Program 4 - Saturday, March 3, 3:00 p.m.
Central Bucks High School-West Men's Choir
Dr. Joseph Ohrt, conductor
he
John Conahan
Commissioned for West Men's Choir - World Premiere
Embers Sleep
Connor Hopkins
Commissioned for West Men's Choir - World Premiere
Invisible Man
Joseph Ohrt
Commissioned for West Men's Choir - World Premiere
Just Before Dawn
Matthew Roth and Gianni Recupero
Commissioned for West Men's Choir - World Premiere
The Garden of Your Soul
Christopher Smith
Commissioned for West Men's Choir - World Premiere
The Cloths of Heaven
John Calderaio The Cloths of Heaven
Commissioned for West Men's Choir - World Premiere
Crucifixus
Santiago Veros
Commissioned for West Men's Choir - World Premiere
The Choirs of Central Bucks High School-West, from Doylestown, Pennsylvania, comprise one of the most respected choral programs in the nation. Having presented close to four hundred world premieres in the last eighteen years, West Choirs have served as a pioneer of and advocate for contemporary composition. Their unparalleled accomplishments and unique programming have inspired choirs, conductors, and composers around the country. West Choirs continuously enjoy collaborations with some of the world’s most important composers and conductors. Morten Lauridsen, the most performed American composer in history, has called West Chamber Choir the greatest high school choir in the country.
West Choir has performed from coast to coast in the United States, as well as internationally in Canada and Europe. The choirs have performed in major venues such as the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, the Jefferson Memorial, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Lincoln Monument, the National Cathedral, Pentagon, Washington Temple, and six times at The White House in Washington, DC. They have sung in Boston’s Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Jordan Hall, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, Mother Church Christ, Scientist, Symphony Hall, Tremont Temple, and Trinity Church. West Choirs have performed on numerous occasions in New York City at Columbia Artists Management Hall (CAMI), the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, the 92nd Street Y, Riverside Church, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Trinity Church-Wall Street, the United Nations, and twenty times at Carnegie Hall. They have performed in Philadelphia at the Academy of Music, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter and Saint Paul, Church of the Holy Trinity-Rittenhouse Square, Citizens Bank Park, Mann Music Center, Philadelphia Cathedral, St. Mark’s Church, and Veterans Stadium. West Choirs have held performances at Notre Dame Cathedral and the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, and have had the honor of singing the music of Maurice Duruflé at his home church, St. Etiènne du Mont. West Choirs have sung at Toronto, Ontario’s Sky Dome, Casa Loma, St. James Anglican Cathedral, Metropolitan United Church, St. Michael’s Cathedral, and the Toronto Centre for the Arts and in Montréal, Quebec at St. Joseph’s Oratory, Notre Dame Basilica, and St. Patrick’s Basilica. The choirs have traveled to California, performing in major venues in Pasadena, San Diego, and at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles. They have toured Chicago where they performed at the Cathedral of St. James, Fourth Presbyterian Church, Holy Name Cathedral, Orchestral Hall, and St. James Chapel at Quigley Seminary. The choir has performed at the Episcopal Cathedral of St. Luke and St. Paul and the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Charleston, South Carolina and the Cathedral Church of St. Luke in Orlando, Florida. The choirs have performed at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Trenton, the Princeton University Chapel in New Jersey, and at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore. Performance venues in Nashville have included the Cathedral of the Incarnation and historic Ryman Auditorium. Cleveland Performances have been at Progressive Field, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Severance Hall, and Trinity Episcopal Cathedral. The choirs have sung on the campuses of many prestigious universities including Brown, Harvard, Princeton, and Yale, as well as Temple University, the University of South Carolina, University of Southern California, and Westminster Choir College.
West Choirs have worked under the batons of world-famous conductors such as Frank Albinder, Charles Bruffy, René Clausen, Simon Carrington, Joseph Flummerfelt, Dennis Keene, Bobby McFerrin, Weston Noble, John Rutter, and Dale Warland. The choirs have performed in collaboration with actors F. Murray Abrahams, Leonard Nimoy, Micah Sloat, Alan Thicke, and many Broadway stars. West Choirs have collaborated for frequent orchestra appearances with the Annapolis Chamber Orchestra, Bucks County Symphony, Musica 2000, New England Symphonic Ensemble, Philadelphia Orchestra, Philadelphia Youth Orchestra, and the West Island Youth Symphony Orchestra. Choirs at West are past recipients of the highest distinctions in choral music; they have been chosen to perform at state, regional, and national conventions of the American Choral Directors Association, at the Music Educators National Conference Biennial Conference and the Intercollegiate Male Chorus National Conference. West Choirs hold a special relationship with National Gallery of Art performing at major retrospectives and openings. The Chamber Choir has been included in a CD compilation of the greatest high school choirs in the United States that is published with The School Choral Program text book. West Choir students are featured on the DVD Student Leadership and Motivation: the Opportunity to Serve with Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser.
West Choirs have performed for many world leaders including: Presidents DeKlerk and Mandela of South Africa, President Havel of the Czech Republic, Prime Minister Peres of Israel, President Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and President and Mrs. Obama. West Chamber Choir was featured on a broadcast of the BBC featuring the world’s greatest youth choirs in 2012. Millions have seen the choirs in televised performances singing major production numbers in the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade, Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Philadelphia Fourth of July Parade, and the Electric River Spectacular. Alumni of the West choral program include superstar P!NK, as well amateur and professional musicians across the country. These include published composers, performers in national tour companies, rock musicians, opera singers, contemporary performing artists, music teachers at schools and universities, and students pursuing or who have earned doctoral degrees in choral music.
Joseph Ohrt, conductor, serves as Director of Choral Activities and Chairman of the Music Department at Central Bucks High School-West. His unique teaching style has not only challenged thousands of students over the years but has also inspired an unprecedented number of collaborations with composers from around the globe. His passionate vocation is being advanced throughout the world with the Joseph Ohrt Choral Series, published by Santa Barbara Music Publishing in California. Dr. Ohrt is a contributing author to several choral textbooks including: The School Choral Program, Teaching Music Through Performance in Choir, Volume III, and Brothers, Sing On! Conducting the Tenor-Bass Choir. He is the choral arranger for the new musical by Christopher Smith, Amazing Grace, which is being prepared for Broadway, and has arranged music for Las Vegas Celebrates the Music of Michael Jackson which was performed by the Las Vegas casts of Jersey Boys and Phantom of the Opera. His adventuresome programming, involving new compositions and movement, is serving to create a new paradigm in standards for high school choral performance.
Dr. Ohrt holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Westminster Choir College of Rider University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of South Carolina. He has also earned a teaching certificate from the Kodàly Musical Training Institute at the University of Hartford and an Artist/Teacher Diploma from the Choral Music Experience Institute at Northern Illinois University. He is currently pursuing a Master of Arts degree in Zoology at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo/Miami University. He has studied under master teachers: Joseph Flummerfelt, Frauke Haasemann, Margaret Hillis, Dennis Keene, Doreen Rao, and Gregg Smith. He has served as an adjunct faculty member at University of South Carolina and Westminster Choir College. Ohrt has served as choral conductor at the Westminster Vocal Institute in Princeton and at Csehy Summer School of Music in Houghton, New York. Dr. Ohrt has guest conducted the Messiah College Choir, the West Island Symphony Youth Orchestra (Quebec), the Bucks County Symphony, and has led a retreat for the Kona Music Society on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Dr. Ohrt has prepared children’s choruses for performances at the American Guild of Organists National Convention and with the Curtis Institute Opera, the Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center, the Opera Company of Philadelphia, and an internationally released recording with the Voices and Orchestra of Ascension and Dennis Keene.
Dr. Ohrt serves as a mentor to many young composers and contemporary artists. He appeared on MTV shows School Days and Who Knows the Band, the VH1 show Driven, the M4 show Real Stories in the UK, and sung backup in the choir for Barbra Streisand’s concerts held at Madison Square Garden. As a member of the Westminster Choir, he has sung opera professionally in the United States and Italy, and has performed with many of the world’s leading orchestras. Ohrt is a member of Pi Kappa Lamda National Music Honor Society and is listed in multiple editions of Cambridge Who’s Who, Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. He is currently on the American Choral Directors Association of Pennsylvania Board of Directors where he has served for many years in many positions. Dr. Ohrt was nominated for the prestigious 2006 Disney Teacher Awards and was selected in the top one hundred finalists out of the seventy-five thousand nominated.
Dr. Joseph Ohrt, conductor
he
John Conahan
Commissioned for West Men's Choir - World Premiere
Embers Sleep
Connor Hopkins
Commissioned for West Men's Choir - World Premiere
Invisible Man
Joseph Ohrt
Commissioned for West Men's Choir - World Premiere
Just Before Dawn
Matthew Roth and Gianni Recupero
Commissioned for West Men's Choir - World Premiere
The Garden of Your Soul
Christopher Smith
Commissioned for West Men's Choir - World Premiere
The Cloths of Heaven
John Calderaio The Cloths of Heaven
Commissioned for West Men's Choir - World Premiere
Crucifixus
Santiago Veros
Commissioned for West Men's Choir - World Premiere
The Choirs of Central Bucks High School-West, from Doylestown, Pennsylvania, comprise one of the most respected choral programs in the nation. Having presented close to four hundred world premieres in the last eighteen years, West Choirs have served as a pioneer of and advocate for contemporary composition. Their unparalleled accomplishments and unique programming have inspired choirs, conductors, and composers around the country. West Choirs continuously enjoy collaborations with some of the world’s most important composers and conductors. Morten Lauridsen, the most performed American composer in history, has called West Chamber Choir the greatest high school choir in the country.
West Choir has performed from coast to coast in the United States, as well as internationally in Canada and Europe. The choirs have performed in major venues such as the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, the Jefferson Memorial, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Lincoln Monument, the National Cathedral, Pentagon, Washington Temple, and six times at The White House in Washington, DC. They have sung in Boston’s Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Jordan Hall, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, Mother Church Christ, Scientist, Symphony Hall, Tremont Temple, and Trinity Church. West Choirs have performed on numerous occasions in New York City at Columbia Artists Management Hall (CAMI), the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, the 92nd Street Y, Riverside Church, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Trinity Church-Wall Street, the United Nations, and twenty times at Carnegie Hall. They have performed in Philadelphia at the Academy of Music, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter and Saint Paul, Church of the Holy Trinity-Rittenhouse Square, Citizens Bank Park, Mann Music Center, Philadelphia Cathedral, St. Mark’s Church, and Veterans Stadium. West Choirs have held performances at Notre Dame Cathedral and the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, and have had the honor of singing the music of Maurice Duruflé at his home church, St. Etiènne du Mont. West Choirs have sung at Toronto, Ontario’s Sky Dome, Casa Loma, St. James Anglican Cathedral, Metropolitan United Church, St. Michael’s Cathedral, and the Toronto Centre for the Arts and in Montréal, Quebec at St. Joseph’s Oratory, Notre Dame Basilica, and St. Patrick’s Basilica. The choirs have traveled to California, performing in major venues in Pasadena, San Diego, and at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles. They have toured Chicago where they performed at the Cathedral of St. James, Fourth Presbyterian Church, Holy Name Cathedral, Orchestral Hall, and St. James Chapel at Quigley Seminary. The choir has performed at the Episcopal Cathedral of St. Luke and St. Paul and the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Charleston, South Carolina and the Cathedral Church of St. Luke in Orlando, Florida. The choirs have performed at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Trenton, the Princeton University Chapel in New Jersey, and at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore. Performance venues in Nashville have included the Cathedral of the Incarnation and historic Ryman Auditorium. Cleveland Performances have been at Progressive Field, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Severance Hall, and Trinity Episcopal Cathedral. The choirs have sung on the campuses of many prestigious universities including Brown, Harvard, Princeton, and Yale, as well as Temple University, the University of South Carolina, University of Southern California, and Westminster Choir College.
West Choirs have worked under the batons of world-famous conductors such as Frank Albinder, Charles Bruffy, René Clausen, Simon Carrington, Joseph Flummerfelt, Dennis Keene, Bobby McFerrin, Weston Noble, John Rutter, and Dale Warland. The choirs have performed in collaboration with actors F. Murray Abrahams, Leonard Nimoy, Micah Sloat, Alan Thicke, and many Broadway stars. West Choirs have collaborated for frequent orchestra appearances with the Annapolis Chamber Orchestra, Bucks County Symphony, Musica 2000, New England Symphonic Ensemble, Philadelphia Orchestra, Philadelphia Youth Orchestra, and the West Island Youth Symphony Orchestra. Choirs at West are past recipients of the highest distinctions in choral music; they have been chosen to perform at state, regional, and national conventions of the American Choral Directors Association, at the Music Educators National Conference Biennial Conference and the Intercollegiate Male Chorus National Conference. West Choirs hold a special relationship with National Gallery of Art performing at major retrospectives and openings. The Chamber Choir has been included in a CD compilation of the greatest high school choirs in the United States that is published with The School Choral Program text book. West Choir students are featured on the DVD Student Leadership and Motivation: the Opportunity to Serve with Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser.
West Choirs have performed for many world leaders including: Presidents DeKlerk and Mandela of South Africa, President Havel of the Czech Republic, Prime Minister Peres of Israel, President Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and President and Mrs. Obama. West Chamber Choir was featured on a broadcast of the BBC featuring the world’s greatest youth choirs in 2012. Millions have seen the choirs in televised performances singing major production numbers in the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade, Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Philadelphia Fourth of July Parade, and the Electric River Spectacular. Alumni of the West choral program include superstar P!NK, as well amateur and professional musicians across the country. These include published composers, performers in national tour companies, rock musicians, opera singers, contemporary performing artists, music teachers at schools and universities, and students pursuing or who have earned doctoral degrees in choral music.
Joseph Ohrt, conductor, serves as Director of Choral Activities and Chairman of the Music Department at Central Bucks High School-West. His unique teaching style has not only challenged thousands of students over the years but has also inspired an unprecedented number of collaborations with composers from around the globe. His passionate vocation is being advanced throughout the world with the Joseph Ohrt Choral Series, published by Santa Barbara Music Publishing in California. Dr. Ohrt is a contributing author to several choral textbooks including: The School Choral Program, Teaching Music Through Performance in Choir, Volume III, and Brothers, Sing On! Conducting the Tenor-Bass Choir. He is the choral arranger for the new musical by Christopher Smith, Amazing Grace, which is being prepared for Broadway, and has arranged music for Las Vegas Celebrates the Music of Michael Jackson which was performed by the Las Vegas casts of Jersey Boys and Phantom of the Opera. His adventuresome programming, involving new compositions and movement, is serving to create a new paradigm in standards for high school choral performance.
