The Cape Symphony Orchestra and the Chatham Chorale are delighted to join forces for Into the Light: The Best of Handel, Mozart, and Schubert at Monomoy High School on April 26, 2026 at 3:00 PM. Joseph Marchio, Director of the Chatham Chorale and Assistant Conductor of the Cape Symphony Orchestra, will lead the collaborative performance. Classically trained soprano Kristin Howard (pictured) will be the soloist, and shared her thoughts about this regal, majestic, and exciting program.
A teaching artist at Cape Symphony Conservatory, Kristin appears as a soloist throughout New England. “I am so thrilled to be performing again with the Chatham Chorale,” she says. “This will be my third time soloing with the Chorale and my first time with the Symphony! I was lucky to sing with the Chorale in high school and even received a scholarship from them that helped fund my undergraduate degree in Vocal Performance. Coming back to solo with the Chorale feels especially meaningful, and I'm so grateful for that lasting connection. It's a true pleasure to sing under Joe Marchio's baton again and alongside such talented musicians.”
Kristin’s undergraduate degree is from Boston University; from there, she earned a Masters of Music in Vocal Performance from Carnegie Mellon under the tutelage of operatic legend Maria Spacangna. Highlights of her graduate work include singing Countess in Le nozze di Figaro, Governess in The Turn of the Screw, and Violetta selections from La Traviata.
“I love that [Into the Light] blends familiar works with pieces that may be less familiar,” she continues. “Mozart's Regina Coeli is a new piece for me, and perhaps to some in the audience as well. It has been a joy diving into this music that truly highlights the lovely blend of soloist, chorus, and symphony in Mozart's signature style.
“Speaking of Mozart, we will also be performing Cherubino's aria, "Voi che sapete," from Le nozze di Figaro. Singing this beloved aria is especially exciting for me, having previously performed the role of Countess Almaviva, the character to whom this aria is sung!”
The program is full of inspiring choral and orchestral masterpieces. “Handel's Ode to St. Cecilia's Day is full of soaring passages that bring such grandeur and expressive richness,” says Kristin. “I am hoping the audience will be swept up in the joyful and celebratory spirit! We also plan to do selections from Handel's Messiah that bring that same sense of awe. My solo, "I Know That My Redeemer Liveth," has a serenity that offers an almost quiet assurance. The blend of familiarity and discovery shapes an emotional arc in a really special way.”
Asked what she’d tell the audience to listen for, Kristen suggests “the way the music moves between intimacy and expansiveness. There are moments that feel very inward and personal, and others that open up into something much larger and more communal. Paying attention to those shifts can be a rewarding way to experience the program as a whole. My hope is that everyone leaves feeling moved, connected, and inspired by the power of these extraordinary works!”
Don’t miss this exceptional concert.
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Into the Light: The Best of Handel, Mozart, and Schubert will be performed at Monomoy Regional High School (75 Oak Street, Harwich) on Sunday, April 26, 2026 at 3:00 PM. Tickets are $30 (free for people under 18). Purchase through the Chatham Chorale’s ticketing webpage.
