Trinity Western University’s choral performance this spring is a musical story—told through the theme of gardens—that follows the biblical narrative of the earth’s very beginnings to its envisioned future beauty.
Composed by TWU music professor Dr. David Squires, Gardens: A Sacred Oratorio premieres this spring, with first performances in Surrey (April 15) and in Abbotsford (April 16).
Tickets for Gardens: A Sacred Oratorio available on Eventbrite:
Get tickets for April 15 Surrey
Get tickets for April 16 Abbotsford
Impressive nine-movement work
Commissioned in 2019 by Director of Choral Activities, Dr. Joel Tranquilla and the Trinity Western University Choirs, the planned spring 2020 debut for this work was delayed due to the pandemic. Now in 2023, Gardens will receive its long-anticipated premiere.
This impressive nine-movement work features soprano soloist Alison Nystrom and the TWU Choirs under the direction of Joel Tranquilla, Gloria Dei Chorale under the direction of TWU alumnus Rob Workman, Vancouver Oratorio Society under the direction of Kemuel Wong, and an orchestra led by concertmaster Calvin Dyck.
Gardens: A Sacred Oratorio follows the biblical narrative of the earth’s very beginnings to its envisioned future beauty.
Beautifully woven together, the lyrics of Gardens draws from a variety of biblical passages, including selections from the Psalms and the Gospels, as well as ancient sacred hymns.
Towards the longed for 'garden-in-the-city'
The movement “Garden of Suffering” depicts the biblical prelude to Easter: Jesus’ agonizing night of prayer in the garden of Gethsemane prior to his suffering and death on a cross. The central movement, “Garden of the Shepherd,” is an a cappella setting of Psalm 23, while the final movement, “Garden of Joy,” illustrates the “longed for garden-in-the-city” envisioned by the apostle John.
“Writing this work was a profound spiritual journey for me,” he expressed, “and this is also my hope for both performer and listener.”
David Squires, who collaborated with his wife Colette on the texts and overall vision for the piece, believes that Gardens will be a gift to many. “Writing this work was a profound spiritual journey for me,” he expressed, “and this is also my hope for both performer and listener.”
Alumni return to join in song
Indeed, Dr. Squires describes Gardens as his largest and most significant work to date. The work is so meaningful, in fact, that numerous TWU alumni are returning to sing in the performance. Joining current students in the TWU Choir will be alumni singers from Alberta, California, Washington, as well as B.C.
Alumna Laurel Pope is among those returning to participate. As a Music major, Laurel was part of the earliest Gardens rehearsals in 2019. “Gardens is an incredibly poignant and beautiful piece,” she reflects. “It has been so meaningful to learn and sing, and we are all looking forward to sharing it in the premiere performance.”
“David and Colette’s curation of the texts thoughtfully weaves the narrative of Christ’s life with stirring imagery and melodic themes. The oratorio is compelling and moving, and very edifying to sing—it is such a gift to have music that challenges and inspires singers and is so integrated with Scripture and our faith.”
A remarkable nine years of accomplishments
For Dr. Tranquilla, the upcoming premiere of Gardens is particularly meaningful in that it will be his final concerts with TWU before he takes on a new role in Nova Scotia as Artistic Director of Halifax Camerata Singers. Throughout his nine years at TWU, Dr. Tranquilla directed a program of six choirs and taught many courses within the School of the Arts, Media + Culture. He has also led the TWU Chamber Choir on tours to Ottawa, New York City, China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Taiwan.
“It’s my great privilege to finish my time at Trinity with a performance of music that means so much to me,” Dr. Tranquilla expresses, “Dave’s compositions have been an important part of the TWU choirs’ repertoire, and Gardens is an extraordinarily moving work. Collaborating with Dave, Alison, Calvin, the orchestral musicians, and all of the wonderful singers that make up the Trinity choral community will be an emotional experience for me.”
The premiere of Gardens: A Sacred Oratorio will be the highlight of this spring’s TWU Choir concerts. In addition to Gardens, the concerts will feature other works, including Vivaldi’s Magnificat, Mozart’s “Ave verum corpus,” and pieces by Canadian women composers, Ruth Watson Henderson, Violet Archer, and Tawnie Olson.
Tickets for Gardens: A Sacred Oratorio available on Eventbrite:
Get tickets for April 15 Surrey
Get tickets for April 16 Abbotsford
About TWU's School of the Arts, Media, and Culture
Immerse yourself in what you love best, whether it’s visual or performing arts, media, or communication. Grow with others who are just as passionate and exceptional as you. That’s the beauty of learning in community. You’ll find your people here. Learn more at School of the Arts, Media, and Culture.
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is a global Christian liberal arts university. We are dedicated to equipping students to discover meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. Drawing upon the riches of the Christian tradition, seeking to unite faith and reason through teaching and scholarship, Trinity Western University is a degree-granting research institution offering liberal arts and sciences as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has four locations in Canada: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, and Ottawa. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Instagram @trinitywestern, Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.