“I first met Gary Bachlund in 1968, when he was cast to play King Melchior as I was preparing to play the title role in Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors. He was in his early 20’s at the time, possessing a glorious baritone voice. We kept in touch over the years, and our >
I remember this concert vividly — from the first conversation that Ed Cansino and I had about the possibility of premiering his cantata (with text by e. e. cummings). It was a huge project for Coventry Choir. Reading the manuscript, in and of itself, was a challenge.
After the Los Angeles riots (or civil unrest) in May, 1992 and ignited by the Rodney King police officers' innocent verdicts, All Saints developed a relationship with Praises of Zion Baptist Church in South Los Angeles. This event would have been the first of several, where their pastor, Joe Hardwick, would bring their choirs to Pasadena or All Saints would go to Praises of Zion. Joe would preach at All Saints and George Regas would preach at Praises of Zion, and our choirs would sing hymns together and offer anthems.