The Bozeman Symphonic Choir will present Elements of Life, a celebration of choral music that highlights faith, music, love, and living, in works by Z. Randall Stroope, Bruckner, Pärt, Whitacre, Bernstein, and Andrea Ramsey. This introspective program features comforting harmonies, like those found in Bernstein's Psalm 23 from his Chichester Psalms as well as Stroope’s Os Justi (The Mouth of the Righteous). This transcendent collection of pieces will be on display in the beautiful acoustic setting of Holy Rosary Church in Bozeman.

When Bozeman Symphonic Choir Conductor Jon Harney set out to program this performance, three over-arching themes emerged: faith, music, and love/living, and thus the title of this program, Elements of Life.

“These themes, that have become even more relevant throughout our pandemic-challenged lives, will be shared in this concert that we hope will leave you inspired and hopeful,” said Harney.

Due to the pandemic, the Bozeman Symphonic Choir last performed at the 2019 December Holiday concert during the Bozeman Symphony’s Music Director Search season when current Music Director Norman Huynh conducted for the first time in Bozeman.

“It's been nearly two years since the Bozeman Symphonic Choir last performed for you, and so we are delighted to bring live choral music to Bozeman audiences again,” said Harney.

Additionally, the choir will join the Bozeman Symphony Orchestra for two performances during the 2021/22 season, including the first Bozeman Symphony Presents series concert, Holiday Spectacular, on December 11th and 12th, and for the final classical series concert of the season, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, on May 21st and 22nd.

Elements of Life performances will be held in person on Friday, November 12th at 7:00 PM and Sunday, November 14th at 3:00 PM, at Holy Rosary Church (220 West Main Street, downtown Bozeman). The Symphony wishes to thank Michael and Sharon Beehler for sponsoring this performance.

Ticketing: All tickets are general admission for $27 and are available for purchase online at bozemansymphony.org or by phone at 406-585-9774. Tickets at the door based on availability. Please contact the Bozeman Symphony at 406-585-9774 or info@bozemansymphony.org with questions you have regarding performance, ticket sales, venue, seating information, and COVID-19 safety protocols.

Jon Harney, Bozeman Symphonic Choir Conductor - Jon Harney is an associate professor of music at MSU where he teaches voice and choir. He received his Bachelor of Music degree in music education from Luther College, Decorah, Iowa, where he studied under Weston Noble, and Masters and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in vocal performance from the University of Minnesota where he studied with Clifton Ware. As a tenor soloist, he has sung more than twenty-five principal and supporting roles in opera, operetta, and major works with orchestra and chorus. While active with the University of Minnesota opera theater, he appeared as The Sailor in Dido and Aeneas, Fenton in Falstaff, Nemorino in The Elixir of Love, Don José in Carmen, Ferrando in Cosi fan tutte and Junki in the US premier of Rautavaara's Aleksis Kivi. Other roles in the midwest included Dr. Caius in Falstaff and Basilio in Le Nozze di Figaro with the Pine Mountain Music Festival, Fenton in The Merry Wives of Windsor with Dorian Opera Theatre and Frederick in a touring production of The Pirates of Penzance with the Madison-based Opera for the Young. He earned an honorable mention award in the 1998 Minnesota District Metropolitan Opera Auditions. Performances in Montana have included the roles of Edmondo in Manon Lescaut and Remendado in Carmen with the Intermountain Opera as well as Bach's Magnificat and Handel's Messiah with the Bozeman Symphony, Mozart's Vespers with the Butte Symphony and Mozart's Requiem with the Great Falls Symphony. Full biography, HERE.