Spoleto Festival USA Chorus + Orchestra
Amanda Quist, Conductor

Mozart’s Mass in C Minor is a dazzling masterpiece that resonates powerfully with America’s 250th anniversary. Premiered in 1783—the same year the British monarchy formally recognized the independence of the Thirteen Colonies—this work shares a historical moment with the birth of the United States. 

Written as a personal expression rather than to fulfill a commission, the Mass was inspired by Mozart’s return to Vienna from Salzburg, where he sought professional freedom, and perhaps as a gift for his accomplished soprano wife, Constanze. Praised by Gramophone as “far more vocally oriented than the Requiem,” it showcases a breathtaking interplay of voice and instruments—a display of epic proportion. 

Amanda Quist conducts her first performance as Music Director of the Festival Chorus, continuing the ensemble’s cherished traditions through her unique musical lens and deep commitment to choral excellence. 

In this landmark performance, the Spoleto Festival Orchestra and Chorus bring Mozart’s visionary work to life. As Spoleto Festival USA celebrates America’s 250th anniversary, Mass in C Minor offers audiences a chance to reflect on freedom, creativity, and the enduring power of human expression, bridging Mozart’s artistry with the spirit of 1783.

About Amanda Quist
Amanda Quist joins Spoleto Festival USA as Music Director for the Chorus. She is Director of Choral Activities at Western Michigan University’s Irving S. Gilmore School of Music, and previously served as Director of Choral Activities at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music, as well as Chair and Associate Professor of Conducting at Westminster Choir College. Her honors include Westminster Choir College’s Distinguished Teaching Award and the Mazzotti Award for Women’s Leadership. Dr. Quist also serves as Director of Interlochen’s Adult Choir Camp and Choral Conducting Institute.

Dr. Quist’s work has been praised by The New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, and New York Classical Review as “transformative, beautifully prepared, gripping,” “bridging the vocal and instrumental textures with perfect intonation,” and “leaving the audience breathless.” She has collaborated in choral preparation with the Philadelphia Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, New World Symphony, Palm Beach Symphony, Dresden Staatskapelle, Seraphic Fire, and Spoleto Festival USA.

Her early music ensemble, Westminster Kantorei, won first place in the 2019 American Prize for Choral Performance. Under her leadership, Kantorei performed at the ACDA Eastern Division Conference, Boston Early Music Festival, American Handel Festival, and Interkultur, and released its debut commercial recording, Lumina (Naxos), in 2017. Additional honors include the James Mulholland National Choral Award and the Audrey Davidson Early Music Award. Dr. Quist was invited to serve as a clinician in Indonesia and Australia, and participated in ACDA’s International Exchange Program in South Africa.

A frequent guest conductor and lecturer throughout the United States and abroad, Dr. Quist is a professional member of the GRAMMY Recording Academy and recently served on the Choral GRAMMY Screening Committee for the 64th Awards.

Attendance at all events is subject to the Festival security policy.

You may also like: Spoleto Festival USA Chorus: The Chorus Concerts, Mahler Symphony No. 1, Bank of America Chamber Music