Skyscapes on the Air: A Preview of the Winnipeg Singers’ Celestial Concert This weekend, the Winnipeg Singers invite audiences to lift their gaze skyward with Skyscapes: An Evening of Song and Starlight. The concert takes place Sunday, October 5 at 7:00 p.m. in the immersive setting of the Manitoba Museum Planetarium, where music and starlight will converge in a program inspired by the beauty, mystery, and wonder of the night sky. To set the mood, we here at Classic 107 will be devoting our 9:00 a.m. hour this Saturday morning, October 4, to music inspired by the Skyscapes program. From Ola Gjeilo’s luminous choral writing to Morten Lauridsen’s radiant lyricism and Christopher Tin’s soaring celebration of flight, we’ll give listeners a taste of the cosmic sound world awaiting at the Planetarium. Here’s what you’ll hear on-air, and how it connects with the Winnipeg Singers’ upcoming concert: 9:00 a.m. – Ola Gjeilo: Sunrise Mass Performed by the Westminster Williamson Voices, Sunrise Mass Orchestra, and James Jordan Norwegian-born composer Ola Gjeilo has become one of the most beloved voices in contemporary choral music, known for his lush harmonies and cinematic soundscapes. His Sunrise Mass (2010) unfolds as a spiritual journey from darkness into light, capturing a sense of transcendence that mirrors the vastness of the cosmos. At the Winnipeg Singers’ Skyscapes concert, Gjeilo’s music is front and centre, with performances of Northern Lights, Across the Vast Eternal Sky, and Dark and Luminous Night. Our broadcast of Sunrise Mass sets the stage for the radiant, sky-inspired music that awaits Sunday evening. 9:34 a.m. – Claude Debussy: Clair de Lune Performed by Valerie Mlot, harp Debussy’s iconic Clair de Lune (1890/1905) evokes moonlight in music—gentle, glowing, and dreamlike. This Saturday, hear it in a shimmering performance for solo harp by Valerie Mlot. The Winnipeg Singers will offer a different take on Debussy’s classic at Skyscapes, presenting a vocal arrangement performed with the Vitality String Quartet. Both versions reveal how this timeless piece continues to inspire new interpretations under the glow of the night sky. 9:39 a.m. – Christopher Tin: Sogno di Volare & Astronomy From To Shiver the Sky Performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Royal Opera Chorus, conducted by Christopher Tin Christopher Tin’s music is renowned for its sweep and cinematic scope, blending the choral-orchestral tradition with themes that speak to universal human dreams. Sogno di Volare (“The Dream of Flight”) is a soaring anthem inspired by the words of Leonardo da Vinci, celebrating humanity’s timeless yearning to take to the skies. The Winnipeg Singers close their Skyscapes program with this very piece, joined by the Vitality String Quartet and pianist Donna Laube. Hearing it Saturday morning in its full orchestral form will give you a taste of the grandeur before experiencing it live under the stars. 9:50 a.m. – Morten Lauridsen: Les Chansons des Roses (selections) Performed by Polyphony, conducted by Stephen Layton American composer Morten Lauridsen is known for his exquisite, lyrical choral writing. His Les Chansons des Roses sets French poetry by Rainer Maria Rilke, unfolding in lush harmonies that glow with warmth and tenderness. We’ll hear two movements: De ton rêve trop plein and La rose complète. The Winnipeg Singers’ program includes Lauridsen’s Sure on This Shining Night, another of his radiant settings. Together, these works remind us of Lauridsen’s gift for capturing fleeting moments of beauty and light in song—perfectly suited to a program about the night sky. Listen, then experience it live Tune in to CLASSIC 107 this Saturday morning, October 4, from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m., for this special hour of celestial music. Then, join the Winnipeg Singers the following evening for Skyscapes: An Evening of Song and Starlight at the Planetarium, where voices, instruments, and the cosmos will meet in a concert unlike any other. Skyscapes 📅 Sunday, October 5, 2025 – 7:00 p.m. 📍 The Planetarium at the Manitoba Museum, 190 Rupert Avenue