ABOUT THE CHOIR
KANTOREI ("singers") formed in 1997 under Richard Larson’s leadership and has expanded into an auditioned, 52-voice ensemble. Its members come from schools with strong choral music programs, such as Augustana, Brigham Young, Concordia, Luther, St. Olaf, University of Denver, Wartburg and University of Northern Colorado. Kantorei established itself as one of the nation’s premier choral ensembles after performing as an auditioned choir for the 2003 national American Choral Director’s Association conference at Carnegie Hall in New York City, and the Vatican in June 2007. More recently, Kantorei has been featured in several regional and national conferences, including the 2008 National Performing Arts Convention and 2010 Southwestern Regional ACDA convention, both held in Denver. In March 2011, Kantorei returned to the national ACDA conference, with performances at Roosevelt University and Symphony Hall in Chicago. Kantorei completed its second European tour in 2012, traveling to Austria, Hungary and the Czech Republic.
MEET OUR GROUP SOPRANO
ALTO
TENOR
BASS
Theresa Derr Juli Dowell Kim Dunninger Beryl Fanslow Wendi Sue Grover Heather Gunnerson Erin Hackel Stacie Hanson Sara Michael ‡ Brenda Rolling Alicia Rigsby Pearl Rutherford
Emily Alexander Jan Ankele Lizabeth Barnett Lyn Berry-Helmlinger ∆ Jordan Bickel Hillary Foster Shannon Lemmon-Elrod Melissa Menter Erin Meyerhoff Jennifer Moore Annie Sullins Michelle Tombre Andrea Ware ‡ Lindsey Whitaker
Kai Berry-Helmlinger Michael Bizzaro Keith Ferguson Kevin Gunnerson Keith Harrison Justin Kerr Brad Larson ‡ Alex Menter ‡ Jonathan Von Stroh David Weaver Ryan Wright
Michael Boender Garth Criswell Tony Domenick Andy Halladay Stephen Hooper Brad Jackson ‡ Karl Johnson Michael Lewis John Ludwig ‡ Larry Meerdink John Schaak Mark Wagstrom Matt Weissenbuehler
ACCOMPANIST -
‡ board member ∆ executive director
Alicia Rigsby ALICIA RIGSBY came to Colorado in 1997 after completing her Master of Music degree in piano performance and music theory at Indiana University, Bloomington. Ms. Rigsby was one of the original members of Kantorei, both as a singer and accompanist, but has taken time with her family since 2004. Ms. Rigsby has performed with the Estes Trio, the Aspen Music Festival and the Boulder Chamber Orchestra. She has been teaching music at the Children’s Music Academy, based in Littleton, for 15 years. She is passionate about music as an art form, a teaching tool and an expressionistic medium, and enjoys having all of those musical opportunities in her life. In her free time, she likes to hike, camp, ski and cycle with her husband and two daughters.
*Kantorei is a 501(c)(3) organization and any donations to the group are deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. Please consult your tax advisor for more information. *Please make donations, purchase CDs, purchase tickets and sign up for Kantorei’s mailing list in the lobby during intermission or after the concert. *We record our concerts and frequently use live recordings for our CDs. Please keep extraneous noise to a minimum during the performance. If we have misspelled your name, incorrectly listed your giving level, or omitted your name inadvertently from this list, please don’t hesitate to inform us and we will make the correction. Additionally, if you have donated to Kantorei and have not received an official thank you letter for your tax records, please let us know so that we can get one to you as soon as possible.
Augustana Ar ts Concer t Series is grateful for suppor t from the Citizens of the Scientif ic and Cultural Facilities District; the Colorado Creative Industries , a state agency and the National Endowment for the Ar ts , a federal agency; the Anschut z Foundation, the Augustana Foundation; The Bonf ils-Stanton Foundation; and several other communit y and media par tners .
