Wade in the Water Friday, February 3, 2012, 8:00 pm Anne & Howard Gottlieb Hall at Merit School of Music 38 S. Peoria St., Chicago
Saturday, February 11, 2012, 8:00 pm Nichols Concert Hall 1490 Chicago Ave., Evanston
Saturday, February 4, 2012, 8:00 pm Wentz Concert Hall 171 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville
Sunday, February 12, 2012, 4:00 pm Pilgrim Congregational Church 460 Lake Street, Oak Park
Chicago a cappella Alexia Kruger, Soprano Cari Plachy, Soprano Elizabeth Grizzell, Mezzo-soprano Susan Schober, Mezzo-soprano Klaus Georg, Tenor Trevor Mitchell, Tenor Joe Labozetta, Bass Benjamin Rivera, Bass Brian Streem, Bass Founder and Artistic Director Jonathan Miller Music Director Patrick Sinozich Special lobby displays from the Bronzeville Historical Society This program was made possible through the generosity of the Klaff Family Foundation. Chicago a cappella is partially supported by the Klaff Family Foundation; the MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation; the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation; the Arts Work Fund for Organizational Development; Dr. Scholl Foundation; a CityArts Program 2 grant from the City of Chicago Dept. of Cultural Affairs and Special Events; the Oak Park Area Arts Council, in partnership with the Villages of Oak Park, Forest Park and River Forest; and the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency. The Naperville Sun is a media sponsor of Chicago a cappella’s series at Wentz Hall in Naperville. The Homestead Hotel in Evanston is a sponsor of Wade in the Water.
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A B O U T C H I C AG O A C A PPEL L A Chicago a cappella is a vocal ensemble dedicated to performing fun and innovative concert programs at the highest possible musical standards. Through its Chicago-area performances, touring engagements and recordings, the group enlightens and entertains audiences with repertoire from the ninth to the twenty-first century with a special focus on music written in the present generation. Now recognized as one of the area’s most accomplished ensembles, Chicago a cappella is known for its performances of early music, vocal jazz, and spirituals. Founded in 1993 by Jonathan Miller, Chicago a cappella has released eight CDs, including its newest release, Days of Awe and Rejoicing: Radiant Gems of Jewish Music, joining previous releases on the Chicago a cappella, Cedille, and Centaur labels. The group has introduced more than sixty works to Chicago audiences, including newly commissioned works by Chen Yi, Tania León, Ezequiel Viñao, Stacy Garrop, and Rollo Dilworth. In 2007, Jonathan Miller
appointed Patrick Sinozich as the group’s first Music Director. In 2008, Miller was honored with the prestigious Louis Botto Award from Chorus America in recognition of this innovative action and entrepreneurial zeal in developing a professional choral ensemble. Chicago a cappella has presented over 150 concerts in the Chicago area in addition to guest appearances in 11 states and in Mexico. John von Rhein of the Chicago Tribune recently hailed Chicago a cappella’s “fine-tuned ensemble and secure blend” and American Organist praised the group’s “breathtaking ensemble and control [and] stylistic elegance... Chicago a cappella is a jewel in the crown of Chicago’s musical life.” The ensemble has been featured on national radio broadcasts and performed live concerts on Chicago’s WFMT Radio. Chicago a cappella has completed educational residencies in the Chicago Public Schools and is launching its first Youth Choral Festival in March.
Find us on Facebook for photos, audio clips and more: www.facebook.com/chicagoacappella Read blogs and join the conversation at www.chicagoclassicalmusic.org
2936 N. Southport Ave., 2nd Floor, Chicago, IL 60657 Phone: (773) 281-7820 | Fax: (773) 435-6453 www.chicagoacappella.org | info@chicagoacappella.org Founder and Artistic Director.................................................................................. Jonathan Miller Executive Director...............................................................................................Matthew Greenberg Music Director...............................................................................................................Patrick Sinozich Box Office & Concert Manager........................................................................................ Deb Hoban Education Outreach Coordinator.............................................................................Susan Schober Marketing & Operations Coordinator................................................................Shaina Farwell Interns..................................................................Manda Gervase, Katie Meyers, Myles Teague Board of Directors Michelle Eppley William K. Flowers Helen C. Gagel (President) Joyce Grenis (Secretary) Howard Hush 2 Chicago a cappella
Murray Kopelow Leslie Lauderdale Robert B. Linn (Treasurer) Linda Mast (Vice-President) David Perlman
Stephen Shaw Maria T. Suarez Committee Members Carole Baumgart William Thomas Huyck Yvonne Owens Lisa Scott
C H I C AG O A C A PPEL L A C D S Available in the lobby: $16 each (includes sales tax) Days of Awe and Rejoicing: Radiant Gems of Jewish Music Our brand new release is a treasury of unique and poignant Jewish music, from hallowed chants and High Holiday prayers to luminous, heartfelt works by today’s composers. Highlights include works by Pulitzer Prize-winner Shulamit Ran, Robert Applebaum, Max Janowski and Louis Lewandowski, as well as Stacy Garrop’s joyous “Hava Nagila,” commissioned by Chicago a cappella.
Christmas a capella A celebration of the holiday season with Christmas songs from around the world
Shall I Compare Thee? Contemporary settings of Shakespeare’s timeless words
Eclectric New works, familiar favorites, pop & jazz. “An overflowing cornucopia of choral delights” (ChicagoTribune)
Holidays a cappella Live Live performances of Christmas spirituals, Chanukah songs and holiday music from around the world
Go Down, Moses A stunning collection of spirituals
Mathurin Forestier: Masses World-premiere recording of breathtaking Renaissance church music
Palestrina: Music for the Christmas Season Brilliant Renaissance polyphony by the Italian master Palestrina Wade in the Water 3
L O C AT I O N I N F O R M AT I O N Smoking is prohibited in all venues. Food and beverage are not permitted in the audience seating area. No photography or recording of any kind is permitted. Anne and Howard Gottlieb Hall at Merit School of Music 38 S. Peoria St., Chicago Restrooms and drinking fountain: near main lobby entrance on first floor. Wentz Concert Hall 171 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville Restrooms and drinking fountain: in the main lobby.
Nichols Concert Hall Music Institute of Chicago 1490 Chicago Avenue, Evanston Restrooms and drinking fountain: On lower level; take stairs or elevator from lobby. Pilgrim Congregational Church 460 Lake Street, Oak Park Restrooms: Off the lobby, in the southeast corner of the building. Accessible restroom in south hallway near the chapel. Additional restrooms on the lower level.
R E S TAU R A N T S U G G E S T I O N S Show your ticket stub or program book to receive discounts at these area restaurants.
