Toronto Region’s next Reading will be conducted by Dr. Jamie Hillman, a Canadian and American musician, active as a conductor, singer, pianist, music educator, and composer. He holds the endowed Elmer Iseler Chair in Conducting at the University of Toronto where he is also Director of Choral Studies and an Associate Professor. He is the curator and editor of The Jamie Hillman Choral Series published by Santa Barbara Music Publishing. www.jamiehillman.net.
Felix Mendelssohn described his 11-movement “Lobgesang” (Hymn of Praise) Opus 52 as a Symphony-Cantata on Words of the Holy Bible for Soloists, Choir and Orchestra. It
premiered in 1840 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the invention of Gutenberg’s movable-type printing system. It was posthumously published as Symphony No. 2 in B-flat Major. We will skip the introductory orchestra-only Sinfonia movement (which itself contains three movements), and read only the 4th movement which is actually a 10-movement cantata featuring three vocal soloists, a chorus, and an orchestra.