FOLLOW KANTOREI ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND YOUTUBE! Facebook .com/kantorei | Twitter.com/kantoreidenver | Youtube.com/kantorei
PROGRAM
PROGRAM NOTES PART I arr. André van der Merwe
Ukuthula Heather Gunnerson, Soprano; Jan Ankele, Alto; Erin Meyerhoff, Alto; Annie Sullins, Alto; Tony Domenick, Bass
(b. 1968)
Leong Yoon Pin
Dragon Dance
(b. 1931)
Vaclovas Augustinas
Tykus Tykus
(b. 1959)
arr. Peter Sozio
El Yivneh Hagalil
arr. Anders Paulsson
Deep River Tony Domenick, Bass; Art Bouton, Saxophone
(b. 1961)
Frank Ticheli
There Will Be Rest
(b. 1958)
William Averitt
Afro-American Fragments, 6. Fire Cathy Motter and Alicia Rigsby, Piano
(b. 1948)
PART II Kim André Arnesen (b. 1980)
arr. Craig Hella Johnson
Light of a Clear Blue Morning Juliane Dowell, Soprano; Alicia Rigsby, Piano
(b. 1962)
Ola Gjeilo
Evening Prayer Art Bouton, Saxophone; Alicia Rigsby, Piano
(b. 1978)
arr. E than Sperry
Jai Ho! Lizabeth Barnett, Kevin Gunnerson, Andy Halladay and John Ludwig, Percussion
(b. 1970)
arr. Stephen Smith
We Rise Again Andrea Ware, Alto; Matt Weissenbuehler, Bass
Our program visits loss and hardship, juxtaposed throughout with a sense of hope. The concert begins with Ukuthula, a Zulu prayer that proclaims “we find peace” and “we are filled with gratitude.” It is paired with Dragon Dance, a celebration of the Chinese New Year. The Chinese see dragons as friendly and helpful, bringing strength, wisdom and longevity. Dragon dances are frequently accompanied by a blazing torch. This imagery is particularly appropriate as the torch is metaphorically passed from Kantorei conductor to conductor, with wishes of future strength and success. Tykus Tykus is based on a Lithuanian folk tune about a young lad on a horse. He seduces a young lady, but instead of marrying her, goes to battle. It is unclear whether he chooses this path voluntarily but, nonetheless, he has given up his potential love to fight and endure the pain of battle. The next piece is a sonorously boisterous arrangement of El Yivneh Hagalil, a Hebrew folk song offering a message of hope: “God will build Galilee, blessed is the building of Galilee.” Deep River, a haunting arrangement of an African-American Spiritual, and There Will Be Rest, a lyrical and transcendent setting of a Sara Teasdale poem, both express the hope for peace after death. They are followed by a setting of Langston Hughes’ poem Fire, which paints a vivid picture of the dangers of sin. This trio of songs represents hope following strife and struggle.
INTERMISSION
Even When He Is Silent
In our final concert of the season, we look to the horizon through the eyes of different cultures and conductors, visiting the past, present and future. We welcome back Conductor Emeritus Richard Larson, while also welcoming our recently announced new Artistic Director, Joel Rinsema, who will officially begin his tenure with the choir this summer. Sarah Harrison, our current Interim Director, will bookend the program as she passes the torch from Mr. Larson to Mr. Rinsema.
(b. 1966)
Even When He Is Silent was written by young Norwegian composer Kim André Arnesen for the St. Olav (Olavsfestdagene) Festival in Trondheim, Norway. Based on anonymous text written on a WWII concentration camp wall, it premiered only a few days after the 2011 terrorist attacks in Oslo and Utøya. Light of a Clear Blue Morning, arranged by Craig Hella Johnson (conductor and artistic director of Conspirare), was written and recorded by Dolly Parton. The song was born as the figurative clouds lifted after her painful breakup with longtime musical and business partner, Porter Wagoner. Completing this set is Evening Prayer. It was written for the Phoenix Chorale during Ola Gjeilo’s residency, using text from a 4th century intercessory prayer for protection by St. Augustine. Featuring improvised saxophone, it is Gjeilo’s first choral piece incorporating instrumental improvisation. This performance marks the Colorado premiere; Kantorei is only the third choir to perform this work. Jai Ho! was written for the 2008 Oscar-winning film “Slumdog Millionaire.” The piece is a victory dance for a young man from the slums of Mumbai who struggles to overcome adversity. Our final selection of the evening, We Rise Again, further symbolizes the passing of the torch. It expresses our excitement for the future and everything we look forward to offering you, our community. Thank you for your support! Please consider turning in your program at the end of the concert to be re-used and recycled.