Dr. Ohrt holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Westminster Choir College of Rider University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of South Carolina. He has also earned a teaching certificate from the Kodàly Musical Training Institute at the University of Hartford and an Artist/Teacher Diploma from the Choral Music Experience Institute at Northern Illinois University. He is currently pursuing a Master of Arts degree in Zoology at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo/Miami University. He has studied under master teachers: Joseph Flummerfelt, Frauke Haasemann, Margaret Hillis, Dennis Keene, Doreen Rao, and Gregg Smith. He has served as an adjunct faculty member at University of South Carolina and Westminster Choir College. Ohrt has served as choral conductor at the Westminster Vocal Institute in Princeton and at Csehy Summer School of Music in Houghton, New York. Dr. Ohrt has guest conducted the Messiah College Choir, the West Island Symphony Youth Orchestra (Quebec), the Bucks County Symphony, and has led a retreat for the Kona Music Society on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Dr. Ohrt has prepared children’s choruses for performances at the American Guild of Organists National Convention and with the Curtis Institute Opera, the Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center, the Opera Company of Philadelphia, and an internationally released recording with the Voices and Orchestra of Ascension and Dennis Keene.
Dr. Ohrt serves as a mentor to many young composers and contemporary artists. He appeared on MTV shows School Days and Who Knows the Band, the VH1 show Driven, the M4 show Real Stories in the UK, and sung backup in the choir for Barbra Streisand’s concerts held at Madison Square Garden. As a member of the Westminster Choir, he has sung opera professionally in the United States and Italy, and has performed with many of the world’s leading orchestras. Ohrt is a member of Pi Kappa Lamda National Music Honor Society and is listed in multiple editions of Cambridge Who’s Who, Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. He is currently on the American Choral Directors Association of Pennsylvania Board of Directors where he has served for many years in many positions. Dr. Ohrt was nominated for the prestigious 2006 Disney Teacher Awards and was selected in the top one hundred finalists out of the seventy-five thousand nominated.
University Glee Club of New York City
Francisco J. Núñez, Conductor
Taisiya Pushkar, Guest Accompanist
Trouble, from “The Music Man”
Meredith Willson (1902-1984)
Soloist: Sonny Willis
Grab und Mond, D.893 (1826)
Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
Dúlamán
Michael McGlynn (b. 1964)
Soloist: Taylor Magrath
Roll the Old Chariot
arr. Andrew W. Tyson (b. 1981)
Soloists: Adam Zamora & Johnny Rabe
The Road Home
Stephen Paulus (1949-2014)
Soloist: Taylor Magrath
Plenty Good Room
arr. Moses Hogan (1957-2003)
Soloist: Thomas Eisele
Gee, Officer Krupke, from “West Side Story”
Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)
arr. R. Ames
Soloists: Jeffrey Reynolds and John-Charles Kelly
The University Glee Club of New York City, the Founding Member of the IMC, was formed in 1886 and formally organized in 1894 “to encourage male voice singing of the highest excellence for university and college graduates and former students residing in or near New York City,” according to the Club’s constitution. Founded on the love of male voice singing, its roster over the years has included thousands of men from hundreds of universities and colleges, all possessing the desire to sing, learned or fostered during their undergraduate years.
The Club was the vision and energy of John Tempest Walker, Jr. and was led for its first 30 years by Arthur D. Woodruff, an esteemed musician and conductor of the Columbia Glee Club. In its 124 years of existence, the Club has had only five conductors, including Marshall Bartholomew (1922-1927), Channing Lefebvre (1927-1961), John Low Baldwin (1961-1999) and, since 2000, Francisco J. Núñez.
Members’ concerts are given in the spring and winter of each year by active members for retired actives, associate members, and their guests. Additional concert activities take place throughout the year. The Club rehearses weekly during the fall and spring on Thursday evenings. Associate members are welcome at rehearsals and “afterglows,” the annual Summerfest, and other Club activities. More information may be found at www.ugcofnyc.org.
Francisco J. Núñez (Conductor) has led the UGC since 2000, the club's fifth conductor since it was established in 1894. Francisco, a MacArthur Fellow and Musical America's 2018 Educator of the Year, is a composer, conductor, visionary, leading figure in music education, and the artistic director/founder of the Young People's Chorus of New York City, renowned worldwide for its diversity and artistic excellence. Since its founding 30 years ago in 1988, Francisco has heightened an awareness of the ability of children to rise to unforeseen levels of artistry. A graduate of New York University, Francisco is sought after nationwide as a guest conductor by professional orchestras and choirs and as a master teacher. Through his Núñez Initiative for Social Change, Francisco is working to expand the YPC model to children's choruses beyond New York City and is a frequent keynote speaker as a leading authority on the role of music in achieving equality and diversity among children in today's society. Francisco composes countless compositions and arrangements in all musical formats and styles for choirs, orchestras, and solo instruments and as a result has received an ASCAP Victor Herbert Award, the New York Choral Society's Choral Excellence Award, and the Visionary Award from Bang on a Can. ABC-TV honored Francisco as its "Person of the Week," and Musical America Worldwide named him among 30 "Influencers" for his contributions to the music industry, NYU presented him with its Distinguished Alumnus Achievement Award, and he holds on honorary Doctor of Music degree from Ithaca College.
Taisiya Pushkar (Guest Accompanist) is a New York-based collaborative pianist who performs extensively across the globe as a recitalist and in collaboration with many leading singers and instrumentalists. Most notably, a long-time musical partnership with the cellist Amber Docters van Leeuwen has led to the recording of their debut CD, which has been released on the Brilliant Classics label. Taisiya currently serves as the principal pianist of the Melodia Women's Choir of NYC, a group dedicated to exploring rarely heard music written for women's voices, as well as nurturing emerging women composers through commissions and performances. Taisiya also collaborates with the Young People's Chorus of NYC, and has recently performed with the group at Carnegie Hall. Taisiya was the 2013 recipient of the Sorel Fellowship at SongFest in California, and through the generous sponsorship of the Sorel Organization, she was invited for two years in a row as a performer and coach to the renowned Daniel Ferro Vocal Program in Tuscany, Italy. Taisiya is on the faculty of the Ethical Culture Fieldston School, the Horace Mann School, and the Lucy Moses School at Kaufman Center, of which she is an alumna. Taisiya is also a teaching artist for the Distance Learning Center at the Manhattan School of Music, where she develops programs for students in a cutting-edge interactive videoconference setting, and has presented to schools both nationally and internationally. Taisiya holds a Bachelor's Degree from Oberlin College, and a Master’s and Doctorate in Musical Arts from the Manhattan School of Music.
Texts and Translations
Grab und Mond
Silberblauer Mondenschein fällt herab,
senkt so manchen Strahl hinein in das Grab.
Freund des Schlummers, lieber Mond, schweige nicht,
ob im Grabe Dunkel wohnt, oder Licht.
Alles stumm? Nun stilles Grab rede du,
zogst so manchen Strahl hinab in die Ruh,
birgst gar manchen Mondenblick, silberblau,
gib nur einen Strahl zurück! Komm und schau!
-Johann Gabriel Seidl
Silver-blue moonlight falls down,
Lowers many beams down into the grave.
Friend of slumber, dear moon, don't be silent,
if in the grave, darkness lives, or light.
All is quiet? Now, silent Grave, speak,
You drew so many beams down into the stillness,
You hold so many glances of the moon, silver-blue,
Just give one beam back. Come and see!
Translation by Annegret Boge
Dúlamán
A ‘níon mhín ó, sin anall na fir shúirí
A mháithairin mhín ó, cuir na roithléan go dtí mé
Chorus:
Dúlamán, dúlamán, dúlamán na binne buí
Dúlamán na binne buí Gaelach
Dúlamán, dúlamán, dúlamán na farraige
Dúlamán na binne buí Gaelach
Rachaimid me chun Niúir leis an dúlamán
Gaelach ceannóimid bróga daora ar an dúlamán Gaelach
(Chorus)
Bróga breaca dubha ar an dúlamán
Gaelach bearéad agus triús ar an dúlamán Gaelach
(Chorus)
A ‘níon mhín ó, sin anall na fir shúirí
A mháithairin mhín ó, cuir na roithléan go dtí mé
(Chorus)
Tá ceann buí óir ar an dúlamán Gaelach
Tá dhá chluais mhaol ar an dúlamán maorach
(Chorus)
Oh, gentle daughter, here come the wooing men
Oh, gentle mother, put the wheels in motion for me
Chorus:
Seaweed, seaweed, seaweed from the yellow cliff
Seaweed from Ireland
Seaweed, seaweed, seaweed from the ocean
Seaweed from Ireland
I would go to Niúir with the Irish seaweed
“I would buy expensive shoes,” said the Irish seaweed
(Chorus)
The Irish seaweed has beautiful black shoes
The stately seaweed has a beret and trousers
(Chorus)
Oh, gentle daughter, here come the wooing men
Oh, gentle mother, put the wheels in motion for me
(Chorus)
There is a yellow gold head on the Gaelic seaweed
There are two blunt ears on the stately seaweed
(Chorus)
Francisco J. Núñez, Conductor
Taisiya Pushkar, Guest Accompanist
Trouble, from “The Music Man”
Meredith Willson (1902-1984)
Soloist: Sonny Willis
Grab und Mond, D.893 (1826)
Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
Dúlamán
Michael McGlynn (b. 1964)
Soloist: Taylor Magrath
Roll the Old Chariot
arr. Andrew W. Tyson (b. 1981)
Soloists: Adam Zamora & Johnny Rabe
The Road Home
Stephen Paulus (1949-2014)
Soloist: Taylor Magrath
Plenty Good Room
arr. Moses Hogan (1957-2003)
Soloist: Thomas Eisele
Gee, Officer Krupke, from “West Side Story”
Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)
arr. R. Ames
Soloists: Jeffrey Reynolds and John-Charles Kelly
The University Glee Club of New York City, the Founding Member of the IMC, was formed in 1886 and formally organized in 1894 “to encourage male voice singing of the highest excellence for university and college graduates and former students residing in or near New York City,” according to the Club’s constitution. Founded on the love of male voice singing, its roster over the years has included thousands of men from hundreds of universities and colleges, all possessing the desire to sing, learned or fostered during their undergraduate years.
The Club was the vision and energy of John Tempest Walker, Jr. and was led for its first 30 years by Arthur D. Woodruff, an esteemed musician and conductor of the Columbia Glee Club. In its 124 years of existence, the Club has had only five conductors, including Marshall Bartholomew (1922-1927), Channing Lefebvre (1927-1961), John Low Baldwin (1961-1999) and, since 2000, Francisco J. Núñez.
Members’ concerts are given in the spring and winter of each year by active members for retired actives, associate members, and their guests. Additional concert activities take place throughout the year. The Club rehearses weekly during the fall and spring on Thursday evenings. Associate members are welcome at rehearsals and “afterglows,” the annual Summerfest, and other Club activities. More information may be found at www.ugcofnyc.org.
Francisco J. Núñez (Conductor) has led the UGC since 2000, the club's fifth conductor since it was established in 1894. Francisco, a MacArthur Fellow and Musical America's 2018 Educator of the Year, is a composer, conductor, visionary, leading figure in music education, and the artistic director/founder of the Young People's Chorus of New York City, renowned worldwide for its diversity and artistic excellence. Since its founding 30 years ago in 1988, Francisco has heightened an awareness of the ability of children to rise to unforeseen levels of artistry. A graduate of New York University, Francisco is sought after nationwide as a guest conductor by professional orchestras and choirs and as a master teacher. Through his Núñez Initiative for Social Change, Francisco is working to expand the YPC model to children's choruses beyond New York City and is a frequent keynote speaker as a leading authority on the role of music in achieving equality and diversity among children in today's society. Francisco composes countless compositions and arrangements in all musical formats and styles for choirs, orchestras, and solo instruments and as a result has received an ASCAP Victor Herbert Award, the New York Choral Society's Choral Excellence Award, and the Visionary Award from Bang on a Can. ABC-TV honored Francisco as its "Person of the Week," and Musical America Worldwide named him among 30 "Influencers" for his contributions to the music industry, NYU presented him with its Distinguished Alumnus Achievement Award, and he holds on honorary Doctor of Music degree from Ithaca College.
Taisiya Pushkar (Guest Accompanist) is a New York-based collaborative pianist who performs extensively across the globe as a recitalist and in collaboration with many leading singers and instrumentalists. Most notably, a long-time musical partnership with the cellist Amber Docters van Leeuwen has led to the recording of their debut CD, which has been released on the Brilliant Classics label. Taisiya currently serves as the principal pianist of the Melodia Women's Choir of NYC, a group dedicated to exploring rarely heard music written for women's voices, as well as nurturing emerging women composers through commissions and performances. Taisiya also collaborates with the Young People's Chorus of NYC, and has recently performed with the group at Carnegie Hall. Taisiya was the 2013 recipient of the Sorel Fellowship at SongFest in California, and through the generous sponsorship of the Sorel Organization, she was invited for two years in a row as a performer and coach to the renowned Daniel Ferro Vocal Program in Tuscany, Italy. Taisiya is on the faculty of the Ethical Culture Fieldston School, the Horace Mann School, and the Lucy Moses School at Kaufman Center, of which she is an alumna. Taisiya is also a teaching artist for the Distance Learning Center at the Manhattan School of Music, where she develops programs for students in a cutting-edge interactive videoconference setting, and has presented to schools both nationally and internationally. Taisiya holds a Bachelor's Degree from Oberlin College, and a Master’s and Doctorate in Musical Arts from the Manhattan School of Music.
Texts and Translations
Grab und Mond
Silberblauer Mondenschein fällt herab,
senkt so manchen Strahl hinein in das Grab.
Freund des Schlummers, lieber Mond, schweige nicht,
ob im Grabe Dunkel wohnt, oder Licht.
Alles stumm? Nun stilles Grab rede du,
zogst so manchen Strahl hinab in die Ruh,
birgst gar manchen Mondenblick, silberblau,
gib nur einen Strahl zurück! Komm und schau!
-Johann Gabriel Seidl
Silver-blue moonlight falls down,
Lowers many beams down into the grave.
Friend of slumber, dear moon, don't be silent,
if in the grave, darkness lives, or light.
All is quiet? Now, silent Grave, speak,
You drew so many beams down into the stillness,
You hold so many glances of the moon, silver-blue,
Just give one beam back. Come and see!
