Feb. 19, 2002 – Polymnia, a one-year-old choral group of St. Thomas vocalists, will present a concert at 8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 24, at Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral. The Puerto Rico Symphony Chamber Orchestra and pianist Dr. Adele Allen from St. Croix will accompany the group.
Under the direction of Lorna Young-Wright, the group and the orchestra will perform Johann Sebastian Bach's "Magnificat" in D, and George Frideric Handel's "O Sing Unto the Lord" from the "Chandos Anthems." The chamber orchestra will also perform Bach's "Brandenburg Concerto No. 4."
This is Polymnia's second concert. The premier concert last year was a sold-out performance of Bach's "Mass in B Minor," an exceptionally difficult but extraordinarily beautiful work of music, according to a release from the group.
The name Polymnia is the alternate spelling of Polyhymnia, the Greek muse of sacred music and harmony. Polymnia, Inc., is a nonprofit corporation with the major purpose of promoting excellence in choral singing in the Virgin Islands, said the release.
Young-Wright is an associate professor of music and Chair of the Humanities Division at the University of the Virgin Islands. She has led the UVI Concert Choir, the Caribbean Chorale and several church choirs over the past ten years.
Performing will be: Lorraine Baa-Elisha, Kan Constantine, Detra Davis, Janie Imperial-Rohring, Ruth E. Morris, Monique R. Lynch, Tiffany Matthew, Marie Simmons, Joan Bennett-Williams, Erva Denham, Kirsten Kienberger, J. Andrea Lee, Nancy A. Morse, Mario dell'Olio, Charles C. Smith, Ian E. Willams Sr., Lawrence O. Benjamin, Mario E. Bryan, Dr. Alfred O. Heath and Gary Rosenthal.
The concert is $20 for adults and $10 for students. Tickets are available at Nora's Beauty Palace in Sugar Estate, Dockside Bookstore in Havensight, by calling Erva Denham 690-0307, Charles C. Smith 776-5473, Nancy Morse 777-6915 or at the door – if the concert is not sold out.
For those who might like to brush up on their Baroque knowledge before the concert, Young-Wright will be lecturing at 8 p.m. Friday at the Grand Hotel ballroom. Hors d'ouevres and cocktails will be served, to accompany "Expressions of the Baroque Style Period Through Works of Handel and Bach: A Perspective." Lecture tickets are $15.
