Festivals, venues, orchestras
Book Gospel Philharmonic Experience
The broad lines of a collaboration: artistic, educational and logistical.
The artistic project
Freedom as a legacy.
Bringing the African-American heritage of gospel into dialogue with the symphonic repertoire: a creation of excellence shared by professional gospel artists, a symphony orchestra and amateur singers from your region, open to every kind of voice, background and audience.
10 – 16
Professional gospel singers
4 – 5
Band: piano, Hammond B3 organ, bass, drums
50 – 200+
Amateur singers from your region, recruited by audition
35 – 90
Orchestral musicians, depending on your orchestra
On stage
Line-ups, adjusted to your stage.
Pascal Horecka
- Conductor, choral director, arranger and artistic director: he ensures the musical coherence of the project.
- Programme defined with the partner orchestra, arrangements and orchestrations, orchestral parts for the gospel and spirituals repertoire.
- Chairs the audition jury, prepares the large choir, leads rehearsals and concerts.
Professional choir and band
- 10 to 16 singers, with solo parts within the ensemble: harmonic precision, rhythmic energy, intensity.
- The band: piano, Hammond B3 organ, bass and drums.
Large one-off choir
- 50 to 200+ amateur singers, recruited by audition.
- Size adjusted to the stage and to the balance of sections.
- Particular attention to diversity of backgrounds and life paths.
Symphony orchestra
- 35 to 90 musicians depending on the orchestra; instrumentation to be agreed with Pascal Horecka.
- Example: strings 14 – 12 – 8 – 6 – 5; woodwinds 2 – 2 – 3 – 2; brass 4 – 3 – 3 – 1; 2 saxophones, harp, timpani, 2 percussion.
Options
- A guest artist, subject to availability and budget: Kim Burrell, Andrea Albert, Jonathan McReynolds…
- Or a soloist from the choir in the spotlight, such as Danielle Mahailet, national finalist of the Paris Opera’s Voix d’Outre-Mer.
- Wayne Bucknor, our pianist, expert in both gospel and classical.
Smaller formats
- Voice and piano, band, strings, or chamber orchestra with our own ensemble, The Evidence Orchestra.
- Repertoire: spirituals, contemporary gospel, a Christmas programme in season, a classical overture (Gershwin…). See a typical programme.
Five concert formats
| Format | Orchestra | Band | Professional choir | Large amateur choir |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XXL | 82 musicians | 5 | 13 | 120 |
| XL | 68 musicians | 5 | 13 | 100 |
| L | 33 musicians | 5 | 13 | 80 |
| S | 21 musicians | 4 | 13 | 40 |
| XS | 15 musicians | 4 | 13 | 40 |
The learning journey
A large choir rooted in your region.
- Call for singersThrough gospel choirs, music schools, conservatoires, associations and neighbourhood organisations; individual applications welcome.
- AuditionsTwo to four days depending on numbers, with a jury of two or three chaired by Pascal Horecka: voice, pitch, rhythm, groove, listening; a prepared excerpt (files provided) and a rhythm test.
- PreparationLearning tracks, lyrics and schedule sent to selected singers; personal practice between rehearsals.
- RehearsalsFive full Sundays (or two Sundays and five weekday evenings): repertoire, vocal technique, diction, rhythm, interpretation and group cohesion.
- StageRehearsals with the orchestra, the professional choir and the band, then the concert.
Typical timeline
From first meeting to concert.
| When | Step |
|---|---|
| 12 to 36 months before | Scoping meeting: format, venue, dates, first budget estimate. |
| 12 to 24 months before | Local partners on board, first masterclasses, recruitment campaign. |
| 8 to 12 months before | Auditions, large choir formed, learning materials sent. |
| 6 to 1 months before | Five Sunday rehearsals with Pascal Horecka: learning, sectionals, consolidation, interpretation, run-through. |
| D – 4 or earlier | Orchestra-only rehearsals with Pascal Horecka. |
| J – 2 | Two orchestra rehearsals with the band, the professional choir and the soloist. |
| J – 1 | Pre-dress rehearsal with the choirs, then full dress rehearsal. |
| Day D | Soundcheck and concert(s). |
Outreach, education and social action
Understand, experience, dare.
Activities designed with you, tailored to your audiences and local resources. Formats and additional budget agreed together.
- Meetings with audiences and local players, to open choral singing to newcomers.
- Off-site workshops with cultural, social and community organisations.
- School sessions on the voice, gospel and the orchestra.
- Open, commented rehearsal for schools.
- Pre-concert listening guides.
- “In the conductor’s ear” audio clips: short commented excerpts.
- Participatory singing workshops, no experience needed.
- Meetings and workshops for people unable to attend, especially in hospitals and prisons.
What is included
Who does what, clearly.
Included
- Artistic direction and conducting by Pascal Horecka; programme designed with the orchestra.
- Arrangements and orchestral parts for the gospel and spirituals repertoire.
- Auditions, learning tracks and five large-choir rehearsals, including jury and section leaders’ fees.
- Direction of the professional choir and band, rehearsals with the orchestra.
- Fees and social charges for the singers, band and conductor.
- Production: managed by Marie-Cécile Dujon, plus an assistant dedicated to the large choir (auditions, sign-ups, call sheets, attendance, rehearsal supervision).
- Photos, videos and texts; interviews; promotion on our channels.
Organiser’s side
- Fees of the partner orchestra’s musicians.
- Orchestral parts outside the gospel repertoire, if a classical overture is chosen (Gershwin…).
- Travel for artists and production, transfers, 3-star hotel single rooms with breakfast, meals and dressing-room catering.
- Travel for Pascal Horecka, the jury and section leaders for auditions and rehearsals; large-choir catering on production days.
- Backline: tuned grand piano, Hammond organ, drums, bass amp; choir risers; chairs, stands and music lights; suitable dressing rooms.
On quotation
- Our sound engineer: preparation with the venue, soundchecks, amplified rehearsals and concerts; technical rider adapted to your venue.
- Guest artist, guest pianist.
- New works and orchestrations for a specific instrumentation.
- Additional outreach: meetings, masterclasses, school sessions, people unable to attend.
- Recording or filming: specific agreement on uses, rights, crews and costs.
Visuals and videos are submitted for our approval before release; communication plan shared beforehand, press coverage afterwards, complimentary tickets to be agreed. If the concert sells out, a public dress rehearsal is possible at no extra cost.
Press
2,000 people, on their feet.
« Une soirée pleine de ferveur, de communion, d’humour et de puissance musicale. »Jazz Rhône-Alpes, Auditorium de Lyon, April 2018
Budget and payment
Quote on request.
First estimate after the initial brief; final quote at D – 10 months, depending on line-up, number of concerts and the learning journey.
Payment terms are set out in the quote.
Book the project
Let’s talk about your season.
Marie-Cécile Dujon · Musique Culture Développement agency, production manager and agent of Pascal Horecka
marie-cecile@dujon.com · +33 6 72 00 48 65