THE CONDUCTORS INTERIM DIRECTOR SARAH HARRISON is serving as the Interim Director of Kantorei for the 2013-2014 season. In addition to Kantorei, she is in her eighth year teaching choir and AP Music Theory at Cherry Creek High School in Greenwood Village. Under her direction, choirs have appeared at several regional and state conventions. Prior to Cherry Creek HS, Ms. Harrison opened and spent five years at Silver Creek Middle/ Senior High School in Longmont, CO. In addition to teaching, she sings with various ensembles throughout the community and is an orchestral and jazz string bassist. Ms. Harrison has been a guest conductor and adjudicator in Colorado, Idaho and Nebraska. Ms. Harrison has recently served as Colorado’s ACDA High School Mixed Repertoire and Standards Chair. She also served as Choir Director and Organist at Westview Presbyterian Church in Longmont and taught orchestra in Minnesota before moving to CCHS.Ms. Harrison obtained her Bachelor of Music Education degree, with instrumental and vocal certification, from St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN, and her Master of Music in conducting and music education from Colorado State University. She will continue with Kantorei as assistant director and a member of the alto section.
INCOMING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR JOEL RINSEMA will officially begin his tenure with Kantorei on July 1. He won the Louis Botto Award for innovative action and entrepreneurial zeal from Chorus America in 2013. He has served as the assistant conductor and president & CEO of the Grammy-winning Phoenix Chorale for the past 14 years. (Internationally renowned Charles Bruffy is the conductor and artistic director.) As assistant conductor, Mr. Rinsema assisted in all aspects of artistic planning and leadership, leading rehearsal and conducting the Chorale in Bruffy's absence, as well as helping to program the repertoire each season. The Chorale has earned a total of eight Grammy nominations and two Grammy wins since Mr. Rinsema joined the Chorale as a singer in 1992. The group’s recording “Northern Lights” was named iTunes Classical Vocal Album of the year in 2012. Mr. Rinsema holds a Master of Music degree in vocal performance from Arizona State University, and a B.A. in vocal and choral performance from Whitworth College in Washington. He will commute weekly from Phoenix where he will continue in his role as president & CEO of the Phoenix Chorale, but relinquish his artistic duties as assistant conductor and singer for the ensemble.
CONDUCTOR EMERITUS DICK LARSON, Kantorei's founding artistic director, has been involved in community music for more than 40 years. Named "Choral Conductor of the Year" in 1989 by the Colorado ACDA, Mr. Larson has taught music in public schools and at the college level. He conducted Kantorei in regional ACDA conferences in 2002 and 2010, and national ACDA conferences in 2003 (NYC) and 2010 (Chicago). He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Luther College and a master’s in Music Education from the University of Colorado. Beyond his graduate degree, he has studied with many notable musicians including Westin Noble, Julius Herford, Alfred Mann, Warner Imig, Jean Berger and Robert Shaw. Mr. Larson was recently honored by Luther College as the first annual recipient of the Weston H. Noble award honoring excellence in the field of choral music.
PROGRAM
PROGRAM NOTES PART I arr. André van der Merwe
Ukuthula Heather Gunnerson, Soprano; Jan Ankele, Alto; Erin Meyerhoff, Alto; Annie Sullins, Alto; Tony Domenick, Bass
(b. 1968)
Leong Yoon Pin
Dragon Dance
(b. 1931)
Vaclovas Augustinas
Tykus Tykus
(b. 1959)
arr. Peter Sozio
El Yivneh Hagalil
arr. Anders Paulsson
Deep River Tony Domenick, Bass; Art Bouton, Saxophone
(b. 1961)
Frank Ticheli
There Will Be Rest
(b. 1958)
William Averitt
Afro-American Fragments, 6. Fire Cathy Motter and Alicia Rigsby, Piano
(b. 1948)
PART II Kim André Arnesen (b. 1980)
arr. Craig Hella Johnson
Light of a Clear Blue Morning Juliane Dowell, Soprano; Alicia Rigsby, Piano
(b. 1962)
Ola Gjeilo
Evening Prayer Art Bouton, Saxophone; Alicia Rigsby, Piano
(b. 1978)
arr. E than Sperry
Jai Ho! Lizabeth Barnett, Kevin Gunnerson, Andy Halladay and John Ludwig, Percussion
(b. 1970)
arr. Stephen Smith
We Rise Again Andrea Ware, Alto; Matt Weissenbuehler, Bass
