Announcing Relics & Martyrs in the Crypt under St. John the Divine, October 8-10

We're thrilled to announce the details of our return to the magnificent Crypt under the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine. After last year's critically acclaimed & sold out collaboration with Trinity Church's NOVUS ensemble, we are coming back October 8-10, presenting a program entitled Relics & Martyrs, centering around the world premiere of a new cantata by composer and double bassist Doug Balliett.

Balliett's music has been praised by The New York Times as "vivid, emotive, with contemporary twists" and described by I Care if You Listen as "weird in the best possible way." His new work explores the complex and twisted history of relics and martyrs, creating a powerful meditation on sacrifice, devotion, and the human condition. The premiere will be woven together with selections from Dietrich Buxtehude's Membra Jesu Nostri and Caroline Shaw's to the hands, creating a centuries-spanning musical program that examines love, longing, and hope for a more just future. Get tickets HERE before they sell out.

Performing this program will be an early-music ensemble comprising five singers and seven instrumentalists, drawn from two of New York City's musical collectives: the vocal chamber ensemble The New Consort and period-instrument band Theotokos.

Each performance includes our classic DoC pre-concert reception featuring wine, cheese & charcuterie, and Via Carota cocktails in the main space of the Cathedral, followed by a guided walk through the stone quarry before descending into the Crypt for the concert.