By Coral Gables Gazette staff
South Florida’s acclaimed professional vocal ensemble Seraphic Fire brings its most beloved works to Coral Gables in a performance billed as The Best of Seraphic Fire. Led by Associate Conductor James K. Bass, the program unfolds at 7:30 p.m. at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church this Friday, October 10 —offering audiences a curated selection of choral masterworks drawn from more than two decades of performances.
The concert is part of Seraphic Fire’s 2025–26 season and features what the group calls its “greatest hits,” including Earth Song by Frank Ticheli, O Magnum Mysterium by Morten Lauridsen, and Padre Nuestro by Álvaro Bermúdez. Bass leads the ensemble through an audience-requested lineup that blends spiritual gravitas with modern emotional clarity, all delivered a cappella.
“You asked for it, and we are delivering,” Seraphic Fire announced in its promotional materials—an unusual but fittingly communal approach for a choir whose name was drawn from William Billings’ 18th-century hymn Invocation, which calls on the divine to “fill us with Seraphic Fire.”
A singular ensemble, rooted in South Florida
Founded in 2002 at South Miami’s Church of the Epiphany, Seraphic Fire has grown into one of the most distinctive choral ensembles in the country. Under the leadership of Co-Founder and Artistic Director Patrick Dupré Quigley and Executive Director Dr. Danny M. Yanez, the group has achieved national recognition, including two Grammy nominations in 2012. That year, the ensemble’s recordings of Ein Deutsches Requiem by Brahms and A Seraphic Fire Christmas earned it a place in the classical music record books—making it the only choral ensemble in the Americas nominated that year and the only classical ensemble in the world recognized for two separate projects.
More recently, Seraphic Fire reported its most successful fundraising year in organizational history during fiscal year 2025—a testament to both the group’s loyal patron base and its growing national profile. In addition to performing regularly in Coral Gables, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Naples, and Boca Raton, Seraphic Fire maintains a national touring schedule and partners with Naxos of America for the distribution of its recordings.
Their wide-ranging repertoire includes Gregorian chant, Baroque oratorios, American spirituals, and newly commissioned works by living composers. The group’s 2014 release Reincarnations: A Century of American Choral Music reached No. 6 on the Billboard Traditional Classical Chart.
The program: Reverence, radiance and range
Friday’s concert blends meditative choral staples with gospel-influenced works and contemporary American compositions. The setlist includes:
- Invocation – William Billings
- I Will Lift Mine Eyes – Jake Runestad
- Earth Song – Frank Ticheli
- Daniel, Daniel, Servant of the Lord – Undine S. Moore
- O Magnum Mysterium – Morten Lauridsen
- Padre Nuestro – Álvaro Bermúdez
Together, these pieces showcase what Seraphic Fire does best: transcend genre boundaries through impeccable blend, crystalline diction, and emotional intelligence. The inclusion of Undine Smith Moore’s gospel-inspired Daniel, Daniel—a favorite from past seasons—underscores the ensemble’s commitment to underperformed and historically significant repertoire.
Bass, who leads this performance, is a longtime associate conductor and frequent collaborator with the ensemble. His precise yet fluid direction has helped define the group’s signature clarity, earning praise from critics for marrying technical excellence with expressive freedom.
Ensemble curates memory
In a cultural season defined by centennial retrospectives and community reflection, Seraphic Fire’s “greatest hits” concert arrives with unusual resonance. The ensemble curates memory. This program invites long-time followers to relive beloved moments while offering first-timers an ideal introduction to the group’s dynamic style.
Friday’s setting at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church also matters. Known for its acoustical warmth and intimate scale, the space allows the full power of a professional a cappella choir to envelop the audience—no microphones needed.
If you go…
The Best of Seraphic Fire
Friday, October 10, 7:30 p.m.
St. Philip’s Episcopal Church
1121 Andalusia Ave, Coral Gables, FL 33134
Tickets available at seraphicfire.org
