All Souls’ Episcopal Church in Point Loma has commissioned a new work from award-winning Canadian composer Stephanie Martin and will premiere it Thursday on All Souls’ Day.
This is the first major musical commission in the church’s history, but follows the centuries-long tradition of churches commissioning new music from significant composers.
“Today many people don’t realize that the music commissioned by churches for performance during masses, holy days, and other ceremonies forms a part of what we now call classical music,” says Ruben Valenzuela, who is All Souls’ director of music and will conduct the premiere. “So many of the landmark works we still love and perform were in many cases commissioned by churches or other religious institutions.”
Martin’s 25-minute “Requiem for All Souls” is set to the traditional Latin text of the Requiem Mass and will be performed a cappella. Valenzuela describes it as a work of pure, beautiful vocal music grounded in traditional church music.
The composer is associate professor of music at York University’s School of the Arts, Media, Performance and Design in Toronto.
The performance at 7 p.m. at the church at 1475 Catalina Boulevard will be free and open to the public.
