The King’s Singers Provide Enough “Love & War” to Fill Town Hall

The first half included six pairs of madrigals from the late 16th to early 17th centuries from Italy and England: the Italian from Il Trionfo di Dori—madrigals commissioned in praise of a bride, Elisabetta Zustinian—and the English from The Triumphs of Oriana, a similar collection inspired by the former, this one in praise of another Elizabeth, Queen of England.

Read more

Freaky Saturday: The Esoterics Join Foreigner at Tulalip

Obviously, this story needs to begin with The Esoterics founder Eric Banks taking an urgent phone call. He wasn’t called in the middle of the night, but it was urgent. Just maybe not an emergency per se. The rock group Foreigner wanted to know if his chorus would like to sing “I Want to Know What Love Is” with them at Tulalip Amphitheatre this Saturday, August 25.

Read more

On Capitol Hill, A Wealth of Alternatives to Alternative Music

Last Friday night, I began my evening at St. Joseph’s Church on the north of Capitol Hill, with The Esoterics concert “Sirene.” Founded and led by conductor/composer Eric Banks, The Esoterics are a choral group that sings a cappella, shunning musical instruments for the most part. […] By the time Zubatto Syndicate, the neo-big band jazz ensemble that likes to rock, was throwing down their cover of Metallica’s “Master of Puppets,” the restraining walls of genre had disintegrated completely.

Read more

Seattle Pro Musica Rises Above With Bach’s St. John Passion

The two main protagonists in this Passion are the chorus and the Evangelist. Tenor Wesley Rogers told the Passion story with dramatic impact in his many recitatives, his strong, clear voice seemingly effortless to the very end well over two hours later, his high notes clarion and easy. The choir, furthering the story in the choruses of a steamed-up mob frankly out for vengeance, and commenting in totally different mode in the lovely chorales, sang equally well, expressively, in tune and together.

Read more