In a time of deepening political divisions and cultural tensions, the New York Choral Society is turning to music to offer a bold counterpoint. On Saturday, May 10th, the chorus will close its season with a powerful program at NYU’s Skirball Center that bridges centuries, cultures, and faiths—uniting voices in a call for compassion, empathy, and joy.
The evening pairs J.S. Bach’s radiant Magnificat with Indian American composer Reena Esmail’s This Love Between Us: Prayers for Unity. The concert marks the culminating performance of She Sings: A Season of Extraordinary Women, a yearlong celebration of women’s voices in choral music.
Esmail’s work, originally composed in the wake of the 2016 U.S. election, feels newly urgent in 2025. With a second Trump administration ushering in even more polarizing policies, the piece, woven from sacred texts and prayers from seven world religions, serves as both protest and prayer.
Photo by Alan Barnett
“Reena’s piece is not just beautiful—it’s urgent,” says Music Director David Hayes. “It dares to imagine a different world, one where we find common ground in our longing for peace and compassion.”
This Love Between Us integrates musical traditions from both East and West, and will feature guest artists from Brooklyn Raga Massive, including Neel Murgai on sitar and Tripp Dudley on tabla. Vocal soloists for Bach’s Magnificat include Liz Lang (soprano), Lucia Bradford (mezzo-soprano), Michael Kuhn (tenor), and Kenneth Overton (baritone). Reena Esmail herself will conduct the Indian instrumentalists, sharing the podium with Hayes in a rare and meaningful artistic collaboration.
Bach Magnificat Soloists
Neel Murgai and Tripp Dudley
In contrast, Bach’s Magnificat offers unbridled joy and devotion from the Baroque canon, a cornerstone of sacred choral music. Together, the two works create a dynamic dialogue between old and new, between Western classical tradition and global musical voices.
“We chose to close our season with these works because they reflect what this moment demands: courage, inclusivity, vision, and joy,” says Ellen PutneyMoore, Executive Director of the New York Choral Society. “Reena’s music honors tradition while urging us to move forward. Bach reminds us of the timeless power of music to uplift and inspire.”
The concert begins at 7:30 p.m.on Saturday, May 10th, with a free pre-concert talk featuring Esmail at 5:30 p.m. Tickets start at $40 and are available at nychoral.org/event/bach-esmail.
