20240414_University Singers

THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MUSIC presents

University Singers’ 75th Anniversary Concert

University Singers

Kevin Fenton, Conductor

Sarita Olson-Gustely, Assistant Conductor

Jeremy Moore, Assistant Conductor

Victoria Coey, Collaborative Pianist

University Singers’ Alumni Choir

Andrè J. Thomas, Conductor

Kevin Fenton, Conductor

Judy Arthur, Robin Frank, Catherine Giel, and Elizabeth Lajeunesse, Collaborative Pianists

Sunday, April 14, 2024

3:00 p.m. | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

Wiley Housewright founded the Florida State University Singers in the fall of 1948, featuring over 100 members. He opened the first concert with Michael East’s madrigal “How Merrily We Live.” Through Housewright’s leadership, the University Singers worked with remarkable musicians such as Aaron Copland, Norman Dello Joio, and Robert Shaw.

Herman Gunter, Jr., who founded University Chorus, FSU’s first co-ed chorus, conducted University Singers during a Housewright sabbatical, and Walter James became the conductor in 1966 when Housewright became dean of the (then) School of Music. James toured with University Singers until 1968, when Joseph Flummerfelt joined the faculty. Flummerfelt distinguished himself and the University Singers through a series of performances in Atlanta with conductor Robert Shaw. He also accepted an invitation from Gian Carlo Menotti to have University Singers perform at the Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto, Italy, marking the first international tour for University Singers.

Clayton Krehbiel came to Florida State University in 1971 and conducted the University Singers, Chamber Choir, Collegians, and Madrigal Singers. In 1985, Krehbiel prepared the choir for Robert Shaw, who was the first named recipient of the Wiley and Lucilla Housewright Eminent Scholars Chair in Music. In memory of Krehbiel’s passing in 1988, Robert Shaw returned to campus to conduct Mozart’s Requiem.

In the fall of 1985, André J. Thomas became the conductor of University Singers, and the first concert featured the music of Brahms, Copland, Debussy, Gallus, Schutz, Wilberg, in addition to two of his own arrangements: “Keep Your Lamps” and “When the Trumpet Sounds.” Dr. Thomas’s years with University Singers included performances of Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Brahms’s Ein Deutsches Requiem, and David Fanshaw’s African Sanctus, in addition to numerous regional and national tours, as well as a tour of Korea, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Dr. Thomas worked closely with Robert Shaw for his many residences at FSU and arranged FSU residencies for notable conductors Sir David Willcocks, Simon Halsey, and Billy Taylor.

Kevin Fenton began his tenure with the choir in the fall of 2000, following a performance for the national convention of MENC (NAfME) in the spring of 2000 led by Dr. Thomas. In 2001, University Singers performed for the president’s concert of the ACDA Southern Division Convention when Dr. Thomas was president, and in the years that followed were invited to perform at national and regional conventions of the National Association for Music Education and the American Choral Directors Association, including performances at the national conventions of ACDA in 2007 and 2013. Recent tours have included performances throughout the Southeastern United States and the Central Europe. In 2021, members of University Singers joined university choirs of Puerto Rico to perform Dan Forrest Requiem for the Living in San Juan, under the direction of FSU Director of Graduate Choral Studies Michael Hanawalt.

As we celebrate 75 years of University Singers, please consider a gift to the Choral Enhancement Fund. Your gift will ensure a vibrant future for choral music at FSU through commissions, travel, and scholarship funding.

University Singers

I.

Alumni Choir

Ye Shall Have a Song

St. Francis Prayer

Beautiful City

II.

A Jubilant Song

Adolphus Hailstork (b. 1941)

Margaret Bonds (1913–1972)

arr. André J. Thomas (b. 1952)

Norman Dello Joio (1913–2008)

Amazing Grace arr. Skip Stradtman (b. 1993)

He Never Failed Me Yet

Mykal Kilgore, soloist

Special Presentation

Greg Jones, Associate Dean for Outreach and Engagement

University Singers

Kevin Fenton, conductor

Wild Forces

Locus Iste

This place was made by God; a priceless holy place, it is without fault

Robert Ray (1946–2022)

Confitemini Domino

O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is gracious. His mercy is forever.

