True Magic

Posted by Ellen Wheeler on Nov 14, 2016

True Concord Voices & Orchestra has emerged as Tucson’s most illustrious cultural export. Under the direction of Music Director Eric Holtan, True Concord engages singers and instrumentalists from across the country, performing repertoire that spans the celebrated masterworks of centuries past to world premieres by America’s finest composers.

Last season, True Concord made its Lincoln Center debut, which was hailed as a “highly polished…wonderful performance.” Its album, Far in the Heavens, garnered two Grammy nominations and won for Best Contemporary Classical Composition.

"True Concord" comes from Shakespeare’s Sonnet No. 8, in which he describes the emotional impact of music. The original 14th century meaning of ‘concord’ is ‘hearts together' — something we strive to achieve in our music-making between composer, performer and listener.

Eric Holtan is the founding music director of True Concord. Since 2002, he has served as minister of music, art and liturgy at Dove of Peace Lutheran Church, and from 2005-2012 was assistant director of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra Chorus.

Eric launched his professional music career at age 12 as a church organist. A native of Minnesota, he studied organ, voice and conducting at Gustavus Adolphus College. He holds degrees in music from Gustavus Adolphus College, The University of Iowa (MA in choral conducting), and The University of Arizona (doctor of musical arts in choral and orchestra conducting). He also served as the UA Opera Theater’s chorus master.

Ensembles under Eric’s direction have performed in the great cathedrals of central Europe, in an international choral festival in Russia, and as invited performers at the conventions of Music Educators Association and American Choral Director’s Association. Since founding True Concord, Eric has conducted performances of many of the most significant choral works in the canon, and has commissioned some of America’s leading composers for world premiere performances. Last season, Eric conducted True Concord on its New York debut at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall for a special concert on the 14th anniversary of 9/11.