Finding Light Meridian & Irene Messoloras

• John Sheppard (1515 - 1558): Libera nos, salva nos:
• 1 Sheppard: Libera nos, salva nos 03:39
• Vytautus Miškinis (b. 1954): Angelis suis deus:
• 2 Miškinis: Angelis suis deus 03:25
• Hanna Havrylets (1958 - 2022): Prayer:
• 3 Havrylets: Prayer 04:29
• Rihards Dubra (b. 1964): Oculus Non Vidit:
• 4 Dubra: Oculus Non Vidit 03:51
• Henryk Mikolaj Gorecki (1933 - 2010): Miserere, Op. 44:
• 5 Gorecki: Miserere, Op. 44: 11. Miserere nobis 03:25
• Benedict Sheehan: Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom:
• 6 Sheehan: Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom: No. 8, Alleluia (After Znamenny Chant) 01:24
• Karl Jenkins (b. 1944): The Armed Man - A Mass for Peace:
• 7 Jenkins: The Armed Man - A Mass for Peace: 10. Agnus Dei 04:11
• Thora Marteinsdottir (b. 1978): Nú legg ég þér í lófa:
• 8 Marteinsdottir: Nú legg ég þér í lófa 02:47
• Alexander L’Estrange (b. 1974): Lighten our Darkness:
• 9 L’Estrange: Lighten our Darkness 01:49
• Stephen Paulus (1949 - 2014): To Be Certain of the Dawn:
• 10 Paulus: To Be Certain of the Dawn: Hymn to the Eternal Flame 02:09
• Randal Thompson (1899 - 1984): Alleluia:
• 11 Thompson: Alleluia 06:25
• Morton Lauridsen (b. 1943): Ubi Caritas et amor:
• 12 Lauridsen: Ubi Caritas et amor 07:38
• Total Runtime 45:12

Info for Finding Light

Blending iconic choral works with music by today’s most compelling composers, Finding Light is a program centered on the theme of prayer. From the Renaissance exquisite writing of Sheppard’s Libera nos to the luminous sonorities of Lauridsen’s Ubi Caritas and Dubra’s Oculus non vidit, each work offers a distinct meditation on mercy, hope, and transcendence. Highlights include Randall Thompson’s timeless Alleluia and Stephen Paulus’ Hymn to the Eternal Flame, alongside deeply moving contemporary offerings such as Hanna Havrylets’ Prayer and Þóra Marteinsdóttir’s Nú legg ég þér í lófa. Together, these works invite listeners into a space of reflection and renewal, where timeless devotions converse with contemporary longings—and where voices join in a collective search for light.

Meridian choir
Irene Messoloras, conductor

Meridian
is a London-based professional chamber choir founded and directed by Irene Messoloras. With a sound defined by clarity, balance, and expressive depth, the ensemble brings together early and contemporary repertoire to create a richly contemplative musical experience.

Meridian’s members are drawn from outstanding ensemble backgrounds such as Tenebrae, the Monteverdi Choir, and The Sixteen. This combination weaves together a broad variety of choral experience, giving the choir an exceptional range of vocal power and colour.

Irene Messoloras
Dedicated to inspiring musicians and audiences through a determined passion for musical excellence, Irene Messoloras is a Greek-American conductor who maintains an active career as a music educator, clinician, and adjudicator. Her ensembles have delivered meaningful and passionate performances across the United States and on the international stage in both Europe and Asia.

Irene Messoloras is the conductor of Meridian, a London-based professional choir. Their debut EP Serenity can be found on Signum Records. Additionally, Messoloras is the Director of Choral Activities at the University of California, Irvine and currently serves as the Associate Chair of the Music Department.

Under Messoloras’ leadership, her choirs have been celebrated as some of the finest in the United States, earning invitations to perform at the prestigious American Choral Directors Association National Conferences in both 2023 and 2021. Other recent performances include Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Beijing Concert Hall.

Irene Messoloras is the recipient of numerous awards for creative programming, diversity and inclusivity, community engagement, and conducting. Recently, Dr. Messoloras was awarded the Grand Prize for conducting at the World Classical Music Awards (2023), the Vivaldi International Music Competition Grand Prize Winner (2023), and received first place with special recognition at the Bach International Music Competition (2023).

In 2024, Messoloras’ UCI Chamber Singers earned second place in the American Prize Classical Music Competition for Best Choral Performance. The ensemble was also finalists for the Ernst Bacon Award for their outstanding performance of American music.

Dr. Messoloras received her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in choral conducting from the University of California, Los Angeles at the Herb Alpert School of Music.

Booklet for Finding Light