Mission Chamber Orchestra of San Jose (MCOSJ) is proud to present "Music of Portugal", a free concert on Sunday afternoon, June 4, 2023, at the Five Wounds Portuguese National Church in San Jose. The concert is part of the cultural celebrations surrounding Dia de Portugal. We are thrilled to showcase Portuguese soloists and works by composers rarely heard outside Portugal.
This year we will feature two outstanding soloists from Portugal. The celebrated soprano Sandra Medeiros will perform favorite arias by composers ranging from Handel and Mozart through Rossini, Puccini, and Gershwin to her compatriot, Francisco de Lacerda, who like Medeiros was born in the Azores Islands. Medeiros has won international recognition for her performances of early music, oratorio, 20th and 21st century song and opera. She has performed with prestigious Portuguese orchestras and early music groups, as well as internationally. and has premiered several works by contemporary Portuguese composers.
Pianist Diana Botelho Vieira was also born in the Azores. She travels from Lisbon to perform as soloist in the Piano Concerto no. 5 by Sérgio Azevedo – who happens to be her husband! Vieira has won many awards and regularly performs as soloist in Portugal and at festivals worldwide. Azevedo is part of a generation of Portuguese composers who aspire to write music which is expressive and communicative – he sees himself as connected to past traditions, and through his teaching, to the future.
This year's concert is particularly special, as it is the last concert scheduled to be conducted by Emily Ray, who founded the orchestra in 1996 and has served as Music Director and principal conductor ever since. Maestra Ray was also the driving force in setting up the annual "Music of Portugal" concerts at Five Wounds Church, which have celebrated San Jose's Portuguese community and introduced Portuguese composers and soloists to San Jose's music lovers for more than 15 years.
Make sure you don't miss the opportunity to be part of this important celebration – mark your calendar now! Admission is free.
Five Wounds Portuguese National Church
1375 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose
Free convenient parking at the Church.