The second concert, “Grandson of Afro-Brazilian Slaves: Classical Star Composer José Maurício Nunes Garcia” (June 24 and 25), is at the heart of Crescendo’s mission of bringing to our audiences rarely heard choral music. It also aligns with an important new movement to counteract the racial prejudice that is endemic in the teaching, playing, and interpretation of classical music. Nunes Garcia was a son of mulatto parents, and his grandparents were Brazilian slaves. Despite this, he was one of South America’s most prominent classical musicians, a contemporary of Mozart, and wrote a large number of works for chorus, soloists and orchestra during his long tenure at the service of the Royal Chapel in Rio de Janeiro. Most of his exquisite works have not yet been performed nor recorded. The concert program includes two of his large choral works—Matinas do Apóstolo São Pedro (1815), and Missa S. Pedro de Alcántara (1808) for chorus, soloists, two bassoons, violoncello, double bass, and organ, as well as “Te Christe solum novimus” (1800) for soprano and organ. The performers are Schauntice Shephard, soprano (Hartford, CT), Sarah Bleasdale, alto (Stamford, CT), Pablo Bustos, tenor (Rochester, NY), Jermaine Woodard Jr., baritone (Hartford, CT), with Crescendo Chorus, and period instruments, directed by Christine Gevert.

These concerts have been made possible in part with support from the Connecticut Office of the Arts, which also receives funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Support for these concerts has also been provided to Crescendo from CT Humanities (CTH), with funding provided by the Connecticut State Department of Economic and Community Development/Connecticut Office of the Arts (COA) from the Connecticut State Legislature.

The choral concerts “Grandson of Afro-Brazilian Slaves” are on Friday, June 24, at 7:15 pm at Saint James Place, and on Saturday, June 25 at 6 pm at Trinity Church. Tickets are $35 (general seating), $60 (premium seating), and $10 (youth). All audience members, staff, and performers must show proof of being fully vaccinated, and must remain properly masked once inside the performance venue. These policies are subject to change. Access online ticket sales and the full Covid precaution policy in the most updated version on Crescendo’s website: crescendomusic.org.