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Choral singing is one of the most pervasive and unifying genres of music, and in this series titled A Choral Atlas we will explore both masterpieces of the canon and champion some of the most original and proficient women artists working today. Our 68th season will give audiences a musical tour around the globe, allowing us to highlight the creativity of composers from both the Old and New Worlds, with particular attention paid to regions and traditions that have fostered distinct musical offerings such as Mexico, the Baltic Republics and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Some of the oldest known choruses are from Ancient Greek tragedies, and those works will be juxtaposed against new music from contemporary composers. Our choral journey will culminate with a celebration of our shared humanity with a piece called Voices for Today, commissioned in 1965 by the United Nations. Composed by Benjamin Britten, the piece brings together adult and children's voices with texts taken from numerous cultures over 2500 years, to create a major work of both brilliance and technical complexity. This will be its first performance in St. Louis, and we will ask choristers from schools around St. Louis city and county to participate in the regional debut.