Translation by Annegret Boge
Dúlamán
A ‘níon mhín ó, sin anall na fir shúirí
A mháithairin mhín ó, cuir na roithléan go dtí mé
Chorus:
Dúlamán, dúlamán, dúlamán na binne buí
Dúlamán na binne buí Gaelach
Dúlamán, dúlamán, dúlamán na farraige
Dúlamán na binne buí Gaelach
Rachaimid me chun Niúir leis an dúlamán
Gaelach ceannóimid bróga daora ar an dúlamán Gaelach
(Chorus)
Bróga breaca dubha ar an dúlamán
Gaelach bearéad agus triús ar an dúlamán Gaelach
(Chorus)
A ‘níon mhín ó, sin anall na fir shúirí
A mháithairin mhín ó, cuir na roithléan go dtí mé
(Chorus)
Tá ceann buí óir ar an dúlamán Gaelach
Tá dhá chluais mhaol ar an dúlamán maorach
(Chorus)
Oh, gentle daughter, here come the wooing men
Oh, gentle mother, put the wheels in motion for me
Chorus:
Seaweed, seaweed, seaweed from the yellow cliff
Seaweed from Ireland
Seaweed, seaweed, seaweed from the ocean
Seaweed from Ireland
I would go to Niúir with the Irish seaweed
“I would buy expensive shoes,” said the Irish seaweed
(Chorus)
The Irish seaweed has beautiful black shoes
The stately seaweed has a beret and trousers
(Chorus)
Oh, gentle daughter, here come the wooing men
Oh, gentle mother, put the wheels in motion for me
(Chorus)
There is a yellow gold head on the Gaelic seaweed
There are two blunt ears on the stately seaweed
(Chorus)
Program 5 - Saturday, March 3, 7:30 p.m.
The Virginia Glee Club
The University of Virginia
Frank Albinder, Conductor
Daniel Hine, Accompanist
Jambo rafiki yangu
David V. Montoya (b. 1968)
Ed. Ron Kean
Daniel Hine, soloist
Hospodi Pomilui
G. V. Lvovsky (1830-1894)
arr. Max T. Krone
Ubi Caritas
Ola Gjeilo (b. 1978)
Grace in the Sun
arr. Ethan Sperry
Xuemeng Xia, Will Wheaton, Michael Hawes, Paul Redling, soloists
Yerushalayim shel zahav
Naomi Shemer (1930-2004)
arr. Alice Parker
Commissioned by the Washington Men's Camerata
Zikr
A. R. Rahman (b. 1966)
arr. Ethan Sperry
Paul Redling, soloist
I Ain’t Afraid
Holly Near (b. 1949)
arr. Steven Milloy
Shenandoah
Appalachian Folk Song
arr. James Erb
Commissioned by the Virginia Glee Club
Who’ll Join
arr. David E. Morrow
Founded in 1871, the Virginia Glee Club is UVA’s oldest musical organization and among the oldest collegiate choirs in the United States. With an extensive history of international touring, the Glee Club has performed in cities throughout England, Italy, Germany, Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Sweden, Belgium, and Spain. Additional tours include two visits to the Soviet Union, with performances in Moscow and Leningrad. In 1993, the group had the honor of performing for UVA alumna Katie Couric on the Today Show and for President Bill Clinton at the White House. In 2016, the Glee Club toured Buenos Aires, Argentina, and continues to tour domestically every year, often collaborating with collegiate choruses nationwide. Tonight's concert is the first of the Glee Club's 2018 Tour of the Carolinas.
The Glee Club is a fully student-run organization at the University of Virginia, a university distinctive among institutions of higher education. Founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819, the University sustains the ideal of developing leaders through education who are well prepared to help shape the future of the nation. Members are selected by audition, and more than 50% of the Glee Club's singers have no prior choral experience. A student board and officers are in charge of operations of the organization, and we receive no funding from the University. While there are no music performance majors at UVa, and the singers receive no academic credit for their participation in this extra-curricular organization, members consider The Virginia Glee Club to be a fraternity of talent, committed to performing at the highest level, promoting fellowship, preserving longstanding tradition, and upholding the ideals of student self-governance. In its 147th season, the Club is honored to sustain its legacy as the oldest musical organization at the University of Virginia, and its members proudly remain “Virginia’s Messengers of Harmony, Love and Brotherhood.”
Grammy® Award-winning conductor and singer Frank Albinder is celebrating his 11th anniversary as conductor of the Virginia Glee Club. He is also music director of the Washington Men’s Camerata and the Woodley Ensemble in Washington, DC. A native of Hollywood, California, Mr. Albinder holds degrees from Pomona College and the New England Conservatory of Music. Like most musicians, he has held a number of non-musical jobs, including counter man in a delicatessen, secret document destroyer for a major military contractor, tour guide at Universal Studios and problem-fixer for FedEx. He was Director of Choral Activities at Davidson College in the mid-1980s, and for 11 years, he was singer, associate conductor and, finally, acting director of Chanticleer, the world-renowned vocal ensemble. During his tenure with the group, Mr. Albinder performed in all 50 states and in 20 foreign countries. He appears on 21 of the ensemble’s recordings, including Wondrous Love, which was recorded under his direction, and the Grammy® Award-winning Colors of Love, for which he designed the concept and selected the repertoire. Other performance credits include the Boston Camerata, the Robert Shaw Festival Singers, the Washington Bach Consort, and the Concord Ensemble. He served two terms as the National Chair of Repertoire and Standards for Male Choirs for the American Choral Directors Association. He is currently President of Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses, a member of the steering committee for ChoralNet, the internet's principal portal for information and resources relating to the choral field, and the DC representative of the National Collegiate Choral Organization. He sang for 12 years as a member of the fully-professional at St. John's Church, Lafayette Square, the Church of the Presidents.
The University of Virginia
Frank Albinder, Conductor
Daniel Hine, Accompanist
Jambo rafiki yangu
David V. Montoya (b. 1968)
Ed. Ron Kean
Daniel Hine, soloist
Hospodi Pomilui
G. V. Lvovsky (1830-1894)
arr. Max T. Krone
Ubi Caritas
Ola Gjeilo (b. 1978)
Grace in the Sun
arr. Ethan Sperry
Xuemeng Xia, Will Wheaton, Michael Hawes, Paul Redling, soloists
Yerushalayim shel zahav
Naomi Shemer (1930-2004)
arr. Alice Parker
Commissioned by the Washington Men's Camerata
Zikr
A. R. Rahman (b. 1966)
arr. Ethan Sperry
Paul Redling, soloist
I Ain’t Afraid
Holly Near (b. 1949)
arr. Steven Milloy
Shenandoah
Appalachian Folk Song
arr. James Erb
Commissioned by the Virginia Glee Club
Who’ll Join
arr. David E. Morrow
Founded in 1871, the Virginia Glee Club is UVA’s oldest musical organization and among the oldest collegiate choirs in the United States. With an extensive history of international touring, the Glee Club has performed in cities throughout England, Italy, Germany, Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Sweden, Belgium, and Spain. Additional tours include two visits to the Soviet Union, with performances in Moscow and Leningrad. In 1993, the group had the honor of performing for UVA alumna Katie Couric on the Today Show and for President Bill Clinton at the White House. In 2016, the Glee Club toured Buenos Aires, Argentina, and continues to tour domestically every year, often collaborating with collegiate choruses nationwide. Tonight's concert is the first of the Glee Club's 2018 Tour of the Carolinas.
The Glee Club is a fully student-run organization at the University of Virginia, a university distinctive among institutions of higher education. Founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819, the University sustains the ideal of developing leaders through education who are well prepared to help shape the future of the nation. Members are selected by audition, and more than 50% of the Glee Club's singers have no prior choral experience. A student board and officers are in charge of operations of the organization, and we receive no funding from the University. While there are no music performance majors at UVa, and the singers receive no academic credit for their participation in this extra-curricular organization, members consider The Virginia Glee Club to be a fraternity of talent, committed to performing at the highest level, promoting fellowship, preserving longstanding tradition, and upholding the ideals of student self-governance. In its 147th season, the Club is honored to sustain its legacy as the oldest musical organization at the University of Virginia, and its members proudly remain “Virginia’s Messengers of Harmony, Love and Brotherhood.”
Grammy® Award-winning conductor and singer Frank Albinder is celebrating his 11th anniversary as conductor of the Virginia Glee Club. He is also music director of the Washington Men’s Camerata and the Woodley Ensemble in Washington, DC. A native of Hollywood, California, Mr. Albinder holds degrees from Pomona College and the New England Conservatory of Music. Like most musicians, he has held a number of non-musical jobs, including counter man in a delicatessen, secret document destroyer for a major military contractor, tour guide at Universal Studios and problem-fixer for FedEx. He was Director of Choral Activities at Davidson College in the mid-1980s, and for 11 years, he was singer, associate conductor and, finally, acting director of Chanticleer, the world-renowned vocal ensemble. During his tenure with the group, Mr. Albinder performed in all 50 states and in 20 foreign countries. He appears on 21 of the ensemble’s recordings, including Wondrous Love, which was recorded under his direction, and the Grammy® Award-winning Colors of Love, for which he designed the concept and selected the repertoire. Other performance credits include the Boston Camerata, the Robert Shaw Festival Singers, the Washington Bach Consort, and the Concord Ensemble. He served two terms as the National Chair of Repertoire and Standards for Male Choirs for the American Choral Directors Association. He is currently President of Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses, a member of the steering committee for ChoralNet, the internet's principal portal for information and resources relating to the choral field, and the DC representative of the National Collegiate Choral Organization. He sang for 12 years as a member of the fully-professional at St. John's Church, Lafayette Square, the Church of the Presidents.
Measure for Measure
A Men's Choral Society
Steven Lorenz, Conductor
Heleluyan
Traditional Muskogee (Creek) Indian
arr. Jerry Ulrich & William Skoog
Michael Sikora & Michael Hignite, tenor
After the War
Paul Gross & David Keeley from Passchendaele
arr. Mark Sirett
Brent O’Banion, baritone
Cantate Domino
Giuseppe Pitoni
ed. Norman Greyson
Jonathan Lunneberg, assistant conductor
No Time
arr. Susan Brumfield
Grace in the Sun
arr. Ethan Sperry
Adam Bonarek & Matt Ilas, tenor
The Map
J. David Moore
Joint commission by Measure for Measure and the University of Michigan Men’s Glee Club
Measure for Measure was founded in 1988 by five University of Michigan Men’s Glee Club alumni, in an effort to provide an opportunity for men to perform music composed and arranged for male chorus. Under the leadership of its founding conductor, Dr. Leonard L. Riccinto, Measure for Measure debuted in April 1989.
Measure for Measure has performed at conventions of the American Choral Directors Association, the Michigan School Vocal Music Association, and the Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses, Inc. Measure for Measure’s efforts to promote male choral singing have led to performances throughout Michigan, the United States, Canada and Europe, and collaborations with the Detroit, Ann Arbor, Flint, Oakland, Plymouth, Rochester, and Ypsilanti Symphony Orchestras. The men of Measure for Measure embrace the belief that singing is for a lifetime and every season hold concerts that encourage young men to continue singing.
What was, at first, an opportunity for men to perform music composed and arranged for male chorus has grown into a fine regional ensemble that is winning acclaim wherever it goes.” The Ann Arbor News
“. . . . the big, full sound of Measure for Measure and the precision of their canonic entries left no doubt that this is a choir to be reckoned with. . . modern voicing’s, tight tone clusters, a perfect a cappella section and a rhapsodic accompaniment, with razor-edge intonation and interpretation - it was a flawless performance.” The Kitchener, Ontario Record
“Measure for Measure is recognized as one of the finest male choruses in the country”. Ron Bemrich
“The Drama, the power, the camaraderie, the sonority and - yes- the humor combined to give all of us a memorable entertaining experience”. Milton Olsson, President American Choir Directors Association
Steven Lorenz is director of choirs at Ann Arbor Pioneer High School in the Ann Arbor Public Schools, the 2011 National GRAMMY Signature School, where he directs four curricular choirs, oversees seven extra-curricular choirs, and teaches advanced placement music theory. Mr. Lorenz began working with Measure for Measure in 2003 as the assistant conductor. In 2007, he began serving as music director and conductor. During the summer, Mr. Lorenz is on the conducting faculty at the Interlochen Arts Camp, directing the Intermediate Vocal Arts program.
Choirs prepared by Mr. Lorenz have appeared at the state and regional conventions of the American Choral Directors Association Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses seminar, Michigan Music Conference and Michigan Youth Arts Festival. Mr. Lorenz conducted the Regional and State choruses for the Ann Arbor and Flint Symphony Orchestras.
Mr. Lorenz currently serves as Past-President for the Michigan School Vocal Music Association, and Vice-President of the Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses, Inc. Mr. Lorenz holds degrees from Michigan State University (M.M.) and Carleton College (B.A.), studying conducting with Jonathan Reed and Lawrence Burnett.
A Men's Choral Society
Steven Lorenz, Conductor
Heleluyan
Traditional Muskogee (Creek) Indian
arr. Jerry Ulrich & William Skoog
Michael Sikora & Michael Hignite, tenor
After the War
Paul Gross & David Keeley from Passchendaele
arr. Mark Sirett
Brent O’Banion, baritone
Cantate Domino
Giuseppe Pitoni
ed. Norman Greyson
Jonathan Lunneberg, assistant conductor
No Time
arr. Susan Brumfield
Grace in the Sun
arr. Ethan Sperry
Adam Bonarek & Matt Ilas, tenor
The Map
J. David Moore
Joint commission by Measure for Measure and the University of Michigan Men’s Glee Club
Measure for Measure was founded in 1988 by five University of Michigan Men’s Glee Club alumni, in an effort to provide an opportunity for men to perform music composed and arranged for male chorus. Under the leadership of its founding conductor, Dr. Leonard L. Riccinto, Measure for Measure debuted in April 1989.
Measure for Measure has performed at conventions of the American Choral Directors Association, the Michigan School Vocal Music Association, and the Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses, Inc. Measure for Measure’s efforts to promote male choral singing have led to performances throughout Michigan, the United States, Canada and Europe, and collaborations with the Detroit, Ann Arbor, Flint, Oakland, Plymouth, Rochester, and Ypsilanti Symphony Orchestras. The men of Measure for Measure embrace the belief that singing is for a lifetime and every season hold concerts that encourage young men to continue singing.
