Christmas Joy
Essential Voices USA
Judith Clurman, conductor
Essential Voices USA conducted by Judith Clurman performs choral music for Christmas including Illumination by Pierre Jalbert; The Snow by Bill Cutter; and a superlative arrangement of favorite Christmas carols for chorus and string quartet. Titled Christmas Joy, the work includes Silent Night; Hark! The Herald Angels Sing; Angels We Have Heard on High; O Come, O Come, Emmanuel; O Come, All Ye Faithful; and Joy to the World.
Listen
Hear the full album on YouTube
Stream/Buy
Choose your platform
Track Listing
| Title | Composer | Performer |
|---|---|---|
| Illumination | Pierre Jalbert; text by William Schermerhorn | Essential Voices USA; Judith Clurman, conductor |
| The Snow | Bill Cutter; text by Lewis Carrol | Essential Voices USA; Judith Clurman, conductor |
| Christmas Joy | arr. and text adaptation by Josh Clayton & Judith Clurman | Essential Voices USA; The Essential Strings - Suliman Tekali & Yu-Chie Wang, violins; Caeli Smith, viola; Coleman Itzkoff, cello; Judith Clurman, conductor |
ESSENTIAL VOICES USA
Members: Phillip Cheah, Paul D’Arcy, Olivia Sue Green, Chloe Holgate, Heather Jones, Linda Jones, Helen Karloski, Enrico Lagasca, Elizabeth Lang, Steven Moore, Neil Netherly, Nicholas Prior, Gregory Purnhagen, Elisa Singer Strom, Jason Weisinger
Margery Daley, choral contractor
Apprentice members (joined on Christmas Joy): Michael Douris, Roberson Keffer, Marie Schwab, Norman Schwab
THE ESSENTIAL STRINGS
Suliman Tekali, violin
Yu-Chie Wang, violin
Caeli Smith, viola
Coleman Itzkoff, cello
Recorded June 14, 2023 at The DiMenna Center for Classical Music in New York NY, USA
Producer and Engineer Silas Brown
Assistants Doron Schacter and Michael Schwartz
Further Information:
Pierre Jalbert (Visit Website)
William Schermerhorn (Visit Website)
Illumination published by Schott
Christmas Joy published by Hal Leonard
The Snow published by Hal Leonard
Cover design by Michael Gaudet ©EVUSA
Cover photography used with permission from the Ministero della cultura, Gallerie Degli Uffizi. “Rosso, Fiorentino, Angelo Musicante, Gallerie delle Statue e delle Pitture degli Uffizi, inv. 1890, n. 1505”
Artist Information
Essential Voices USA
Essential Voices USA (EVUSA) is one of New York’s preeminent choral ensembles. EVUSA performs in many of the city’s iconic venues and events, and records and premieres works by America’s finest composers and lyricists. The ensemble is comprised of talented, seasoned professionals and auditioned volunteers, dynamically fitted to the unique needs of each project. EVUSA held a month-long residency at National Public Radio, performed for many years with The New York Pops in its Carnegie Hall subscription series, performed on NBC’s July 4th Macy’s Fireworks Spectacular, and at the Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting and participated in President Obama’s Inaugural activities. On July 4, 2022, they performed Washington Women, the choral cycle they commissioned, on the National Public Radio Tiny Desk Concerts. They have recently performed in educational programs in the New York City schools. The group has produced The Composer Speaks at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music, and has premiered works and collaborated with America’s finest composers.
Judith Clurman
Judith Clurman, conductor and music director of Essential Voices USA, is equally at home with repertoire from the classical canon to the American Songbook, musical theater, and contemporary compositions. She is the musical director and conductor for Essential Voices USA, conducts the Macy’s Choir in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, teaches singing at the Manhattan School of Music, and edits music for Hal Leonard and Schott. She previously directed The New York Concert Singers. She has worked with many of the world’s finest symphonies at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center and has commissioned and conducted new works by over seventy composers.
The Essential Strings
Formed for the recording of CHRISTMAS JOY, The Essential Strings is comprised of recent graduates of major music conservatories.
Josh Clayton
Josh Clayton is a New York City based arranger and orchestrator. He has made musical contributions to theatrical and concert performances throughout the United States and the United Kingdom and currently serves as the Director of Music Administration and Score Restoration for the New York City Center Encores! Series. Recent credits include the Lincoln Center – US tour of “My Fair Lady,” the Ahmanson Theatre – Los Angeles production of “The Secret Garden,” and the Signature Theatre and Milwaukee Repertory Theatre production of “Titantic.” Josh wrote additional orchestrations for the National Theater London production of “Follies,” and has worked on several “Lyric and Lyricists” performances at the 92nd Street Y in New York City.
Notes
Texts
*Album cover provided for Editorial use only. ©Albany Records. The Albany Imprint is a registered trademark of PARMA Recordings LLC. The views and opinions expressed in this media are those of the artist and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views and opinions held by PARMA Recordings LLC and its label imprints, subsidiaries, and affiliates.