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(Santa Barbara, CA) — Due to overwhelming audience response, The Choral Society has added a second performance of its highly anticipated “Light & Flight” concert on May 31 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Santa Barbara. Performances will now take place at 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm, offering more audiences the rare opportunity to experience this extraordinary musical event. The program features two-time Grammy Award–winning composer Christopher Tin, who will conduct his own works in a special guest appearance that has generated exceptional excitement across the region.
In a landmark artistic collaboration, The Choral Society will be joined by singers from the Santa Clarita Master Chorale and the Torrance-based Los Cancioneros Master Chorale, alongside full orchestra and acclaimed guest soloists soprano Christina Bristow and tenor Jimmer Bolden.
The first half of the program, conducted by Artistic Director JoAnne Wasserman, will feature Morten Lauridsen’s luminous masterwork Lux Aeterna. The second half will bring audiences face-to-face with Tin’s soaring and globally celebrated music, conducted by the composer himself. Highlights include Waloyo Yamoni, featuring Bolden, a returning audience favorite.
Tin’s music has captivated audiences worldwide, with performances at iconic venues including the Sydney Opera House, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, the Hollywood Bowl, and Carnegie Hall, as well as appearances with ensembles such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
His groundbreaking work Baba Yetu—a Swahili setting of The Lord’s Prayer originally written for the video game Civilization IV—made history as the first piece composed for a video game to win a Grammy Award. His debut album Calling All Dawns earned him a second Grammy and launched an acclaimed body of work that includes The Drop That Contained the Sea, To Shiver the Sky, and The Lost Bird.
In 2024, Tin was commissioned by director Francesca Zambello to compose a new ending for Turandot for the Washington National Opera. The music gained international attention when adapted for Olympic silver medalist Yuma Kagiyama at the 2026 Winter Olympics, introducing millions to Tin’s sweeping, cinematic sound. Selections from this score will be featured in the concert.
With expanded forces, world-class artistry, and the rare presence of a celebrated contemporary composer on the podium, “Light & Flight” promises to be an unforgettable musical experience.
Tickets are $30 and available now at sbchoral.org.
