Press Release – ECSO Palm Sunday 4.13.25
April 2, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: CALEB BAILEY
860-443-2876
[email protected]
Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra and Chorus to Perform Free Concert of Faure’s Requiem on Sunday, April 13, 7:30pm
Cathedral of St. Patrick, 213 Broadway, Norwich, CT 06360
On Sunday, April 13 (Palm Sunday) at 7:30pm, the ECSO and Eastern Connecticut Symphony Chorus (ECSC) will perform a free concert at the Cathedral of St. Patrick in Norwich, CT conducted by ECSO Music Director and Conductor, Toshiyuki Shimada and ECSC Director, Daniel McDavitt. Free tickets may be reserved by visiting the ECSO website at ectsymphony.com.
The evening will begin with a work by our very own Eastern Connecticut Symphony Chorus’s Director, Daniel McDavitt, titled The Prayer of St. Francis. Following this work will be Mendelssohn’s Hear My Prayer, a gorgeous work that will be performed by the ECSO and Eastern Connecticut Symphony Chorus, featuring Soprano, Sarah Yanovitch Vitale.
Closing out the evening will be Fauré’s Requiem Op.48, a truly special piece that will sound stunning in the Cathedral’s acoustics. It will be sung by Sarah Yanovitch Vitale and Gregory Flower, Baritone. This work will unite the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Chorus and the orchestra, as they perform together in the glorious Cathedral of St. Patrick once more.
This concert is generously sponsored by the Edward and Mary Lord Foundation.
Caleb Bailey, Executive Director of the ECSO was quoted as saying “We have a strong commitment toward enabling access to members of our community, and free concerts help realize this goal. We are so grateful for this grant from the Lord Foundation which helps us continue to share the music with our region in exciting ways.”
Donations collected at the event will benefit the ECSO and the St. Vincent de Paul Place in Norwich, CT.
About the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Chorus:
The Eastern Connecticut Symphony Chorus (ECSC)was founded as a subsidiary of the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra in 1967 with Connecticut College Choral Director James F. Armstrong directing. The ECSC is comprised of approximately 80 volunteer, auditioned singers of all ages. They perform with the ECSO annually in a subscription concert as well as independently in two choral repertoire concerts, a December holiday concert, and Palm Sunday concerts in Norwich. Following a recent search in 2023 for a new director, the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Chorus (ECSC) appointed Dr. Daniel McDavitt as its Director. Dr. McDavitt succeeds past ECSC Director Wendy Moy.
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ECSO general copy:
We are thrilled to announce our 2024-25 Season lineup, curated by Music Director and Conductor Toshiyuki Shimada. Season Highlights include Saint-Saëns’ Symphony No. 3 (Organ), Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No.4, Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 featuring our Instrumental Competition winner, Puccini & Verdi selections with the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Chorus and international guest artists. From early fall to late spring, the 75-plus member professional Symphony Orchestra presents six subscription concerts annually, most of which feature guest soloists. Subscription concerts are primarily performed at the historic award-winning Garde Arts Center on State Street in New London.
Visit www.ectsymphony.com for more information and follow us on social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube) @ectsymphony.
Founded in 1946 by Norwegian immigrant, Victor Norman, the ECSO is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving the eastern Connecticut region, including New London, Norwich, Waterford, Groton, Mystic, Old Lyme, and East Lyme. Recent concerts in Norwich, Willimantic, and Stonington reflect our renewed dedication to serving a broader area.
Our mission is to inspire, educate, and connect our communities through live orchestral music.