What was, at first, an opportunity for men to perform music composed and arranged for male chorus has grown into a fine regional ensemble that is winning acclaim wherever it goes.” The Ann Arbor News
“. . . . the big, full sound of Measure for Measure and the precision of their canonic entries left no doubt that this is a choir to be reckoned with. . . modern voicing’s, tight tone clusters, a perfect a cappella section and a rhapsodic accompaniment, with razor-edge intonation and interpretation - it was a flawless performance.” The Kitchener, Ontario Record
“Measure for Measure is recognized as one of the finest male choruses in the country”. Ron Bemrich
“The Drama, the power, the camaraderie, the sonority and - yes- the humor combined to give all of us a memorable entertaining experience”. Milton Olsson, President American Choir Directors Association
Steven Lorenz is director of choirs at Ann Arbor Pioneer High School in the Ann Arbor Public Schools, the 2011 National GRAMMY Signature School, where he directs four curricular choirs, oversees seven extra-curricular choirs, and teaches advanced placement music theory. Mr. Lorenz began working with Measure for Measure in 2003 as the assistant conductor. In 2007, he began serving as music director and conductor. During the summer, Mr. Lorenz is on the conducting faculty at the Interlochen Arts Camp, directing the Intermediate Vocal Arts program.
Choirs prepared by Mr. Lorenz have appeared at the state and regional conventions of the American Choral Directors Association Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses seminar, Michigan Music Conference and Michigan Youth Arts Festival. Mr. Lorenz conducted the Regional and State choruses for the Ann Arbor and Flint Symphony Orchestras.
Mr. Lorenz currently serves as Past-President for the Michigan School Vocal Music Association, and Vice-President of the Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses, Inc. Mr. Lorenz holds degrees from Michigan State University (M.M.) and Carleton College (B.A.), studying conducting with Jonathan Reed and Lawrence Burnett.
Program 1 - Thursday, March 1, 8:00 p.m.
The Alexandria Harmonizers
The Harmonizers will perform from the following selections (Listed in alphabetical order):
All You Need Is Love
Music and Lyrics by John Lennon and Paul McCartney
Arranged by Rasmus Krigstrom
America
Music and Lyrics by Neil Diamond
Arranged by Steve Tramack
Blow Gabriel Blow
From Anything Goes
Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter
Arranged by Rasmus Krigstrom
Bring Him Home
From Les Miserables
Soloist Anthony Colosimo
Music by Claude-Michel Schonberg
Lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer and Alain Boublil
Arranged by Pete Rupay
Deep River
Traditional
Soloist Andrew Havens
Arranged by Greg Lyne
I’ll Be Seeing You
Music by Sammy Fain
Lyrics by Irving Kahal
Arranged by Rob Hopkins
Original Verse by Eric Jackson
New York, New York
Music by John Kander
Lyrics by Fred Ebb
Arranged by Don Gray and Ed Waesche
Rock My Soul
Traditional
Arranged by The Fairfield Four
Summertime
Music by George Gershwin
Lyrics by DuBose Heyward
Arranged by Steve Jamison
Alexandria Harmonizers
For seventy years, the Alexandria Harmonizers have educated, entertained, and enriched the lives of audiences around the world, specializing in close four-part a cappella harmony.
Under the direction of Joe Cerutti since 2007, the chorus is made up of volunteer singers ranging in age from 12 to 85. The Harmonizers perform dozens of times each year in concert, contest, and collaboration with other performers. Recently, the Harmonizers produced Revolutions, a concept concert that showcased two social movements – the counterculture of the 1960s and the drive for LGBT rights in the 1970s. The Harmonizers joined Kristin Chenoweth at Strathmore in the debut of Andrew Lippa’s I Am Anne Hutchinson/I Am Harvey Milk. The chorus also hosted the fourth-annual Aca-Challenge, a contest for a cappella ensembles from up and down the eastern seaboard.
The Harmonizers have toured internationally, most recently in 2014 when they traveled to Normandy France to take part in the ceremonies surrounding the 70th anniversary of the Allied invasion of continental Europe. In addition to singing on the beaches where troops landed on D-Day, the chorus marched in a parade celebrating held in the first town to be liberated in France. In 2012, the Harmonizers toured China performing at the Forbidden City Concert Hall and the Great Wall, and in 2019 will be traveling to Brazil to assist in establishing a barbershop presence in South America.
Beyond musical excellence, the Harmonizers are focused on community outreach, running an annual Youth Harmony Festival. The chorus also kicked off a three-year diversity initiative in 2017 with the goal of helping to bring the joy of song to new communities. A 501(c)(3) non-profit, the Harmonizers rely on generous donations to support their activities and have received grants from numerous organizations including the City of Alexandria, the Alexandria Commission for the Arts, the Virginia Commission for the Arts, the Barbershop Harmony Society, and the Harmony Foundation.
Joe Cerutti - Artistic Director
Since 2007, Joe Cerutti has been the Artistic Director of the Alexandria Harmonizers (founded in 1948). He is a certified music judge in the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS) and one of only three people to earn the title of "Master Director" in both Sweet Adelines International and the Barbershop Harmony Society.
Cerutti has led concerts and performances at the White House (including a private command performance for President Obama), the Supreme Court, Carnegie Hall, and major cities across North America and abroad, including tours in Australia, China, France, Germany, Holland, New Zealand and the UK. During his tenure with the Harmonizers, he has prepared them for numerous international contest cycles and an average of 20 performances a year, founded their annual Youth Harmony Festival, overseen their successful outreach programs to the non−a cappella choral community and non-choral a cappella community, and conducted the choral preparations for the world premiere of Andrew Lippa’s “I Am Anne Huchinson/I Am Harvey Milk” with the National Symphony Orchestra and Kristin Chenoweth.
During 2011-2014, Cerutti organized, promoted, and directed the No Borders Youth Chorus, an annual honor chorus of 150 young men, recruited and auditioned specifically for a one-day rehearsal and concert at Carnegie Hall. Over the course of four years, No Borders had 457 participants representing six countries, 43 U.S. States and Canadian Provinces, 182 grade schools, colleges and universities, and 105 choral ensembles from around the world.
Cerutti has served as judge, faculty, and clinician for several choral festivals and conductor roundtables around the world. He served on the BHS Board of Directors in 2012-2013 and is currently full-time staff at the Barbershop Harmony Society as the Director of Outreach.
Cerutti is a lifetime member of the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS), a charter member of the National Collegiate Choral Organization (NCCO), and holds memberships in the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), Intercollegiate Men's Choruses (IMC) and Chorus America. He holds a Mus.B. in Music Education and Jazz Commercial Music from Five Towns College and a M.M. in Choral Conducting from Boston University, where he studied under Ann Howard Jones, Jamison Marvin, and Joseph Flummerfelt.
The Harmonizers will perform from the following selections (Listed in alphabetical order):
All You Need Is Love
Music and Lyrics by John Lennon and Paul McCartney
Arranged by Rasmus Krigstrom
America
Music and Lyrics by Neil Diamond
Arranged by Steve Tramack
Blow Gabriel Blow
From Anything Goes
Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter
Arranged by Rasmus Krigstrom
Bring Him Home
From Les Miserables
Soloist Anthony Colosimo
Music by Claude-Michel Schonberg
Lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer and Alain Boublil
Arranged by Pete Rupay
Deep River
Traditional
Soloist Andrew Havens
Arranged by Greg Lyne
I’ll Be Seeing You
Music by Sammy Fain
Lyrics by Irving Kahal
Arranged by Rob Hopkins
Original Verse by Eric Jackson
New York, New York
Music by John Kander
Lyrics by Fred Ebb
Arranged by Don Gray and Ed Waesche
Rock My Soul
Traditional
Arranged by The Fairfield Four
Summertime
Music by George Gershwin
Lyrics by DuBose Heyward
Arranged by Steve Jamison
Alexandria Harmonizers
For seventy years, the Alexandria Harmonizers have educated, entertained, and enriched the lives of audiences around the world, specializing in close four-part a cappella harmony.
Under the direction of Joe Cerutti since 2007, the chorus is made up of volunteer singers ranging in age from 12 to 85. The Harmonizers perform dozens of times each year in concert, contest, and collaboration with other performers. Recently, the Harmonizers produced Revolutions, a concept concert that showcased two social movements – the counterculture of the 1960s and the drive for LGBT rights in the 1970s. The Harmonizers joined Kristin Chenoweth at Strathmore in the debut of Andrew Lippa’s I Am Anne Hutchinson/I Am Harvey Milk. The chorus also hosted the fourth-annual Aca-Challenge, a contest for a cappella ensembles from up and down the eastern seaboard.
The Harmonizers have toured internationally, most recently in 2014 when they traveled to Normandy France to take part in the ceremonies surrounding the 70th anniversary of the Allied invasion of continental Europe. In addition to singing on the beaches where troops landed on D-Day, the chorus marched in a parade celebrating held in the first town to be liberated in France. In 2012, the Harmonizers toured China performing at the Forbidden City Concert Hall and the Great Wall, and in 2019 will be traveling to Brazil to assist in establishing a barbershop presence in South America.
Beyond musical excellence, the Harmonizers are focused on community outreach, running an annual Youth Harmony Festival. The chorus also kicked off a three-year diversity initiative in 2017 with the goal of helping to bring the joy of song to new communities. A 501(c)(3) non-profit, the Harmonizers rely on generous donations to support their activities and have received grants from numerous organizations including the City of Alexandria, the Alexandria Commission for the Arts, the Virginia Commission for the Arts, the Barbershop Harmony Society, and the Harmony Foundation.
Joe Cerutti - Artistic Director
Since 2007, Joe Cerutti has been the Artistic Director of the Alexandria Harmonizers (founded in 1948). He is a certified music judge in the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS) and one of only three people to earn the title of "Master Director" in both Sweet Adelines International and the Barbershop Harmony Society.
Cerutti has led concerts and performances at the White House (including a private command performance for President Obama), the Supreme Court, Carnegie Hall, and major cities across North America and abroad, including tours in Australia, China, France, Germany, Holland, New Zealand and the UK. During his tenure with the Harmonizers, he has prepared them for numerous international contest cycles and an average of 20 performances a year, founded their annual Youth Harmony Festival, overseen their successful outreach programs to the non−a cappella choral community and non-choral a cappella community, and conducted the choral preparations for the world premiere of Andrew Lippa’s “I Am Anne Huchinson/I Am Harvey Milk” with the National Symphony Orchestra and Kristin Chenoweth.
During 2011-2014, Cerutti organized, promoted, and directed the No Borders Youth Chorus, an annual honor chorus of 150 young men, recruited and auditioned specifically for a one-day rehearsal and concert at Carnegie Hall. Over the course of four years, No Borders had 457 participants representing six countries, 43 U.S. States and Canadian Provinces, 182 grade schools, colleges and universities, and 105 choral ensembles from around the world.
Cerutti has served as judge, faculty, and clinician for several choral festivals and conductor roundtables around the world. He served on the BHS Board of Directors in 2012-2013 and is currently full-time staff at the Barbershop Harmony Society as the Director of Outreach.
Cerutti is a lifetime member of the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS), a charter member of the National Collegiate Choral Organization (NCCO), and holds memberships in the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), Intercollegiate Men's Choruses (IMC) and Chorus America. He holds a Mus.B. in Music Education and Jazz Commercial Music from Five Towns College and a M.M. in Choral Conducting from Boston University, where he studied under Ann Howard Jones, Jamison Marvin, and Joseph Flummerfelt.
Rock Creek Singers of the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington
Blackbird
John Lennon and Paul McCartney
Arranged by Steven Withers
You Do Not Walk Alone
Traditional Irish Blessing
Music by Dominick DiOrio
Impossible Dream
Mitch Leigh and Joe Darion
Arranged by Lyn VanNoy
MLK
Words and Music by U2
Arranged by Bob Chilcott
Ubi Caritas
Maurice Duruflé
Arranged by Thea Kano
Ramkali
Indian Raga
Arranged by Ethan Sperry
Make Them Hear You
Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens
Arranged by Jeff Funk
Rock Creek Singers is an outreach ensemble of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC, with the mission to inspire equality and inclusion with musical performances and education promoting justice and dignity for all. Rock Creek Singers performs over 40 outreach performances a year as well as appearing in the Gay Men’s Chorus season concerts. In addition to high profile performances for the Obama Administration, the XIX International AIDS Conference and the Capital Pride Festival, Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC lifts its collective voice at a variety of events in support of organizations including Human Rights Campaign, Whitman-Walker Clinic, Cultural Alliance of Greater Washington, the National Institute of Health, PFLAG and Servicemembers Legal Defense Network.
Dr. Thea Kano, a Northern California native, became active in the arts at an early age. She started playing piano at age four and began taking ballet soon after, a background that has a strong influence on her conducting. Dr. Kano’s graceful yet commanding presence on stage and the robust performances she obtains from her musicians have basis in her formal training as a dancer.
Dr. Kano has conducted an extensive range of repertoire with several ensembles, including the Angeles Chorale, The Washington Chorus and the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC, for which she also directs its acclaimed ensembles, Rock Creek Singers and Potomac Fever. A champion of music education, Dr. Kano has devoted countless hours to students of all ages and backgrounds. She believes in the power of music to nurture and believes that classical music should be accessible to all. Dr. Kano’s substantial experience in this arena includes: building partnerships with organizations serving disenfranchised adults, hosting workshops with at-risk youth, leading youth arts programs of all sizes, as well as directing award-winning high school and collegiate choruses.
In addition to her work with GMCW, Dr. Kano serves as the Artistic Director of the New York City Master Chorale, which she founded in 2005. The 60-member group is recognized as one of the finest vocal ensembles in New York City and has performed to sold-out audiences on two continents. Dr. Kano is known for her expressiveness and dynamic conducting and the Chorale has been praised for its balance and richness in tone in performing a variety of musical styles. Under her direction, the Chorale made its debuts at Lincoln Center (2006) and Carnegie Hall (2009), as well as its international debut in Paris, France (2011).
Dr. Kano has prepared choruses for Zubin Mehta, Esa-Pekka Solonen, Emil de Cou, David Hayes, Craig Fleischer, Victor Vener and Paul Salamunovich. Dr. Kano’s various ensembles have performed at the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Disney Hall, Église Saint-Sulpice (Paris) and on the National Mall for the 2009 inaugural ceremonies.
Dr. Kano received her doctorate in choral conducting from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2004. At UCLA, Dr. Kano studied under Donald Neuen, her professional mentor. For her dissertation on Duruflé’s Requiem, Dr. Kano completed research with L’Association Duruflé in Paris and studied privately with Paul Salamunovich. Dr. Kano holds a Master of Music degree from UCLA and a bachelor’s degree in choral music education and piano performance from Arizona State University.
