Reverence: Brahms Requiem

Program

• Hildegard von Bingen, arr. Richman | O File Israhel
• Brahms | Ein deutsches Requiem, Op. 45

In the BSO tradition of a grand finale, the fifth Masterworks concert on April 27, 2025, “Reverence: Brahms Requiem” features the powerful voices of soprano Aundi Marie Moore and baritone Isaac Bray, alongside the 100+ piece choruses made up of the UMaine Singers and Oratorio Society Chorus with Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem. The afternoon begins with Lucas Richman’s arrangement of Hildegard von Bingen’s O Filie Israhel, promising an unforgettable finale to the Masterworks series.

About the Guest Artists:

Aundi Marie Moore is an acclaimed classical soprano, celebrated for her exquisite vocal talents and captivating stage presence. Hailed by the Washington Post for possessing a voice of “Clarion Beauty” has captured the hearts of many audiences with her rich warm expressive tones.  Her 2023 season includes Carnegie Hall Debut with the Sphinx Music Organization, European tour with Pacific Choral as featured soloist, National Philharmonic, IlluminArts Miami, National Chamber Ensemble and Alabama Symphony. Aundi was awarded the 2023 Sphinx Medal of Excellence, an acknowledgement of her artistic achievements, her work ethic, and her spirit of determination.

Aundi’s voice is a transcendent force, effortlessly navigating the intricate terrain of classical and contemporary repertoire. She has appeared as Lady Thiang The King and I at Lyric Opera of Virginia, Nettie Fowler Carousel at Ashlawn Music Festival, and Maggie Porter in Tazewell Thompson’s Jubilee at Arena Stage. Concert engagements are highlighted by her performance with the New World Symphony for Samuel Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915 under the baton of Steven Jarvi as well as the National Symphony Orchestra as their featured guest soloist for their Christmas Pops concert with Marvin Hamlisch conducting. She has often been a featured soloist with the Virginia Symphony under the baton of JoAnn Falletta. Her remarkable vocal range, combined with the depth of emotion she infuses into every performance, has earned her a place among the foremost sopranos of her generation.

Aundi’s artistry extends beyond the opera and concert stage, and has been the recipient of numerous prizes and awards from the National Opera Association, the Bel Canto Vocal Competition, the West Palm Beach Opera Competition, the Florida Grand Voice Competition, and the Leontyne Price Vocal Competition. Aundi was celebrated for being the 2015 winner of The American Prize in Voice, the 2016 Bronze Medallist at the American Traditions Competition in Savannah, Georgia, First Place winner at both Florida Grand Opera Young Patronesses Voice Competition and at Vocal Arts Discovery Series of Washington DC, and she was a finalist at Operalia.

For more information, visit aundimariemoore.com

​Isaac Bray has performed as a featured soloist on opera and concert stages throughout the United States, most notably at Florida Grand Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, and Central City Opera. A resident of Maine, Mr. Bray is in high demand throughout coastal New England. Recent credits include the role of John Proctor in The Crucible with Opera in the Pines, Marcello in La Bohème with the Bar Harbor Music Festival, and the baritone soloist in Mozart Requiem with Chorus Abilene. Other local New England credits include the baritone soloist in Belshazzar’s Feast with the Bangor Symphony and role of Jesus in St. Matthew Passion with the Bagaduce Chorale. Bray will return to the Bangor Symphony in 2025 as the baritone soloist in the Brahms Requiem.

On the opera stage, Bray has performed extensively around the country at numerous companies and festivals. He has performed the roles of Dancairo in Carmen with Opera San Antonio, Fiorello in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Opera Grand Rapids, Will Parker in Oklahoma with Charlottesville Opera, Morales/Dancairo in Carmen with Venture Opera, and Gregorio in Romèo et Juliette with Opera Grand Rapids. For the 2014/15 season, Bray was a member of the Florida Grand Opera Young Artist Studio where he performed the roles of Guglielmo in Così fan tutte, Assan in The Consul, and The Official Registrar in Madama Butterfly.

Mr. Bray is a graduate of the prestigious Boston University Opera Institute. Roles performed with B.U. include the title role in Don Giovanni, Riolobo in Florencia en el Amazonas, the title role in Owen Wingrave, Barone Douphol in La Traviata and Des Grieux in Le portrait de Manon. For consecutive summers in 2013 and 2014, Bray was a Bonfils-Stanton apprentice artist with Central City Opera where he sang the role of Sam in Trouble in Tahiti and Sam in Ned Rorem’s Our Town, as well as covering the roles of Joseph De Rocher in Dead Man Walking, Fiorello in Il barbiere di Siviglia and Ravenal in Show Boat. In 2013, Mr. Bray made his Boston Lyric Opera debut singing the roles of the 2nd Priest and 2nd Man in Armor in a new English translation of The Magic Flute.

Mr. Bray received his Masters’ degree from The Boston Conservatory where he sang the title role in Don Giovanni, Ramiro in L’heure espagnole, L’horloge comtoise in L’enfant et les sortilèges, the Father in Hansel and Gretel, and Ko-Ko in The Mikado. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Abilene Christian University. While at A.C.U., he performed the roles of Pandolfe in Cendrillon, Guglielmo in Così fan tutte, and Betto in Gianni Schicchi.

In 2011, Bray was chosen to help represent The Boston Conservatory in a new opera works sampler performance at the National Opera America Conference, and in the summer of 2011 he performed the role of Rambaldo in La Rondine for the Martina Arroyo Prelude to Performance Program in New York City. Bray was also an apprentice artist at the Natchez Festival of Music in 2010. Professional awards include the McGlone Opera Guild Award, and the Central City Opera Young Artist overall award.

Mr. Bray is on the music faculty at the University of Maine where he teaches applied voice and vocal pedagogy. He also serves on the board of the Maine Chapter of NATS.

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