STALEY HIGH SCHOOL | MMEA PROGRAM fnl

We’ve come so far STALEY HIGH SCHOOL CHAMBER CHOIR 2014 Missouri Music Educators Association Conference

2014 MISSOURI MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE

STALEY HIGH SCHOOL CHAMBER CHOIR Lobet den Herrn from Singet dem Herrn (Sing to the Lord a New Song)

Johan Sebastian Bach (1685 –1750)

Cantate Canticum Novum (Sing a New Song) Text by Charles Anthony Silvestri (b. 1965)

Dan Forrest (b. 1978)

Over Havet (Across the Sea) Text by Charles Anthony Silvestri (b. 1965)

Dan Forrest (b. 1978) Hinshaw, HMC2268

Jenny Kiss’d Me Poem by James Leigh Hunt (1784 – 1859)

I want Jesus To Walk With Me

Eric Barnum (b. 1979) Walton Music Corporation WJMS1087 HL08501619

arr. Rollo A. Dillworth (b. 1970) Hal Leonard 08748686

Adam Farley, Band Director Oak Park High School, trombone Bob Harvey, Band Lee’s Summit Schools, trumpet Larry Maxey, retired Professor of Clarinet University of Kansas, clarinet Patrick McCarty, Band Director Avila University, drums

STALEY CHAMBER CHOIR

TEXT / TRANSLATIONS Lobet den Herrn from Singet dem Herrn (Sing to the Lord a New Song) The last of three movements this setting is based on Psalm 150 vs. 2 and 6 first performed in Leipzig, Germany in 1727.

Praise the Lord for his mighty acts.

Praise him according to his excellent greatness.

Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Alleluia!

Cantate Canticum Novum (Sing a New Song) Commissioned and conducted by Mr. Resseguie for the World Choral Fest Concert in Dublin, Ireland, July 28, 2013. Students from the choral program at Staley High School combined with singers from the US, Ireland, Canada, Wales and the world-renowned New Dublin Voices who are conducted by Bernie Sherlock. After a week of rehearsing at beautiful Trinity College in the center of Dublin, the World Choral Fest Choir performed in Christ Church Cathedral, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and then performed a formal concert and premier of Cantate Canticum Novum in the National Concert Hall of Ireland. The first half of the concert was conducted by Ms. Sherlock with selections of all European composers, and the second half was conducted by Mr. Resseguie with selections by all American composers. Dr. Silvestri and Dr. Forrest were there to work with the singers and share their experiences on how they write such beautiful music.

Sing a New Song Cantate Canticum Novum When darkness falls, when spirit is lost, Bravely sing, Sing a new song, A song of light.

Cantate Canticum Novum When all is silence and nothing is clear.

Confidently sing, Sing a new song, A song of faith.

Let it rise up from the spirit of truth, and echo from heart to heart.

Joyfully sing, Sing a new song, Till are filled with love.

Cantate Canticum Novum, Sing a new Song!

STALEY CHAMBER CHOIR

TEXT / TRANSLATIONS Over Havet (Across the Sea)

Over Havet was commissioned by Tracy Resseguie in honor of Peter Mandius Nerland. After premiering it in the spring of 2010, Falcon Chorale from Staley High School took this piece to Norway in March of 2011 where it was preformed in the church where Peter Mandius Nerland was baptized in 1899 before he left Norway. Before returning to Kansas City, the choir flew to New York, and by special permission from the White House, sang Over Havet in the Great Hall in Ellis Island, where Peter Mandius Nerland came through to become an American Citizen. Peter Mandius Nerland is the great grandfather of Tracy Resseguie.

My eyes look out, Grey as the grey North-Sky Across the sea, The sea of hope and opportunity.

The wander-lust of my people wells up, Calling me to go- Across the sea, Over havet Across the sea, Over havet Across the beckoning sea. Over det lokkende havet.

Work is hard in this New World, As hard as in the Old; But this land I work is soon to be my ownA farm, a house, a wife, a childThese fields of golden grain stretched out, My harvest home Across the sea Over havet, Across the sea, Over havet Across the amber sea. Over det ravgule havet.

In this great ship-belly I wait, With others like me Set out to make a better life.

And now we stand together line by line, Masses huddled in the shadow of Liberty.

We’ve come so far Across the sea, Over havet, Across the sea, Over havet, Across the storm-tossed sea. Over det stormfulle havet.

My eyes look out, Grey as my grey hair now, Across the sea, From poverty to possibility To the richest blessings a man can ever know, Thankful now as I go, Across the sea, Over havet, Across the sea, Over havet, Across the storm-tossed sea. Over det stormfulle havet.

Jenny Kiss’d Me

I Want Jesus to Walk With Me

The author James Leigh Hunt (1784-1859) reflects on a fleeting moment in a manner at once lighthearted and poignant. Witty and defiant, the poet asserts that whatever else might have occurred, he mattered when Jenny Kissed him.