Blackbird
John Lennon and Paul McCartney
Arranged by Steven Withers
You Do Not Walk Alone
Traditional Irish Blessing
Music by Dominick DiOrio
Impossible Dream
Mitch Leigh and Joe Darion
Arranged by Lyn VanNoy
MLK
Words and Music by U2
Arranged by Bob Chilcott
Ubi Caritas
Maurice Duruflé
Arranged by Thea Kano
Ramkali
Indian Raga
Arranged by Ethan Sperry
Make Them Hear You
Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens
Arranged by Jeff Funk
Rock Creek Singers is an outreach ensemble of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC, with the mission to inspire equality and inclusion with musical performances and education promoting justice and dignity for all. Rock Creek Singers performs over 40 outreach performances a year as well as appearing in the Gay Men’s Chorus season concerts. In addition to high profile performances for the Obama Administration, the XIX International AIDS Conference and the Capital Pride Festival, Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC lifts its collective voice at a variety of events in support of organizations including Human Rights Campaign, Whitman-Walker Clinic, Cultural Alliance of Greater Washington, the National Institute of Health, PFLAG and Servicemembers Legal Defense Network.
Dr. Thea Kano, a Northern California native, became active in the arts at an early age. She started playing piano at age four and began taking ballet soon after, a background that has a strong influence on her conducting. Dr. Kano’s graceful yet commanding presence on stage and the robust performances she obtains from her musicians have basis in her formal training as a dancer.
Dr. Kano has conducted an extensive range of repertoire with several ensembles, including the Angeles Chorale, The Washington Chorus and the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC, for which she also directs its acclaimed ensembles, Rock Creek Singers and Potomac Fever. A champion of music education, Dr. Kano has devoted countless hours to students of all ages and backgrounds. She believes in the power of music to nurture and believes that classical music should be accessible to all. Dr. Kano’s substantial experience in this arena includes: building partnerships with organizations serving disenfranchised adults, hosting workshops with at-risk youth, leading youth arts programs of all sizes, as well as directing award-winning high school and collegiate choruses.
In addition to her work with GMCW, Dr. Kano serves as the Artistic Director of the New York City Master Chorale, which she founded in 2005. The 60-member group is recognized as one of the finest vocal ensembles in New York City and has performed to sold-out audiences on two continents. Dr. Kano is known for her expressiveness and dynamic conducting and the Chorale has been praised for its balance and richness in tone in performing a variety of musical styles. Under her direction, the Chorale made its debuts at Lincoln Center (2006) and Carnegie Hall (2009), as well as its international debut in Paris, France (2011).
Dr. Kano has prepared choruses for Zubin Mehta, Esa-Pekka Solonen, Emil de Cou, David Hayes, Craig Fleischer, Victor Vener and Paul Salamunovich. Dr. Kano’s various ensembles have performed at the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Disney Hall, Église Saint-Sulpice (Paris) and on the National Mall for the 2009 inaugural ceremonies.
Dr. Kano received her doctorate in choral conducting from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2004. At UCLA, Dr. Kano studied under Donald Neuen, her professional mentor. For her dissertation on Duruflé’s Requiem, Dr. Kano completed research with L’Association Duruflé in Paris and studied privately with Paul Salamunovich. Dr. Kano holds a Master of Music degree from UCLA and a bachelor’s degree in choral music education and piano performance from Arizona State University.
The U. S. Army Chorus
Stouthearted Men
Ain't-a That Good News
Wayfaring Stranger
Soon ah will be done
She Walks in Beauty - Dan Campolieta
Pilgrim Chorus (Tannhäuser)
Beach Boys Medley
Battle Hymn of the Republic
In 1956, The U.S. Army Chorus was established as the vocal counterpart of The United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own,” and is one of the nation’s only professional men’s choruses. From its inception, The U.S. Army Chorus has established and maintained a reputation of excellence in the performance of male choral literature. Beyond the traditional military music and patriotic standards, the repertoire of the Army Chorus covers a broad spectrum which includes pop, Broadway, folk, and classical music.
The Army Chorus performs frequently at the White House, the Vice President’s Residence, the U.S. Capitol and the State Department. World leaders, such as former Presidents Nicolas Sarkozy of France, Lech Walesa of Poland, and Mikhail Gorbachev of the Soviet Union have been serenaded by the Army Chorus during state visits. In 2007, the group was featured at the State Dinner held in honor of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and in 2008 at the State Arrival Ceremony for Pope Benedict XVI held on the south lawn of the White House.
When in Washington, DC, foreign dignitaries and military counterparts visiting our nation’s senior leadership are greeted by songs performed in their native tongues, as the Army Chorus is able to sing in 39 languages and dialects.
The Chorus has participated in the presidential library dedication ceremonies for Gerald R. Ford, Ronald W. Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush, and performed in memorial ceremonies honoring significant events in our country’s history including the Korean War Veterans Memorial, National World War II Memorial, and the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial.
The Army Chorus was personally requested to perform for the private interment services of former President Ronald Wilson Reagan in 2004, and President Gerald R. and Mrs. Betty Ford in early 2007 and 2011, respectively.
Members of the Army Chorus, most of whom hold advanced degrees in music, are selected from among the nation’s finest musicians. In 2016, the group will celebrate its 60th Anniversary to be marked with concerts to include a reunion of past members, many of whom have had successful careers in music education and as soloists on Broadway and opera stages around the world.
Major Leonel A. Peña hails from the city of Edinburg in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas. He assumed duties as Officer-in-Charge of the Vocal Element of The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” in summer of 2016. In this capacity, he serves as Conductor of The U.S. Army Chorus and as Director of The U.S. Army Voices. Prior to leading these two ensembles he served as Officer-in-Charge of The U.S. Army Ceremonial Band, leading this group and The U.S. Army Herald Trumpets in musical support of ceremonies for The White House, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Army, Arlington National Cemetery, and the Joint Force Headquarters National Capitol Region/Military District of Washington. He previously served as Commander & Conductor of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Band at Fort Eustis, Virginia. Under his leadership, the TRADOC Band was awarded both the Army Superior Unit Award and the Colonel George S. Howard Citation of Musical Excellence for Military Concert Bands.
Before assuming command of the TRADOC Band, Major Peña was deployed as the Army Bands Liaison Officer to U.S. Army Central/Coalition Forces Land Component Command headquarters in Kuwait during Operations NEW DAWN and ENDURING FREEDOM. In this position, he provided doctrinal and regulatory guidance to deployed Army bands, and worked with U.S. Embassies to establish and facilitate partnerships with foreign military bands throughout the Middle East and Southwest Asia.
Prior to his duties overseas, Major Peña served as Director of the Soldiers’ Chorus & Associate Bandmaster of The United States Army Field Band “The Musical Ambassadors of the Army” from Washington, DC. While there, he participated in frequent national concert tours, and in joint performances with renowned symphony orchestras. Major Peña also served as Commander of the U.S. Army School of Music Staff & Faculty Company in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where he was responsible for the welfare and supervision of Soldiers and Department of the Army civilians in a wide variety of academic, administrative, curriculum development, training, and support departments that facilitated over five hundred students annually.
Major Peña served as the Staff Bands Officer for Headquarters, U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM). In this position he was responsible for administrative oversight of eighty of the Army’s 105 bands assigned to FORSCOM. As his first assignment in the Army, Major Peña served as Executive Officer & Associate Conductor of the Army Ground Forces Band at Fort McPherson, GA.
Major Peña holds degrees from Southwest Texas State University and Central Michigan University, and is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. He also earned certifications from the Contemporary Commercial Music Vocal Pedagogy Institute at the Shenandoah Conservatory of Music. His military training and education includes the Adjutant General Officer Basic Course, the Army Band Officer Course, the Army Bands Captains Career Course, the Army Instructor Training Course, the Army Instructor Evaluator Course, the Systems Approach to Training Course, the Training Developer Managers’ Course, the Combat Lifesavers Course, and the Airborne Course.
Major Peña has performed and recorded with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus and the Virginia Symphony Orchestra Chorus. He has attended choral and instrumental conducting workshops and symposiums across the nation. Ensembles under his leadership or direction have performed for the President of the United States, leaders of both houses of Congress, foreign Heads of State and other dignitaries, music educator conventions, on nationally televised appearances, with Grammy-winning orchestras, and for the nation’s most senior civilian and military leaders. He has guest conducted bands, choirs, and orchestras of all levels, and has adjudicated for various music festivals. In 2005, Major Peña was inducted into the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels by Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher.
Stouthearted Men
Ain't-a That Good News
Wayfaring Stranger
Soon ah will be done
She Walks in Beauty - Dan Campolieta
Pilgrim Chorus (Tannhäuser)
Beach Boys Medley
Battle Hymn of the Republic
In 1956, The U.S. Army Chorus was established as the vocal counterpart of The United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own,” and is one of the nation’s only professional men’s choruses. From its inception, The U.S. Army Chorus has established and maintained a reputation of excellence in the performance of male choral literature. Beyond the traditional military music and patriotic standards, the repertoire of the Army Chorus covers a broad spectrum which includes pop, Broadway, folk, and classical music.
The Army Chorus performs frequently at the White House, the Vice President’s Residence, the U.S. Capitol and the State Department. World leaders, such as former Presidents Nicolas Sarkozy of France, Lech Walesa of Poland, and Mikhail Gorbachev of the Soviet Union have been serenaded by the Army Chorus during state visits. In 2007, the group was featured at the State Dinner held in honor of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and in 2008 at the State Arrival Ceremony for Pope Benedict XVI held on the south lawn of the White House.
When in Washington, DC, foreign dignitaries and military counterparts visiting our nation’s senior leadership are greeted by songs performed in their native tongues, as the Army Chorus is able to sing in 39 languages and dialects.
The Chorus has participated in the presidential library dedication ceremonies for Gerald R. Ford, Ronald W. Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush, and performed in memorial ceremonies honoring significant events in our country’s history including the Korean War Veterans Memorial, National World War II Memorial, and the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial.
The Army Chorus was personally requested to perform for the private interment services of former President Ronald Wilson Reagan in 2004, and President Gerald R. and Mrs. Betty Ford in early 2007 and 2011, respectively.
Members of the Army Chorus, most of whom hold advanced degrees in music, are selected from among the nation’s finest musicians. In 2016, the group will celebrate its 60th Anniversary to be marked with concerts to include a reunion of past members, many of whom have had successful careers in music education and as soloists on Broadway and opera stages around the world.
Major Leonel A. Peña hails from the city of Edinburg in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas. He assumed duties as Officer-in-Charge of the Vocal Element of The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” in summer of 2016. In this capacity, he serves as Conductor of The U.S. Army Chorus and as Director of The U.S. Army Voices. Prior to leading these two ensembles he served as Officer-in-Charge of The U.S. Army Ceremonial Band, leading this group and The U.S. Army Herald Trumpets in musical support of ceremonies for The White House, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Army, Arlington National Cemetery, and the Joint Force Headquarters National Capitol Region/Military District of Washington. He previously served as Commander & Conductor of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Band at Fort Eustis, Virginia. Under his leadership, the TRADOC Band was awarded both the Army Superior Unit Award and the Colonel George S. Howard Citation of Musical Excellence for Military Concert Bands.
Before assuming command of the TRADOC Band, Major Peña was deployed as the Army Bands Liaison Officer to U.S. Army Central/Coalition Forces Land Component Command headquarters in Kuwait during Operations NEW DAWN and ENDURING FREEDOM. In this position, he provided doctrinal and regulatory guidance to deployed Army bands, and worked with U.S. Embassies to establish and facilitate partnerships with foreign military bands throughout the Middle East and Southwest Asia.
Prior to his duties overseas, Major Peña served as Director of the Soldiers’ Chorus & Associate Bandmaster of The United States Army Field Band “The Musical Ambassadors of the Army” from Washington, DC. While there, he participated in frequent national concert tours, and in joint performances with renowned symphony orchestras. Major Peña also served as Commander of the U.S. Army School of Music Staff & Faculty Company in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where he was responsible for the welfare and supervision of Soldiers and Department of the Army civilians in a wide variety of academic, administrative, curriculum development, training, and support departments that facilitated over five hundred students annually.
Major Peña served as the Staff Bands Officer for Headquarters, U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM). In this position he was responsible for administrative oversight of eighty of the Army’s 105 bands assigned to FORSCOM. As his first assignment in the Army, Major Peña served as Executive Officer & Associate Conductor of the Army Ground Forces Band at Fort McPherson, GA.
Major Peña holds degrees from Southwest Texas State University and Central Michigan University, and is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. He also earned certifications from the Contemporary Commercial Music Vocal Pedagogy Institute at the Shenandoah Conservatory of Music. His military training and education includes the Adjutant General Officer Basic Course, the Army Band Officer Course, the Army Bands Captains Career Course, the Army Instructor Training Course, the Army Instructor Evaluator Course, the Systems Approach to Training Course, the Training Developer Managers’ Course, the Combat Lifesavers Course, and the Airborne Course.
Major Peña has performed and recorded with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus and the Virginia Symphony Orchestra Chorus. He has attended choral and instrumental conducting workshops and symposiums across the nation. Ensembles under his leadership or direction have performed for the President of the United States, leaders of both houses of Congress, foreign Heads of State and other dignitaries, music educator conventions, on nationally televised appearances, with Grammy-winning orchestras, and for the nation’s most senior civilian and military leaders. He has guest conducted bands, choirs, and orchestras of all levels, and has adjudicated for various music festivals. In 2005, Major Peña was inducted into the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels by Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher.
Program 2 - Friday, March 2, 3:00 p.m.
University of Maryland Men’s Chorus
Kieun Steve Kim, conductor
Lucas Link, assistant conductor
Theodore Guerrant, accompanist
Ma Fin Est Mon Commencement
Guillaume de Machaut (c. 1300-1375)
Bonse Aba (Traditional Zambian Song)
arr. A. Fischer
Henrique Carvalho and Scott Kaplowitz, soloists
Michael Weiss, percussion
The Last Words of David
R. Thompson (1899-1984)
Theodore Guerrant, piano
An die Frauen
J. Haydn (1732-1809)
Andrew Jones, Jeremiah Lee, Collin Power, Dilan Rojas, soloists
Theodore Guerrant, piano
Adoramus Te
G. P. Palestrina (c. 1592-1594)
Agnus Dei from Mass in F, op. 190
J. Rheinberger (1839-1901)
Theodore Guerrant, organ
There's a Meetin' Here Tonight
arr. K.S. Kim
Bryan Kihara and Phillippos Sourvinos, soloists
The Steady Light
R. Unterserher (b.1956)
Lucas Link, conductor
Program Notes
Twentieth Century poet T.S. Eliot wrote "in my end is my beginning" in his Four Quartets. The UMD Men's Chorus concert program features a wide range of musical styles in diverse languages from various times of music history. They are linked together through the theme of circularity and spiritual journey of life. The first three pieces are performed as a set. Machaut's Ma Fin Est My Commencement is a rondeau, a 14th Century French poetic and musical form that contains a refrain. Machaut assigns the highest two voices the same melody, but in opposite temporal directions, and the lowest of the three voices sing the first half of the music backwards at the midpoint of the song to illustrate the refrain: “my beginning is my end and my end is my beginning.” The medieval rondeau transitions immediately to Bonse Aba. This Zambian song uses a rondo form with a refrain that declares “all that sing have the right to be called the children of God." The set concludes with The Last Words of David by 20th Century American composer Randall Thompson. The text comes from 2 Samuel — an utterance of David's final words.
