The MIT Concert Choir, directed by Lecturer Bill Cutter, celebrates the 100th anniversary of composer Francis Poulenc's birth at their concert on Friday, Nov. 19 at 8pm in Kresge Auditorium. With soprano soloist Margaret O'Keefe, the 120-member ensemble will perform Poulenc's sacred piece "Gloria" in addition to Mozart's "Vesperae de Dominica" (K.321).
Largely self-taught, Poulenc's music is readily recognizable by its simple clarity, strong rhythms and innovative harmonies. In the 1920s, Poulenc was part of Les Six, a group of young French composers who wanted to divorce Impressionism and Germanicism from French music and create an amalgam from Igor Stravinsky, Eric Satie and popular forms.
Advance tickets are available in Lobby 10 for $2; tickets will be available at the door for $5.
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on November 17, 1999.