A big seller at the recent ACDA Convention, "Eric Whitacre" is a stunning collection of songs composed in the classical style of Monteverdi, Debussy and Prokofiev, but with inspiration from such groups as the Beatles, Sting, Queen, Madonna and Peter Gabriel. His choice of texts also reflects a broad range of poets - Octavio Paz, Ogden Nash, James Joyce, e.e. cummings and Emily Dickenson, religious poets being conspicuous in their absence, although "three songs of faith" are included here. The mixed-voice Brigham Young U. Singers do justice to Whitacre's difficult, eclectic, wonderful, soaring compositions. 12 songs, "Water Night," the three songs of faith: "I Will Wade Out," "Hope, Faith, Life, Love," "I Thank You God for most this Amazing Day," "Cloudburst", "Sleep," "I Hide Myself," "With a Lily in Your Hand," "Go Lovely Rose," "When David Heard," "Lux aurumque" and "Leonardo Dreams of His Flying Machine." "Beautiful" is an inadequate word to describe Whitacre's work and the BYU Singers' interpretation of it. "Amazing" works much better! Recommended.

Songlist: Water Night, Three Songs of Faith:, I Will Wade Out, Hope, Faith, Life, Love, I Thank You God For Most This Amazing Day, Cloudburst, Sleep, Three Flower Songs:, I Hide Myself, With A Lily In Your Hand, Go, Lovely Rose, When David Heard, Lux Aurumque, Leonardo Dreams of His Flying Machines

BYU Singers : Eric Whitacre 2   

In 1999 the BYU Singers, conducted by Ronald Staheli, performed two Whitacre pieces - "When David Heard" and "Water Night" - as part of their solo premier at New York's Carnegie Hall. The success of the BYU Singers: Live at Carnegie Hall recording, demand for more Whitacre music, and the fruitful partnership between the composer and BYU Singers led to Whitacre's request for the group to record his complete a cappella works in 2001. As a result of the enormous response to that album, the Singers are pleased to release a companion volume, Eric Whitacre 2. This CD was recorded in the spring of 2008, is essentially volume two of Eric Whitacre: The Complete A Cappella Works. That recording, released by the BYU Singers, continues to be one of the best-selling choral CDs worldwide. This recording includes some of Whitacre's compositions for accompanied choir, but is mostly his a cappella pieces written since 2001. The varied nature of these pieces in this second compilation led to the Singers' collaboration with the BYU Concert Choir, conducted by Rosalind Hall, and the BYU Women's Chorus, conducted at the time by David Thomas. A very highly recommended release!

Songlist: Little Birds, A Boy And A Girl, This Marriage, Her Sacred Spirit Soars, Tmuna, Larov, Eyze sheleg, Rakut, She Weeps Over Rahoon, Little Tree, The Panther, The Cow, The Firefly

This CD begins with a 3-part, eclectic, dramatic, rich-in-special-effects all-instrumental piece by Eric Whitacre, the "Ghost Train Trilogy," about a supernatural machine that roars through the western US, played by the Rutgers Wind Ensemble. Following that is "GAWD$ILLA EATS LAS VEGAS," a piece Whitacre wanted to write that was "really out there," that includes amazing, all-instrumental dramatic West Side Story and Gershwin samples. A sweet piece by the Rutgers Wind Ensemble follows, "Rak Hahatchala," featuring soprano Hila Plitmann. Then we have the University of Miami Chorale perform Whitacre's beautiful "little tree," (accompanied) with text by e.e. cummings, and two lovely Whitacre pieces by the BYU Singers, "Water Night" and "Cloudburst," both with text by Octavio Paz. These last two a cappella pieces are difficult, eclectic, soaring and lovely. Eric Whitacre is a surprising composer who takes many chances in his work, which is why listening to "The Music of Eric Whitacre" never fails to delight and challenge us.

Songlist: Ghost Train Trilogy, GawdSilla Eats Las Vegas!, Rak HaHatchala, Little Tree, Water Night, Cloudburst

Eric Whitacre's dedication to the beauty of sound, paired with exquisite texts, results in a poetic combination that creates a unique sonic experience. These works are existential choral moments, beautifully crafted, and harmonised to express a compressed moment in time. Such sublime sonorities transcend descriptions such as 'warm', 'glistening' or 'shimmering', although these features of his choral works do suggest affinities with the sound worlds of Arvo Part or John Tavener, for instance. However, Whitacre's fluid lines and blossoming harmonies give his music its own highly personal and irresistible magic.

Songlist: Her Sacred Spirit Soars, A Boy and a Girl, Water Night, This Marriage, Luz Aurumque, Little Tree, When David Heard, Leonardo Dreams of his Flying Machine, I Thank You God for this Amazing Day, Sleep, Little Birds

Water Night is Eric Whitacre's follow up to his Grammy Award winning album Light & Gold and features seven world premiere recordings. It includes performances by the Eric Whitacre Singers, the London Symphony Orchestra, cellist Julian Lloyd Webber and soprano Hila Plitmann.