Chicago
Evanston
Jaks Tap Bar & Grill 901 W. Jackson Blvd. Hours: Fridays until 2 am 15% off all pizzas
Lulu’s Dim Sum & Then Sum 804 Davis St. (two blocks from Nichols Hall) Hours: 11:30 am – 10:00 pm 15% off (excludes Munch a Brunch and 8 after 8)
Lloyd’s Chicago 1 S. Wacker Dr. Dinner 5:00-8:30pm 10% off food Naperville Catch 35 35 S. Washington St. Hours: Fri. & Sat. 5-10 pm Sun. 4:30-8:30pm 10% off food Quigley’s Irish Pub 43 East. Jefferson Ave. Hours: Sat. until 2 am Sun. until 1 am 20% off food Tango Argentinean Grill 5 W. Jackson Ave. Hours: Sat. until 1 am Sun. dinner 2:30 pm-10pm $10 off purchase of $25 or more
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Prairie Moon 1502 Sherman Ave. Evanston (one block west of Nichols Hall) Fri. & Sat. 4-11pm 15% off Oak Park Café Winberie 151 N. Oak Park Ave. Hours: Sun. 1-9pm 10% off Cucina Paradiso 814 North Blvd. Hours: Sunday 5-9:30 pm ½ off wine bottles with purchase of 2 entrees Reservations needed
PROGR A M Great Day!....................................................................................................... arr. Marques Garrett Deep River ....................................................................................arr. Harry T. Burleigh / Cantus I’m Gonna Sing................................................................................................. arr. Lela Anderson ******* I Want Jesus To Walk With Me...............................................................................arr. Colin Lett Go Down ‘n the Valley and Pray!.................................................................arr. André Thomas ******* Fix Me, Jesus................................................................................................................arr. Colin Lett Save Me, Lord!....................................................................................................... Robert L. Morris ******* Wayfarin’ Stranger................................................................................................. arr. K. Lee Scott Walk Togedder, Childron.............................................................................. arr. Nathaniel Dett ******* Blin’ Man......................................................................................................................arr. Paul Carey Wade in the Water............................................................................................ arr. Moses Hogan ******* Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen..................................................arr. Joseph Jennings World premiere, commissioned by Chicago a cappella Way Over in Beulah-lan’.............................................................................arr. Joseph Jennings INTERMISSION Scandalize My Name............................................................................. arr. Damon Dandridge Poor Man Lazrus............................................................................................. arr. Jester Hairston ******* Old Testament Spirituals:............................................................................arr. Jonathan Miller i. Little David, Play On Your Harp ii. Daniel, Moses, Joshua World premiere, commissioned by Chicago a cappella ******* I’m Tired, Lord........................................................................................................ Robert L. Morris Soon ‘Ah Will Be Done.................................................................................arr. William Dawson Latecomers will be seated at the discretion of the ushers. Unauthorized photography or sound recording of any kind are strictly prohibited. Thank you for your cooperation
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INTRODUCTION Welcome to Wade in the Water, our newest celebration of the African-American spiritual. How blessed we are to get to share these concerts with you! Spirituals are one of those remarkable art forms that intersect the present moment with a larger reality and connect us to the wider human condition. Their great heart and powerful melodies cannot fail to leave us moved. In fact, I would suggest that this is precisely why we seek them out: to help us weep, and to help us to hope for a better day for ourselves as individuals and for our world. ******* Spirituals spring from the American national tragedy of the institution of slavery. We cannot forget that fact. They were originally sung solely within the community of slaves, never intended for white singers, let alone for “concert” use. The spiritual was created out of a need to express feelings of suffering—sorrow, grief, loss, loneliness—as well as hope for a better life hereafter. The great collector of folk music, Alan Lomax, wrote in the 1940s that anyone who has heard spirituals sung in church “cannot fail to have been touched by the fire, the solemn dignity, the grand simplicity of the Negro spirituals. . . . All Americans are moved by these inspired and beautiful songs as by almost no other American music.” However, the songs did not start out being sung in the venues where they now appear. While they began on the plantation and were forged, as it were, in the fire of oppression, spirituals have made, over several generations, a steady and remarkable journey. These songs have moved into the national and international musical language of choirs due to a number of events and trends. Starting in 1871, the Fisk Jubilee Singers sang spirituals in concert on their national fundraising tours, earning unexpected accolades from white northern liberal religious denominations such as the Congregationalists and Quakers. Word of mouth spread like wildfire, and the spiritual became both well known and beloved. The 1913 publication of Harry T. Burleigh’s a cappella setting of Deep River 39th Opera Contest Season was a smash hit among white American choirs. With Burleigh’s publication in 1916 of the version for solo voice and piano, the Preliminaries $40.00 per person spiritual became part of the repertoire for Dinner, Tax & Service Charge included, $10.00 Tax Deductible voice recitals, first in the masterful hands Feb. 12, Feb. 19, Mar. 4 & Mar. 11 – 5:30 of Burleigh himself and later Roland Hayes, Semi-Finals Paul Robeson, Marian Anderson, and oth$50.00 per person ers. With these songs in new forms and Dinner, Wine, Tax & Service Charge included, $10.00 Tax Deductible formats, the American musical landscape Mar. 18 – 5:30 & Apr. 14 – 6:30 was permanently changed. Prominent Grand Prize Evening arrangers such as Hall Johnson, Jester Hair$75.00 per person ston, and William Dawson gave the spiritual Hors d'oeuvres, Dinner, Wine, Tax & Service Charge included, international exposure through recordings, $20.00 Tax Deductible Sat. Apr. 21 – 6:30 concert tours, and broadcasts.
Bravo Awards $60.00 per person
Dinner, Wine, Tax & Service Charge Included, $10.00 Tax Deductible
Sun. May 20 – 5:30
For Reservations call
773-588-2515
Monastero’s
Ristorante & Banquets 3935 W. Devon Avenue Chicago, IL 60659 6 Chicago a cappella
In the 1960s, another dimension of the spiritual developed: the spiritual as protest song. A white folksinger named Guy Carawan was doing research on the spiritual while he was involved in the struggle for civil rights and working with African-American community groups in the South. He encouraged subtle adaptations of the lyrics, so that the thrust of the songs turned from a sacred sentiment to a more overtly political one. For example,
I N T R O D U C T I O N ( c o n t .) “Woke up this morning with my mind stayed on Jesus” became “Woke up this morning with my mind stayed on freedom.” With this one alteration, the song became a protest vehicle. In this way, spirituals have become somewhat jumbled in the popular imagination: they are not only the authentic voice of the brutal slave experience, but in their reimagined forms they are also part the voice of the struggle for civil rights. ******* If the spiritual were merely beautiful, it would not have the impact on us that it so clearly does. There is more to the phenomenon. The deep compassion in the words of the spiritual give the songs a dimension unique in folk music. How does this happen? Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s executive assistant, the Rev. Wyatt Walker, wrote in 1963: One of the most outstanding characteristics of all the songs is that, free as the music is from cacophony and discord, just as remarkably free is its poetry from any word of bitterness, anger, or reproach. . . . Whatever the condition or circumstance, the . . . spiritual plumbs the depth of human experience. There is a two-way bargain here. While the spiritual allows for emotional release and the expression of deep pathos, it also requires us to meet it halfway in our own hearts. It takes an emotional commitment just to listen to spirituals. There is no passive washing-over us of spirituals, unless we ourselves are spiritually dead. This is why spirituals are agents of healing in a way that Muzak will never be. The spiritual also requires—in its conception and in its performance—a quality called by some the moan, as was once explained to me by Professor William Dargan from North Carolina and echoed by African-American storytellers here in Chicago. The moan is a quality without which a spiritual cannot be fully alive. We know it instinctively, but I name it to bring it forward in our awareness. The moan is not just for singers; it is for all of us, a necessary ingredient of compassion. If we are to carry this tradition of spirituals forward, whatever our backgrounds might be, we can’t skip the moan. We don’t get to skip the vegetables and just eat the dessert; we can’t simply enjoy the beautiful harmonies and profound texts. There is a qualitative, inner experience of humanity to be shared here, without which the essence of the genre will be lost in future generations. The moan is part of what we have to bear together, and it can be a heavy load, but it must be this way. ******* If the spiritual teaches us anything, it is that we are not alone, even in our darkest moments and our times of deepest sorrow. Our connection to one another, tenuous as it may sometimes be, is ultimately the agent of our collective transformation. The fate of our planet depends on our ability to act in accordance with our gradual awakening to our beautiful, fragile, miraculous interdependence. Thank goodness for music that helps us remember that our individual and collective sorrows are meant to be shared. ******* On a more personal note, also about being connected: I love it when things come full circle, and these concerts provide several such connections. Way back in 1993, at Chicago a cappella’s debut concerts, there was a spiritual on the program,“Steal Away,” arranged by Joseph Jennings. That song was a staple of our first several years of concerts. Here we are, nineteen years later, and today we have the wondrous privilege of premiering a new commission—again, a spiritual—by Mr. Jennings. We will sing for you his new setting of Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen, a haunting and heartfelt work. It is an occasion of great joy to get to present to you not only a new piece by this supremely musical man, but also one written expressly for Chicago a cappella’s voices. It just doesn’t get much better than that. Wade in the Water 7
I N T R O D U C T I O N ( c o n t .) That is an almost twenty-year cycle. Another one, twice that long, comes full circle now. I myself have been singing spirituals since I joined the Chicago Children’s Choir at the age of nine, and finally at the age of forty-nine I have had the opportunity, for the first time, to arrange spirituals. Chicago a cappella commissioned me to write new music for this concert as well, for which I am deeply grateful; the result is the set of Old Testament Spirituals on the second half. Yet another cycle comes ‘round. This set of concerts also marks the first time in 11 years where executive director (and baritone) Matt Greenberg will be in the audience instead of on stage. Matt is the original “Iron Man” on our roster, having sung a remarkable run of 326 performances starting with our debut concert in 1993, all the way through the Holidays a cappella concerts we sang two months ago. Matt decided to take a well-deserved break for this set of concerts, and I hope that you will join me in thanking him in person for his tremendous loyalty. His ongoing dedication to Chicago a cappella, both as a singer and as our tireless Executive Director, is unmatched in the history of our organization. I dedicate these concerts, in turn, to Matt in honor of his unique contribution to Chicago a cappella. Bravo, my dear friend, and thank you, far beyond what can be expressed in words. ******* —Jonathan Miller Founder and Artistic Director
PROGR A M NOTES arr. Marques Garrett: Great Day! A gifted singer, conductor, composer, and arranger, Marques Garrett began composing and arranging while a student at Hampton Institute, one of the leading institutions for the study and performance of the spiritual. He received advanced degrees at UNCGreensboro and is Director of Choral Activities at Cheyney University in Pennsylvania. Great Day! is a majestic combination of tune and text. After a straightforward presentation of the refrain and first verse, Garrett splits the choir into men’s and women’s quartets, nicely setting off the differences between them in tone and range. After getting the men going in this way, he creates a gospel-style “vamp” where the voice parts are added one by one, starting with the split basses, then in turn adding tenors, and finally soprano and alto, for a vigorous and powerful eight-part texture to close. arr. Harry T. Burleigh / Cantus: Deep River Harry T. Burleigh was one of the great early classically-trained arrangers of the spiritual, publishing solo settings with piano by the dozens in the 1910s and 1920s. Burleigh was a soloist, quartet singer, composer, and arranger, trained at the New York Conservatory. Following his schooling in New York City, he remained there for decades and served as a mentor to younger musicians. Burleigh was the one who introduced Antonin Dvořak to spirituals in the 1890s. There is a lively scholarly discussion about the Burleigh-Dvořak connection. Wayne Shirley argues convincingly that Burleigh’s setting of Deep River owes a great deal to—and would be inconceivable without—the Largo (very slow) movement of Dvořak’s New World Symphony. Before the orchestral work, the primary method of singing Deep River was at an upbeat tempo, as was the original tradition of the Fisk Jubilee Singers. The setting on today’s concert is an adaptation for men’s voices, by the vocal group Cantus, of the solo and choral versions that Burleigh published in the 1910s.
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P R O G R A M N O T E S ( c o n t .) arr. Lela Anderson: I’m Gonna Sing Lela Anderson is a composer, conductor, pianist, and church musician in the Houston area. She has superbly arranged dozens of spirituals. She first came to Chicago a cappella’s attention with her arrangement of Give me Jesus. Anderson’s recent setting of I’m Gonna Sing is for women’s voices. It features a soloist alternating with a choral group in a call-and-response setting. The three choral parts are voiced in classic close spacings, with a few nice touches of blues notes here and there. The back-and-forth nature of the song gets more and more compressed at the end as the soloist gets louder and higher. ******* arr. Colin Lett: I Want Jesus To Walk With Me A remarkable young musician and minister, Colin Lett had four arrangements of spirituals published by the Chicago-based GIA Publications when he was an undergraduate student at Morgan State University. He has created the Colin Lett Chorale in Baltimore, which he conducts while attending graduate studies in theology and serving as an active preacher. Mr. Lett’s setting of I Want Jesus To Walk With Me begins slowly and mournfully, with a heartfelt solo line. The song then creates a double-speed accompaniment in the choir, which is maintained throughout. The men’s voices are split into four parts early on, making a low sort of walking rumble under the women’s treatment of the tune; later on the roles are switched, with four women’s parts laid over the slower tune in the unison men’s voices. The ending brings back a simpler texture for a powerful close. arr. André Thomas: Go Down ‘n the Valley and Pray! Dr. André Thomas is the longtime director of choral activities at Florida State University and an internationally acclaimed composer, arranger, conductor, clinician, performer, and scholar. His books and articles are considered definitive resources for the history and performance practice of the spiritual. It has been suggested that this song springs from the slaves’ communal experience in the “brush arbor,” or a secluded spot on the plantation away from the eyes of an overseer. It was here that some of the essential rituals of the slave experience took place, such as the ring shout. Also part of this group gathering was a confessional, where one would ask another, his “brother,” if the latter was ready to confess his shortcomings: “Brother, didn’t conscience come and tell you to go down in the valley and pray?” The proper response is that “No, I ain’t ashamed to honor my Lord.” In the variant of the text used by Thomas, the image of Noah and the flood also appears; the implication is that Noah too is unashamed, and that one should follow Noah’s example of being openly willing to be cleansed from sin and be saved. ******* arr. Colin Lett: Fix Me, Jesus It took Colin Lett some gumption to arrange this famous tune, when so many prominent arrangers have put their hand to it. Lett gives a few unusual touches that make this arrangement special: he subtly speeds up the accompanying voices in the second verse; he does the same with the men in the final chorus, with a beautiful harmonic twist that accentuates the sense of pleading. For the record: An arrangement of the spiritual “Fix Me, Jesus” by Hall Johnson appears on our CD Go Down, Moses. Wade in the Water 9
