Performers:
William Ferris Chorale, directed by Christopher Windle
Alto
Amber Farish
Lily Lansdell
Cassidy Smith
Madeleine Woodworth
Bass
Conor Broaders
Philip Courington
Dorian McCall
Mark Haddad
Soprano
Katie Buzard
Alex Olsavsky
Allison Selby Cook
Lydia Walsh-Rock
Tenor
Charles Cooney
Brett Potts
Sean Watland
Enrico Bellomo
DePaul Ensemble 20+, conducted by Michael Lewanski
Toby Elliott, percussion
Milo Paperman, percussion
Kseniya Sushkevich, harp
Haydn Jones, violin 1
Edith Samuelsson, violin 1
Benjamin Mora Neira, violin 2
Nicole Kwasny, violin 2
Darren Carter, viola
Julia Seabron, viola
Julianna Bray, cello
Francisco Garay, cello
Adam Wang, bass
Program:
William Ferris Chorale performs music by Chicago composers
Ben Zucker † | Aneroidal
Augusta Read Thomas † | Become the Sky
Stacy Garrop † | The Solitude of Stars
Ayanna Woods † | Close[r], now
Conversation with Christopher Tin
Christopher Tin, Composer
LaRob K. Rafael, Ear Taxi Festival Artistic Director
Christopher Tin | The Lost Birds ^
† Illinois-based Composer
*World Premiere Performance
^Midwest Premiere Performance
Themes of memory, environmental awareness, and artistic legacy take center stage in this reflective and visually rich program, presented by the William Ferris Chorale and DePaul Ensemble 20+. The evening opens with a curated selection of choral works performed by the William Ferris Chorale, each chosen to illuminate this year’s Ear Taxi Festival theme: The Composer’s Voice.
At the heart of the program is The Lost Birds, a striking and cinematic oratorio by Grammy-winning composer Christopher Tin. This elegy to extinct bird species mourns the devastating consequences of human activity on the natural world while celebrating the fragile beauty of the creatures we have lost. Scored for choir and orchestra, Tin’s work fuses classical tradition with soaring filmic lyricism, connecting the grandeur of nature with urgent modern themes of conservation.
During intermission, join composer Christopher Tin and Ear Taxi Festival Director LaRob K. Rafael for a special on-stage conversation exploring the work’s inspiration, creative process, and the role of music in addressing global issues.
Blending environmental advocacy with artistic innovation, this performance invites students, educators, media composers, and curious listeners to reflect on how music can document, challenge, and change our world. The Lost Birds reminds us that the composer’s voice can echo long after the final note—serving as a call to action, a tribute, and a timeless record of what we hold dear.
