About Us
The St. James Music Series is known for great performances of choral music in San Diego. The vibrant acoustic of St. James by-the-Sea Episcopal Church in La Jolla provides an ideal venue to soak up the rich texture of the human voice. Each year the St. James Music Series aims to provide a unique opportunity for audiences to enjoy diverse and impactful programs of the highest musical quality. Over the past thirty-six years, the series has featured the Vienna Boys Choir, The Australian Chamber Orchestra, Anonymous 4, The Tallis Scholars, The Choir of Westminster Abbey, The Hereford Cathedral Choir, the Venice Baroque Orchestra, VOCES8 and a mainstay of the series, the Grammy Award-winning Chanticleer.
Past Performances
CHANTICLEER: Awakenings
Sunday, April 24, 2022 at 4:00pm
The GRAMMY Award-winning vocal ensemble Chanticleer has been hailed as “the world’s reigning male chorus” by The New Yorker and is known around the world as “an orchestra of voices” for its wide-ranging repertoire and dazzling virtuosity. An annual favorite, we are proud they call the St. James Music Series their home in San Diego.
The sun peeks through, painting soft lines on the wall. The smell of coffee seeps under the door. It’s time to wake up. After the longest performance break in Chanticleer’s history, we are thrilled to sing together again. Finally disentangled from our isolation, we return with a renewed sense of community and purpose. It’s time to come together. It’s time to celebrate. It’s time to sing! Repertoire includes music by William Byrd, Claudio Monteverdi, and Augusta Read Thomas, as well as new commissions by Steven Sametz and Ayanna Woods.
VOCES8: Choral Dances
Sunday, February 27, 2022 at 4:00pm
The British vocal ensemble VOCES8 is one of the most versatile and best-loved singing groups in the world. Touring extensively throughout Europe, North America and Asia, the ensemble performs a repertory from Renaissance polyphony to contemporary commissions and arrangements. They make their return to the St. James Music Series this season with a diverse program of energetic music called “Choral Dances.”
Since the first music was created, music and dance have been constantly entwined. From chapels and courts to cinemas and clubs, this program rejoices in choral music inspired by dance. Juxtaposing Renaissance music with jazz and pop creates a rare mix of the ethereal and angelic, along with pure foot-tapping fun: a showcase for VOCES8’s inimitable stage presence.
SACRA/PROFANA: Looking up!
Sunday, November 7, 2021 at 4:00pm
The San Diego-based chamber choir, SACRA/PROFANA has accomplished remarkable things in just 10 years including numerous world and U.S. premieres and collaborations with leading regional arts organizations. This year marks their debut on the St. James Music Series.
The night skies have fascinated poets, thinkers, painters, and musicians since the dawn of time. In this program SACRA/PROFANA will present some of the finest choral music on the topic of stars, nighttime, and celestial bodies with an emphasis on recently composed music. The group will put their stamp on modern masters such as Morten Lauridsen, René Clausen and Frank Ticheli, as well rising stars of choral music such as Eriks Esenvalds and Sarah Rimkus. Conductor Juan Carlos Acosta said, “We are absolutely thrilled to be making our debut on the St. James Music Series. The setting is ideal, and we think that the audiences will appreciate our approach to this stunning music.”