Echoes
Sunday, November 2, 2025 | 4:00 PM
San Dieguito United Methodist Church
"The San Diego Master Chorale's 65th Anniversary Season opens with ECHOES, a powerful concert inspired by All Saints Day and Día de los Muertos."
Our 65th Anniversary Season opens with ECHOES — a concert that blends traditions of remembrance and celebration. Inspired by All Saints Day and Día de los Muertos, this program highlights the power of music to uplift, connect, and bring joy. From David Conte’s Three Mexican Folk Songs to Dan Forrest’s Introit-Kyrie from Requiem for the Living, Ēriks Ešenvalds’ O Salutaris Hostia to Bach’s Dona Nobis Pacem, and more, the afternoon unfolds in a rich tapestry of sound.
To see the full concert program, click here.
San Diego Master Chorale
John K. Russell, Music Director
featuring the San Diego Children’s Choir
Catherine Barnes, percussion
Eric Foster, guitar
Ondrej Lewit, violin
Jorge Soto, violin
Geoffrey Willis, bass
ECHOES Concert Program
Introit-Kyrie from Requiem For The Living – Dan Forrest
No. 7. Lacrymosa, from Requiem – Wolfgang A. Mozart
Three Mexican Folk Songs – David Conte
Sure On This Shining Night – Samuel Barber
Blessed Are The Dead – Heinrich Schütz
Dona nobis pacem – Johannes S. Bach
INTERMISSION
Dona nobis pacem – Pēteris Vasks
Adiós bien amado – Julio César Morales Pineda
La Llorona – David García Saldaña
O Salutaris Hostia – Ēriks Ešenvalds
Deep River – arr. H.T. Burleigh
Peace Song Beatitudes – Tim Brent
CONCERT DETAILS
Your Tickets: If you chose to have the tickets sent to you via email, please have them ready for scanning when you arrive. These should be found in the email inbox you used to purchase the tickets. If you are having trouble locating your tickets, please visit the box office when you arrive for assistance.
SATURDAY, November 1, 2025 at 4:00pm.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral (2728 Sixth Ave., San Diego)
- 3:00 PM: Concert Box Office opens and will be located at the main entrance.
- 3:15 PM: Doors are expected to open for General Admission seating.
- 4:00 PM: Concert begins.
- Parking: parking at this venue can be challenging. Please consider carpooling or using rideshare apps like Lyft or Uber. Please plan to arrive early to find parking and make your way to the venue to enjoy the concert in its entirety.
SUNDAY, November 2, 2025 at 4:00pm.
San Dieguito United Methodist Church (170 Calle Magdalena, Encinitas)
- Please note! Daylight Savings ends this Sunday, November 2, at 2 am, and the time changes, falling back one hour.
- 3:00 PM: Concert Box Office opens and will be located at the main entrance.
- 3:15 PM: Doors are expected to open for General Admission seating.
- 4:00 PM: Concert begins.
GUEST ARTISTS
SAN DIEGO CHILDREN'S CHOIR
Founded in 1990, the San Diego Children’s Choir is the area’s oldest and largest choral training program serving children ages 1–18 at locations throughout San Diego County.
The San Diego Children’s Choir provides children with music education and performance opportunities that foster performance excellence and collaboration at the highest artistic level, nurturing individual development and creating a foundation for lifelong success. The Choir enriches the cultural fabric of San Diego County through the transformative power of music. Learn more at sdcchoir.org.
CATHERINE BARNES
Hailed as a “masterful percussionist” by the San Diego Troubador, Catherine Barnes loves to hit things. She has hit things with a variety of groups including the San Diego Symphony, the South Coast Symphony, San Diego International Fringe Festival, and the San Diego Music Award-nominated band Calamity. She has taught young people to hit things at Scripps Ranch High School, Westview High School, and Francis Parker. She is thrilled and honored to be hitting things to support the San Diego Master Chorale.
