SOLAS: Foundations of Faith at Carnegie Hall
Last Sunday evening, I had the opportunity to cover SOLAS: Foundations of Faith at Carnegie Hall's Isaac Stern Auditorium, presented by Distinguished Concerts International New York. Composer and conductor Heather Sorenson led both the Distinguished Concerts Singers International and the Distinguished Concerts Orchestra through two major choral works, including the Carnegie Hall premiere of her piece SOLAS.
The evening opened with Sorenson's Requiem, an eight-movement work conducted by guest conductor Kevin Klotz. Sorenson herself conducted the second half of the concert, leading the performance of SOLAS.
SOLAS itself is built around the five solas of the Protestant Reformation. Each movement explores a different pillar: Sola Scriptura, Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, Solus Christus, and Soli Deo Gloria, following a prelude that set the tone for the entire work. Soloists Heather Lake Bays and Layke Jones brought individual voices to moments throughout both pieces, while pianist Cameron Cody anchored the orchestral texture.
What strikes me about these large choral productions at Carnegie Hall with DCINY is the sheer coordination involved. You have singers from church choirs and vocal groups across North America and beyond, all coming together for a single performance. The Distinguished Concerts Singers International draws members from dozens of different ensembles, and they work hard to create a unified sound in just a few days of rehearsal.
From a photography perspective, these concerts offer rich visual variety. The combination of full orchestra, large chorus, and featured soloists creates natural focal points throughout the performance. The staging at the Stern Auditorium gives you clear sightlines, and the lighting for this particular concert worked well for capturing the energy of the performance.
For organizations like DCINY, having professional documentation of their Carnegie Hall performances serves multiple purposes. These images support marketing, season announcements, and recruitment for future concert series. When a church choir from Texas or a vocal ensemble from Canada participates in a Carnegie Hall concert, they want photos that capture the significance of that moment.
Choral music presents its own photographic considerations. Unlike a solo recital where you're following one performer, these concerts require you to balance the full ensemble with individual moments. You're looking for the gestures from the conductor, the expressions from soloists, and the overall impact of 100-plus voices filling Carnegie Hall.
If you're producing choral concerts, orchestral performances, or other large ensemble work at venues like Carnegie Hall or Lincoln Center, documentation matters. These performances represent significant artistic and organizational achievements. Having professional photos that capture both the scale and the intimate moments helps you tell that story to future audiences, donors, and participants.
