Soli Deo Gloria in Transition
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Thank you, thank you, thank you! The entire SDG staff and board offer a standing ovation for CHANDLER BRANCH, our stalwart President and CEO who brought this organization full throttle into the 21st century. As you might imagine, we’re enormously sad to lose Chandler to another arts organization, but we’re also excited with him about his new work as Executive Director of Art Saint Louis. Bravo! (See Chandler’s letter of resignation.)
Our gratitude also goes to DR. RICHARD GEISER, who has stepped down from his inspiring leadership of SDG as Board Chairman for over ten years. Fortunately, we won’t have to say good-bye to Dick, since he continues to offer his wise counsel as an ongoing SDG board member.
In addition, we welcome the REV. PRISCILLA FELISKY WHITEHEAD as our new board Chairperson. Little did she know, however, when she accepted this position earlier this year, that she would also be stepping into the role of Interim CEO this fall while the Board conducts a nationwide search for a new CEO. From time to time, Priscilla will be posting communiques to keep SDG fans up-to-date on activities at our headquarters, as well as on the search front. Click here to read her first letter, providing an insider look at the SDG staff and how things work behind the scenes.
Priscilla Whitehead
The Rev. Priscilla Felisky Whitehead is a graduate of Wheaton College with a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance. She received her Master of Divinity degree from Harvard University, where she was a Hopkins Scholar and recipient of the Billings Prize for preaching. An ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, most recently she served on the pastoral staff of The Church by the Sea in Bal Harbour, Florida, for over twenty-one years. Deeply committed to local parish, inter-faith and community concerns, she is a founding Board Member and past President of the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center, a past president of Switchboard of Miami and of the Greater Miami Religious Leaders Coalition, and a present member of the boards of the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust and the Miami Coalition of Christians and Jews, among many other involvements. She was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters degree by Johnson & Wales University.
We’re enormously grateful to these individuals who carry the vision of SDG. However, lest you think that SDG will be on hiatus while the CEO search moves forward, take a look at what's ahead:
October 8, 2011: Performance of SDG-commissioned choral work Alpha and Omega by James MacMillan, Wheaton College Concert Choir, Paul Wiens, conductor (Wheaton, IL).
October 15-17, 2011: Commercial recording of SDG-commissioned choral work Alpha and Omega by James MacMillan, The Crossing, Donald Nally, conductor.
October 25, 2011: Release of Beethoven Missa Solemnis and Haydn The Creation DVDs.
Sven-David Sandstrom
October 29, 2011: World premiere of SDG co-commissioned choral work God Be Merciful by Sven-David Sandström, Westminster Choir College, Andrew Megill, conductor (Princeton, NJ).
October 29, 2011: Performance of SDG-commissioned choral work Alpha and Omega by James MacMillan, Wheaton College Concert Choir, Paul Wiens, conductor (Wheaton, IL).
November 25, 2011: World premiere of 25-minute setting of the Mass in English, Missa a Cappella by Einojuhani Rautavaara with the Netherlands Chamber Choir. SDG and the Cheltenham Music Festival will be sponsoring the UK premiere in July 2012.
December 16, 2011: Performance of Alpha and Omega by James MacMillan, The Crossing, Donald Nally, conductor (St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Philadelphia, PA).
January 2012: World premiere of SDG-commissioned Psalm setting by Yehudi Wyner, Jerusalem Academy Choir, John Nelson, guest conductor (Jerusalem), followed by a performance at the American Cathedral (Paris).
Daniel Kellogg
February 25-26, 2012: World premiere of SDG-commissioned work for solo and orchestra, From Everlasting to Everlasting by Daniel Kellogg, South Dakota Symphony Orchestra, Delta David Gier, conductor (Sioux Falls, SD).
April 4, 2012: Chicago Bach Project 2012, St. John Passion, John Nelson, conductor (Chicago, IL).
April 10-15, 2012: John Nelson residency at Furman University (Greenville, SC). Culminating concert includes a performance of Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 2 “Lobgesang.”
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