Salt Lake Choral Artists conductor is confident in his group

Conductor Brady Allred has a lot of confidence in his Salt Lake Choral Artists.

There is no other way to explain it after one has had a chance to glance at the new season. "I'm trying to stretch the choir and the audience," he told the Deseret News.

And the choir members don't seem to mind one bit.

They will have their hands full at the first of their four concerts this season. Titled "Multicultural Celebration," the concert, which takes place Saturday in Libby Gardner Concert Hall, is a musical journey through parts of Africa, Latin America and the Pacific Rim.

"Ever since I took part in the World Choral Symposium, where I was exposed to Latin American and African music, I've been turned on by it quite a bit," Allred said. "I try to program at least some music from those parts of the world every year."

Saturday's concert will include music from the Philippines, Korea, Taiwan, Tonga and Australia. "We counted it up, and the choir will be singing in 12 different languages. I think by the time they're through, they'll be happy to sing in Latin again."

Allred admitted that having the choir sing in so many different languages is difficult, but he'll facilitate it by dividing his ensemble into three separate choirs: women's, chamber and concert choirs, with each singing their own set of pieces.

There will also be selections from two works by David Fanshawe: "Pacific Songs" and "African Sanctus." "In both of these works, Fanshawe takes the music of indigenous people, which he gathered and recorded himself, and incorporates it into his compositions," Allred explained. "It's really quite ingenious the way he interpolates and unifies different cultures into one work."

In December, the Salt Lake Choral Artists will perform a more traditional concert with Ralph Vaughan Williams' "Hodie" on the program. This will be a joint concert with the Salt Lake Symphony and the Madeleine Choir School. Joining them will be soloists Carol Ann Allred, soprano; Todd Miller, tenor; and Darrell Babidge, baritone.

The two concerts next year focus on contemporary works. In February 2009, Allred and the choir will perform Arvo Part's Te Deum. "I've done it twice before, and it's a wonderful crossover piece," Allred said. "Classical musicians like it because Part bases the work on Gregorian chant, and new age people like it because it's a very mystical and atmospheric piece."