P R O G R A M N O T E S ( c o n t .) Robert L. Morris: Save Me, Lord! Robert Leigh Morris is an arranger with a deft, singular, accomplished voice. He spent much of his early career in Chicago and was exposed to a wide variety of influences; he arranged for Duke Ellington and brings his technical control of musical texture and harmony to his settings of spirituals. Morris is a master of the gospel-quartet style and of creating angular rhythms that propel the piece forward. “Save Me, Lord!” is an original composition. Morris notes that, while his piece draws on both the genres of spirituals and gospel music, it is technically neither. Like Moses Hogan, Morris draws the rhythmic life that is in the melody into the other voice parts as well. The florid, virtuoso soprano solo makes this work unusually vivid and plaintive, while the men sing in open harmonies to ground the mood in the earth. For the record: Two spiritual arrangements by Robert L. Morris appear on our CD Holidays a cappella Live. ******* arr. K. Lee Scott: Wayfarin’ Stranger This spiritual appears in both African-American and white (Appalachian) folk spiritual traditions. Its first appearance in print was in 1816, when Bishop Richard Allen of the AME Church in Philadelphia published it in a hymnal. However, there are variants of the tune all over the American South, and it seriously has been conjectured that the tune originated in an obscure mixed-race gypsy group known as the Melungeons. Regardless of its actual origin, the tune has been popular throughout the 20th century. Singers who have recorded it range from Burl Ives (1944) to Pete Seeger and Joan Baez, from Johnny Cash to Eva Cassidy; even the early-music group Anonymous 4 did a version recently. K. Lee Scott’s a cappella setting of Wayfarin’ Stranger is unusually fine. The song goes into as many as seven parts, with carefully controlled “extra” notes merely providing beautiful harmonic color, never getting in the way of the song’s basic intent. A wailing baritone solo appears toward the middle, and from there it gradually moves to a compelling close. arr. Nathaniel Dett: Walk Togedder, Childron Nathaniel Dett’s classic text, Religious Folk-Songs of the Negro (1922), was based on transcriptions of performances by the Hampton Institute choirs. Dett masterfully documented what up to that point was an oral tradition at Hampton. The Hampton charts are fuller in texture and more robust in rhythm than the Fisk arrangements published fifty years earlier; perhaps Dett was a more skillful transcriber of rhythm and harmony. In any case, Walk Togedder, Childron has an infectious energy, made all the more wonderful by the tenor solo, which provides a kick-start to the verses and a soaring melody in the refrain. For the record: Nathaniel Dett’s “Walk Togeder, Childron” appears on our CD Go Down, Moses. ******* arr. Paul Carey: Blin’ Man Paul Carey is a versatile musician with international credits as a composer, arranger, and conductor. If you have ever heard Chicago a cappella sing his haunting setting of Hear de lambs a-cryin’, you know that you’re in for a treat when it comes to this gifted arranger’s work with spirituals. 10 Chicago a cappella
P R O G R A M N O T E S ( c o n t .) Carey’s exquisite musical setting of Blin’ Man is soulful and mournful. The narrator sings of the suffering of one who is acutely aware of his or her shortcomings. First we hear that the “blin’ man stood on de road an’ cried,” from the story of Bartimaeus, who called out to Jesus for mercy. In the Bible story, Jesus simply says to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” However, in Carey’s simple setting, the absolution is absent; the narrator simply says, “When I was a sinner, I stood on de road an’ cried, cryin’, O Lawd, show me de way…. ” We are left to make for ourselves the inference that the narrator’s healing depends on strength of faith—clearly a challenge, given the seriousness of the song. arr. Moses Hogan: Wade in the Water The late Moses Hogan was one of the leading forces of his generation in promoting the spiritual around the world. From his home base in New Orleans, he was a prolific arranger, conductor, pianist, and recording artist; he also toured around the globe with his group, the Moses Hogan Chorale. His settings are among the best-selling arrangements of spirituals ever published. Wade in the Water contrasts a quicker-pulsed, almost liquid choral accompaniment with a smoother, slower melody, taken here by a mezzo-soprano. Hogan also makes a specific instruction about dialect, namely that the choir should articulate the “t” in the word “water,” evidently for purposes of rhythmic propulsion, while the soloist should sing the word more fluidly, with a “d” instead of the “t”. As with most of Hogan’s charts, the setting mostly repeats the same material for each verse chorus, then takes off with a flourish at the end. For the record: Moses Hogan’s arrangement of the spiritual “Elijah Rock” appears on our CD Go Down, Moses. ******* arr. Joseph Jennings: Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen world premiere, commissioned by Chicago a cappella Joseph Jennings is widely regarded as one of the choral world’s top conductors and music directors, clinicians and arrangers. He joined the renowned a cappella group, Chanticleer, in 1983 as a countertenor, and shortly thereafter assumed the position of Music Director, a position he held until 2008. Under his direction, Chanticleer achieved international renown, releasing 23 critically-acclaimed recordings of works ranging from Gregorian chant to Renaissance masterworks to jazz. Many of the recordings became Billboard best sellers, including the Grammy Award-winners Colors of Love, Magnificat and, most recently, the world premiere of Sir John Tavener’s Lamentations and Praises, which won two Grammy Awards. Mr. Jennings has performed at the most prestigious festivals and concert halls throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. He has also been a frequent visitor to prominent local and national radio programs including WGBH (Boston), WNYC (New York), Minnesota Public Radio, and National Public Radio. As a prolific composer and arranger, Mr. Jennings has provided Chanticleer with some of its most popular repertoire, most notably spirituals, gospel music and jazz standards. He has also composed for such ensembles as The Palo Alto High School Chorus, The San Francisco Girls Chorus, VocalEssence, The GALA V Festival Chorus, The New York City Gay Men’s Chorus, The Dale Warland Singers, The Phoenix Bach Choir, Los Angeles Vocal and Instrumental Ensemble and Chanticleer. Jennings recently completed a multi-year composition project, When Nights Were Dark (70 minutes total length) for the Japanese dance duo Eiko and Koma. His compositions and arrangements are published by Oxford, Hinshaw, and Yelton Rhodes. Mr. Jennings is currently Artist-In-Residence at the University of South Carolina at Aiken. He has served as adjunct Professor of Music directing the University Chorus at the University of California at Berkeley, guest conductor for the San Francisco Girls Chorus, and Minister of Music of Third Baptist Church, San Francisco. Recently he served as guest conductor for performances of the Estonia Philharmonic Chamber Choir. Wade in the Water 11
P R O G R A M N O T E S ( c o n t .) Jennings chose to set “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen” for his commission from Chicago a cappella. With his unusually adept mastery of very slow tempi, Jennings has created here a superb work that captures the spirit of a troubled soul. The tempo speeds up and slows down in keeping with the nature of the words; the men and women alternate telling the story, with the other half of the choir responding, “Oh yes, Lord.” The powerful ending chorus features a baritone soloist, grounded harmonically by the alto/tenor/bass, while a three-part women’s chorus cascades down with a repeated recalling of “Nobody,” leading to the final majestic—yet still poignant—“Glory Hallelujah.” arr. Joseph Jennings: Way Over in Beulah-lan’ The word “Beulah” in Hebrew translates to “married.” The basic idea for this lyric comes from Isaiah 62:4, as follows in an older English translation from around the year 1900: Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah; for Jehovah delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. Therefore “Beulah-land” is a land that has been symbolically wedded to God. While the age-old metaphor is a little on the heady side, the spiritual, and especially Joseph Jennings’s setting of it, are much more fun! This high-energy arrangement was created for his residency in Estonia. The leader sings that “we gonna break of the Hembly [heavenly] bread” and “we gonna drink of the Holy wine.” Jennings pours an intensity of focus and drive into the work, making subtle alterations and blues notes here and there as the piece progresses. For the record: Joseph Jennings’ arrangement of the spiritual “Steal Away” appears on our CD Go Down, Moses. INTERMISSION arr. Damon Dandridge: Scandalize My Name Damon Dandridge is the former Director of Choral Activities at Cheyney University, now pursuing doctoral studies at Michigan State University, where he conducts the Collegiate Chorale. He has been involved in the “105 Voices of History” project since its inception. His choral settings have been met with worldwide acclaim and have been featured at numerous All-State and international festivals. Scandalize My Name is a little bit unusual among spirituals. Its purpose is to rebuke the gossip found in the slave community, according to Rosephanye and William Powell, editors of the new Oxford anthology of spirituals for upper voices from which this setting is taken. Dandridge’s setting captures the light-heartedness of the community’s gentle ribbing, as well as the seriousness of the topic at hand.