Our program visits loss and hardship, juxtaposed throughout with a sense of hope. The concert begins with Ukuthula, a Zulu prayer that proclaims “we find peace” and “we are filled with gratitude.” It is paired with Dragon Dance, a celebration of the Chinese New Year. The Chinese see dragons as friendly and helpful, bringing strength, wisdom and longevity. Dragon dances are frequently accompanied by a blazing torch. This imagery is particularly appropriate as the torch is metaphorically passed from Kantorei conductor to conductor, with wishes of future strength and success. Tykus Tykus is based on a Lithuanian folk tune about a young lad on a horse. He seduces a young lady, but instead of marrying her, goes to battle. It is unclear whether he chooses this path voluntarily but, nonetheless, he has given up his potential love to fight and endure the pain of battle. The next piece is a sonorously boisterous arrangement of El Yivneh Hagalil, a Hebrew folk song offering a message of hope: “God will build Galilee, blessed is the building of Galilee.” Deep River, a haunting arrangement of an African-American Spiritual, and There Will Be Rest, a lyrical and transcendent setting of a Sara Teasdale poem, both express the hope for peace after death. They are followed by a setting of Langston Hughes’ poem Fire, which paints a vivid picture of the dangers of sin. This trio of songs represents hope following strife and struggle.
INTERMISSION
Even When He Is Silent
In our final concert of the season, we look to the horizon through the eyes of different cultures and conductors, visiting the past, present and future. We welcome back Conductor Emeritus Richard Larson, while also welcoming our recently announced new Artistic Director, Joel Rinsema, who will officially begin his tenure with the choir this summer. Sarah Harrison, our current Interim Director, will bookend the program as she passes the torch from Mr. Larson to Mr. Rinsema.
(b. 1966)
Even When He Is Silent was written by young Norwegian composer Kim André Arnesen for the St. Olav (Olavsfestdagene) Festival in Trondheim, Norway. Based on anonymous text written on a WWII concentration camp wall, it premiered only a few days after the 2011 terrorist attacks in Oslo and Utøya. Light of a Clear Blue Morning, arranged by Craig Hella Johnson (conductor and artistic director of Conspirare), was written and recorded by Dolly Parton. The song was born as the figurative clouds lifted after her painful breakup with longtime musical and business partner, Porter Wagoner. Completing this set is Evening Prayer. It was written for the Phoenix Chorale during Ola Gjeilo’s residency, using text from a 4th century intercessory prayer for protection by St. Augustine. Featuring improvised saxophone, it is Gjeilo’s first choral piece incorporating instrumental improvisation. This performance marks the Colorado premiere; Kantorei is only the third choir to perform this work. Jai Ho! was written for the 2008 Oscar-winning film “Slumdog Millionaire.” The piece is a victory dance for a young man from the slums of Mumbai who struggles to overcome adversity. Our final selection of the evening, We Rise Again, further symbolizes the passing of the torch. It expresses our excitement for the future and everything we look forward to offering you, our community. Thank you for your support! Please consider turning in your program at the end of the concert to be re-used and recycled.
THE CONDUCTORS INTERIM DIRECTOR SARAH HARRISON is serving as the Interim Director of Kantorei for the 2013-2014 season. In addition to Kantorei, she is in her eighth year teaching choir and AP Music Theory at Cherry Creek High School in Greenwood Village. Under her direction, choirs have appeared at several regional and state conventions. Prior to Cherry Creek HS, Ms. Harrison opened and spent five years at Silver Creek Middle/ Senior High School in Longmont, CO. In addition to teaching, she sings with various ensembles throughout the community and is an orchestral and jazz string bassist. Ms. Harrison has been a guest conductor and adjudicator in Colorado, Idaho and Nebraska. Ms. Harrison has recently served as Colorado’s ACDA High School Mixed Repertoire and Standards Chair. She also served as Choir Director and Organist at Westview Presbyterian Church in Longmont and taught orchestra in Minnesota before moving to CCHS.Ms. Harrison obtained her Bachelor of Music Education degree, with instrumental and vocal certification, from St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN, and her Master of Music in conducting and music education from Colorado State University. She will continue with Kantorei as assistant director and a member of the alto section.