Jake Runestad (b. 1986)

Ernst von Dohnányi (1877–1960)

Miguel Astor (b. 1958)

Alleluia, for this Day

Poet of the Body and Soul

City Called Heaven

Mykal Kilgore, soloist

Christopher H. Harris (b. 1985)

Andrea Clearfield (b. 1960)

arr. Josephine Poelinitz (b. 1942)

University Singers and University Singers Alumni Choir

Get on Board, Little Children arr. André J. Thomas (b. 1952)

Hymn to the Garnet and the Gold J. Dayton Smith arr. Charles Carter

Thank You Reunion Planning Committee!

Judy Arthur, Robby Bukovic, Jenilee Curry, Claudia Dew, Bridg Gorder

Amanda Gorham, Leslie Gray, Rebekah Hair-Stewart, Elizabeth Helton, Elizabeth LaJeunesse

Scott Leaman, Gabriela Mendizabal, Alex Massey, Everett Reed, Shayna Singer, Kenley Stringer

University Singers Personnel

Kevin Fenton, Director

Soprano 1

Alissa D’Alton ’24

Achsah Martin ’24

Isabella Pinilla ’25

Lizzie Robertson ’26

Soprano 2

Sarita Gutstely-Olson ’24

Keyaira Henderson ’24

*Annie Lane ’25

*Madeline Schneider ’25

Lindsay VanAllen ’24

Sara Vanderford ’25

Alto 1

Shiloh DeFabia ’25

Alyssa Jimenez ’26

Candace Jones ’25

*Shayna Singer ’24

Rebecca Smith ’25

*Caroline Wheeler ’25

Artemis Xenick ’24

Alto 2

Gabriella Berrios ’25

*Sophia Gannaoui ’24

Bridg Gorder ’24

Samantha Rivera ’24

Tenor 1

Sean Barnette ’24

Tobias Deggans ’25

Anderson Lange ’23

Alex Mortier ’26

Jackson Roberts ’25

Tenor 2

Seaira Anderson ’25

Kevin Borges ’25

Michael Haves ’24

*Kyle McDonald ’24

Connor Mickey ’25

Jeremy Moore ’26

Isaiah Ramsey ’25

Baritone

Cole Banfill ’24

Espen Brante ’25

Owen Hillman ’26

Jack Marshall ’25

*Everett Reed ’24

Benjamin Reid ’25

John Valencia-Londono ’24

Bass

*Vincent Amiel ’26

Grayson Dannelly ’27

Ferris Kritzer ’25

Christian Noel ’25

Dylan Sneddon ’24

* choir leadership

Katherine Anaya (Dew)

Martin Angiulli

Brent Arnold

Judy Arthur

Yvonne Ayala (Bratcher)

Sylvia Aycock

Rayma Ball

Marcus Beaver

Matthew Bell

Megan Bell (Laffitte)

Crystal Berner

Ashley Blair

Joshua Blanchard

Jeff Bogue

Ava Bratic

Acadia Bravo

Kema Brillhart (Owens)

Evah Buck (Glover)

Katie Burke

Suzanne Byrnes

Nate Caldwell

Tara Callahan

Jennifer Carneiro

Wilton Carson

Meghan Cavanaugh

Justin Chase

Dale Choate

Ethan Cohen

Megan Coke

Holly Cook (Hodges)

Liz Cook (Tilley)

Jenilee Curry (Hallam)

Tara Davy

Michael Dean

Virginia DeMoss (Reddick)

Claudia Dew (Owens)

Jacquelyn Dupuis

Julia Fawcett (Robertson)

Maria Fazio

Robin Frank (Shuford)

Imani George

Catherine Giel (Striplin)

University Singers Alumni Choir

Miranda Goodwin (Stewart)

Jesalin Gonzalez

Leslie Gonzalez Gray

Amanda Gorham

Kristen Hardaway (Owen)

Ronte’ Hardy

Emma Harmon

Cindy Hayes

Elizabeth Helton

Elise Eidam Hyder

Grace Hayes

Rebecca Hobbs (Towers)

