SUNBURY — According to a press release, the Susquehanna Valley Chorale will present two exuberant works: the contemporary piece “Gloria” by Michael J. Glasgow and a choral standard “Te Deum” by Dvorák at 3:00 p.m. Oct. 19 at Zion Lutheran Church in downtown Sunbury.

Patrons are encouraged to arrive at 2:15 p.m. for a pre-performance talk by Gary Boerckel, Professor Emeritus, Lycoming College about the works that will be performed.

Glasgow’s fresh setting of “Gloria” had its world premiere at Carnegie Hall in 2022. Heralded for his melodic gift, Glasglow is an award-winning composer of organ, handbell and choral works, and has fulfilled more than 60 commissions.

Glasgow said, “I’ve taken care to ensure that this ‘Gloria’ actually sounds like what it says. The first movement is one of jubilant praise and faith; the second movement is a quiet prayer, with the text qui tollis peccata mundi set in minor against a gently propelling syncopated accompaniment; and the final movement is an explosive celebration of mixed meter, syncopation and cross-rhythms, culminating in ecstatic Amens that I envisioned as an amazing party that you don’t want to leave.”

The popular “Te Deum,” while written over 100 years ago, is infused with a sense of grand ceremony as the Czech composer was exploring new American styles of instrumentation at the time.

This program will feature guest soloists Jill Gardner and Tim LeFebvre.

Recognized as a “lyrico spinto, Puccini girl through and through,” Gardner has sung over 50 performances of her signature role of Tosca in recent seasons with such notable American companies as Opera Carolina, Arizona Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Hawai’i Opera Theater, Toledo Opera, Lyric Opera of Baltimore, Piedmont Opera and in a new production with Mill City Summer Opera to name a few.

Nationally acclaimed baritone LeFebvre has wide-ranging experience from the operatic stage to the concert hall. Mr. LeFebvre is currently Professor of Voice at Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where he is also division director of vocal studies.

For more information about this performance and future performances, visit SVCMusic.org.