ERIC FOSTER
Although born in California, Eric Alan Foster gave his debut solo recital over thirty years ago in La Paz, Bolivia. He has since lived as a teacher, composer and performer in Southern California. He studied guitar with Turan Kamal while earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree with an emphasis in music theory and composition at the University of California Santa Barbara and later with Celin Romero while getting a Master of Music degree with an emphasis in guitar performance from San Diego State University. His firs teaching assighment was at the “Instituto Eduardo Laredo” in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Mr. Foster has since taught a variety of college level courses including music history, music theory, class guitar, guitar ensemble and individual lessons at both the University of San Diego and MiraCosta College in Oceanside. Some of Eric’s compositions for guitar ensemble are published by Les Productions d’Oz in Canada. His concertos for guitar and orchestra (A California Concerto, Latin Wave Concerto, and Concerto Three) were performed with Eric as soloist in San Diego, Tijuana, Oceanside, and Orange County. His “Concerto for Guitar, Mariachi Ensemble and Orchestra” premiered with the Southern California Philharmonic in October 2025.
ONDREJ LEWIT
Born in Prague (Czech Republic), Ondrej Lewit began studying violin at age seven and continued at the State Conservatory of Music, earning his MA at the Academy of Performing Arts. As a member of Camerata Pragnesis, Camerata Nova, concertmaster of J. Suk’s Chamber Orchestra, and first violin of Cuartetto Cassoviae, he performed across Europe and recorded for Czechosloval Radio and Television, Italian RAI, and labels including Supraphon, Opus, and Edigsa.
In 1983 he moved to Spain, becoming concertmaster of the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra and leader of its Chamber Orchestra, performing as a soloist with conductors such as R. Barshai, E. Colomer, and D. Solomon. He taught vioin and chamber music at Santa Cruz Conservatory (1984-1989) and at OST’s Academy of Orchestral Studies from 1997, directing the string department. He renewed his quartet activity as first violin of the Lewit Quartet, performing in Spanish concert halls through 2000.
He has also taught and performed internationally, including with Eastern Philharmonic Orchestra, Eastern Music Festival in North Carolina, Spanish Youth Orchestra, and Catalonia Youth Symphony. After moving to Barcelona in 2000, he served as concertmaster with Liceo Opera Theater Orchestra and guest concertmaster with several Spanish orchestras. From 2005-2010 he was concertmaster of the Baja California Orchestra and taught at its Conservatory. Since 2004 he has maintained a private studio in San Diego, performing with ensembles such as Encore Trio, Yrion, Quartetto Sorrento, and Sorrento Camerata, and serving as concertmaster of the San Diego Interfaith Choir and Orchestra and the Grossmont Symphony Orchestra.
JORGE SOTO
Jorge Soto has been actively involved with music performance and education in Southern California and Mexico since 2002. Concertmaster of the Orquesta de Baja California and a Henry Mancini Institute alumnus, ehe has performed with artists including Diana Krall, Michael Bublé, Roberta Flack, and Luciano Pavarotti. Jorge taught for eight years with the La Jolla Music Society’s outreach program and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Education.
GEOFFREY WILLIS
Geoff Willis, bassist, began studying double bass as a teenager under the tutelage of local jazz bassist Rob Thorsen. He went on to graduate with honors from Macalester College, continuing his studies of the double bass under Adam Linz while acting as both the principal bassist of the Macalester Orchestra and bassist of the Mac Jazz Band. As an undergraduate, he also undertook extensive study of viola da gamba and historical performance practice under Julie Elheard, playing basso continuo for Macalester’s Early Music Ensemble. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in music, he attended graduate school at San Diego State University, completing a master’s degree in double bass performance under the instruction of Jeremy Kurtz-Harris while acting in principal roles for many of SDSU’s ensembles. He is currently principal bassist of the Grossmont Symphony Orchestra, and has also held principal positions with the San Diego Philharmonic and the San Diego City Ballet Pit Orchestra. During the daytime, Mr. Willis is an associate attorney with Lincoln Gustafson & Cercos LLP.