ARTS NOTES : Chorale Will Sing Work by Alexander

The Pacific Chorale’s 1995-96 season includes the world premiere of music director John Alexander’s own “A Time for Kites,” Berlioz’s Te Deum and Bach’s Mass in B minor.

Alexander’s work, written to text by author Ray Bradbury, will be performed on an a cappella program April 14, and Bradbury will speak at the concert preview.

According to Alexander, it’s not only the first of his works to be performed by the chorale, but also the first to be performed in a major setting.

“I’d done works with church choirs long ago,” Alexander said. “I composed in my youth but got busy conducting. I wanted for years to go back to composing, and now I’m acting on that impulse.”

The 160-voice ensemble’s 28th season begins dramatically enough--with death and the devil--on Nov. 19; on the agenda are Berlioz’s Te Deum and the prologue to Boito’s opera, “Mefistofele.”

A Christmas program Dec. 17 features traditional carols as well as three settings of Magnificat (by Andrea Gabrieli, Rachmaninoff and Arvo Part) and three settings of “O Magnum Mysterium” (by de Victoria, Poulenc and Morton Lauridsen, a county premiere).

The season ends May 11 with a performance of Bach’s Mass in B minor.

The chorale will be joined by the Pacific Symphony for the opening and closing programs. All concerts take place at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa. Subscriptions for the four-concert series range from $46 to $310, unchanged from last year. Single tickets go on sale in October. (714) 252-1234.