South Florida Classical Review

Patrick Dupre Quigley conducts his final concerts as artistic director of Seraphic Fire this week. Photo: Peter Vahan

Seraphic Fire is closing its current season with an intriguing “surround-sound” program of music inspired by the unique acoustic properties of the Basilica of San Marco in Venice.

That program, which opens Thursday night in Boca Raton, will also mark the end of an era—the final Seraphic Fire concerts to be led by Patrick Dupre Quigley as artistic director.

Quigley, the Miami choir’s co-founder, has been its highly prominent conductor and engaging guiding light since Seraphic Fire’s debut in 2002. As announced last fall, Quigley will pass the baton to James K. Bass, a familiar face as Seraphic’s associate conductor and leader of the choir’s Christmas and other programs for the past several seasons.

Quigley, 48, enjoys an increasingly active guest conducting career. He became artistic director of Opera Lafayette in Washington DC last year, where he led performances of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas in October.

“24 years,” said Quigley reflecting on his Seraphic Fire tenure. “Half my life!”

“I don’t feel like I’m walking away (from Seraphic)” he said.  “I feel like I’m becoming an ‘associate artist’ in a different way. I see this not as an end but as just a change in the relationship.”

Quigley said the greatest achievement he feels he and colleagues have built with Seraphic Fire is the fact that the chorus is still here—and thriving, performing multiple performances of seven programs a season throughout South Florida.

“I love that we have built something durable” says Quigley. “That is the thing I am most happy about. There are many times in Seraphic Fire’s history that it could have ceased to exist.

“I hate to refer to it as an ‘institution,’ because that has some connotations of stuffiness and unchangeability. But I think Seraphic Fire remains incredibly nimble and really able to take on any style at any time. But the durability of what we built is incredible.”

Asked what performances stand out in the nearly quarter-century of concerts he has led with Seraphic, Quigley immediately says it was those featuring the music of Johann Sebastian Bach.

“With the Passions, the Mass, the cantatas, the Brandenburg Concertos, the motets, we have performed nearly a hundred works of Bach,” he said. “That entire experience of exploring the most well known and some of the most obscure works of Bach with Seraphic Fire has been one of the great experiences of my life.”

“The ability to survey a single composer for 23 years—we didn’t do any Bach the first season—and the work that we did with rhetoric, articulation and shaping sound and drama.

“All of those things are at their peak when tackling Bach. When it goes well, its just the most beautiful and seamless experience.”

Quigley also cites their performances of Handel’s Messiah, which were “life-changing—not only for me but I think for many people in the group and in the audience.”

Musicologically,, Quigley says he is also pleased that they were able to bring authentic performance style to Florida concerts and develop an appreciation for them in their audiences. “I’m particularly proud of the historically informed performance practices we have done over the past  24 years to normalize them.”

Quigley, who assumes the title of artistic director laureate on June 1, will return next season for a single Seraphic Fire program in January leading music for men’s voices. 

Despite his new title, he is quick to say that he is no longer handling artistic matters and his successor will be fully in charge of Seraphic. “This is absolutely James’ show now. I think James wants to spend some time getting to know the audience and having them get to know him as the artistic director.”

Quigley adds that he will be happy to help the organization any way he can with advice or as a sounding board and that he is “just a phone call away.” But he emphasizes that he will also be happy to cheer and encourage the choir from the outside.

“When you become a grandparent, you give advice when asked, adds Quigley. “And when you’re not asked you smile a lot and hand out candy.”

Patrick Dupre Quigley leads Seraphic Fire in music from the Basilica of San Marco 7 p.m. Thursday at St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church in Boca Raton; 8 p.m. Friday at the Church of The Little Flower in Coral Gables; 7:30 p.m. Saturday at All Saints Episcopal Church, Fort Lauderdale; and 4 p.m., Sunday at Miami Beach Community Church. seraphicfire.org

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