This setting of “I Want Jesus to Walk with Me” fuses the spiritual, gospel and jazz traditions. Specifically, my arrangement of this popular spiritual features a juxtaposition of gospel and modern jazz vocals with a quasi – New Orleans style accompaniment. I have often thought of this spiritual as a prayer. The textual repetitions are rather profound in that they help us to better understand the depth of emotion felt by the slaves who created it. ~ Rollo Dillworth

Jenny kiss’d me when we met, Jumping from the chair she sat in; Time, you thief, who love to get Sweets into your list, put that in!

Say I’m weary, say I’m sad, Say that health and wealth have miss’d me.

Say I’m growing old, but add, Jenny Kiss’d me

STALEY CHAMBER CHOIR

CHAMBER CHOIR MEMBERS Soprano

Tenor

Members of 2012-2013 Chamber Choir who helped us receive this honor:

Kara Bradshaw Kyleigh Grieshaber Megan Kiolbasa Sophia Loving Madison Muradyan Emily Politte Megan Pospisil Briana Traylor

Carson Bowman Andrew Cangelose Dakota Grieshaber Sidney Lawson Nathan Morley Tyler Reynolds Cheston Seals Ty Weiser

Alto

Bass

Brittany Burns Kayla Foley Brittany Hudson Mary Keeney Josie Kennedy Cheyenne Lombard Sarah Queen Jessica Witt

Anthony Harris Samuel Kissuu Jared Koller Thorin Pierce Jackson Reid Riley Rogers Mark Slaughter Timothy Warren

Katelyn Bell Alan Chandler Shannon Cox* Haley Dorel Natalie Gorman* Marcus Grant* Emily Havens* EJ Hill* Sydney Holland* Ryan Link* Chris Norton Dalton Parks Mariah Pride Cody Ray* Lauren Shea Sabrina Sheriff Zachery Stonecipher Catherine Tucker*

Maple Woods Community College Maple Woods Community College Stephens College Grand Canyon University Missouri State University Missouri State University North Central University Minneapolis Minnesota Missouri State University Evangel University University of Alabama University Central Missouri University of Tulsa Northwest Missouri State Missouri State University Metropolitan Community College University of Missouri Kansas City Pratt Community College University of the Incarnate Word

* Students pursuing degrees in music performance or music education.

STALEY CHAMBER CHOIR

ARTIST NOTES DIRECTOR OF CHORAL ACTIVITIES Tracy Resseguie is a graduate of Friends University, in Wichita, Kansas, and has served as the director of choral activities at Staley High School since it opened in fall of 2008. He is also the Creative Director of the World Choral Fest that just happened this past July in Dublin, Ireland. He is proud to have premiered four pieces by Dan Forrest and Tony Silverstri with his Falcon Chorale from Staley High School. Before coming to Staley, Resseguie was the director of choirs at Shawnee Mission East High School for 12 years where he had great success with recruiting over 400 students in choir. Under his direction, the choir at Shawnee Mission East toured internationally three times. Italy in 2001, a special invitation to sing at J. S. Bach Church in Leipzig, Germany on the date of his birth in 2004, and Ireland in 2006.

His choirs have been chosen to perform at the state level music convention numerous times and also Southwest ACDA. Resseguie’s choirs have been titled Grand Champion, outstanding small Chamber Choir as well as outstanding large Concert Choir at the Winter Park Ski Music Festival as well as other festivals. Resseguie’s choir also performed three solo concerts at Carnegie Hall by invitation. In February of 2007, he conducted the New England Philharmonic and his choir did the world premier of Dan Forrest’s Arise Shine which has now become his best seller of choral music. His choirs have performed with the Kansas City Symphony and he conducted the Kansas City Wind Symphony while his choirs of over 400 performed the Carmina Burana in a wonderful concert in Yardley Hall on the campus of Johnson County Community College.

Honored as the Outstanding Young Choral Conductor of the Year in 1993 by the Kansas Choral Directors Association, Resseguie has directed numerous All-District choral festivals at elementary, junior-high and high school levels. He has served as the R & S Men’s Choir Chair for the Southwest American Choral Director’s Association, and has chaired the Northeast District KMEA, and state ACDA boards. He completed his graduate work at the University of Kansas, where he holds a Masters in Music Education Choral Pedagogy. He served as the choral coordinator and a clinician for the KU Midwestern Music Camp from 93 until 2006, and since 1999 he has served as Director of Music of First Presbyterian Church of Lawrence, KS. He is married to Hollie Resseguie, and he has four wonderful children: Jamie, Kirk, Kyle, and Kara.

