Oregon Repertory Singers audiences are well aware of the beauty and power of the music of Ēriks Ešenvalds. His setting of Sara Teasdale’s Stars for choir and tuned wine glasses, which ORS sings every year at Glory of Christmas, creates the indelible feeling of floating in the heavens surrounded by music. In 2012 ORS became the first American choir to host this inspiring composer for the United States premiere of Passion and Resurrection. In the years since, Ešenvalds has become one of the most prominent choral composers in the world. We are honored to host him in Portland again for the Northwest premieres of several of his major works including In Paradisum for choir, viola, and cello; Seneca’s Zodiac (on a text by the Roman Stoic poet); and three new works using texts by Oregon’s poet laureate emerita, Paulann Petersen.