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P R O G R A M N O T E S ( c o n t .) arr. Jester Hairston: Poor Man Lazrus Born in 1901, the grandson of slaves, Jester Hairston tried to study landscape design but had to stop when his church scholarship money ran out; several years later, he went to Tufts University and received a music degree in 1928. He went to Hollywood as assistant conductor for the Hall Johnson Choir; the contacts he made in the L.A. area would support his career as a film-score conductor and arranger of spirituals and other folk songs. He wrote the song “Amen” for the film Lilies of the Field and overdubbed his own singing for that of Sidney Poitier. Hairston was among the leading arrangers of spirituals in the decades around World War II, publishing more than 300 settings. Poor Man Lazrus is a longtime favorite of the glee-club circuit. The chorus “I’m tormented in the flame” refers to the rich man (sometimes called “Dives,” or, here, “Divies”), who scorns poor Lazarus, a man covered with sores. Though he has to scavenge table crumbs, Lazarus is devout and ends up going to heaven; by contrast, as the second verse notes, the rich man Divies goes to hell, where it is hot. From his vantage point in hell, Divies sees Lazarus in the company of Abraham up in heaven and asks Abraham to give him some water to “cool my tongue.” However, Abraham rebukes Divies, saying that the rich man should have helped Lazarus while they were alive. Hairston’s speedy setting is a little bit reminiscent of the children’s game “hot potato,” where you’ve got to move quickly to avoid getting burned! For the record: Two spiritual arrangements by Jester Hairston appear on our CD Go Down, Moses. ******* arr. Jonathan Miller: Old Testament Spirituals World premiere, commissioned by Chicago a cappella Jonathan Miller writes as follows: For this commission, I chose spirituals about characters of the Old Testament: King David, Daniel, Moses, and Joshua. The cycle is in two movements. The first, short movement is “Little David, Play On Your Harp”; the much longer second movement is a layered combination of “Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel”; “Go Down, Moses”; and “Joshua Fit De Battle of Jericho.” Movement 1: “Little David, Play On Your Harp” I learned the tune for “Little David” from the classic collection of spirituals arranged for solo voice and piano by the distinguished composer Harry T. Burleigh. I had a clear sense of déjà vu when I first sang through the tune. Two things struck me immediately. First was the melody and structure of the refrain, especially the “Hallelu.” This is almost an exact duplicate of the refrain to the shape-note tune, “The Old Ship of Zion,” which I first learned from Anne Heider almost 30 years ago in a memorable concert by His Majestie’s Clerkes. The “Old Ship of Zion” tune is believed to have originated in the great evangelical camp meetings of the Second Great Awakening. Because blacks and whites are known to have worshipped together in at least some of those camp meetings, it is not a far stretch of the imagination to think that “Little David” could have originated in a camp-meeting setting – or that slaves might have heard whites singing “Old Ship of Zion” and adapted the refrain for their own singing purposes. Another possibility is that “Little David” was a slave song first and then got transmitted orally into the camp meetings, from which it migrated into the white shape-note repertoire. In any event, the similarities were very strong between the shape-note tune I knew and the melody from Burleigh’s collection. The second thing that I noticed was how simple the tune is—so simple, in fact, that it only uses five notes of the scale. (This is called, for obvious reasons, a pentatonic scale.) I wanted to somehow reflect the pentatonic melody in my arrangement. I ended up doing just that, perhaps obsessively: the entire piece, including all four voice parts and solos, Wade in the Water 13
P R O G R A M N O T E S ( c o n t .) is composed only using the five pitches of the melody’s own scale. The tune is in F pentatonic, so the pitches are F, G, A, C, and D. This posed a little bit of a challenge, because it meant I couldn’t use certain harmonies, such as a real “IV” or subdominant chord, which in this case would be a B-flat major chord. Therefore, I had to hint at things that felt like that missing chord. In many ways the restriction of pitches made the job easier, and I put in a few “crunchy” harmonies that may remind some listeners of shape-note hymnody. However, this song remains a spiritual, so it became imperative to make sure that the element of the “moan” was preserved; this was done mostly through the intensity of emotion in the verses. The refrain remains on the simpler side, almost like a playground song or sweet lullaby. Movement 2: “Daniel, Moses, Joshua” For this movement, based on three spirituals, I wanted to create a piece of choral music whose direction was not obvious at first, but emerged from a more atmospheric opening. The piece starts with humming and then works its way into vowels that suggest, but do not actually declare, the names involved in the three spirituals. Only gradually do actual words and names come into relief where they are more recognizable. Once the characters are introduced a little more fully, then the melodies start to take more recognizable shape too. The “Daniel” tune starts to emerge, only to have “Go Down, Moses” take over with verse and chorus. Once that is done, “Daniel” takes over in the women’s voices, accompanied by “Moses” in the tenor and bass. This piece uses a layering technique that was possible for several reasons. All three tunes—“Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel,”“Go “Down, Moses,” and “Joshua Fit De Battle of Jericho”—are often sung in the key of D minor. (This is sort of funny to me, because D minor is also a key often found in Jewish folksong, and these are Jewish characters in the songs.) The spirituals are usually associated with definite harmonies; the more I looked at them, the more it seemed in particular that the refrains to “Daniel” and “Joshua,” although they tell different stories, are in truth almost the same melody! You may notice that the last line of the refrain to “Daniel” reads: “An’-a why not every man?” The last line of “Joshua,” similarly, reads: “An’ de walls come tumbalin’ down.” Not only are the texts similar, but the melodies at the corresponding places in the refrains are almost identical, with the figure of a falling-down scale. This “an-‘a” phrase is the very point where “Daniel” transitions into “Joshua Fit De Battle of Jericho,” which now gets a full hearing, along with all the verses and a majestic tenor solo, to conclude the movement. As a final observation: I got rather excited about the “tumblin’ down” image, and that idea appears all over the song. For the record: Works by Jonathan Miller appear on our CDs Days of Awe and Rejoicing, Eclectric, and Holidays a cappella Live. ******* Robert L. Morris: I’m Tired, Lord This is a “Characteristic,” which is a hybrid genre that is newly composed but uses folk idioms. (A famous example of a characteristic is Dett’s Listen to the Lambs.) Morris notes that the essential line of the text is “I know I am a child of God although I move so slow.” The tempo is a slow one, the harmonies tinged with blues chromaticisms; the whole song poignantly reflects a person’s soul-weariness. For the record: Two spiritual arrangements by Robert L. Morris appear on our CD Holidays a cappella Live.
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P R O G R A M N O T E S ( c o n t .) arr. William Dawson: Soon ‘Ah Will Be Done Within the genre of spirituals, this setting by Dawson is one of the true greats, a classic of the repertory since its original publication in 1934. Dawson was the leader of the choral program at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama and a profoundly influential musical figure. “Soon ‘Ah Will Be Done” brings us a remarkable combination of excitement and sadness. The tempo marking (Allegro) lets us know that the piece is supposed to move along, without getting bogged down in sentimentality. After a lifetime of “weepin’ and a-wailin’,” the excitement of going to see not only one’s mother in heaven but also Jesus is tremendous indeed, almost too much to bear. —Notes by Jonathan Miller
T H A N K YO U Special thanks to Brian Streem and Betsy Grizzell for repertoire suggestions, and to all the composers and arrangers for their work. Thanks to the following for production and technical assistance: Chris Baer Bronzeville Historical Society: Sherry Williams Enid Frandzel Bill Hoban The Homestead: David Reynolds and Christyl Uhan Merit School of Music: Tom Bracy, Brian Gordon Music Institute of Chicago: Fiona Queen, Jared Scott North Central College: Ken Hannah Pilgrim Congregational Church: Joan Hutchinson, Joycelin Fowler Thanks also to The Saints, Volunteers for the Performing Arts, for providing our house staff. For information visit www.saintschicago.org or call 773-529-5510.