Shifting in mood, Haydn's light-hearted partsong An Die Frauen describes the useless struggle of men against the charms of women’s beauty. The next two a cappella works by Palestrina and Rheinberger also form a set. Adoramus Te is a Renaissance motet attributed to Palestrina. Rheinberger was not in sympathy with the attempts of the conservative Cecilian movement to return to Catholic liturgical music, but his Agnus Dei from the Mass in F carries the musical traits of Palestrina and the music of the late Renaissance.
The UMD Men's Chorus program concludes with a pair of contrasting styles written by modern composers. There's a Meetin’ Here Tonight is an African-American spiritual arranged by Joe and Eddie, and rearranged by the conductor. The words of The Steady Light by Reginald Unterseher are not specifically religious, but speak to themes of spirituality and legacy, honoring our place in the world and those who have gone before us.
About the Ensemble
With an astonishing diversity in repertoire that ranges from chant to barbershop, the University of Maryland Men's Chorus is one of the University of Maryland School of Music’s most dynamic ensembles. Since 2001 the chorus has headlined performances that include A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, Maryland Day, and the annual Men's Chorus Invitational, which brings talented male choirs from the DC metropolitan area for an evening of workshops and collaborations.
Previous performance tours include a 2013 East coast that took the ensemble to venues across New York and Pennsylvania, as well as a 2007 tour to Williamsburg, VA. Also a frequent collaborator of the UMD Women's Chorus and UMD Concert Choir, the UMD Men's Chorus has appeared in performances of choral/orchestral repertoire including Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem, Mahler's Symphony No. 2, Brahms' Alto Rhapsody, and Shostakovich's Symphony No. 13.
About the Conductor
Kieun Steve Kim is pursuing doctoral studies in choral conducting at University of Maryland, where he directs the UMD Men’s Chorus. In 2017 he prepared the UMD Concert Choir for performances with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Marin Alsop in music of Stravinsky and Pärt. His vocal and instrumental compositions have been performed by renowned ensembles including Chanticleer, the Westminster Choir, the San Francisco New Music Ensemble, and Seoul Arts Orchestra. He recently served as a faculty member at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute’s Young Artist Vocal Program. Kim’s musical analyses in Teaching Music Through Performance in Choir, Volume 3 are published by GIA. Steve Kim received his MM in Choral Conducting with distinction from Westminster Choir College, and his BM in Composition from San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Texts & Translations
Ma fin est mon commencement
Ma fin est mon commencement
Et mon commencement ma fin
Est teneure vraiement
Ma fin est mon commencement.
Mes tiers chans trois fois seulement
Se retrograde et einsi fin.
Ma fin est mon commencement
Et mon commencement ma fin.
My end is my beginning
And my beginning my end
And true tenor.
My end is my beginning.
My third part three times only
Moves backwards and so ends.
My end is my beginning
And my beginning my end
Bonse Aba
Bonse aba mu pokelela
Bali pele maka akuba bana
Kuba Bana
Kuba Bana
Bakwa Lesa.
All people who accept
His authority are his children
Are children
Are children
In the power of God.
The Last Words of David
He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
And he shall be as the light of the morning,
When the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds;
As the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.
Alleluia. Amen.
An die Frauen
Natur gab Stieren Hörner,
Sie gab den Rossen Hufe,
Den Hasen schnelle Füße,
Den Löwen weite Rachen,
Den Fischen gab sie Flossen,
Und Fittige den Vögeln;
Den Männern, den Männern aber Weisheit.
Männern! nicht den Weibern?
Was gab sie diesen?
Schönheit, Schönheit.
Statt aller unsrer Spieße,
Statt aller unsrer Schilde;
Denn wider Weibesschönheit
Besteht nicht Stahl, nicht Feuer.
Nature gave steers horns;
She gave horses hooves,
The hares swift feet,
The lions wide jaws;
To the fish she gave fins,
and wings to the birds;
To men, to men, however, she gave wisdom.
To men! ... not to women?
What did she give to them?
Beauty, beauty.
Instead of all our spears,
Instead of all our shields --
For against the beauty of women
Neither steel nor fire can triumph.
Adoramus Te
Adoramus te, Christe,
et benedicimus tibi,
quia per sanctam crucem tuam
redemisti mundum.
Qui passus es pro nobis,
Domine, Domine, miserere nobis.
We adore Thee, O Christ,
and we bless Thee,
who by Thy Holy Cross
hast redeemed the world.
He who suffered death for us,
O Lord, O Lord, have mercy on us.
Agnus Dei
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.
Lamb of God, you who take away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.
Lamb of God, you who take away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.
Lamb of God, you who take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.
There’s a Meetin’ Here Tonight
Refrain:
There's a meetin' here tonight.
I can tell by your friendly face
There's a meetin' here tonight.
Halllujah! There’s a meetin’ here tonight.
Well I went down in the valley one day
Met old Satan on my way
What do ya reckon old Satan did say?
He said: “Turn back young man, you’re too young to pray.”
Well, Satan got mad, an’ I am glad.
Lost the soul he thought he had.
Satan is a liar and a conjurer, too.
You’d better watch out, brother, he’ll conjure you.
The Steady Light
Let my footfall on this blessed earth tread lightly as a falling leaf.
Let my shadow from this blessed sun shut no one from the light.
Let my dance beneath these holy stars grow stronger with the years.
Let my heart expand with sky-wide love.
Those who go before
hold high the steady light
that shows me
where I am.
UMD MEN’S CHORUS
Justyn Alexander
Jack Cantilli
Henrique Carvalho
Bélanwar Chimamanka’a
Kevin Costello
Matthew Davis
Drew Gatlin
Joshua Gaus
Dain Golsen
Quinn Harr
Mark Hubbert
Jackson Ingle
Matthew Jacobson
Andrew Jones
Scott Kaplowitz
Bryan Kihara
Cassidy Laidlaw
Jeremiah Lee
Lucas Link
James Lord
John McGrath
Phillip McWithey
Michael Mitchell
Adrian Mora
Johnathon O’Neal
Kevin Paton-Cole
Cameron Perrie
Collin Power
Dilan Rojas
Joseph Saliunas
Neel Sanghvi
Cory Shim
Philippos Sourvinos
John Stricklett
Michael Weiss
Ethan Welsh
Eli Winkler
Jared Wojton
UMD Choral Activities Faculty & Staff
Edward Maclary,
Professor of Music & Director of Choral Activities
Associate Director of Academic Affairs
Kenneth Elpus,
Associate Professor of Music Education, Choral Music
Lauri Johnson,
Choral Administrator
Graduate Conductors
Kathryn Hylton
Kieun Steve Kim
Lucas Link
Aaron Peisner
Choral Assistants
Hayley Abramowitz, Operations
Carlos Howard, Public Relations & Marketing
Mary Shea Kealey Kustas, Operations
Amber Merritt, Operations
UMD School of Music Voice & Opera Faculty
Carmen Balthrop, Soprano
Linda Mabbs, Soprano
Martha Randall, Soprano
Kevin Short, Bass-Baritone
Gran Wilson, Tenor
Delores Ziegler, Mezzo-soprano
Diba Alvi, Diction & Pedagogy
Craig Kier, Director of Maryland Opera Studio
Kieun Steve Kim, conductor
Lucas Link, assistant conductor
Theodore Guerrant, accompanist
Ma Fin Est Mon Commencement
Guillaume de Machaut (c. 1300-1375)
Bonse Aba (Traditional Zambian Song)
arr. A. Fischer
Henrique Carvalho and Scott Kaplowitz, soloists
Michael Weiss, percussion
The Last Words of David
R. Thompson (1899-1984)
Theodore Guerrant, piano
An die Frauen
J. Haydn (1732-1809)
Andrew Jones, Jeremiah Lee, Collin Power, Dilan Rojas, soloists
Theodore Guerrant, piano
Adoramus Te
G. P. Palestrina (c. 1592-1594)
Agnus Dei from Mass in F, op. 190
J. Rheinberger (1839-1901)
Theodore Guerrant, organ
There's a Meetin' Here Tonight
arr. K.S. Kim
Bryan Kihara and Phillippos Sourvinos, soloists
The Steady Light
R. Unterserher (b.1956)
Lucas Link, conductor
Program Notes
Twentieth Century poet T.S. Eliot wrote "in my end is my beginning" in his Four Quartets. The UMD Men's Chorus concert program features a wide range of musical styles in diverse languages from various times of music history. They are linked together through the theme of circularity and spiritual journey of life. The first three pieces are performed as a set. Machaut's Ma Fin Est My Commencement is a rondeau, a 14th Century French poetic and musical form that contains a refrain. Machaut assigns the highest two voices the same melody, but in opposite temporal directions, and the lowest of the three voices sing the first half of the music backwards at the midpoint of the song to illustrate the refrain: “my beginning is my end and my end is my beginning.” The medieval rondeau transitions immediately to Bonse Aba. This Zambian song uses a rondo form with a refrain that declares “all that sing have the right to be called the children of God." The set concludes with The Last Words of David by 20th Century American composer Randall Thompson. The text comes from 2 Samuel — an utterance of David's final words.
Shifting in mood, Haydn's light-hearted partsong An Die Frauen describes the useless struggle of men against the charms of women’s beauty. The next two a cappella works by Palestrina and Rheinberger also form a set. Adoramus Te is a Renaissance motet attributed to Palestrina. Rheinberger was not in sympathy with the attempts of the conservative Cecilian movement to return to Catholic liturgical music, but his Agnus Dei from the Mass in F carries the musical traits of Palestrina and the music of the late Renaissance.
The UMD Men's Chorus program concludes with a pair of contrasting styles written by modern composers. There's a Meetin’ Here Tonight is an African-American spiritual arranged by Joe and Eddie, and rearranged by the conductor. The words of The Steady Light by Reginald Unterseher are not specifically religious, but speak to themes of spirituality and legacy, honoring our place in the world and those who have gone before us.
About the Ensemble
With an astonishing diversity in repertoire that ranges from chant to barbershop, the University of Maryland Men's Chorus is one of the University of Maryland School of Music’s most dynamic ensembles. Since 2001 the chorus has headlined performances that include A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, Maryland Day, and the annual Men's Chorus Invitational, which brings talented male choirs from the DC metropolitan area for an evening of workshops and collaborations.
Previous performance tours include a 2013 East coast that took the ensemble to venues across New York and Pennsylvania, as well as a 2007 tour to Williamsburg, VA. Also a frequent collaborator of the UMD Women's Chorus and UMD Concert Choir, the UMD Men's Chorus has appeared in performances of choral/orchestral repertoire including Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem, Mahler's Symphony No. 2, Brahms' Alto Rhapsody, and Shostakovich's Symphony No. 13.
About the Conductor
Kieun Steve Kim is pursuing doctoral studies in choral conducting at University of Maryland, where he directs the UMD Men’s Chorus. In 2017 he prepared the UMD Concert Choir for performances with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Marin Alsop in music of Stravinsky and Pärt. His vocal and instrumental compositions have been performed by renowned ensembles including Chanticleer, the Westminster Choir, the San Francisco New Music Ensemble, and Seoul Arts Orchestra. He recently served as a faculty member at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute’s Young Artist Vocal Program. Kim’s musical analyses in Teaching Music Through Performance in Choir, Volume 3 are published by GIA. Steve Kim received his MM in Choral Conducting with distinction from Westminster Choir College, and his BM in Composition from San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Texts & Translations
Ma fin est mon commencement
Ma fin est mon commencement
Et mon commencement ma fin
Est teneure vraiement
Ma fin est mon commencement.
Mes tiers chans trois fois seulement
Se retrograde et einsi fin.
Ma fin est mon commencement
Et mon commencement ma fin.
My end is my beginning
And my beginning my end
And true tenor.
My end is my beginning.
My third part three times only
Moves backwards and so ends.
My end is my beginning
And my beginning my end
Bonse Aba
Bonse aba mu pokelela
Bali pele maka akuba bana
Kuba Bana
Kuba Bana
Bakwa Lesa.
All people who accept
His authority are his children
Are children
Are children
In the power of God.
The Last Words of David
He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
And he shall be as the light of the morning,
When the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds;
As the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.
Alleluia. Amen.
An die Frauen
Natur gab Stieren Hörner,
Sie gab den Rossen Hufe,
Den Hasen schnelle Füße,
Den Löwen weite Rachen,
Den Fischen gab sie Flossen,
Und Fittige den Vögeln;
Den Männern, den Männern aber Weisheit.
Männern! nicht den Weibern?
Was gab sie diesen?
Schönheit, Schönheit.
Statt aller unsrer Spieße,
Statt aller unsrer Schilde;
Denn wider Weibesschönheit
Besteht nicht Stahl, nicht Feuer.
Nature gave steers horns;
She gave horses hooves,
The hares swift feet,
The lions wide jaws;
To the fish she gave fins,
and wings to the birds;
To men, to men, however, she gave wisdom.
To men! ... not to women?
What did she give to them?
Beauty, beauty.
Instead of all our spears,
Instead of all our shields --
For against the beauty of women
Neither steel nor fire can triumph.
Adoramus Te
Adoramus te, Christe,
et benedicimus tibi,
quia per sanctam crucem tuam
redemisti mundum.
Qui passus es pro nobis,
Domine, Domine, miserere nobis.
We adore Thee, O Christ,
and we bless Thee,
who by Thy Holy Cross
hast redeemed the world.
He who suffered death for us,
O Lord, O Lord, have mercy on us.
Agnus Dei
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.
Lamb of God, you who take away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.
Lamb of God, you who take away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.
Lamb of God, you who take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.
There’s a Meetin’ Here Tonight
Refrain:
There's a meetin' here tonight.
I can tell by your friendly face
There's a meetin' here tonight.
Halllujah! There’s a meetin’ here tonight.
Well I went down in the valley one day
Met old Satan on my way
What do ya reckon old Satan did say?
He said: “Turn back young man, you’re too young to pray.”
Well, Satan got mad, an’ I am glad.
Lost the soul he thought he had.
Satan is a liar and a conjurer, too.