INCOMING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR JOEL RINSEMA will officially begin his tenure with Kantorei on July 1. He won the Louis Botto Award for innovative action and entrepreneurial zeal from Chorus America in 2013. He has served as the assistant conductor and president & CEO of the Grammy-winning Phoenix Chorale for the past 14 years. (Internationally renowned Charles Bruffy is the conductor and artistic director.) As assistant conductor, Mr. Rinsema assisted in all aspects of artistic planning and leadership, leading rehearsal and conducting the Chorale in Bruffy's absence, as well as helping to program the repertoire each season. The Chorale has earned a total of eight Grammy nominations and two Grammy wins since Mr. Rinsema joined the Chorale as a singer in 1992. The group’s recording “Northern Lights” was named iTunes Classical Vocal Album of the year in 2012. Mr. Rinsema holds a Master of Music degree in vocal performance from Arizona State University, and a B.A. in vocal and choral performance from Whitworth College in Washington. He will commute weekly from Phoenix where he will continue in his role as president & CEO of the Phoenix Chorale, but relinquish his artistic duties as assistant conductor and singer for the ensemble.
CONDUCTOR EMERITUS DICK LARSON, Kantorei's founding artistic director, has been involved in community music for more than 40 years. Named "Choral Conductor of the Year" in 1989 by the Colorado ACDA, Mr. Larson has taught music in public schools and at the college level. He conducted Kantorei in regional ACDA conferences in 2002 and 2010, and national ACDA conferences in 2003 (NYC) and 2010 (Chicago). He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Luther College and a master’s in Music Education from the University of Colorado. Beyond his graduate degree, he has studied with many notable musicians including Westin Noble, Julius Herford, Alfred Mann, Warner Imig, Jean Berger and Robert Shaw. Mr. Larson was recently honored by Luther College as the first annual recipient of the Weston H. Noble award honoring excellence in the field of choral music.
PROGRAM
PROGRAM NOTES PART I arr. André van der Merwe
Ukuthula Heather Gunnerson, Soprano; Jan Ankele, Alto; Erin Meyerhoff, Alto; Annie Sullins, Alto; Tony Domenick, Bass
(b. 1968)
Leong Yoon Pin
Dragon Dance
(b. 1931)
Vaclovas Augustinas
Tykus Tykus
(b. 1959)
arr. Peter Sozio
El Yivneh Hagalil
arr. Anders Paulsson
Deep River Tony Domenick, Bass; Art Bouton, Saxophone
(b. 1961)
Frank Ticheli
There Will Be Rest
(b. 1958)
William Averitt
Afro-American Fragments, 6. Fire Cathy Motter and Alicia Rigsby, Piano
(b. 1948)
PART II Kim André Arnesen (b. 1980)
arr. Craig Hella Johnson
Light of a Clear Blue Morning Juliane Dowell, Soprano; Alicia Rigsby, Piano
(b. 1962)
Ola Gjeilo
Evening Prayer Art Bouton, Saxophone; Alicia Rigsby, Piano
(b. 1978)
arr. E than Sperry
Jai Ho! Lizabeth Barnett, Kevin Gunnerson, Andy Halladay and John Ludwig, Percussion
(b. 1970)
arr. Stephen Smith
We Rise Again Andrea Ware, Alto; Matt Weissenbuehler, Bass
Our program visits loss and hardship, juxtaposed throughout with a sense of hope. The concert begins with Ukuthula, a Zulu prayer that proclaims “we find peace” and “we are filled with gratitude.” It is paired with Dragon Dance, a celebration of the Chinese New Year. The Chinese see dragons as friendly and helpful, bringing strength, wisdom and longevity. Dragon dances are frequently accompanied by a blazing torch. This imagery is particularly appropriate as the torch is metaphorically passed from Kantorei conductor to conductor, with wishes of future strength and success. Tykus Tykus is based on a Lithuanian folk tune about a young lad on a horse. He seduces a young lady, but instead of marrying her, goes to battle. It is unclear whether he chooses this path voluntarily but, nonetheless, he has given up his potential love to fight and endure the pain of battle. The next piece is a sonorously boisterous arrangement of El Yivneh Hagalil, a Hebrew folk song offering a message of hope: “God will build Galilee, blessed is the building of Galilee.” Deep River, a haunting arrangement of an African-American Spiritual, and There Will Be Rest, a lyrical and transcendent setting of a Sara Teasdale poem, both express the hope for peace after death. They are followed by a setting of Langston Hughes’ poem Fire, which paints a vivid picture of the dangers of sin. This trio of songs represents hope following strife and struggle.