C H I C AG O A C A P P E L L A A R T I S T R O S T E R 2 011-12 Jonathan Miller...................................................................................................................Artistic Director Patrick Sinozich..................................................................................................................... Music Director Hoss Brock..............................................................................................................................tenor (Women) Klaus Georg...................................................................................tenor (Days of Awe; Holidays, Wade) Matt Greenberg........................................................................ bass (Days of Awe; Holidays; Women) Elizabeth Grizzell....................................................................................................mezzo (entire season) Garrett Johannsen.............................................................................................................tenor (Holidays) Kathryn Kamp.....................................................................soprano (Days of Awe; Holidays; Women) Alexia Kruger..................................................................................................... soprano (Holidays; Wade) Joe Labozetta............................................................................................................bass (Holidays; Wade) Trevor Mitchell............................................................................... tenor (Days of Awe; Wade; Women) Cari Plachy..................................................................................soprano (Days of Awe; Wade; Women) Sarah Ponder..................................................................................................................... mezzo (Holidays) Benjamin Rivera.............................................................................. bass (Days of Awe; Wade; Women) Susan Schober.............................................................................mezzo (Days of Awe; Wade; Women) Brian Streem................................................................................................................. bass (entire season)
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BIOGR APHIES Jonathan Miller, Founder and Artistic Director Since founding Chicago a cappella in 1993, Jonathan Miller has guided the ensemble through more than 130 concerts, seven commercial CD releases, and thirty choral-music demo CDs. His international accolades include the 2008 Louis Botto Award for Innovative Action and Entrepreneurial Zeal from Chorus America. His skills at presenting a wide spectrum of music are a combined product of his singer’s ear, scholar’s training, and composer’s temperament. He was fortunate to be exposed at an early age to a wide range of music by a remarkable group of mentors, including Christopher Moore, Lena McLin, Max Janowski, Joseph Brewer, Howard Mayer Brown, Richard Proulx, John Nygro, and Anne Heider. He was a founding member of His Majestie’s Clerkes (now Bella Voce) and for ten years was bass soloist with the Harwood Early Music Ensemble. Eager to learn research tools for repertoire, Jonathan pursued musicology, earning his doctorate at UNC-Chapel Hill while remaining an active performer. Since returning to the Chicago area, Jonathan has expanded his role as a conductor and composer. He has led the volunteer choir at Unity Temple and Heritage Chorale in Oak Park and has served several other choirs as clinician and coach. He has written more than fifty choral works in a variety of genres and languages; his music has been sung at venues including St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City and the Pentagon. He conducted his piece The Lincoln Memorial at the Lincoln Memorial on the 200th anniversary weekend of Lincoln’s birth. Since 1998, Jonathan has taken a growing leadership role in Chicago-area Jewish music, leading the high-holiday choir and occasional Kabbalat Shabbat services at Congregation Rodfei Zedek in Hyde Park; he now serves there as high-holiday cantor. He is principal guest conductor of Kol Zimrah, the Jewish Community Chorus of Metro Chicago, and holds as a great honor his role as publisher of the late Max Janowski’s catalogue. Jonathan enjoys the blessings of family and neighbors in the woods of Downers Grove, where he loves helping to maintain two shared vegetable gardens. 16 Chicago a cappella
Matt Greenberg, Executive Director A founding ensemble member of Chicago a cappella, Matt has served as the organization’s Executive Director since 1995. Combining a career in arts management with that of a professional singer, he has been an active member of the Chicago arts community for over 25 years. Matt has led workshops for Chorus America’s national conference and for the Arts and Business Council of Chicago. He has served as a panelist for the city of Chicago’s CityArts granting program and currently serves on the executive committee for the website ChicagoClassicalMusic.org. Matt has sung with Chicago a cappella since the group’s inception in 1993. He has also performed in musical theater and with many of Chicago’s other leading choral ensembles, including the Chicago Symphony Chorus, Music of the Baroque, William Ferris Chorale, and the Grant Park Chorus Patrick Sinozich, Music Director An acclaimed choral conductor, pianist, vocal coach, and chamber musician, Patrick Sinozich joined Chicago a cappella’s musical staff in 2007 as Music Director. He is currently in his 15th season as Artistic Director of the Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus, and is Assistant Director of Music at St. Clement Catholic Church in Lincoln Park. He is on the musical staff of the Chicago Symphony and has performed chamber music with members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Lyric Opera Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony and the Cincinnati Symphony. He has also produced four CDs for Chicago a cappella and three for the Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus (which feature many of his own arrangements). Patrick will be moving on to other professional opportunities after this spring’s Gala, Come Together, capping off a very successful five year run as Chicago a cappella’s first-ever music director. We’ll relish these final chances to celebrate the great musical gifts Patrick has brought to Chicago a cappella!
B I O G R A P H I E S ( c o n t .) Klaus Georg, tenor In his first year with Chicago a cappella, Klaus Georg is an active tenor, conductor, and teacher in the Chicago area. He is currently Adjunct Professor of Voice at Carthage College while pursuing doctoral studies at Northwestern University. Klaus has performed leading tenor roles in Mozart’s Zauberflöte, Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmelites, Loesser’s The Most Happy Fella, and Hoiby’s Summer and Smoke, as well as the tenor solos in Mozart’s Requiem, Händel’s Messiah, Haydn’s Creation, and Brahms’s Zigeunerlieder. Recently, he appeared as the tenor soloist in Mozart’s Requiem at the Music Institute of Chicago and as Chibiabos in ColeridgeTaylor’s Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast in Park Ridge. An accomplished choral singer, Klaus sings with the CSO Chorus and Music of the Baroque, and has appeared as a soloist with both groups. He also sings with the Grant Park Music Festival and is chorus director at Beth Emet the Free Synagogue.
Elizabeth Grizzell, mezzo Mezzo-soprano Elizabeth Grizzell has performed with groups both in Chicago and abroad. She has appeared as soloist with the Tunbridge Wells Opera, the Marlow Choral Society, and the Wooburn Singers of England. As a member of the Chicago Symphony Chorus, she has recorded the role of Apprentice with the late Sir Georg Solti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in Wagner’s Die Meistersinger. Betsy is also a member of the Grant Park Chorus, and records regularly as a soloist for GIA Publications. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree with a vocal emphasis from DePaul University. This will be Betsy’s 12th season with Chicago a cappella. She is proud to be programming this year’s All About the Women concert, and she previously programmed the ensemble’s 2009 concert, The Birds and the Bees. Of special note is her Betsy’s MusiKids program, a musical education experience designed for children ages 16 months to 9 years old.
