Announcing Kantorei’s 2025–26 Season
We’re thrilled to share an extraordinary year of music ahead—filled with anniversaries, world premieres, collaborations, and a rich variety of choral experiences. As always, there’s something for everyone.
A Note from Joel
I’m very excited to share our 25–26 season with you!
We begin with a big birthday bash, celebrating two of the most influential composers of sacred/spiritual music—Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina’s 500th and Arvo Pärt’s 90th. We’ll perform Palestrina’s famed Missa Papae Marcelli (Mass for Pope Marcellus), rumored to have saved polyphonic choral music in the 16th-century church, and the Colorado premiere of Pärt’s O Holy Father Nicholas, composed for the opening of the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at Ground Zero in New York.
In December, we welcome world-renowned guitarist (and Cherry Creek High School graduate!) Aaron Larget-Caplan for seasonal works for choir and classical guitar, plus a world premiere by composer Zanaida Robles, commissioned by Kantorei member Scott Horwitz and Leah Weinberg.
In March, collaborative pianist Alicia Rigsby will be featured in Morten Lauridsen’s Mid-Winter Songs alongside Shakespeare-inspired works to help usher in spring.
Finally, in May we welcome our sister choir from Guatemala, Vocalis Camerata, for Voces del Sur, a celebration of Latin American choral music.
Along the way, we’ll present our beloved Winter’s Night concert with the Meistersingers of Cherry Creek High School and join St. Martin’s Chamber Choir and Ars Nova in the first-ever Colorado New Music Festival—culminating in the world premiere of Terry Schlenker’s The Bird of Vision, based on the poetry of Rumi.
And this fall, we’ll celebrate the release of our newest recording, Song Offerings – Choral Music of Christopher Tin, on the Decca Classics label!
I hope you’ll join us for this incredible journey. There’s nothing quite like being part of the Kantorei community.
—Joel M. Rinsema, Artistic Director
2025–26 Season at a Glance
Sacred Threads: Celebrating Palestrina’s 500th & Pärt’s 90th Birthdays
Oct 4, 2025 • 7:30 pm – First Plymouth UCC
Oct 5, 2025 • 3:00 pm – Wellshire Presbyterian Church
Experience how sacred music flows through centuries in this program pairing Palestrina’s Renaissance masterpiece Missa Papae Marcelli with the ethereal works of Arvo Pärt, including Da Pacem Domine, Nunc Dimittis, and the Colorado premiere of O Holy Father Nicholas.
Silent Nights: Kantorei at the Holidays with Aaron Larget-Caplan, classical guitar
Dec 6, 2025 • 7:30 pm – First Plymouth UCC
Dec 7, 2025 • 2:00 pm – Parsons Theatre
Dec 19, 2025 • 7:30 pm – Saint John’s Cathedral
Dec 20, 2025 • 7:30 pm – Augustana Lutheran Church
Dec 21, 2025 • 3:00 pm – Wellshire Presbyterian Church
Seasonal works for choir and guitar, including music by Jeffrey Van and a new world premiere by Zanaida Robles.
A Winter’s Night: With the Cherry Creek High School Meistersingers
Dec 5, 2025 • 7:30 pm – Bethany Lutheran Church
A festive holiday tradition with carols old and new—perfect for the whole family.
Seasons in Song
Feb 28, 2026 • 7:30 pm – First Plymouth UCC
Mar 1, 2026 • 3:00 pm – Wellshire Presbyterian Church
Lauridsen’s Mid-Winter Songs meets Shakespeare in a program celebrating the transition from winter’s quiet beauty to spring’s renewal.
Voces del Sur: With Vocalis Camerata from Guatemala
May 16, 2026 • 7:30 pm – First Plymouth UCC
May 17, 2026 • 3:00 pm – Wellshire Presbyterian Church
A vibrant celebration of Latin American choral traditions, from colonial works to contemporary compositions.
Join Us!
This season is bursting with unforgettable moments—world premieres, historic anniversaries, guest artists, and cultural collaborations. We can’t wait to share them with you.
Season memberships and tickets are on sale now!
