Raven Chacon: Voiceless Mass
by True Concord Voices & Orchestra

MOCA’s partner True Concord Voices & Orchestra premieres their 20th anniversary season this October with Raven Chacon’s 2022 Pulitzer Prize winning work, Voiceless Mass. The first major work of Raven Chacon’s to be performed in Tucson, the debut of Voiceless Mass occurs in conjunction with While hissing, the artist’s exhibition at MOCA which presents two important bodies of work from the visionary artist and composer.

Voiceless Mass Performance Dates & Times: 

• Friday, October 13, 3:00pm at the Lutheran Church of the Risen Savior
  • Location: 555 South La Cañada Drive, Green Valley, AZ 85614

• Saturday, October 14, 7:00pm at Grace St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Tucson
  • Location: 2331 E Adams St, Tucson, AZ 85719

• Sunday, October 15, 3:00pm at Grace St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Tucson
  • Location: 2331 E Adams St, Tucson, AZ 85719

Purchase tickets here. Note: Season tickets available now. Single tickets go on sale September 5.

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About Voiceless Mass

Voiceless Mass is a large ensemble work commissioned by WI Conference of the United Church of Christ, Plymouth Church UCC, and Present Music and composed specifically for the Nichols & Simpson organ at The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Milwaukee, Wisconsin but can be performed in any space of worship with high ceilings and pipe organ.

The composition was a site-specific commission to utilize the organ for Present Music’s annual Thanksgiving concert. As an Indigenous artist, I make a point not to present my work on this holiday, but in this case I made an exception.

This work considers the spaces in which we gather, the history of access of these spaces, and the land upon which these buildings sit. Though ‘mass’ is referenced in the title, the piece contains no audible singing voices, instead using the openness of the large space to intone the constricted intervals of the wind and string instruments. In exploiting the architecture of the cathedral, Voiceless Mass considers the futility of giving voice to the voiceless, when ceding space is never an option for those in power. —Raven Chacon

About True Concord:

Tucson’s Grammy- and Emmy-honored ensemble, True Concord Voices & Orchestra has created experiences that move, enrich and inspire for 20 years. True Concord provides the highest quality performances of distinctive classical music, whose artistry, beauty and passion excite and fulfill our musicians, and move our audiences, creating relationships, links and experiences to build an expanding community of engaged and committed participants and supporters.

For complete concert information and tickets, please go to trueconcord.org.