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B I O G R A P H I E S ( c o n t .) Her studio in Naperville introduces more than 100 children each year to the fun and beauty of music. Find her on Facebook at “Betsy’s MusiKids”, or at www.grizzell.com. Alexia Kruger, soprano Alexia Kruger enjoys performing a wide variety of music from the stage to the recital hall. A member of the Chicago Symphony Chorus and the Grant Park Chorus, Alexia has also been a soloist with such groups as the Chicago Chamber Orchestra (J.S. Bach’s Cantata 51), Chicago Sinfonietta at the Shedd and at Joffrey, Mantra Blue Free Orchestra, the Valparaiso University Symphony Orchestra (R. Strauss Beim Schlafengehen and Im Abendrot), and the University of Illinois Percussion Ensemble (Stravinsky’s Les Noces). She loves art song as well and has given recitals at such venues as the Chicago Cultural Center, Fourth Presbyterian Church, and several locations with VOX 3. Past roles have included Susanna and Contessa dAlmaviva (Le Nozze di Figaro), Giulietta (Les Contes dHoffmann), the title role in Suor Angelica, Lola (Gallantry), and Eve (Children of Eden). She is very excited to sing with Chicago a cappella this season! Joe Labozetta, bass Hailing from Northern California, Joe Labozetta moved to Chicago in 2003 to further his musical studies at DePaul University’s School of Music. After finishing a degree in Sound Recording Technology, he quickly immersed himself into a full-time career as a professional musician. Joe currently holds the position of Director of Music at St. Josaphat Church, where he is kept busy with choirs, pipe organs, handbells and composing hymnody. His local choral activities have included Chicago Symphony Chorus, Grant Park Chorus, Bella Voce, and the William Ferris Chorale. Joe is also an award-winning baritone soloist, notably at the International Choral Kathaumixw in Powell River, B.C., Canada. Additionally, as an accomplished keyboardist, guitarist 18 Chicago a cappella
and bassist, Joe performs in venues other than churches and concert halls. In fact, Labozetta sightings have been reported in dive bars, hotel lounges and almost-butnot-yet foreclosed recording studios. Trevor Mitchell, tenor Acclaimed as having “simply the most uniquely beautiful and easily produced tenor instrument most people will ever hear,” Trevór Mitchell’s career has taken him across the U.S. as well as to Austria, Italy, Ukraine, the United Kingdom. Recently audiences heard him in Bach’s B-Minor Mass, Weihnachts-Oratorium, St. Matthew Passion, and St. John Passion, Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Mozart’s Requiem, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis and Ninth Symphony, Vivaldi’s Beatus Vir, Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, and several recitals, one being a recital for honored guest Paul, Duke of Oldenburg of Germany. Under the baton of the renowned John Rutter, Trevór performed Vaughn Williams’ Serenade to Music. Recent performances also include Messiah with the Baroque Band and Handel’s Judas Maccabaeus. He also recorded Don Meyers’ Meditation in Three Reflections with the Millennium Symphony of Norfolk, VA. Upcoming engagements include Haydn’s Theresienmesse, Mozart’s Requiem, Rossini’s Stabat Mater, a recording of Christmas music and several solo recitals. Cari Plachy, soprano Chicago native Cari Plachy is enjoying splitting her time between choral and opera singing. She has been seen throughout the Midwest with Opera for the Young, DuPage Opera Theater, Light Opera Works and Bowen Park Opera. Her choral work includes singing with the Chicago Symphony Chorus. In 2008, she had an opportunity to step out from the chorus and sing a solo in Bruckner’s Psalm 150. The Chicago Sun-Times recognized it as being a “sparkling, and aggressively sung solo.” Cari received her Bachelor’s degree in music education from DePaul University. Since then, she has been working with the education department of the Chicago Symphony
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Youth Choral Festival Saturday, March 10, 2012 Athenaeum Theater 2936 N. Southport Ave., Chicago FREE concert at 5:00 PM Our first-ever Youth Choral Festival brings small ensembles from Chicagoarea high schools together with Chicago a cappella’s professional singers and directors for a day of workshops, singing and performing. This noncompetitive festival will culminate in a free concert for the public featuring all of the groups, including Chicago a cappella, singing alone and as a large festival choir. This year’s participating ensembles are Sounds of Sweetness from Walter Payton College Preparatory High School, Bazao from Evanston Township High School and Bel Canto from University of Chicago Laboratory High School. Please join us at 5pm to watch and support these talented young singers! Free tickets available at the door. Wade in the Water 19
B I O G R A P H I E S ( c o n t .) Orchestra, bringing music to children all over Chicago. In addition to her work in Chicago, Cari is fortunate to bring her love of music to deaf children at Child’s Voice School in Wood Dale. Benjamin Rivera, bass Bass-baritone Benjamin Rivera appears often as a concert and oratorio soloist. Recent appearances include performances of Bach’s St. John Passion, several Haydn Masses and a local premiere of a song cycle for baritone and instrumental sextet by Stacy Garrop. He is a longtime member of the Chicago Symphony Chorus, where he served in the position of section leader for several seasons. Benjamin also sings with the Grant Park Chorus during the summer. He recently completed his tenth season as conductor of the Chicago-area chamber choir Cantate, with whom he performs a wide range of mainly a cappella music. Benjamin holds the Master of Music degree in Music Theory from Roosevelt University and recently left a teaching position at St. Xavier University to pursue doctoral studies in conducting at Northwestern University. Susan Schober, mezzo Susan Schober is a founding member of Chicago a cappella. A native Chicagoan, she sang for nine years with the Chicago Children’s Choir, and has performed a wide variety of solo and choral music with
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Chicago-area ensembles. Most recently, she was a soloist at the 23rd International Kodály Festival in Kecskemét, Hungary. In addition to solo and choral music, Susan has performed leading roles in several theatrical productions, including Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, Britten’s Albert Herring, Herman’s La Cage Aux Folles, and Sullivan’s Utopia Limited. Susan received her bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University and a master’s degree in Music Education from Holy Names University in Oakland, CA. She is an accomplished music educator, specializing in the Kodály Method. She has taught students at every level, from preschool to graduate level teacher training. Susan loves both singing and teaching, but her favorite job is being a new mom to twins Katherine and Andrew. Brian Streem, bass A lover of choral music, Brian Streem has been a member of some of Chicago’s finest choral ensembles, including the Chicago Symphony Chorus, the Grant Park Symphony Chorus, Bella Voce, the William Ferris Chorale, and the Chicago Jazz Ensemble. His theatrical credits have included Pippin (Pippin), Jesus (Jesus Christ Superstar), Sky Masterson (Guys and Dolls), Jack (Into the Woods), Philip (Lion in Winter) and the star of the one-man show All in the Timing. His recent work with Chicago a cappella was praised by critic Cathryn Wilkinson, who noted that he “pattered out a better maraca ostinato with his mouth than many drummers can with two hands.” Brian is a graduate of the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University, studying music theory with Dr. Rudy Marcozzi.
UPCOMING CONCERTS ALL ABOUT THE WOMEN From the holiest of hymns to the most raucous spoofs, this concert is a sassy and sublime homage to the fair sex. Acclaimed Jeff Award-winning actress Barbara Robertson is our guide for this charming musical journey.
Barbara Robertson Evanston Saturday, April 14, 8:00 pm Nichols Concert Hall Oak Park Sunday, April 15, 4:00 pm Pilgrim Congregational Church
Chicago Friday, April 20, 8:00 pm Gottlieb Hall at Merit School of Music Naperville Saturday, April 21, 8:00 pm Wentz Concert Hall
COME TOGETHER: A Benefit Bash Featuring the Music of Lennon and McCartney
Join us at for a magical evening of music and revelry amid the antique wonderland of Chicago’s Salvage One. Groove to the ensemble’s performances of Lennon and McCartney songs, and enjoy hors d’oeuvres, wine, and dessert as well as an exciting raffle and silent auction. All proceeds support Chicago a cappella’s educational and artistic programs. Don’t miss this unforgettable event! Tribute Award Honoree: John Vorrasi Friends of the Year: The Arts & Business Council of Chicago with special recognition to Joan Gunzberg Thursday, May 17, 2012 · Salvage One Tickets and Information www.chicagoacappella.org or (773) 281-7820 Wade in the Water 21
DONORS We offer our deep gratitude to our contributors who made gifts and pledges to Chicago a cappella between January 1, 2011 and January 12, 2012. We regret that we are unable to list the many thoughtful contributors who made gifts under $50. If this list contains an error, please accept our apologies and kindly let us know so that we may correct it.
