What: Vox Humana’s Vox in the Stars
When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Where: The Dominion Astrophysical Observatory
Tickets: Sold out
Vox Humana music director Brian Wismath knew immediately when he’d found the perfect venue for the chamber choir to sing Urmas Sisask’s Gloria Patri.
The Estonian composer wrote the work after developing a scale of five musical notes based on his study of the planets’ rotations. When Wismath drove past the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory on West Saanich Road soon after moving to Victoria four years ago, it seemed like the only option.
“It hit me like a ton of bricks that this was the place we needed to perform this,” Wismath said.
Vox Humana gave their first performance of movements from Gloria Patri at the observatory in 2011.
“It’s kind of neat because through his inspiration studying the planets, space and astronomy, he developed this musical work that we then perform in a space dedicated to understanding and knowledge around the same subjects,” Wismath said.
The choir returns Friday to present movements from the same work to a sold-out audience of 90 for the third time, thanks to volunteer support from observatory staff.
But since the National Research Council Canada closed the observatory’s companion interpretive facility — the Centre of the Universe — to the public this summer, Wismath anticipates that this may be their last.
“[Observatory staff] have really gone out of their way to make this concert possible; I’m sure you can imagine the challenges they’re facing,” he said.
The payoff is in the unique acoustical environment, created by the metal dome and large telescope.
“The dome itself creates a very reverberant and resonant acoustic setting, which allows for a unique listening experience,” he said.
Vox Humana has paired selections from Gloria Patri’s 24 movements with works by Estonia’s foremost composer, Arvo Pärt, with whom Sisask studied.
They will also sing the world première of Victoria composer David Archer’s Heart of Night.
“He’s a wonderful young composer with a gift for writing,” Wismath said of Archer. “We tasked him with writing a piece that would take advantage of the unique location and acoustical properties of the conservatory.”
The lyrics of Archer’s piece are drawn from late Canadian poet Bliss Carman’s writing.
“He uses stars, planets and nighttime to connect with human elements, things like love and passion and pain and anger. So it’s kind of taking the human experience and looking at it in a bit more global, universal way.”
Vox Humana will present a reprise for this concert Oct. 16 at St. John the Divine Church, during a concert with the Canadian Chamber Choir.
Wismath called Friday’s concert at the observatory a special event.
“It’s unlike any venue where we’ve performed,” he said. “It’s going to be an emotional experience for myself and the singers, knowing it may be the last time we perform there.”