You’d better watch out, brother, he’ll conjure you.
The Steady Light
Let my footfall on this blessed earth tread lightly as a falling leaf.
Let my shadow from this blessed sun shut no one from the light.
Let my dance beneath these holy stars grow stronger with the years.
Let my heart expand with sky-wide love.
Those who go before
hold high the steady light
that shows me
where I am.
UMD MEN’S CHORUS
Justyn Alexander
Jack Cantilli
Henrique Carvalho
Bélanwar Chimamanka’a
Kevin Costello
Matthew Davis
Drew Gatlin
Joshua Gaus
Dain Golsen
Quinn Harr
Mark Hubbert
Jackson Ingle
Matthew Jacobson
Andrew Jones
Scott Kaplowitz
Bryan Kihara
Cassidy Laidlaw
Jeremiah Lee
Lucas Link
James Lord
John McGrath
Phillip McWithey
Michael Mitchell
Adrian Mora
Johnathon O’Neal
Kevin Paton-Cole
Cameron Perrie
Collin Power
Dilan Rojas
Joseph Saliunas
Neel Sanghvi
Cory Shim
Philippos Sourvinos
John Stricklett
Michael Weiss
Ethan Welsh
Eli Winkler
Jared Wojton
UMD Choral Activities Faculty & Staff
Edward Maclary,
Professor of Music & Director of Choral Activities
Associate Director of Academic Affairs
Kenneth Elpus,
Associate Professor of Music Education, Choral Music
Lauri Johnson,
Choral Administrator
Graduate Conductors
Kathryn Hylton
Kieun Steve Kim
Lucas Link
Aaron Peisner
Choral Assistants
Hayley Abramowitz, Operations
Carlos Howard, Public Relations & Marketing
Mary Shea Kealey Kustas, Operations
Amber Merritt, Operations
UMD School of Music Voice & Opera Faculty
Carmen Balthrop, Soprano
Linda Mabbs, Soprano
Martha Randall, Soprano
Kevin Short, Bass-Baritone
Gran Wilson, Tenor
Delores Ziegler, Mezzo-soprano
Diba Alvi, Diction & Pedagogy
Craig Kier, Director of Maryland Opera Studio
University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Men's Chorus
Kevin L. Coker, Director
Hyuna Park, Accompanist
Windham
Daniel Read
arr. Holmes
Come Sweet Death
J. S. Bach
arr. Sandberg
Dance for Love
Z. Randall Stroope
O Ignis Spiritus
Connor Koppin
*Premiere
Fergus An’ Molly
Vijah Singh
Joey Domhoff, tenor
Last Lullaby(e)
Samuel K. Sweet
*Premiere
Tatum Specht, soprano
Invictus
Josh Rist
Isabel Dimoff, cello
Greg Miller, tenor
Jaron Putnam, tenor
The University of Cincinnati Men’s Chorus is comprised of students from each of the fourteen colleges of the University of Cincinnati. The singers in today’s performance include international students singing alongside students who were born and raised in Cincinnati, seniors studying Engineering singing alongside freshmen studying Art & Design, and Music Education majors who sing in required ensembles but choose to sing in Men’s Ensemble simply because they want to. Bringing together students from different backgrounds who strive to make music along with students they wouldn’t otherwise meet is the beauty of the UC Men’s Chorus.
This has been the mission of the UC Men’s Chorus since its founding in 1920, and the power of music has held the group together for ninety-eight years. The UC Men’s Chorus performs regularly on the University of Cincinnati campus, and combines with the UC Women’s Chorus for an annual recruiting and performance tour each Spring. We are honored to be invited to perform at the 2018 IMC National Seminar, and excited to showcase the talent and unity developed over the years of UC Men’s Chorus history.
KEVIN L. COKER is the director of the University of Cincinnati Men’s Chorus and is a doctoral candidate at UC’s College-Conservatory of Music. Kevin has 10 years of public school teaching experience and has taught at the elementary, middle school, high school, and collegiate levels. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Belmont University and a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Florida State University and has studied conducting with Earl Rivers, Brett Scott, André Thomas, and Deen Entsminger. Kevin is active as a clinician throughout the Southeast and Midwest.
Prior to his tenure at UC, Kevin taught at Blue Valley Northwest High School in Overland Park, Kansas where he served 250 students across six choral groups. Choirs under his direction there received invitations to perform for conferences and festivals throughout the United States and Europe. In 2013, the Blue Valley Northwest Chorale became the first ensemble from Kansas to be selected for Carnegie Hall’s National High School Choral Festival. The Blue Valley Northwest Chorale and Chamber Singers earned invitations to perform at the 2014 Kansas Music Educators Conference in Wichita, KS, and the Blue Valley Northwest Chamber Singers earned an invitation to perform at the 2016 Southwestern American Choral Director’s Association Regional Conference.
Kevin is committed to the performance of new music, and has commissioned works from Sydney Guillaume, Z. Randall Stroope, and Josh Shank. Today’s performance features two newly commissioned works entitled O Ignis Spiritus by Connor Koppin and Last Lullaby(e) by Samuel K. Sweet.
Kevin currently lives in Cincinnati, OH with his beautiful wife, Becky, their daughter, Emma, and two golden retrievers, Cody and Abby.
Windham, a hymn composed by Daniel Read, portrays the different roads one can take to an ultimate death- something that Read often faced during his time in the Revolutionary War. This Brad Holmes arrangement is written in the style of Sacred Harp music and features an alternative approach that focuses on an Earthy, bright forward tone. The biting edge of the piece reflects the cry to God that eventually leads us to eternal rest- found in Bach’s Come Sweet Death. Arranged by Rhonda Sandberg, this piece highly contrasts the previous Sacred Harp writing, with beautiful, flowing melodies and traditional Baroque sounds. Bach is asking Got to grant eternal rest. After a series of personal cries to God from each singer, the journey depicted in Windham is finally brought to a peaceful close.
Z. Randall Stroope’s Dance for Love features a text from Civil War poet, William Straub and describes scenes as the war survivor travels home. Stroop’s writing has a reflective nature between the music and text throughout, and he eliminates all musical elements that might obscure the text. The result is a transparent texture which that beautifully marries the images of text and music throughout. While the text references remnants left from the war, the true sentiment of the text centers around the renewed promise of life for the survivor as his journey guides him home to his beloved.
The vivid and mystical writings of Hildegard von Bingen have long been admired by lovers of music and poetry. One of the earliest known mystic poets, Hildegard’s ‘visions’ are fantastically depicted in her poetry and medieval hymns. This particular work, O Ignis Spiritus speaks of the visceral relationship with the Holy Spirit which ‘gives life to all forms’. This setting seeks to encompass the breath of mystery and fantasy inherit to the divine fire. The rhythmic and visceral choral writing is offset by a homophonic and comforting choral texture that speaks to the assurance and tranquility one finds in faith. The work closes as it opens in that the ‘fire’ returns to the choral writing and the harmonic material becomes even more intense.
The rhythmic and vibrant writing style of Vijay Singh is undeniable in his Fergus An’ Molly. Originally composed for Male Ensemble Northwest, Fergus An’ Molly has become a standard piece in the TTBB repertoire. The piece tells the story of Fergus Muldoone as he attempts to win fair Molly McTaggart’s affection. Alas, Fergus is unsuccessful and “died a poor lonely old man.” The chorus reflects on his pleading echoing across Cumberland after his passing, and the work closes with a rejuvenated statement of the chorus. This light-hearted and entertaining piece has been a favorite of ours throughout preparing for the IMC performance.
Last Lullaby(e) was commissioned by the University of Cincinnati Men’s Chorus for their upcoming performance at the Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses National Seminar in Washington, D. C. in March of 2018. Samuel K. Sweet’s writing is both striking and imaginative as he alters the work’s meter and utilizes a variety of luscious cluster chords to vary the textual emphasis throughout the work. The text, a Kathryn Sparks poem from her book “Nocturnes & Lullabies”, expresses a prayer for the dying. Last Lullaby(e) highlights “poetic inversions”, a sense of word play that can be easily be identified in the opening line, “Fall upward forever”. Sweet perfectly marries the music to the text throughout, and the piece closes with a Latin prayer that almost acts as a reflective moment for the listener: “May they rest eternally. Grant them rest in the eternal Light, the perpetual Light. Amen.”
William Ernest Henley’s poem, Invictus, is a visceral, bold, and universally relevant text proclamation of self-determinacy. Henley fought a lifelong battle for his health, contracting tuberculosis of the bones as a child that necessitated the amputation of his left leg below the knee. Invictus (Latin for “invincible” or “unconquerable”) brilliantly expresses his zeal for life and resiliency of the human spirit. Josh Rist’s setting features a fiery and rhythmic opening which quickly shifts to a more tranquil section featuring a cello solo. The tranquil harmonies are perfectly set in tandem with the intimate text describing the circumstances dealt to the author. The textures become denser until their melodies intertwine as they declare “I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.” A sense of comfort and warmth emerges, and the text is echoed while supporting a tenor duet as the piece concludes.
Kevin L. Coker, Director
Hyuna Park, Accompanist
Windham
Daniel Read
arr. Holmes
Come Sweet Death
J. S. Bach
arr. Sandberg
Dance for Love
Z. Randall Stroope
O Ignis Spiritus
Connor Koppin
*Premiere
Fergus An’ Molly
Vijah Singh
Joey Domhoff, tenor
Last Lullaby(e)
Samuel K. Sweet
*Premiere
Tatum Specht, soprano
Invictus
Josh Rist
Isabel Dimoff, cello
Greg Miller, tenor
Jaron Putnam, tenor
The University of Cincinnati Men’s Chorus is comprised of students from each of the fourteen colleges of the University of Cincinnati. The singers in today’s performance include international students singing alongside students who were born and raised in Cincinnati, seniors studying Engineering singing alongside freshmen studying Art & Design, and Music Education majors who sing in required ensembles but choose to sing in Men’s Ensemble simply because they want to. Bringing together students from different backgrounds who strive to make music along with students they wouldn’t otherwise meet is the beauty of the UC Men’s Chorus.
This has been the mission of the UC Men’s Chorus since its founding in 1920, and the power of music has held the group together for ninety-eight years. The UC Men’s Chorus performs regularly on the University of Cincinnati campus, and combines with the UC Women’s Chorus for an annual recruiting and performance tour each Spring. We are honored to be invited to perform at the 2018 IMC National Seminar, and excited to showcase the talent and unity developed over the years of UC Men’s Chorus history.
KEVIN L. COKER is the director of the University of Cincinnati Men’s Chorus and is a doctoral candidate at UC’s College-Conservatory of Music. Kevin has 10 years of public school teaching experience and has taught at the elementary, middle school, high school, and collegiate levels. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Belmont University and a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Florida State University and has studied conducting with Earl Rivers, Brett Scott, André Thomas, and Deen Entsminger. Kevin is active as a clinician throughout the Southeast and Midwest.
Prior to his tenure at UC, Kevin taught at Blue Valley Northwest High School in Overland Park, Kansas where he served 250 students across six choral groups. Choirs under his direction there received invitations to perform for conferences and festivals throughout the United States and Europe. In 2013, the Blue Valley Northwest Chorale became the first ensemble from Kansas to be selected for Carnegie Hall’s National High School Choral Festival. The Blue Valley Northwest Chorale and Chamber Singers earned invitations to perform at the 2014 Kansas Music Educators Conference in Wichita, KS, and the Blue Valley Northwest Chamber Singers earned an invitation to perform at the 2016 Southwestern American Choral Director’s Association Regional Conference.
Kevin is committed to the performance of new music, and has commissioned works from Sydney Guillaume, Z. Randall Stroope, and Josh Shank. Today’s performance features two newly commissioned works entitled O Ignis Spiritus by Connor Koppin and Last Lullaby(e) by Samuel K. Sweet.
Kevin currently lives in Cincinnati, OH with his beautiful wife, Becky, their daughter, Emma, and two golden retrievers, Cody and Abby.
Windham, a hymn composed by Daniel Read, portrays the different roads one can take to an ultimate death- something that Read often faced during his time in the Revolutionary War. This Brad Holmes arrangement is written in the style of Sacred Harp music and features an alternative approach that focuses on an Earthy, bright forward tone. The biting edge of the piece reflects the cry to God that eventually leads us to eternal rest- found in Bach’s Come Sweet Death. Arranged by Rhonda Sandberg, this piece highly contrasts the previous Sacred Harp writing, with beautiful, flowing melodies and traditional Baroque sounds. Bach is asking Got to grant eternal rest. After a series of personal cries to God from each singer, the journey depicted in Windham is finally brought to a peaceful close.
Z. Randall Stroope’s Dance for Love features a text from Civil War poet, William Straub and describes scenes as the war survivor travels home. Stroop’s writing has a reflective nature between the music and text throughout, and he eliminates all musical elements that might obscure the text. The result is a transparent texture which that beautifully marries the images of text and music throughout. While the text references remnants left from the war, the true sentiment of the text centers around the renewed promise of life for the survivor as his journey guides him home to his beloved.
The vivid and mystical writings of Hildegard von Bingen have long been admired by lovers of music and poetry. One of the earliest known mystic poets, Hildegard’s ‘visions’ are fantastically depicted in her poetry and medieval hymns. This particular work, O Ignis Spiritus speaks of the visceral relationship with the Holy Spirit which ‘gives life to all forms’. This setting seeks to encompass the breath of mystery and fantasy inherit to the divine fire. The rhythmic and visceral choral writing is offset by a homophonic and comforting choral texture that speaks to the assurance and tranquility one finds in faith. The work closes as it opens in that the ‘fire’ returns to the choral writing and the harmonic material becomes even more intense.
The rhythmic and vibrant writing style of Vijay Singh is undeniable in his Fergus An’ Molly. Originally composed for Male Ensemble Northwest, Fergus An’ Molly has become a standard piece in the TTBB repertoire. The piece tells the story of Fergus Muldoone as he attempts to win fair Molly McTaggart’s affection. Alas, Fergus is unsuccessful and “died a poor lonely old man.” The chorus reflects on his pleading echoing across Cumberland after his passing, and the work closes with a rejuvenated statement of the chorus. This light-hearted and entertaining piece has been a favorite of ours throughout preparing for the IMC performance.
