SIU Choral Union, Concert Choir and Wind Ensemble to perform ‘The Armed Man’

November 15, 2024

by Pete Rosenbery

CARBONDALE, Ill. - The combined talents of Southern Illinois University Carbondale's Choral Union and Concert Choir and SIU Wind Ensemble will present "The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace" at Shryock Auditorium in a free performance at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19.

The combined choir of 110 students and community members and the wind ensemble will be directed by Susan Davenport, professor and director of choral activities, and Christopher Morehouse, professor and director of bands, both in the School of Music.

The work by Welsh composer Karl Jenkins premiered in London in April 2000 and was commissioned in 2000 by the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, United Kingdom, to commemorate the new millennium. It may be Jenkins' most performed work, Davenport said.

Dedicated to victims of the Kosovo War, program notes state that the work "reflects on the passing of 'the most war-torn and destructive century in human history' and looks forward to a more peaceful future."

Program notes add the framework is provided by the traditional Catholic Mass and includes settings of the Kyrie, Sanctus, Agnus Dei and Benedictus. What makes the work so distinctive is the lyrics drawn from many parts of the world and from diverse religions and cultures. In addition, there will be poems from various cultures, all set to a variety of music styles.

Morehouse noted that 2024 is the 25th anniversary of the work's composition and Jenkins' 80th birthday year.

"Since the premiere, 'The Armed Man' has had over 3,000 performances across the globe," he said. "The work has featured regularly in the Classic FM Hall of Fame, ranking highly as one of the UK's favorite pieces of contemporary classical music and has been on the classical chart for over 15 years."

Morehouse added that in 2023, the piece made chart history, with its acclaimed recording breaking the 1,000th week barrier in the United Kingdom's official albums chart.