McFerrin to Lead Chorale

Famed jazz and pop singer-composer Bobby McFerrin will lead the final program of the Pacific Chorale’s 2000-01 season, the organization announced Wednesday. McFerrin will conduct a program of Brahms and Schubert, as well as his works, at 8 p.m. May 19, 2001, at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa.

Music director John Alexander will conduct the other three programs, also at the center: 7 p.m. Oct. 22, music by Bach and Handel, with Los Angeles-based Musica Angelica; 7 p.m. Dec. 17, traditional holiday music; and 2 p.m. March 25, Bruckner’s Mass in F minor and Samuel Barber’s “Prayers of Kierkegaard.”

Series tickets: $40 to $176. Single tickets, at prices to be announced, go on sale Sept. 1. (714) 662-2345.

The chorale also announced that Eric Whitacre, 30, has been appointed to a three-year term as composer-in-residence. The Sherman Oaks-based musician has received awards from ASCAP, the American Choral Directors Assn. and the American Composers Forum. He received his master’s degree in composition at the Juilliard School in New York, where he studied with John Corigliano.

Whitacre is the second composer-in-residence with the Pacific. James Hopkins held the post from 1996-98. After his tenure, the chorale had a two-year project during which it commissioned works by Frank Ticheli and music director Alexander.

Whitacre’s first new work for the chorale will receive its premiere on the Dec. 17 holiday program. In his second year, he will compose a 25-minute choral-orchestral work, and in the third an eight- to 12-minute a cappella piece. Two of Whitacre’s compositions, “Water Night” and “Cloudburst,” will be sung at the chorale’s concert at 7 p.m. Sunday at the center. $14 to $48. (714) 662-2345.