Songlist: Alleluia, Equus, Oculi Omnium, The River Cam, Her Sacred Spirit Soars, Water Night, Goodnight Moon, When David Heard, Sleep My Child

Of timeless beauty, this composition speaks to singers and audiences of all generations, offering a high point in any concert program.

This stunning commemorative album celebrates ten years of Eric Whitacre's global phenomenon, the Virtual Choir. The hard-back set contains over 200 pages of full color images from the virtual choirs, a foreword from music theater legend, Stephen Schwartz, and essays about each project from Eric. Guest contributions and memories from some of the Virtual Choir singers from the last decade are weaved throughout. The audio was remastered for this album at the historic Abbey Road Studios and all the singers in each choir - some 35,000 from 145 countries - are listed in the booklet. Tracklist: 1. Virtual Choir 1: Lux Aurumque 2. Virtual Choir 2: Sleep 3. Virtual Choir 3: Water Night 4. Virtual Choir 4: Fly to Paradise 5. Virtual Choir 5: Earth Choir (Deep Field) 6. Virtual Choir 6: Sing Gently 7. World of Color Honor Choir: Glow 8. Virtual Youth Choir: What If

The Sacred Veil is a 12-movement work and the most recent collaboration between Eric Whitacre and poet/lyricist Charles Anthony Silvestri telling a story of life, love and loss. Silvestri's wife, Julie, died of ovarian cancer at age 36 in 2005, leaving two young children. Including texts from Silvestri, Whitacre and Julie herself, the intimate, compelling score tells a story of courtship, love, loss and the search for solace. Although inspired by this extraordinary and moving friendship, the piece does not mention Julie by name and shares a very human journey-one that so many of us can relate to. The Sacred Veil has been recorded with the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Jeffrey Zeigler (cello), Lisa Thomas (piano) and Eric Whitacre (conductor).

Eric Whitacre's choral music has become a worldwide musical sensation. This release presents a new collection of works conducted for the first time by the composer himself. Performed by The Eric Whitacre Singers along with guests Laudibus and The King Singers.

Songlist: Lux Aurumque (Light and Gold): Five Hebrew Love Songs, i. Temuna (A Picture), ii. Kala Kalla (Light Bride), iii. Larov (Mostly), iv. Eyze Sheleg! (What Snow!), v. Rakut (Tenderness), The Seal Lullaby, A Boy and A Girl, Leonardo Dreams of His Flying Machine, Three Songs of Faith: i. I Will Wade Out, Three Songs of Faith: ii. Hope, Faith, Life, Love, Three Songs of Faith: iii. I Thank You God For This Amazing Day, The Stolen Child, Water Night, Nox Aurumque (Night and Gold), Sleep

The University of Mississippi Department of Music offers a unique opportunity to experience Eric Whitacre's music as he conducts the University of Mississippi Concert Singers, Men's Glee, Women's Glee, University Chorus, and Symphonic Band in cooperation with rehearsal conductors Bill DeJournett, Debra Spurgeon, and Donald Trott. This project was the result of a campus visit in April 2007 with Eric Whitacre including rehearsal time, a recording session, Q&A with students, and culminating in a concert for the public. This recording is a mixture of live and recording session performances.

Songlist: With a Lily in Your Hand, This Marriage, Sleep, Animal Crackers, Lux Aurumque, She Weeps Over Rahoon, Ghost Train, Cloudburst, Five Hebrew Love Songs

At the age of only 35, Eric Whitacre has already gained a reputation in the United States that many composers strive for a lifetime to achieve. The American Record Guide named his first recording one of the top ten classical albums in 1997, and the Los Angeles Times described his music as having 'electric, chilling harmonies; works of unearthly beauty and imagination'. His Water Night (included on this new recording) has become one of the most popular choral works of the last decade, and is one of the top-selling choral publications of all time. Whitacre's published works have sold well over 350,000 copies worldwide. And who better to represent an innovative young choral composer than Stephen Layton and Polyphony, award-winning exponents of twentieth-century choral music? Under Layton's directorship, Polyphony handles Whitacre's evocative and soulful music with consummate artistry; from the quiet intensity of Sleep to the breathtaking exuberance of With a lily in your hand, by way of the tender innocence of This Marriage (one of three premiere recordings on the disc), this new recording is a stunning showcase both for an up-and-coming young composer and also for the awesome talents of one of the UK's leading choirs.

Songlist: I Thank You God For Most This Amazing Day, I Hide Myself, Sleep, I Will Wade Out, Go, Lovely Rose, When David Heard, Hope, Faith, Life, Love, Cloudburst, With A Lily In Your Hand, This Marriage, Water Night, A Boy And a Girl, Her Sacred Spirit Soars, Lux Aurumque