Classical MPR Presents New York Polyphony December 9 at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, Minneapolis

Nov 3, 2011

WHAT: Classical MPR will present a holiday concert with New York Polyphony (NYP) on Friday, December 9, at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church in Minneapolis. Held in a spectacular acoustic venue to match the quartet's rich, natural sound, the concert will showcase NYP's refined musicianship. For this Twin Cities debut, the group will sing selections from its 2007 album, I Sing the Birth, a meditation on the Christmas season praised by Gramophone and BBC Music magazines.

New York Polyphony is a male classical quartet, founded in 2006, whose musical range spans centuries and whose performances reach across the globe. The group is known for its uniquely modern sensibility, medieval melodies and cutting-edge contemporary works. NYP released its debut CD I Sing the Birth in 2007 and garnered immediate attention from music critics and listeners alike. Tudor City (2010), the group's most recent album, spent three weeks in the Top 10 on the Billboard classical music chart and has been featured on American Public Media, NPR, and Danish Public Radio. The album, which has been well received internationally, presents a "stunning tour through chant, polyphony and renaissance harmonies" (Minnesota Public Radio). NYP's four members are Geoffrey Williams (countertenor), Steven Caldicott Wilson (tenor), Christopher Dylan Herbert (baritone), and Craig Phillips (bass). For more information about the group, go to NewYorkPolyphony.com.

"New York Polyphony...sing most alluringly, superior technique a given but never flaunted, the focus squarely on communicating the deeply emotional wellsprings of much of this music." ~ BBC Music Magazine

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Friday, December 9, 2011

WHERE: Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, 511 Groveland Ave., Minneapolis, MN

TICKETS: $75 VIP (ticket includes a post-concert reception at La Belle Vie with NYP and Classical MPR hosts); $34 general admission. MPR members receive a $10 discount. Tickets may be purchased in person at The Fitzgerald Theater Box Office, 10 E. Exchange St., St. Paul, or at Ticketmaster.com. MPR members can also order tickets by calling 651-290-1200.

TUNE IN: "Classical MPR Presents New York Polyphony" will be recorded for broadcast on Friday, Dec. 23, at 8 p.m. on all Classical MPR stations, including KSJN 99.5 FM in the Twin Cities.