Stephen Hobbs

Halle Hoskins

Judith James

Junine Johnson

Kyle Keating

Elizabeth Kelsay

Mary Kelsay

Kline Kendall (Brown)

Patsy Kickliter

Mykal Kilgore

Elizabeth LaJeunesse

Ken Lambert

Michael Lindsay

Shelli Long

Katherine Longo

Elena Maeurer

Milissa Marin (Tabor)

Sean Martin

Alexandra Massey

Amanda Matson

Isiah Maxey

Warren May

Elizabeth McCawley

Gabriela Mendizabal

Sheri Mercurio

Brandon Monse

Robert Montgomery

Catherine Moon (Crews)

Lorri Moore

Robin Mueller-Ryan (King)

William Mulligan

Caitlin Nelson

Cynthia Nelson (Harris)

Kelvin Nguyen

Brian Niu

Zachary Nowak

Luis Nuñez

Christian Nyman

Jessica Ogden (Wright)

Joneen Padgett (James)

Frank Pate

Chris Palmiotto

Nicole Parra

Zachary Pecore

Sergio Perez

Emily Poisson

Katy Polk

Sara Prince

Corrine Roberts

Aaron Rowe

Stephanie Sager (Barnett)

Angela Saltsman

Mary Saou (Day)

Jan Schluter (Esthus)

Nancy Smith

Skip Stradtman

Kenley Stringer

Diane Studer (Radomski)

Heidi Thompson (Gentner)

Angela Topper (Hogan)

Michelle Truhe

Eric van Hoven

Tess Vreeland

Kathleen Wallace (White)

Kristen Walter (Ard)

Robert Washington

Lillis Weeks

Greg Williams

Reece Windjack

Christina Woo

Shelby Zellen

ABOUT THE FEATURED GUEST

André J. Thomas is an associated artist with the London Symphony Orchestra. Thomas is an Emeritus Professor of Music at Florida State University. He was visiting Professor of Choral Conducting at Yale University from 20202022. He previously served as a faculty member at the University of Texas, Austin.

Thomas received his degrees from Friends University (B.A.), Northwestern University (M. M.), and The University of Illinois (D.M.A). He is in demand as a choral adjudicator, clinician, and director of Honor/All-State Choirs throughout North America, Europe, Asia, New Zealand, Australia, and Africa. Dr. Thomas has conducted choirs at the state, division, and national conventions of the Music Educators National Conference (NAFME) and the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). His international conducting credits are extensive. They include conductor/clinician for the International Federation of Choral Musicians’ summer residency of the World Youth Choir in The Republic of China and the Philippines. He was also the conductor of the World Youth Choir’s winter residency in Europe and a premier performance by an American choir (Florida State University Singers) in Vietnam.

He is a highly respected guest conductor who has led numerous prestigious orchestras and choirs around the world, including the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in England, the Berlin Radio Choir and the North German Radio Choir in Germany, the Netherlands Radio Choir, The Bulgarian Radio Choir and Orchestra, the Seoul Metropolitan Chorus, Ansan City Choir, Jeju Provincial Seogwipo Chorale in South Korea, the Charlotte Symphony, China’s People’s Liberation Orchestra, the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, and the London Symphony. He also served as the Artistic Director of the Tallahassee Community Chorus for 31 seasons.

Thomas has also distinguished himself as a composer/arranger. Hinshaw Music Company, Mark Foster Music Company, Fitzsimons Music Company, Lawson Gould, Earthsongs, Choristers Guild, and Heritage Music Company publishes his compositions and arrangements.

Thomas has produced two instructional videos, “What They See Is What You Get” on choral conducting, with Rodney Eichenberger, and “Body, Mind, Spirit, Voice” on adolescent voices, with Anton Armstrong. His recent book Way Over in Beulah Lan’. Understanding and Performing the Negro Spiritual has quickly become a significant source in this area of study.

