In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 20, the Los Angeles Master Chorale delivered an inspiring performance led by conductor Jason Max Ferdinand at the Walt Disney Concert Hall.
The program featured a compelling blend of traditional spirituals like Diedre Robinson’s “Steal Away” arrangement and contemporary works such as James Mulholland’s “Keramos.”
Celebrating 60 years of musical excellence, the Grammy Award-winning Los Angeles Master Chorale reaffirmed its reputation as the nation’s premier professional choir.
The Los Angeles Master Chorale began the evening with humble gratitude, opening with a standing ovation for LA County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone. To honor the courage and solidarity of first responders during these challenging times, the Master Chorale offered free concert tickets to first responders and their families.
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The dedication of the concert to first responders, frontline workers, and volunteers brought a profound sense of purpose to the event. The evening was also a tribute to the late Marshall A. Rutter, co-founder of the Los Angeles Master Chorale, whose legacy is celebrated throughout the performance season.
In the hushed concert hall, even the faintest sounds, a page-turning or a throat being cleared, added to the reverence. The stage setup was striking in its simplicity: a bare, four-level wooden platform served as the backdrop, with a single piano played by the renowned Lisa Edwards.
The 38-member choir, 24 men and 17 women stood in three rows, dressed in monochromatic black, holding sheet music, creating a unified visual presence. No individual microphones, percussion, or sound effects were used, just their voices’ raw, powerful dynamics. Lyrics from the choral arrangements were projected onto the rafters, inviting everyone to immerse themselves fully in the performance.
Under the baton of accomplished conductor and composer Jason Max Ferdinand, the evening’s repertoire offered a masterful blend of traditional spirituals and contemporary arrangements. The crowd rose to its feet during Roland Carter’s stirring arrangement of J. Rosamond Johnson and James Weldon Johnson’s “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” The audience, filled with first responders and members of church organizations, was especially delighted by Moses Hogan’s arrangement of “The Battle of Jericho,” which featured a solo by soprano April Amante.
Soloist Caroline McKenzie’s performance during William Dawson’s “Zion’s Wall” was the highlight of the evening. It showcased a moment of individual brilliance within the choir’s collective strength. The cheers were so prolonged and resounding that the conductor invited her to center stage for a well-deserved bow.
When complimented about the performance, Los Angeles Master Chorale Bass Ben Han-Wei Lin states, “We just took the energy from the audience and gave it right back.”
The Trinidad and Tobago native, musician, educator, and maestro Ferdinand curated and crafted the program and song selection, preparing the choir with approximately five rehearsals over a week, each lasting 2 ½ to 3 hours.
From heartfelt tributes to first responders to the powerful harmonies that echoed through the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Los Angeles Master Chorale’s performance was a moving celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s enduring legacy.
