Choral ‘eXchange’ brings powerful show

and amateur singers came together in February to show their message of support and love for living composers in the art they create.

SACRA/PROFANA, a choir group based in San Diego, and the LA Choral Lab choir from Los Angeles, joined forces on a tour through Southern California to mark the San Diego group’s 10-year anniversary.

The show dubbed the “eXchange Choir Concert,” was the first collaboration between the two groups and featured three conductors and more than 40 singers.

The audience was captivated by the lively and dramatic performance of 12 compositions created by living composers. The songs varied from a more abstract, unique-sounding piece to ones with a classical feel.

Voices of the combined choirs echoed throughout the room and bounced off the concrete walls of St. Paul’s Cathedral in downtown San Diego. Audience members remained silent as they were fully immersed in the calming sounds almost as if they were part of Sunday Mass.

Both groups came together before the intermission to perform “Beneath the Wave,” a bold and emotional song composed by Luke Flynn in dedication to the victims of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Their combined harmonies brought to life the sounds of the ocean as well as cries for those who were lost in the Tōhoku tsunami.

“Cherry blossom rain / Paints the sky / The great wave / Paints our eyes,” were among the haunting lyrics.

Michael Alfera, the founder and artistic director of the LA Choral Lab, said he was more than excited to collaborate with SACRA/PROFANA, noting that it was their first performance with a large group since they were established in 2014.

“It was exciting for our group because we have only performed in a small chamber choir setting,” Alfera said. “This is the first time we have been able to perform with a big group and we had a lot of fun with that.”

Juan Carlos Acosta, the artistic director and conductor for SACRA/PROFANA, said this collaboration started with a friend mentioning that the two groups share similar missions and music style.

“A mutual friend suggested we would be a good match for a collaboration,” Acosta said. “I heard them live and I said, ‘yes this needs to happen.’”

With similar messages the two groups had no trouble rehearsing and melding their styles into one. “Our mission really is promoting living composers and invigorating peoples understanding and love for choral music all around the county,” Acosta said.

“Fundamental Elements” a composition by Jason Rosenberg, a former member of SACRA/PROFANA, opened the show and captivated the audience with its unique sound that filled the building. Consisting of only four words (“Fundamental / mental / element / lament.”), the song still captivated those who listened as the song recreated the sounds of different vocal elements of choir performance.

Clay Myers-Bowman, the executive director for SACRA/PROFANA, says the collaboration is a wonderful way to show appreciation for living composers who work hard and deserve recognition.

“It’s a demonstration that working together we can continue to support and build support for new music, new composers, men and women,” Myers-Bowman said.