Special thanks to my colleagues and choral directors in the other North Kansas City Schools, Mike Shirley – North Kansas City High School, Janice Popejoy – Winnetonka High School, and Chris Droegemueller – Oak Park High School. ~ Tracy Resseguie

ACCOMPANIST Sheree Yoder is the accompanist for Staley High School Choirs in the North Kansas City School District. She also serves as an accompanist for the Kansas City Ballet School and for Nashua Baptist Church. An accomplished violinist, Sheree plays in the Northland Symphony Orchestra and teaches private students in both piano and violin. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Music - Violin Proficiency, from Messiah College in Grantham, Pennsylvania, and is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of Central Missouri.

STALEY CHAMBER CHOIR

ARTIST NOTES COMPOSER Dan Forrest has been described as “a composer of substance” (Columbus Dispatch), whose works have been hailed as “…magnificent, very cleverly constructed sound sculpture” (Classical Voice), and “superb choral writing… full of spinetingling moments” (Salt Lake Tribune). Born in 1978, Dan is a pianist-turned-composer whose music has already established a lasting presence in the U.S. and abroad.

Dan’s choral works have received numerous awards and distinctions, including the ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer’s Award, the ACDA Raymond Brock Award, Meet The Composer grants, the Raabe Prize, the Donald Sutherland Endowment award, and many others. His “A Basque Lullaby” for wind band was included in Volume 8 of the well-known Teaching Music Through Performance In Band series. His music has been broadcast on NPR’s “Performance Today”, and has been performed in leading venues across the country and around the world, including Carnegie Hall, the Lincoln Center, and the Kennedy Center.

Dan holds a doctoral degree in composition from the University of Kansas and a master’s degree in piano performance. He is a former professor of music at Bob Jones University, where he served as Department Head of Music Theory and Composition for several years. More information about Dan and his music can be found at www.danforrest.com.

LYRICIST Charles Anthony Silvestri specializes in providing poetry for choral composers. He enjoys the creative challenges and rewards of the collaborative process, and has provided lyrics for many composers in different stages of their careers and for a wide variety of commissions and occasions.

His collaborations with celebrated composer Eric Whitacre have sold hundreds of thousands of copies of sheet music, have been sung by thousands of choirs around the world, and have been heard on television and radio, and in magnificent spaces such as the Sydney Opera House, Disney Hall, Lincoln Center, the National Cathedral, King’s College, Westminster Abbey, and Il Gesú.

In addition to writing choral lyrics, Silvestri is also an accomplished artist/painter, specializing in replicating Medieval manuscript illumination and recreating the techniques and materials of Gothic and Renaissance painters. He has earned Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate degrees in Ancient and Medieval History from Loyola Marymount University and the University of Southern California. Silvestri is on the History faculty of Washburn University of Topeka and makes his home in Lawrence, Kansas.

STALEY CHAMBER CHOIR

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The appearance of the Staley High School Chamber Choir on the 2014 MMEA program would not have been possible without the support of the North Kansas City School District administrators and faculty. We sincerely thank you for the work you share in order to prepare our students for success.

Office of the Superintendent – Todd E. White, Ed.D. – Superintendent

Dr. Todd White Superintendent of Schools

December 15, 2013

Clark Mershon Principal of Staley High School

Dear MMEA:

Mark Mundell Assisstant Principal, Activities Director

On behalf of the North Kansas City Schools, District Vocal Music Coordinator, Regina Kellogg and Staley High School Vocal Director, Tracy Resseguie, thank you for inviting our student musicians from Staley High School to perform at the annual MMEA Conference. We are extremely excited to showcase the talents of our students. The North Kansas City Schools highly values our Fine Arts education and the positive impact upon students, their schools and our communities.

Fred Bouchard Assisstant Principal, Head Football Coach

The MMEA is a vital organization for the promotion and advocacy for the arts, particularly music education.

The musical accomplishments of our students would not be possible without exceptionally talented music educators and the dedication and support of MMEA. If not for the dedication and enthusiasm of our professional music educators, such as Mr. Resseguie, our students would not have been exposed to the rich and deep learning experiences that come from traveling and performing in the World Choral Fest Concert in Dublin Ireland or in New York where by special permission from the White House students performed Over Havet in the Great Hall in Ellis Island. Truly, these experiences are the very definition of a quality education.

I hope you enjoy the conference and the awesome display of talent that resides in the North Kansas City Schools as you watch and listen to the Staley High School Chamber Choir.

