Farewell to a legend

Houston Chamber Choir artistic director Betsy Cook Weber and founder and artistic director Robert Simpson (pictured) honored the end of Simpson’s 30 seasons with the choir. Music lovers gathered at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church for Gather ’Round, the Houston Chamber Choir’s final regular-season concert and a touching send-off for Simpson. The choir performed pieces dating back to the 1500s, including Palestrina’s Missa Papae Marcelli, and progressed into contemporary works including Daniel Knaggs’ To Everything There is a Season and Rob Dietz’s Never Let Go. After the concert, board members, donors, staff, and choir alumni celebrated at Ouisie’s Table honoring Simpson and his wife, choir co-founder Marianna Parnas-Simpson. Under Simpson’s leadership, the Choir earned national acclaim, highlighted by a 2020 Grammy Award for Best Choral Performance for its recording of Duruflé: Complete Choral Works.

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