Comfort Ye… Ev’ry Valley 
Joshua Collier, Tenor

Handel’s Messiah

Maestro Cailin Marcel Manson
Keene Chorale and NERO orchestra
Recorded live on iPhone
Sunday, December 12, 2021

Comfort Ye/Every Valley

from The Cask of Amontillado by Felix Jarrar (lyrics adapted from Edgar Allan Poe)

Daniel Kamalic, Montresor
Chloe Kim, violinist
Felix Jarrar, pianist

Recording of staged premiere, October 21, 2022

The thousand injuries of Fortunato from The Cask of Amontillado

The Unsleeping Ones: a chamber cantata

Score and libretto by Felix Jarrar (b. 1995)

World premiered at St. Constantine and Helen's Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Brooklyn, NY on February 15th, 2019 on the concert 'Music of the Heart, Mind, and Spirit'

Written on commission from The Downtown Brooklyn Chamber Music Festival

Soloists: 
Maria Eleni Zollo (soprano) - Jehudiel, the archangel of the Lord's glory
Inbal Milliger (mezzo-soprano) - Selaphiel, the archangel of the Lord's player

Featuring the Revelation Ensemble:
Sophia Saunders-Jones (alto-flute) 
Amos Lee (violin)
Nicolas Mirabile (viola) 
Amy Tcheupdjian (cello)

Conducted by Felix Jarrar

Movements:
1. Prelude (0:00)
2. Recitative: A call to service (2:03)
3. Aria: "No thought for tomorrow" (2:38)
4. Recitative: St. Alexander goes to the desert (6:42)
5. Aria: Alleluia (7:17)
6. Recitative: The Monastery (11:58)
7. Duet: Finale  (12:29)

Synopsis of the piece: 
The Unsleeping Ones tells the story about how St. Alexander the Unsleeping, recognized in the AOC, received a message from God about how to achieve unceasing prayer. He failed to achieve this earlier in his life when he was a priest, but succeeded by establishing his own monastery. He divided the monks into twenty-four groups that rotated in shifts on the hour, so prayer never stopped. In the cantata, this story is told from the perspectives of two arch angels Selaphiel and Jehudiel. Selaphiel is the angel of prayer and Jehudiel is the angel of the Lord’s glory. This symbolism was pertinent to the story and its message. Outside of the religious narrative, the main theme of this piece is the idea of perseverance through trials and tribulations. The main message of this piece is to recognize and celebrate all people who persevere to realize their dreams.

The Unsleeping Ones by Felix Jarrar (2019) - live recording of world premiere

ShoutHouse performs Alex Burtzos' "Love & Loss & Loathing & Lizards" with Hannah Zazzaro (soprano) and spiritchild (MC). Studio recording made 2017.

Love & Loss & Loathing & Lizards

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Dancing Without You

Just Stay

Will We Still Be Here in 2090? 8-11-19 Quartetto Indaco in Pavia Italy

Will we still be here in 2090? 8 - 11 - 19

With Bourbon Baroque
Recorded LIVE in Louisville, Kentucky at St. Brigid Catholic Church on Sunday Dec. 1, 2019. Please tune into WUOL 90.5 Classical Louisville or online at wuol.org for the complete broadcast of this production on Saturday December 21, 2019 at 8PM. Fore more info: www.bourbonbaroque.com

Allison Gish sings But Who May Abide from Handel's Messiah

Allison Gish sings He Was Despised And Rejected from Handel's Messiah

Lonely from Felix Jarrar’s The Ulster County Songbook. American Art song

Lonely - Miguel Angel Vasquez, Felix Jarrar

Past Life

Felix Jarrar is a multidisciplinary artist, distinguished as a composer, coach and conductor. His music has been praised for its "dreamlike" quality (Boston Globe) and "delightfully cruel" edge (Operawire). Jarrar's compositions have been noted to "flow from him in the most natural and lively way" (Tom Cipullo).
Jarrar has had the privilege of collaborating with numerous esteemed organizations, including Santa Fe Opera, OPERA San Antonio, The New School, Opera Naples, Opera North, Opera Ithaca, Penn Square Opera, Hogfish, University of Memphis and the iconic Apollo Theater. For the 2024/2025 season, he will serve as Assistant Conductor with Florida Grand Opera, working on productions of Die Zauberflöte, L'elisir d'amore, and Carmen.
Jarrar's impressive compositional catalog comprises 275 works, including 235 art songs, 14 operas, 2 string quartets, and a symphony. He has received notable commissions from and been underwritten by the New England Repertory Orchestra, University of Missouri Kansas City, Prismatic Arts Ensemble, Off the Chamber, Spark Duo, Idaho Commission on the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts. His operas have been produced by Landlocked Opera, Chicago Fringe Opera, /kor/ productions, Killer Queen Opera, Opera Elect, and New Wave Opera, amongst others. His song "Sun of the Sleepless" was featured on the 2024 GRAMMY-nominated album 40@40 by Laura Strickling and Daniel Schlosberg.
Felix Jarrar holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Marlboro College, where he graduated with highest honors in music composition and piano performance. He earned his Master of Music degree from Brooklyn College, receiving the Graduate Dean's Award in Music Composition. Jarrar's musical training was influenced by his studies with Jason Eckardt, Stanley Charkey, Tania León, and Robert Merfeld, as well as mentorship from piano pedagogue Burton Hatheway.

The Unsleeping Ones by Felix Jarrar (2019) - live recording of world premiere

Felix Jarrar

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