Alexander Premieres His ‘Kites’

Sunday night marked the composing debut of John Alexander, as he led his own Pacific Chorale in a premiere of “This Time of Kites”--an a cappella setting of poetry by Ray Bradbury. The science-fiction and fantasy writer was on hand for the performance and gave the preconcert talk at the Orange County Performing Arts Center.

The poems--a brief Prelude taken from “Telling Where the Sweet Gums Are” and two longer sections from “This Time of Kites”--celebrate life and its variety.

Alexander follows their lead both in spirit and in the precise meaning of individual words, filling the composition’s 12 minutes with constant word painting, neatly meshed into a poignant, accessible work, touched by mild dissonance and brought to predictable resolutions.

The piece draws from conservative 20th century British and American choral styles and succeeds within its limited scope.

Here and throughout the evening of mostly unaccompanied pieces, the chorale maintained an even, warm-hued blend, fine sectional balance and precise synchrony, using technical flexibility to put forth emotional content.

In Persichetti’s Mass, the singers affected a mysterious, flowing legato for the winding lines of the Kyrie, and sad supplication in the Agnus Dei. They punctuated the work with powerful moments of affirmation.

In Barber’s Agnus Dei, his choral version of the Adagio for Strings, they ascended to a masterful climax, then cut off cleanly before aching silence.

Individual members of the group stepped forward for solos that highlighted the chorus’ unforced fluidity. Most notable were soprano Nora O’Sullivan Salvatierra--who conveyed the ardor of Rachmaninoff’s Vocalise through a focused, unaffected performance--and contralto Jeanette Moon, who disclosed dark, cantor-like strength in “O Vos Omnes,” by Vaughan Williams.

The Pacific Chorale Children’s Chorus, Concert Choir proved well-trained by Lori Luftus and endearing in works by Hatfield, Vaughan Williams, Debussy and Henderson. Pianist David Lomakin provided tidy accompaniment.