INSTITUTIONAL CONTRIBUTORS FOUNDATION SUPPORTERS Arts Work Fund for Organizational Development Dr. Scholl Foundation The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation Klaff Family Foundation The MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Richard H. Driehaus Foundation
GOVERNMENT SUPPORTERS Illinois Arts Council City of Chicago Dept. of Cultural Affairs and Special Events Oak Park Area Arts Council MEDIA SPONSORS 90.9fm WDCB (Holidays a cappella) Chicago Jewish News (Days of Awe) Naperville Sun (concerts at Wentz Hall, Naperville)
CORPORATE SUPPORT, MATCHING GIFTS, AND OTHER SUPPORT AT&T Foundation Bank of America Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Illinois First Bank and Trust Evanston Homestead Hotel JP Morgan Chase Foundation King Insurance Agency Macy’s Foundation Robert Morris University St. Scholastica Academy in memory of Frances Flowers Whole Foods Markets
INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTORS VISIONARY ($5,000 or more) Estate of Helen Asher ARCHANGEL ($2,500 or more) Howard and Jane Hush Murray Kopelow and Cathy Bachman ANGEL ($1,000 or more) Bonnie Benson Marguerite Bloch Bill and Jeanetta Flowers Helen Gagel Joyce Grenis and Michael Koen Ann Hewitt Ann Hicks and Lawrence Hamilton Margaret and Gary Kachadurian Jay and Jackie Lauderdale Leslie Lauderdale Ronna Lerner LoPrete Family Foundation Susan and Joe Lunn Alice and David Osberg David and Carole Perlman Lisa Scott Priscilla and Steve Shaw Maria Suarez 22 Chicago a cappella
Dee Dee Whipple and Phillip Grossman BENEFACTOR ($500 or more) Alex and Rosemary Cudzewicz Michelle Eppley Robert Harris Hank and Becky Hartman Terri Hemmert Tom and Margaret Huyck Douglas and Christine Kelner Ronna Lerner In recognition of educational outreach programs Dan and Cari Levin Bob and Fleury Linn Linda Mast and Bard Schatzman Mary Miller Robert and Lois Moeller Nora Bergman Fund Ken Novak Dale and Donna Prest Carolyn Sacksteder Linda Mast and Bard Schatzman Frank Villella and Oscar Ivan Zambrano Duain Wolfe
SPONSOR ($250 or more) Five K. Family Fund at The Chicago Community Trust Don and Joanna Gwinn Anne Heider and Steve Warner Karen Hunt Kathryn Kamp and Erich Buchholz Charles Katzenmeyer Marina and Andrey Kuznetsov Jean McLaren and John Nitschke Sandi and Mike Miller Vreni Naess Drs. Donald and Mary Ellen Newsom Camilla Nielsen Cari Plachy Dinglasan and Raymond Dinglasan John and Gail Polles Susan and Jason Schober Kenneth Schug Bette Sikes and Joan Pederson Ann Stevens Mary Beth Strahota Peggy Sullivan
Chicago a cappella in the schools! Chicago a cappella’s Educational Outreach Programs are expanding! Our programs include: • In-school Residencies • High School Choral Festival • High School Internship Program • Master Classes Our programs serve singers and students of all ages and levels of experience, promoting and improving the lifelong performance, understanding and appreciation of a cappella vocal music. The young singers we work with receive one-on-one master class opportunities and expert mentoring. After a Chicago public high school residency in early 2011, the school’s choral director exclaimed, “This is the best singing this group has ever done.” How you can be involved: • Help us identify corporate and business partners to support these projects. • Spread the word to schools and community organizations who may be interested in working with us. • Use the envelope in this program to make your own gift today! Your contribution will not only support our education programming. It will also nourish innovative new concerts and world-class CD recordings, and help establish an ever-stronger financial base for our future. Ticket sales cover only a fraction of our expenses, and contributions from friends like you cover over 1/3 of our operating budget. For more information about our education programs, please contact Susan Schober at sschober@chicagoacappella.org. For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Matt Greenberg at (773) 281-7820 or email mgreenberg@chicagoacappella.org.
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D O N O R S ( c o n t .) PATRON ($100 or more) Wendy Anker and Edward Reed Susan Beal Joel and Carol Brosk Judy Chernick Laura and Gary Cooper Claudia and Timothy Divis Bernard Dobroski Mary Ekins Susan Eleuterio Ron & Judy Eshleman Anne Evans Howard and Judy Gilbert Beverley Gilmore Sanford Greenberg and Betsy Perdue Judith Grubner and Craig Jobson Joan and Guy Gunzberg Margo Lynn Hablutzel Munn and Bonnie Heydorn Jim and Lois Hobart Richard Holbrook Troy Huber Jean and Lester Hunt Susan Kamp John and Karen Kruger Ivan and Jasna Lappin Helen and John Lauderdale Barbara and Martin Letscher Jay Lytle Mary and Steven Magnani Lorelei and Tim McDermott Cheryl and Tom McRoberts Allen McVey Ephraim and Ann Miller Jonathan Miller and Sandra Siegel Miller Cathy and Paul Newport
Clayton Parr John and Vicky Pickett Jane Ann Prest Jennifer and Warren Schultz Scipione, Lisa and Richard Laura Smith Jeni and David Spinney Tom and Linda Spring Juan J. Suarez Eileen Sutter Kris Swanson Geri Sztuk David and Mari Terman Barbara Volin John Vorrasi In memory of Dr. Joan M. Ferris Clark and Joan Wagner Gary and Beth Wainer Shirlene Ward and Kevin Kipp Dorthea White Robert and Barbara Wichmann Lance and Stephanie Wilkening Virginia Witucke FRIEND ($50 or more) Gary Agrest Frank Brockway and Mimi Brile Rona and Ralph Brown In honor of Ronna Lerner Ioanna and Robert Chaney Carroll Cole Dale and Frances Dellutri Norma Felbinger Dale Fitschen Madelon and Roger Fross Gail Schaefer Fu
Valerie and Stephen Garry Evelyn Gaudutis Elizabeth and Phil Gould Carolyn Hayes Kathleen Higgins Valerie Humowiecki John and Martha Jurecko Lorraine Kaplan Rae Kendrick Catherine Marquis Scott and Kelly McCleary Patrice Michaels and Jim Ginsburg Carol Mullins Belverd E. Needles Sonia Ness and Peter Jenkins Jim Peterson Virginia Russell Dennis and Patricia Smith Gene and Mindy Stein Bernard Szeszol Laura Temple and Andrew Wood Dave and Carolyn Utech William Wallace Cindy Weyer Robert Wolff John and Mary Zimmermann IN HONOR OF DOUG AND CHRISTINE KELNER Richard Holbrook Marina and Andrey Kuznetsov Lorelei and Tim McDermott Jonathan Milller and Sandra Siegel Miller
SUSTAINING DONORS By joining our Sustaining Donor program, the following individuals support the work of Chicago a cappella while reducing our fundraising costs and saving resources. Sustaining donors choose the level and frequency of their automatic payment, and receive the benefits of annual tax deductions without the hassle of writing checks. For more information, see the envelope in this program, visit our website, or call (773) 281-7820. A huge thank you to our Sustaining Donors: Susan Beal Frank Brockway Norma Felbinger Sanford Greenberg & Betsy Perdue Ann Hewitt Jean & Lester Hunt Doug & Christine Kelner
24 Chicago a cappella
Rae Kendrick Vreni Naess Donald & Mary Ellen Newsom Ken Novak Alice & David Osberg David & Carole Perlman
Carolyn Sacksteder Warren & Jennifer Schultz Tom & Linda Spring Ann Stevens David & Carolyn Utech Frank Villella Shirlene Ward & Kevin Kipp