Last Lullaby(e) was commissioned by the University of Cincinnati Men’s Chorus for their upcoming performance at the Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses National Seminar in Washington, D. C. in March of 2018. Samuel K. Sweet’s writing is both striking and imaginative as he alters the work’s meter and utilizes a variety of luscious cluster chords to vary the textual emphasis throughout the work. The text, a Kathryn Sparks poem from her book “Nocturnes & Lullabies”, expresses a prayer for the dying. Last Lullaby(e) highlights “poetic inversions”, a sense of word play that can be easily be identified in the opening line, “Fall upward forever”. Sweet perfectly marries the music to the text throughout, and the piece closes with a Latin prayer that almost acts as a reflective moment for the listener: “May they rest eternally. Grant them rest in the eternal Light, the perpetual Light. Amen.”
William Ernest Henley’s poem, Invictus, is a visceral, bold, and universally relevant text proclamation of self-determinacy. Henley fought a lifelong battle for his health, contracting tuberculosis of the bones as a child that necessitated the amputation of his left leg below the knee. Invictus (Latin for “invincible” or “unconquerable”) brilliantly expresses his zeal for life and resiliency of the human spirit. Josh Rist’s setting features a fiery and rhythmic opening which quickly shifts to a more tranquil section featuring a cello solo. The tranquil harmonies are perfectly set in tandem with the intimate text describing the circumstances dealt to the author. The textures become denser until their melodies intertwine as they declare “I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.” A sense of comfort and warmth emerges, and the text is echoed while supporting a tenor duet as the piece concludes.
Program 3 - Friday, March 2, 8:00 p.m.
Quorus
Quorus is a men’s chamber ensemble based in the Baltimore metropolitan area. Since its humble beginnings in a cramped practice room in 2014, Quorus has striven to present music for men’s voices at a high level of proficiency and artistry. With less than a dozen members, their ability to collaborate on an intimate level allows them to continually challenge each other to grow as musicians and friends. Their repertoire is constantly evolving, and encompasses many time periods and genres, as well as music arranged and composed by their members. Quorus is currently the ensemble-in-residence at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church in Cockeysville, MD, in partnership with Dr. Lynn Trapp, Director of Liturgy and Music.
For the Beauty of the Earth
arr. Paul John Rudoi
Sinner Man
arr. Justine Koontz
Audi benigne Conditor
Guillaume Dufay
Now is the Month of Maying
Thomas Morley
St. Joseph
Darren Schmidt
Veni Creator Spiritus
Timothy Takach
Walk Together Children
arr. Michael Weber
Quorus is a men’s chamber ensemble based in the Baltimore metropolitan area. Since its humble beginnings in a cramped practice room in 2014, Quorus has striven to present music for men’s voices at a high level of proficiency and artistry. With less than a dozen members, their ability to collaborate on an intimate level allows them to continually challenge each other to grow as musicians and friends. Their repertoire is constantly evolving, and encompasses many time periods and genres, as well as music arranged and composed by their members. Quorus is currently the ensemble-in-residence at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church in Cockeysville, MD, in partnership with Dr. Lynn Trapp, Director of Liturgy and Music.
For the Beauty of the Earth
arr. Paul John Rudoi
Sinner Man
arr. Justine Koontz
Audi benigne Conditor
Guillaume Dufay
Now is the Month of Maying
Thomas Morley
St. Joseph
Darren Schmidt
Veni Creator Spiritus
Timothy Takach
Walk Together Children
arr. Michael Weber
Bowling Green State University Men’s Chorus
Richard Schnipke, conductor
Olga Topuzova-Meade, pianist
Joshua Dufford, graduate assistant conductor
Down to the River to Pray
arr. Christopher Aspaas
Aspen Hill Music
Sing Dem Herrn
Praetorius, arr. DePue
CPP/Belwin
Sing to the Lord! Alleluia!
We all love Him. Praise to His name.
Sing it with timbrel and harp.
I See the Heaven’s Glories Shine
Andrea Ramsey
Santa Barbara Music
I Am Not Yours
Cheridy Saunders
manuscript
I Come Singing
Eric Barnum
Graphite Publishing
El Yivneh Hagalil
arr. Peter Sozio
The Boston Music Company
God will build Galilee,
Blessed is the building of Galilee.
Tantsulaul (Dancing Song)
Veljo Tormis
Walton Music
Let our Mari come, I shall get her on her feet.
My sock heels have holes like an old mare’s blaze.
My ears are singing as if Jüri from next door was playing the pipes.
Bright Morning Stars
arr. Shawn Kirchner
Santa Barbara Music
Shout Glory!
Byron J. Smith
Gentry Publications
An auditioned large ensemble open to all male students at Bowling Green State University, the chorus’ motto and reputation as "America's Finest Singing Machine" is well deserved, emanating from over forty years of musical excellence. The ensemble encompasses students from all majors; over half are non-music majors, representing all seven colleges at the University.
The chorus organizes and presents two tours each academic year. Fall finds the singers traveling to locations in Ohio and Michigan, performing at high schools during the day and various concert venues in the evenings. The spring tour ventures to a new location each year, and past trips have taken the men to Colorado, Florida, New York City, Washington D.C., and Toronto. These off-campus pursuits provide opportunities to perform for diverse audiences, serve as musical ambassadors for BGSU, see different parts of the country, and bond and create lasting friendships with fellow chorus members.
The ensemble, which has produced numerous CDs, has performed with distinction at a number of regional and national ACDA conferences, as well as the North Coast Conference of OMEA and at OMEA state conferences. The group recently commissioned a work by famed jazz artist Dave Brubeck titled Love Flows from God, which they performed at OMEA with the composer present. The chorus has also commissioned works from Timothy Takach of CANTUS, Michael Cox and Steven Sametz, as part of the Male Chorus Commissioning Consortium, sponsored by CANTUS.
In his first year as conductor of the Men’s Chorus, Dr. Richard Schnipke serves as Assistant Professor of Activities at Bowling Green State University. His other duties at BGSU include conducting the Collegiate Chorale as well as teaching graduate and undergraduate courses in choral performance and music education. Previously, Dr. Schnipke held faculty positions at Xavier University and The Ohio State University and spent 15 years as an Ohio public school choral director. He holds degrees from Bowling Green State University and Ohio State University, and has done additional graduate studies at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.
Choirs under Schnipke’s direction have sung for conferences of the Ohio Music Education Association, the Ohio Choral Directors Association, and the association of Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses. In the fall of 2016, the Xavier University Edgecliff Vocal Ensemble performed at the American Musicological Society’s International Conference in Vancouver, BC. Dr. Schnipke also frequently presents at national, regional, and state conferences of the American Choral Directors Association, the National Association for Music Education, and the Ohio Music Education Association on the incorporation of Dalcroze Eurhythmics in the choral rehearsal.
As a vocalist, Dr. Schnipke has performed regularly with several professional choral ensembles and has served as tenor section leader for Cincinnati’s Vocal Arts Ensemble (Grammy Award winner, Craig Hella Johnson, music director). Dr. Schnipke also serves as President of the Ohio Choral Directors Association.
Richard Schnipke, conductor
Olga Topuzova-Meade, pianist
Joshua Dufford, graduate assistant conductor
Down to the River to Pray
arr. Christopher Aspaas
Aspen Hill Music
Sing Dem Herrn
Praetorius, arr. DePue
CPP/Belwin
Sing to the Lord! Alleluia!
We all love Him. Praise to His name.
Sing it with timbrel and harp.
I See the Heaven’s Glories Shine
Andrea Ramsey
Santa Barbara Music
I Am Not Yours
Cheridy Saunders
manuscript
I Come Singing
Eric Barnum
Graphite Publishing
El Yivneh Hagalil
arr. Peter Sozio
The Boston Music Company
God will build Galilee,
Blessed is the building of Galilee.
Tantsulaul (Dancing Song)
Veljo Tormis
Walton Music
Let our Mari come, I shall get her on her feet.
My sock heels have holes like an old mare’s blaze.
My ears are singing as if Jüri from next door was playing the pipes.
Bright Morning Stars
arr. Shawn Kirchner
Santa Barbara Music
Shout Glory!
Byron J. Smith
Gentry Publications
An auditioned large ensemble open to all male students at Bowling Green State University, the chorus’ motto and reputation as "America's Finest Singing Machine" is well deserved, emanating from over forty years of musical excellence. The ensemble encompasses students from all majors; over half are non-music majors, representing all seven colleges at the University.
The chorus organizes and presents two tours each academic year. Fall finds the singers traveling to locations in Ohio and Michigan, performing at high schools during the day and various concert venues in the evenings. The spring tour ventures to a new location each year, and past trips have taken the men to Colorado, Florida, New York City, Washington D.C., and Toronto. These off-campus pursuits provide opportunities to perform for diverse audiences, serve as musical ambassadors for BGSU, see different parts of the country, and bond and create lasting friendships with fellow chorus members.
The ensemble, which has produced numerous CDs, has performed with distinction at a number of regional and national ACDA conferences, as well as the North Coast Conference of OMEA and at OMEA state conferences. The group recently commissioned a work by famed jazz artist Dave Brubeck titled Love Flows from God, which they performed at OMEA with the composer present. The chorus has also commissioned works from Timothy Takach of CANTUS, Michael Cox and Steven Sametz, as part of the Male Chorus Commissioning Consortium, sponsored by CANTUS.
In his first year as conductor of the Men’s Chorus, Dr. Richard Schnipke serves as Assistant Professor of Activities at Bowling Green State University. His other duties at BGSU include conducting the Collegiate Chorale as well as teaching graduate and undergraduate courses in choral performance and music education. Previously, Dr. Schnipke held faculty positions at Xavier University and The Ohio State University and spent 15 years as an Ohio public school choral director. He holds degrees from Bowling Green State University and Ohio State University, and has done additional graduate studies at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.
Choirs under Schnipke’s direction have sung for conferences of the Ohio Music Education Association, the Ohio Choral Directors Association, and the association of Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses. In the fall of 2016, the Xavier University Edgecliff Vocal Ensemble performed at the American Musicological Society’s International Conference in Vancouver, BC. Dr. Schnipke also frequently presents at national, regional, and state conferences of the American Choral Directors Association, the National Association for Music Education, and the Ohio Music Education Association on the incorporation of Dalcroze Eurhythmics in the choral rehearsal.
As a vocalist, Dr. Schnipke has performed regularly with several professional choral ensembles and has served as tenor section leader for Cincinnati’s Vocal Arts Ensemble (Grammy Award winner, Craig Hella Johnson, music director). Dr. Schnipke also serves as President of the Ohio Choral Directors Association.
Washington Men's Camerata
Frank Albinder, Music Director
Joel Ayau, Accompanist
When Peaceful Night
Evening Hymn of the Moravian Brethren
Ed. Clarence Dickinson
Da nobis pacem
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
Arr. Raymond C. Robinson
Song of Peace
Vincent Persichetti (1915-1987)
Workin’ for the Dawn of Peace
Arr. Ron Jeffers
We Shall Walk Through the Valley in Peace
Arr. William Appling
Dona nobis pacem
Joseph Gregorio (b. 1979)
Dona Nobis Pacem - Beat! beat! drums!
Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)
Arr. Ken Harned
The Washington Men’s Camerata was founded by its members in 1984 to perform, promote, and preserve the rich legacy of men’s choral music. In addition to its subscription series, the Camerata has performed with the National Symphony Orchestra, the National Gallery Orchestra and with the Mark Morris Dance Group. The group has performed at the 2003 & 2008 National Seminars of Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses, the 2000 national conference of Chorus America and the ACDA’s 1998 & 2010 Eastern Division conferences. Listeners nationwide have heard the Camerata on NPR’s All Things Considered and Performance Today, MPR’s Pipe Dreams, and PRI’s Millennium of Music. The group has recorded six critically acclaimed CDs for the Gothic label. In 1998 the Camerata established the National Library of Men’s Choral Music, which contains thousands of works, is utilized by men’s choruses worldwide, and is one of the largest collections of its kind in the world.
Frank Albinder is music director of the Washington Men's Camerata, the Woodley Ensemble, and the Virginia Glee Club at UVa. Frank came to DC from Chanticleer, where, during his 11 year tenure, he served as singer, Associate Conductor and Acting Director. He appears on 21 of the ensemble’s recordings, including Wondrous Love, which was recorded under his direction, and the Grammy® Award-winning Colors of Love, for which he designed the concept. He holds degrees from Pomona College and the New England Conservatory. From 1984-1988, Frank was Director of Choral Activities at Davidson College. He served two terms as the ACDA’s National R&S Chair for Male Choirs. He is also President of Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses, DC representative of the National Collegiate Choral Organization and a member of the ACDA’s ChoralNet steering committee. For 12 years, he sang in the professional choir at St. John's Church, Lafayette Square, the Church of the Presidents.
Frank Albinder, Music Director
Joel Ayau, Accompanist
When Peaceful Night
Evening Hymn of the Moravian Brethren
Ed. Clarence Dickinson
Da nobis pacem
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
Arr. Raymond C. Robinson
Song of Peace
Vincent Persichetti (1915-1987)
Workin’ for the Dawn of Peace
Arr. Ron Jeffers
We Shall Walk Through the Valley in Peace
Arr. William Appling
Dona nobis pacem
Joseph Gregorio (b. 1979)
Dona Nobis Pacem - Beat! beat! drums!
Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)
Arr. Ken Harned
The Washington Men’s Camerata was founded by its members in 1984 to perform, promote, and preserve the rich legacy of men’s choral music. In addition to its subscription series, the Camerata has performed with the National Symphony Orchestra, the National Gallery Orchestra and with the Mark Morris Dance Group. The group has performed at the 2003 & 2008 National Seminars of Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses, the 2000 national conference of Chorus America and the ACDA’s 1998 & 2010 Eastern Division conferences. Listeners nationwide have heard the Camerata on NPR’s All Things Considered and Performance Today, MPR’s Pipe Dreams, and PRI’s Millennium of Music. The group has recorded six critically acclaimed CDs for the Gothic label. In 1998 the Camerata established the National Library of Men’s Choral Music, which contains thousands of works, is utilized by men’s choruses worldwide, and is one of the largest collections of its kind in the world.
Frank Albinder is music director of the Washington Men's Camerata, the Woodley Ensemble, and the Virginia Glee Club at UVa. Frank came to DC from Chanticleer, where, during his 11 year tenure, he served as singer, Associate Conductor and Acting Director. He appears on 21 of the ensemble’s recordings, including Wondrous Love, which was recorded under his direction, and the Grammy® Award-winning Colors of Love, for which he designed the concept. He holds degrees from Pomona College and the New England Conservatory. From 1984-1988, Frank was Director of Choral Activities at Davidson College. He served two terms as the ACDA’s National R&S Chair for Male Choirs. He is also President of Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses, DC representative of the National Collegiate Choral Organization and a member of the ACDA’s ChoralNet steering committee. For 12 years, he sang in the professional choir at St. John's Church, Lafayette Square, the Church of the Presidents.