Promised Land Phoenix Chorale & Christopher Gabbitas

• J. K. Atwood (1828 - 1909): Unclouded Day (Arr. for Choir by Shawn Kirchner):
• 1 Atwood: Unclouded Day (Arr. for Choir by Shawn Kirchner) 02:34
• Frank Ticheli (b. 1958): Earth Song:
• 2 Ticheli: Earth Song 03:55
• Alice Parker (b. 1895 - 1920): Beauty and Blessing:
• 3 Parker: Beauty and Blessing 03:35
• American Folksong: Shenandoah (Arr. for Choir by James Erb):
• 4 Folksong: Shenandoah (Arr. for Choir by James Erb) 03:57
• Caroline Shaw (b. 1982): and the swallow:
• 5 Shaw: and the swallow 03:53
• Matilda Durham (1815 - 1901): Star of Columbia (Arr. for Choir by Jennifer Lucy Cook):
• 6 Durham: Star of Columbia (Arr. for Choir by Jennifer Lucy Cook) 03:15
• Hannah Cohoon (1788 - 1864): Lo dello: the dance (Arr. for Choir by Jennifer Lucy Cook):
• 7 Cohoon: Lo dello: the dance (Arr. for Choir by Jennifer Lucy Cook) 03:24
• Matilda Durham: Promised Land (Arr. for Choir by Jennifer Lucy Cook):
• 8 Durham: Promised Land (Arr. for Choir by Jennifer Lucy Cook) 02:40
• Eric Whitacre (b. 1970): All Seems Beautiful to Me:
• 9 Whitacre: All Seems Beautiful to Me 04:56
• Traditional: Bright Morning Stars (Arr. for Choir by Alice Parker):
• 10 Traditional: Bright Morning Stars (Arr. for Choir by Alice Parker) 04:06
• Witness (Arr. for Choir by Jack Halloran):
• 11 Traditional: Witness (Arr. for Choir by Jack Halloran) 02:50
• This Little Light of Mine (Arr. for Choir by Moses Hogan):
• 12 Traditional: This Little Light of Mine (Arr. for Choir by Moses Hogan) 04:35
• Great God Almighty! (Arr. for Choir by Stacey V. Gibbs):
• 13 Traditional: Great God Almighty! (Arr. for Choir by Stacey V. Gibbs) 03:58
• Webster (Arr. for Choir by Carol Barnett):
• 14 Traditional: Webster (Arr. for Choir by Carol Barnett) 01:35
• Peace (Arr. for Choir by Kevin Siegfried):
• 15 Traditional: Peace (Arr. for Choir by Kevin Siegfried) 03:35
• S. M. Denton: McKay (Arr. for Choir by Carol Barnett):
• 16 Denton: McKay (Arr. for Choir by Carol Barnett) 03:14
• Traditional: Lay Me Low (Arr. for Choir by Kevin Siegfried):
• 17 Traditional: Lay Me Low (Arr. for Choir by Kevin Siegfried) 03:58
• The Road Home (Arr. for Choir by Stephen Paulus):
• 18 Traditional: The Road Home (Arr. for Choir by Stephen Paulus) 03:39
• William Walker (1809 - 1875): Hallelujah (Arr. for Choir by Shawn Kirchner):
• 19 Walker: Hallelujah (Arr. for Choir by Shawn Kirchner) 03:35
• Total Runtime 01:07:14

Info for Promised Land

The Grammy Award-winning Phoenix Chorale's Promised Land, led by Artistic Director Christopher Gabbitas, surveys two and a half centuries of American choral music, from African American spirituals and Shaker hymns to works by Eric Whitacre, Caroline Shaw, and Frank Ticheli. Arrangements by Alice Parker, Shawn Kirchner, Moses Hogan and others sit alongside original compositions, unified by themes of freedom, longing, and collective resilience. Voices long overlooked by history, among them Shaker eldress Hannah Cohoon and nineteenth-century songwriter Matilda Durham, are restored to the concert repertoire in this rich and purposefully programmed celebration of America's choral heritage in its 250th anniversary year.

Phoenix Chorale
Christopher Gabbitas, conductor

Christopher Gabbitas
is a musician, educator and lawyer, and was an early trustee of Voces8. As a singer, he has sung with many of England's finest choral ensemble including English Concert, Polyphony and The Cambridge Singers, culminating in 15 years as second baritone within The King's Singers. Between 2004-2018 Chris performed in almost 2,000 concerts with the ensemble across six continents, in the world's finest concert halls and churches, and recorded in excess of 40 albums. He moved away from singing in 2019 and was appointed Artistic Director of Phoenix Chorale, the Arizona-based Grammy Award-winning choir, for whom he programs and conducts four concert series each year, founding a chamber orchestra to accompany the Chorale in 2022. In the same year, Chris took up a position as Artist Professor at the University of Redlands, California, teaching a unique Master of Music degree in music and business which aims to provide holistic preparation to choral musicians for life in the profession. Dedicated to educational outreach and improving access to choral music for all, Chris has led many hundreds of masterclasses and educational projects worldwide, all with the aim of creating community through song.

A former choral scholar at St John's College, Cambridge and Lay Clerk at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, Chris studied law at the University of Cambridge and maintains a growing media law practice with 2020 Law Firm of the Year and Top 50 firm, Keystone Law in London. His practice works to assist clients in creative fields including music, television, film, copyright, branding and licensing, including occasional pro bono work for classical musicians and organisations including the City Music Festival in London.

Three times Grammy nominated as singer and producer, with two wins, and winner of a MIDEM award in 2012, Chris was an inductee into the inaugural Gramophone Hall of Fame as a member of The King's Singers. He has appeared on radio and television as a performer, commentator and presenter in multiple countries, including two documentaries produced for BBC Radio 4 on the art of singing.

Phoenix Chorale
As the only internationally recognized professional choral ensemble in the Phoenix Metro Area, the Grammy® Award–winning Phoenix Chorale showcases the expert talents of Arizona’s highly trained and versatile singers, in performances celebrated for their technical agility and emotional impact. Founded in 1958 and fully professionalized in 1994, the Chorale’s mission is to nurture and amplify the strength and resonance of Arizona’s choral artistry. Phoenix Chorale is regarded as one of North America’s leading ensembles in the western classical tradition and has been led since 2019 by British Artistic Director Christopher Gabbitas. Phoenix Chorale continues to earn international recognition through its acclaimed recordings with Signum Records. 2023’s ‘The Christmas Album’ praised as “expertly blended” [Gramophone] and “enviably smooth and sumptuous” [BBC Music Magazine] and 2024 release ‘Sun Moon Stars Rain’ described as “imaginatively programmed and meticulously sung.” [The Arts Desk]. The Chorale’s performance films have been featured twice in Voces8 Foundation’s LIVE From London Festival. Visit phoenixchorale.org to learn more information about the Chorale and upcoming performances. Find all of the Chorale’s albums on all major streaming services and stores.

Booklet for Promised Land