BEFORE THE DOWNBEAT WITH MARIA HALL-BROWN
Arrive early and get closer to the music before the first note is sung.
Hosted by arts and culture journalist Maria Hall-Brown, Before the Downbeat is Pacific Chorale’s pre-concert conversation series, inviting audiences into the stories, ideas, and artistry behind select performances in the 2026–27 Season.
Held one hour before select concerts, these 30-minute conversations offer a welcoming look at the repertoire, composers, guest artists, historical context, and Pacific Chorale’s own artistic connections to the music. Whether you are a longtime choral music lover or attending your first Pacific Chorale performance, Before the Downbeat is designed to deepen your concert experience in a lively, accessible, and engaging way.
Before the Downbeat conversations are included with your concert ticket.
2026-27 Conversations
Sunday, August 16, 2026 at 4:00 p.m.
Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall
Concert begins at 5:00 p.m.
Maria Hall-Brown is joined by Pacific Chorale Artistic Director Robert Istad for a conversation about Duruflé’s luminous Requiem, the beauty of the French choral tradition, and the powerful experience of bringing hundreds of singers together for Pacific Chorale’s annual Choral Festival.
Saturday, October 17, 2026 at 6:00 p.m.
Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall
Concert begins at 7:00 p.m.
Before Pacific Chorale’s thrilling season opener of Orff's Carmina Burana, Maria Hall-Brown welcomes commissioned composers Tarik O’Regan and Starr Parodi for a conversation about the premieres of their new works. Learn more about O’Regan’s Critical Mass, built around his “Agnus Dei” commissioned for the 2023 Coronation of King Charles III, and Parodi’s world premiere Pacific Chorale commission, I Am America.
Saturday, May 15, 2027 at 6:00 p.m.
Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall
Concert begins at 7:00 p.m.
Maria Hall-Brown is joined by Ruben Valenzuela, organist and Artistic Director of Bach Collegium San Diego, for a conversation about Bach’s monumental Mass in B Minor. Discover the artistry, history, and enduring power behind one of the greatest choral works ever written, performed by Pacific Chorale in partnership with Bach Collegium San Diego.
Digital release in June 2027 for Pärt’s Berlin Mass
Concert: Saturday, June 12, 2027 at 8:00 p.m.
Our Lady Queen of Angels, Newport Beach
In advance of Pärt’s Berlin Mass, audiences will be invited to watch a recorded Before the Downbeat conversation with Robert Istad. This special digital conversation will offer a closer look at Arvo Pärt’s radiant Berlin Mass, the contemporary works surrounding it, and the rare opportunity to experience Pacific Chorale’s full choir with the new pipe organ at Our Lady Queen of Angels.
ABOUT OUR GUESTS
About Maria Hall-Brown
Maria Hall-Brown is an arts and culture journalist, producer, and longtime advocate for connecting audiences with the performing arts. As host of Before the Downbeat, she brings warmth, curiosity, and deep experience in arts storytelling to conversations that illuminate the music and invite audiences into a richer concert experience.
Experience an Astonishing Season of Choral Music
From the thrilling energy of Carmina Burana to the luminous beauty of Bach, Pärt, and the holiday season, Pacific Chorale’s 2026–27 Season invites you into a year of music that moves, inspires, and brings us together. Explore the full season and join us for the concerts that speak to you.