Compos(her) presented by the Sedona Academy of Chamber Singers
The Sedona Academy of Chamber Singers (SACS), Choir-in-Residence at The Church of the Red Rocks and Sedona’s only professional choir, presents Compos(her), a concert celebrating women composers in choral music. Under the direction of Dr. Ryan Holder, the program features Mass for the Endangered by Sarah Kirkland Snider and the world premiere of You Are the Moon by Arizona-based composer Maryanne Muglia Smith.
The first performance of Compos(her) will be on Saturday, August 16, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church of Mesa, 15 E. 1st Avenue, Mesa, Arizona. Admission is free to the public as a gift from The Church of the Red Rocks to the Arizona community, with a freewill donation taken to benefit the Southwest Indigenous Women’s Coalition (swiwc.org).
Mass for the Endangered blends traditional Latin Mass text with original poetry by Nathaniel Bellows to create a lyrical, moving tribute for the voiceless and the discounted, a requiem for the not-yet-gone. Praised by NPR, The New Yorker, and The Boston Globe, this six-movement work is both a plea and a call to action—appealing for parity, compassion, and protection from the apathy and destruction that threaten the planet we are meant to share.
The world premiere of You Are the Moon was commissioned by SACS in memory of John H. Moore III, a beloved Sedona community leader and music supporter. Muglia Smith’s setting weaves luminous harmonies with lines such as “Even in the shadow, you are the moon… The moon wears a different face each night”—a poignant reflection on constancy, light, and enduring presence.
The Sedona Academy of Chamber Singers was created in 2010 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Church of the Red Rocks in Sedona, Arizona and the 25th anniversary of Reverend Dr. George A. Ault. Now starting its fifteenth year, the ensemble gives undergraduate and graduate voice and choral students from around the Southwest an opportunity to experience singing in a professional choir. The choir has performed throughout the state, most notably serving as a back-up choir for multi-platinum recording artists Josh Groban and Sarah Brightman.
“This program shines a spotlight on the powerful voices of women composers in the choral world. Performing Mass for the Endangered alongside a world premiere by Maryanne Muglia Smith allows us to celebrate creativity, raise awareness, and share meaningful music with our community,” shares Dr. Ryan Holder, Founding Artistic Director of the Sedona Academy of Chamber Singers.
For more information, visit sedonaacademyofchambersingers.com or www.churchoftheredrocks.com
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