 for his work “Aboard at a Ship’s Helm.”

"It is an honor to have the opportunity to compose a piece that could resonate with others and to be granted such a professional performance," Guebert said. "The Young Composers Competition provided me with a great opportunity to reach new artistic heights and has been among the highlights of my music career."

Guebert was among 21 composers from 11 states who entered the Young Composers Competition. The competition is judged blindly by Pacific Chorale’s associate and lead conductors. Entrants, required to be American and under the age of 35, had to submit pieces 3-6 minutes in length, for mixed voices, divisi up to SSAATTBB, a cappella or with accompaniment for piano, on text(s) by American poets, and the work must not have been previously performed.

Created in 2009 and held about every other year, the Young Composers Competition is put on by the Pacific Chorale to encourage the proliferation of America's choral music by choral composers under the age of 35. To obtain tickets for the April 8th concert at Meng Hall, call Pacific Chorale at (714) 662-2345 or to learn more, visit www.pacificchorale.org.

Guebert, 28, earned his Bachelor of Arts from Concordia University Irvine in 2010 and his Master of Music in music composition from California State University, Fullerton in 2013. He is a first-year Ph.D. student in music composition at The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, where he has a teaching assistantship and currently teaches two musicianship courses. He has conducted music throughout the United States and in Europe on music tours, having studied choral and orchestral conducting at both Concordia University Irvine and at California State University, Fullerton. He served as the Composer-in-Residence at Concordia Irvine from 2013 through 2014 and currently serves as the director of music ministries at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Orange.

About Concordia University Irvine

Concordia University Irvine (CUI) is a non-profit Lutheran Christian four-year liberal arts university that prepares students for their vocations—their calling in life. Concordia offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs in education, nursing, theology, business, and coaching/athletics administration. CUI’s undergraduate program is distinctive because of its nationally recognized core curriculum, Enduring Questions & Ideas, and its Lutheran heritage that provides a thoughtful and caring Christian community that lives out the theology of "Grace Alone. Faith Alone." Concordia is a U.S. News Top Tier Regional University and has been named by The Chronicle of Higher Education as one of the fastest growing private nonprofit master's institutions. The university is part of the Concordia University System, the second largest education ministry system in the United States just behind the Catholic Church. The private university enrolls over 4,000 students annually and is in its final year of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II Membership process.

About Pacific Chorale

Pacific Chorale (PC) has delighted national and international audiences with concerts of great choral music performed at the highest musical standards since 1968. Under the artistic leadership of John Alexander, the organization produces a series of concerts each year at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, where it serves as the sole resident choir. The mission of Pacific Chorale is to enrich and educate the community by demonstrating outstanding leadership in the performance, creation and preservation of choral music. The organization boasts over 30 world premieres and has released 14 self-produced recordings. John Alexander and the Chorale have toured extensively to over 19 countries.

In 2015, Pacific Chorale announced the retirement of its conductor, John Alexander, who will be serving through June 30, 2017 as Artistic Director and then will become Artistic Director Emeritus. In the same announcement, Robert Istad was named the next Artistic Director; Istad currently serves in the role of Associate Conductor.

CONTACT:
Orith Farago
Communications Consultant
(714) 582-2300
[email protected]

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