Sincerely,

Todd E. White, Ed. D. Superintendent

Dr. Chad Brinton Assisstant Principal Sharon Roberts Assisstant Principal Regina Kellogg Vocal Music Coordinator Rebecca Mason Fine Arts Administrative Assistant Constance Van Engen Bell Prairie Elementary School Music Teacher Karen Hall Northview Elementary School Music Teacher Audra Simcoe Northview Elementary School Music Teacher Cynthia Tomes Fox Hill Elementary School Music Teacher Diane Huckabee Nashua Elementary School Music Teacher Jeremy Schneider New Mark Middle School Choir Director

STALEY CHAMBER CHOIR

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Regina Kellogg, District Vocal Music Coordinator – 816.413.6682

December 15, 2013

Dear MMEA: It is an honor and privilege for me to introduce to you the Staley High School Chamber Choir under the direction of Mr. Tracy Resseguie. Since the opening of Staley High School in the fall of 2008, Tracy has worked passionately, fervently, and diligently to create one of the finest vocal music programs in the Midwest.

As Vocal Music Coordinator for the North Kansas City Schools, I am blessed with the opportunity to work with the fantastic music educators across our district. North Kansas City is the home to four high schools, five middle schools, and twenty-one elementary school.s The vocal music programs that feed Staley High School are wonderful examples of how students should learn and participate in music. I would like to recognize Connie Van Engen (Bell Prairie), Karen Hall (Northview), Audra Bunch Simcoe (Northview), Danelle Huckabey (Nashua), Cynthia Tomes (Fox Hill), and Jeremy Schneider (New Mark Middle School) for their work in preparing student for the Staley High School Vocal Music program.

On behalf of Dr. Todd White, Superintendent of Schools, and Mr. Clark Mershon, Principal of Staley High School, thank you for inviting the Staley High School Chamber Choir to perform for the 2014 MMEA Conference. This is an opportunity these students will never forget. For Mr. Resseguie and the Staley Chamber Choir, the line from Over Havet that says “We’ve come so far,” keeps echoing in my mind. You have some so far, and this is just the beginning of where you will go! Thank you for sharing your passion with us today.

Sincerely,

Regina Kellogg Vocal Music Coordinator

December 6, 2013

Greetings MMEA, On behalf of Staley High School, we are exceedingly honored that our Chamber Choir under the direction of Mr. Tracy Resseguie, has been invited to perform at the Missouri Music Educator’s Association 76th Annual In-Service Workshop and Conference. To be included with some of the finest musicians and music programs in the state of Missouri in this venue has been a goal of ours since we opened Staley High School August 18, 2008.

Our thriving choral program, some 198 students strong, reflects fundamentals also found in both our orchestra and band programs. Coupled with strong leadership at each of our feeder elementary schools and middle school, Mr. Resseguie coaches students to reach for excellence. In just five years, Mr. Resseguie has established our choral program as one of the premier programs in the area. Our students have journeyed to Norway and Ireland and will travel to New York this summer to perform at Carnegie Hall. Mr. Resseguie successfully sought special permission from the White House to sing at Ellis Island and perform Over Havet (“Across the Sea”) to commemorate the important role immigrants have played through the years in helping establish our great country.

In accordance with this year’s MMEA theme, “Preserving the Past, Preparing the Future,” Mr. Resseguie has a unique gift of inspiring students to feel what they are singing by also teaching the music history that accompanies great choral literature.

During the startup of Staley High School, Mr. Resseguie partnered with world-renowned composer Daniel Forrest and lyricist, Charles Anthony Silvestri to write our Alma Mater. This partnership continues today as they continue to compose and write choral pieces for our choir.

Today’s performance by the Staley High School Chamber Choir has extraordinary significance for us. It is the first time in a very long time that an ensemble from North Kansas City Schools has performed for MMEA. From Mr. Resseguie, to our accompanist, Sheree Yoder, to our hardworking students, and finally, to a supportive Staley community, today is yet another “magical moment” for us.

Respectfully,

Clark W. Mershon Principal

STALEY CHAMBER CHOIR

STALEY HIGH SCHOOL CHORAL MUSIC Staley High School opened on August 18, 2008 and in that short time remarkable things have taken place.

Staley High School is the 4th high school in the North Kansas City School District. Its population is 1300 students. We operate on an every other day A, B block schedule. There are five choirs at Staley including Concert Choir (Freshman choir), Chansonettes (Sophomore women’s choir), Varsity Choir (Sophomore men’s choir), Falcon Chorale and Chamber Choir (large select mixed choirs). Chamber Choir is a select 32 voiced choir made up of singers from Falcon Chorale. Singers who make Chamber Choir must find two blocks in their schedule to be part of the choir. Since opening in 2008 Falcon Chorale has been on a tour of Norway in 2011, Ireland 2013 World Choral Fest, and will be performing Dan Forrest’s Requiem in June of 2014 at Carnegie Hall with a fourth premier by the choir in December of 2014 on a new piece written by Tony Silverstri and Dan Forrest.

2800 NE Shoal Creek Parkway • Kansas City, MO 64156 www.nkschools.org/sths