Various musical organizations have recognized Thomas:

The African Diaspora Sacred Music honored Thomas as a Living Legend. In 2011, Thomas’ dedication to and accomplishments in the choral arts was recognized by his peers in Chorus America when the organization presented him with its Distinguished Service Award. In March 2017, ACDA presented Thomas with its highest honor the Robert Shaw Award, and in November of 2017, NCCO (National Collegiate Choral Organization presented Thomas with its Lifetime Achievement Award. In January 2019, he was inducted into the Florida Music Educator’s Hall of Fame. In 2022 he was presented with the Award of Excellence from the Southern Region of ACDA. Yale University School of Music presented Thomas with the Samuel Simons Sanford Medal. It is the most prestigious honor conferred by the Yale School of Music. He is a past president of the Florida ACDA and the past president of the Southern Division of ACDA and immediate past president of National ACDA.

Cash, Director of Music Education, Berry College, Rome, GA

Troy Roberston, Director of Choral Activities, Tarleton State University, Stephenville, TX

2011-12 Michael Hanawalt, Director of Graduate Choral Activities, FSU, Tallahassee, FL

Felicia Barber, Professor of Choral Conducting, Yale University, New Haven. Connecticut

2012-13 James Brown, Director of Choral Activities, Sanderson High School, Raleigh, NC

Amy Kotsonis, Director of Choral Activities, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH

2013-14 Ryan Luhrs, Director of Choral Programs, Lenoir-Rhyne, Hickory, NC

2014-15

Erynn Millard, Director of Choral Activities, Florida International University, University Park

Steven Hankle Choral Music Education, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH

Adam Potter, Director of Choral Activities, Roberts Wesleyan College, Rochester, NY

2015-16

Sandy Hinkley, Coordinator of Music Education, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX

Christopher Harris, Director of Choirs, Arkansas Tech University, Russellville, AR

2016-17 Adam Zrust, Director of Choral Activities, Northwest Missouri State University, Maryville, MO

2017-18

Marques Garrett, Assistant Professor of Music in Choral Activities, U of North Texas, Denton, TX

Jeremy Wiggins, Director of Choral Activities, Western Connecticut State University, Danbury, CT

2018-19

Riter St. Luc, Assistant Professor of Music Education, Oakwood University, Huntsville, AL

Christopher Phalen, Director of Choral Activities, Buena Vista University, Storm Lake, IA

2019-20

Austin Thorpe, Visiting Director of Choral Activities, Shenandoah Conservatory, Winchester, VA

Lauren Ramey, Director of Music Education/Associate Director of Choral Activities, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN

2020-21

Morgan Luttig, Director of Choral Activities, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL

Dante Webb, Director of Choral Music Education, Wingate College, Wingate, NC

2021-22 Brett Epperson, Director of Choral Activities, Hastings College, Hastings, Nebraska

2022-23

Nicole Davis, Associate Director of Choral Activities, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

Katie Kenkel, Director of Choirs, Monument Academy, Cologrado Springs, CO

Ethan Murphy, PhD Choral Music Education Candidate, Tallahassee, FL

Choral Music Faculty

Suzanne Byrnes—Director of Capital City Children’s Choir

Kevin Fenton—Professor of Conducting and Ensembles, Director of University Singers and Collegians (TB Choir)

Michael Hanawalt—Director of Graduate Choral Activities, Director of Chamber Choir and Tallahassee Community Chorus

McKenna Stenson—Joining faculty as Assistant Professor of Choral Music Education and Director of Levana, August 2024

Opera Faculty

Bernard McDonald—Associate Professor, Director of Opera Activities

Matthew Lata—Professor, Stage Director of Opera

Voice Faculty

Marcía Porter—Professor of Voice, Coordinator of Voice and Opera

Wanda Brister-Rachwal—Professor of Voice

Alisa Hauser—Program Director of Music Theatre

Evan T. Jones—Associate Professor of Voice

David Okerlund—Associate Professor of Voice

Eric Reiger—Associate Professor of Voice

Natalie Sherer—Assistant Professor of Vocal Coaching and Collaborative Artist

Sudarat Songsiridej—Music Specialist, Music Theatre

Jeffrey Springer—Associate Professor of Voice

Marcy Stonikas—Associate Professor of Voice

Sahoko Sato Timpone—Associate Professor of Voice

Valerie M. Trujillo—Professor of Vocal Coaching and Accompanying