The man swiftly becoming (or he may already be there) today's world's best-known choral music composer has released his latest online film, Virtual Choir 4: Fly To Paradise.
Actually, the words "online film" don't quite cover the phenomenon that is the Virtual Choir series.
From the beginning, the Virtual Choir idea--where anyone from anywhere in the world is invited to download the choral parts (with a film of Whitacre, himself, conducting) and video their vocal contribution, with the results mixed into an online concert experience--was about much more than just the performance of a work. It was about bringing peoples together from all manner of backgrounds, from dozens of countries, and--cliché though it sounds--finding their common humanity through song.
And so technology has made possible what has always been true for the act of singing, but on a far grander scale. And that scale has been far wider-ranging, one feels, that even Whitacre ever imagined.
This latest incarnation features nearly 6,000 singers from 101 countries--so many that the closing credits are at least as long as the work, itself. Unlike the NYOotUSoA, however, every state in the U.S. is represented.
Virtual Choir 4 is set in a city. In every window can be seen a chorister; Whitacre can be seen, from time to time, on advertising placards. The title track, "Fly To Paradise," is taken from Whitacre's musical, Paradise Lost. That show is reportedly inspired by Japanese anime and manga--and there's perhaps a nod to that in the Virtual Choir film, which features an anime-like central character.
Soloists are featured this time around, too, including Whitacre's regular collaborator and wife, Hila Plitmann. There's also an electronica track by Guy Sigsworth.
Virtual Choir 4: Fly to Paradise was set to première this week in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace, as part of the Coronation Festival's Gala Performances. It is likely to do very well, indeed--the Virtual Choir vids combined have amassed more than 15 million total views on YouTube.
At the time of Classicalite's writing, very shortly after release, Virtual Choir 4 had already clocked up nearly 95,000 views.
A digital single of the work has also been released. It doesn't feature the choristers from the video, though, due to the large numbers involved and the complex copyright issues.
Eric Whitacre made his name with the 2008 CD Cloudburst on the Hyperion label. He subsequently signed to Decca, two years later, winning a Grammy for his album Light & Gold.
In 2011, Whitacre was co-composer, with Hans Zimmer, of choral segments and the "Mermaid Theme" for the feature film, Pirates of the Caribbeean: On Stranger Tides, which starred Johnny Depp.
Alas, Depp has not since joined any virtual choir. As far as Classicalite knows.
