SANTA MONICA -- The 17th season of the distinguished choral group, CANTORI DOMINO, has been announced by founder/artistic director Maurita Phillips-Thornburgh. On March 19, the group will perform J.S. Bach's Mass in B Minor, followed on May 28 by Dulcis Memoria--Settings of Prayers and Psalms. Both concerts will take place at 4 PM at the First United Methodist Church, 1008 Eleventh St. For tickets and information call (323) 662-5007 or visit cantoridomino.org. (The group also performs elsewhere in Los Angeles County).

Cantori Domino's purpose is "to make music live and in so doing, to bring something of health and wholeness back to the community," Phillips-Thornburgh said. "We do so by pursuing and embracing the highest caliber of artistic understanding performance and the general public's experience and appreciation of the arts, predominately music, through concert presentations of great choral literature from all historical periods (including commissioned new works), often given in an environment of visual art. We have a particular interest in cross-cultural events offered both as an outreach to the particular audiences who would resonate with them and to underscore our philosophy that authentic expressions are always compatible."

Past years have included collaborations with Francis Awe and the Nigerian Talking Drum Ensemble, music of the late North Indian sitarist and composer, Amiya Dasgupta, and American Indian artists with their varied voices of art, music and dance--side by side with music of composers influenced by both American and western European traditions.

The group also has a specific interest in preserving and promoting the legacy of great choral music and as such has presented major choral workshops under the direction of Phillips-Thornburgh together with clinicians of international acclaim, such as Roger Wagner, Paul Salamunovich, Dr Keith Clark, Jeanine Wagner and Sir David Willcocks.

The latter will head a new choral workshop, Aug. 30-Sept. 4 (Labor Day Weekend) in Santa Barbara. Adults and children are invited to participate in the workshop, which culminates in a concert on Sun., Sept. 3. For further information, visit cantoridomino.org

Maurita Phillips-Thornburgh is a soprano soloist in her own right; she specializes in Baroque music. She has sung with such groups as the Roger Wagner Chorale, the Santa Clarita Chamber Players and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, among many others. She can be heard on recordings for Capitol, Angel and Orion, and on movie/tv soundtracks composed by Jerry Goldsmith, John Williams and Randy Newman. She is often hired as vocal pedagogist for clinics and workshops, and has served on numerous university faculties.