ROS Artistic Director Eric Townell promises this performance to be a thrilling experience with a feeling of ritual, providing an exotic and tribal element, equipping the listeners with a sonic sanctuary. The audience will hear a full rendition by approximately 200 performers including Rochester Oratorio Society Chorus and Orchestra, Nazareth University Percussion Ensemble, Sankofa African Dance & Drum Ensemble, the Roberts Wesleyan Chorale, and a children’s choir from Honeoye Falls-Lima schools. “We are incredibly proud and honored to be premiering it in our own Sanctuary City.” Rochester Deputy Mayor Michael Burns will make a special appearance.
Adiemus became an instant sensation in 1994, first heard as a short song by Welsh composer Sir Karl Jenkins for a Delta Airlines ad. Thanks to its unique African and Celtic musical inspiration—and Jenkins’ unique ‘invented language’—Adiemus has captured the imagination of music lovers worldwide. Jenkins later expanded it into a full album titled Adiemus: Songs of Sanctuary, awarded 17 gold and platinum discs. The ROS concert will feature the complete nine-movement piece performed in its entirety.
