Programme

The British vocal phenomenon VOCES8 brings to Ostrava the program Give Me Your Stars, which blends spiritual calm, contemporary expressiveness, and newly conceived classics with the ensemble’s unmistakable elegance. At its heart shine American composers: the radiant lyricism of Eric Whitacre, the delicate textures of Caroline Shaw, and Bobby McFerrin’s heartfelt setting of Psalm 23 introduce a distinctly modern American spirit. Renaissance music by Tomás Luis de Victoria, Ola Gjeilo’s iconic Ubi Caritas, and Holst’s gentle Nunc Dimittis create an arc leading to the final arrangements of jazz and popular pieces such as The Sound of Silence, April in Paris, and Underneath the Stars. VOCES8 weaves genres seamlessly: their crystal-clear intonation, balanced tonal color, and expressive sensitivity transform the concert into a journey filled with subtle light, emotion, and joyful humanity.

Program: Give Me Your Stars

Tomás Luis da Victoria (1548–1611): Regina Caeli

Eric Whitacre (1970): All seems beautiful to me

Lucy Walker (1998): Give me your Stars

Bobby McFerrin (1950): The 23rd Psalm

Caroline Shaw (1982): and the swallow

Ola Gjeilo (1978): Ubi Caritas

Gustav Holst (1874–1934): Nunc Dimittis

Stephen Paulus (1949–2014): The Road Home

Franz Schubert (1797–1828): Liebe

Kate Rusby (1973) / arr. Jim Clements: Underneath the Stars

Trad. / arr. Joshua Pacey: Danny Boy

Simon and Garfunkel / arr. Alexander L’Estrange: The Sound of Silence

Vernon Duke (1903–1969) / Yip Harburg (1896–1981) / arr. Jim Clements: April in Paris

Cole Porter (1891–1964) / John Kander (1927) & Fred Ebb (1928–2004) / arr. Alexander L’Estrange: I Get a Kick out of New York