Live Choral Concert from Music in the Mountains on Nov. 7

Nevada County’s Music in the Mountains (MIM) will present their Fall Choral Concert this Sunday, November 7th at 3pm at The Center for the Arts in Grass Valley, CA.

Under the direction of Artistic Director and Conductor Ryan Murray, the MIM 60-Voice Choir and select orchestra musicians will be joined by renowned Organist, Dr. Ryan Enright; and spell-binding Soprano soloist, Liisa Davila.

Organist Dr. Ryan Enright, received both his bachelor’s and master’s degree and Artist Diploma in organ performance from McGill University. He has competed internationally; his awards include first prizes in the Canadian Music Competition and National Organ Playing Competition of the Royal Canadian College Of Organists. Dr. Enright is known regionally for performing in the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento and for accompanying the Sacramento Choral Society and Orchestra (SCSO) on their tour of Italy.

Soprano Liisa Davila has gained recognition for her vocal clarity and dazzling coloratura, combined with a richness and depth allowing her to possess a highly desired level of versatility in her work. Her repertoire includes both traditional and contemporary works. She has been featured in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, Mendelssohn’s Christmas Oratorio, the Mozart C Minor Mass as well as Handel’s Messiah,

The highlight of the program will be Requiem for the Living by Dan Forrest, composed in 2013, which is garnering high praise as it is discovered around the globe. Conductor Murray describes this work as “neo-romantic,” with rich melodies and harmonies. The ethereal Sanctus movement of this piece was inspired by photos from the Hubble Space Telescope.

“For anyone with interest in vocal music, this is a concert not to miss,” said Murray. “”The Forrest requiem is one of the choir’s favorite pieces and is full of beautiful melodies, incredible solos, and some of the greatest choral moments in the repertoire. It will really be a concert to remember!”

Under the direction of Murray, the MIM Chorus is an auditioned group of experienced singers from Nevada County and surrounding communities with roots dating back to the 1960s. With weekly rehearsals and individual study and practice, the MIM Chorus is dedicated to presenting superior performances and maintaining professional standards of excellence. The group presents an ambitious Summer Music Festival, performs with the MIM orchestra, and delights audiences with two performances of their popular holiday concert in December.

Murray will give a 30-minute pre-concert talk at 2p.m. prior to the concert, for those who would like to learn more about the compositions on the program and their composers, as well as about the joy of singing.

In addition to his work with Music in the Mountains, Ryan Murray is also the Associate Conductor of the Modesto Symphony Orchestra. He is also the Director of Symphony Orchestra & Opera at California State University, Sacramento, and the Conductor for the Sacramento Youth Symphony’s premier orchestra. An award-winning opera conductor, Murray is currently the Music Director of Opera Modesto.

Music in the Mountains is a Nevada County-based non-profit organization celebrating 40 years of bringing live, classical music to the Sierra Foothills, the Sacramento Metropolitan area, and surrounding communities. Tickets for the MIM Holiday Choral Concerts are available online at musicinthemountains.org, the box office at 131 S. Auburn Street, Grass Valley, or by calling 530-265-6124.