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 The Bethesda Music Series will present an eclectic concert of new sacred music — both festive and contemplative — on Sunday, May 21, 2023, at 4:30 p.m.

The program, titled “Sing God a New Song,” will feature original works by Connecticut composer and Bethesda member Christopher M. Lee, including traditional-style hymns and choral anthems, contemporary art songs, and pieces for jazz quartet. The Bethesda choir, with music director and organist Stephen Gamboa-Diaz, will be joined by soloists Margaret Astrup (soprano), Richard Ford (baritone), David Arezzini (saxophone), as well as John Mobilio (jazz bass), Scott Latzky (drum set), and Lee (piano). A free-will offering will raise funds to underwrite the 2023-24 season of the Bethesda Music Series, which presents multiple concerts annually to benefit social service agencies in the New Haven area. 

A reception will follow. Please share this information and invite your friends and neighbors!

Donations may be made anytime through May 21. Designate your gift "Music Series" when you give online or with a check.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Composer Christopher M. Lee has been a member at Bethesda Lutheran Church since arriving in 2000 to study composition at the Yale School of Music. Many of his works have been commissioned or inspired by Bethesda’s vibrant community, including such highlights as a 2007 collaboration with renowned hymnist Thomas H. Troeger to create the church’s 125th anniversary hymn, “Our Music Plumbs, then Lifts and Bears.” Lee’s music has also appeared in such venues as the American Guild of Organists (AGO) Northeast Convention, Westfield Festival of New Music, International Tuba Euphonium Conference, and Syracuse Jazz Festival.

Beyond composing, Lee has taught music theory and technology at Newtown (CT) High School since 2004. His courses have sparked a keen interest in music composition, marked by annual concerts devoted to the presentation of student work. In 2013, Lee received the Yale Distinguished Music Educator Award, and from 2015 to 2021 he served as national College Board Advisor for the Advanced Placement (AP) Music Theory course and exam. 

 

Artwork: ‘144 Trio Jazz’ by Cesare Catania, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.