The ProMusica Chamber Orchestra is on the move — again.
Long before the pandemic, the chamber orchestra maintained a large footprint in Greater Columbus, regularly offering concerts not only in its home in the Southern Theatre but also at the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, the Worthington United Methodist Church and, until a few years ago, the Pontifical College Josephinum. Then, during the pandemic, the orchestra expanded into the events space The Fives and other spots around town.
Now ProMusica will make music in yet another new place — this one among Greater Columbus’ most exciting new spots to hear classical music concerts.
On March 20, the orchestra will perform at St. Mary Catholic Church in German Village, which — following a lightning strike in 2016 that did immediate damage and revealed other underlying structural problems — undertook a restoration project that ended up costing $8.5 million. The church was founded in 1865 and dedicated in 1868.
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St. Mary’s a perfect performance setting
In the fall of 2019, ProMusica CEO Janet Chen and Music Director David Danzmayr took a tour of the church, whose leaders decided to launch a music series as a way to showcase the restoration.
“We went to see it and we were blown away,” said Chen, who was intrigued by the church not only as a possible performance venue but as a space to one day make orchestra recordings.
“Not every church, I think, has this same feel,” Danzmayr said. “When we walked into St. Mary’s, I thought there was an atmosphere immediately there. You walk in, and I think you feel immediately that the world outside is receding and a certain calmness.”
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When the pandemic hit, those plans were put on the back burner, but last spring, Mark Voris, a retired music director at multiple area Roman Catholic churches, was recruited to run the new Music at St. Mary’s series.
“Everything is wood and no carpeting, and it (has) high ceilings,” Voris said. “The acoustics were already kind of nice, but putting the wood floor in and just the length, the size of the venue, is perfect for classical music.”
ProMusica as part of concert series
Voris knew that he wanted ProMusica to be part of the first season of Music at St. Mary’s, which began last fall and has also featured the Capriccio Jubilee Singers and the Camarata Chamber Ensemble.
“We are excited about ProMusica,” he said. “We hope that they will consider next season and seasons after to at least do one performance there for us.”
The organization has a long history of performing in sacred spaces.
“There’s something certainly about the splendor and the grandeur and the beauty of the space,” Chen said. “We think a lot about classical music (and) baroque music obviously was born in these types of spaces, going all the way back to Bach.”
The one-hour concert, which will be performed without an intermission, will feature the string musicians of ProMusica conducted by Danzmayr.
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First on the bill will be Ralph Vaughan Williams’ serenely majestic “Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis.”
“We’re coming out of winter, reflecting a little bit,” Danzmayr said. “I love Vaughan Williams.”
The maestro added that the work might not have the same impact if heard in a more traditional concert setting such as the Southern.
“I think people would still very much enjoy it,” Danzmayr said. “But doing it in a church…the sound gets reflected more from the surfaces. You get more of a reverb.”
A more vivacious note will be sounded by the second piece on the program, Astor Piazzolla’s “The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires,” featuring concertmaster Katherine McLin.
“I just love the way Katie plays it,” Danzmayr said.
And ProMusica leaders are hoping audiences will agree — including those who might be new to the orchestra and the restored church in which it will perform.
“We think it will also draw new audiences, particularly in the German Village area who could walk over,” Chen said, “and also see what’s in their backyard.”
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At a glance
The ProMusica Chamber Orchestra will perform “A Delightful Evening With ProMusica” at 7 p.m. March 20 at St. Mary Catholic Church, 684 S. 3rd St. Tickets cost $28. For more information and current COVID-19 protocols, visit www.promusicacolumbus.org.
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