INTERMISSION
Even When He Is Silent
In our final concert of the season, we look to the horizon through the eyes of different cultures and conductors, visiting the past, present and future. We welcome back Conductor Emeritus Richard Larson, while also welcoming our recently announced new Artistic Director, Joel Rinsema, who will officially begin his tenure with the choir this summer. Sarah Harrison, our current Interim Director, will bookend the program as she passes the torch from Mr. Larson to Mr. Rinsema.
(b. 1966)
Even When He Is Silent was written by young Norwegian composer Kim André Arnesen for the St. Olav (Olavsfestdagene) Festival in Trondheim, Norway. Based on anonymous text written on a WWII concentration camp wall, it premiered only a few days after the 2011 terrorist attacks in Oslo and Utøya. Light of a Clear Blue Morning, arranged by Craig Hella Johnson (conductor and artistic director of Conspirare), was written and recorded by Dolly Parton. The song was born as the figurative clouds lifted after her painful breakup with longtime musical and business partner, Porter Wagoner. Completing this set is Evening Prayer. It was written for the Phoenix Chorale during Ola Gjeilo’s residency, using text from a 4th century intercessory prayer for protection by St. Augustine. Featuring improvised saxophone, it is Gjeilo’s first choral piece incorporating instrumental improvisation. This performance marks the Colorado premiere; Kantorei is only the third choir to perform this work. Jai Ho! was written for the 2008 Oscar-winning film “Slumdog Millionaire.” The piece is a victory dance for a young man from the slums of Mumbai who struggles to overcome adversity. Our final selection of the evening, We Rise Again, further symbolizes the passing of the torch. It expresses our excitement for the future and everything we look forward to offering you, our community. Thank you for your support! Please consider turning in your program at the end of the concert to be re-used and recycled.
THE CONDUCTORS INTERIM DIRECTOR SARAH HARRISON is serving as the Interim Director of Kantorei for the 2013-2014 season. In addition to Kantorei, she is in her eighth year teaching choir and AP Music Theory at Cherry Creek High School in Greenwood Village. Under her direction, choirs have appeared at several regional and state conventions. Prior to Cherry Creek HS, Ms. Harrison opened and spent five years at Silver Creek Middle/ Senior High School in Longmont, CO. In addition to teaching, she sings with various ensembles throughout the community and is an orchestral and jazz string bassist. Ms. Harrison has been a guest conductor and adjudicator in Colorado, Idaho and Nebraska. Ms. Harrison has recently served as Colorado’s ACDA High School Mixed Repertoire and Standards Chair. She also served as Choir Director and Organist at Westview Presbyterian Church in Longmont and taught orchestra in Minnesota before moving to CCHS.Ms. Harrison obtained her Bachelor of Music Education degree, with instrumental and vocal certification, from St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN, and her Master of Music in conducting and music education from Colorado State University. She will continue with Kantorei as assistant director and a member of the alto section.
INCOMING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR JOEL RINSEMA will officially begin his tenure with Kantorei on July 1. He won the Louis Botto Award for innovative action and entrepreneurial zeal from Chorus America in 2013. He has served as the assistant conductor and president & CEO of the Grammy-winning Phoenix Chorale for the past 14 years. (Internationally renowned Charles Bruffy is the conductor and artistic director.) As assistant conductor, Mr. Rinsema assisted in all aspects of artistic planning and leadership, leading rehearsal and conducting the Chorale in Bruffy's absence, as well as helping to program the repertoire each season. The Chorale has earned a total of eight Grammy nominations and two Grammy wins since Mr. Rinsema joined the Chorale as a singer in 1992. The group’s recording “Northern Lights” was named iTunes Classical Vocal Album of the year in 2012. Mr. Rinsema holds a Master of Music degree in vocal performance from Arizona State University, and a B.A. in vocal and choral performance from Whitworth College in Washington. He will commute weekly from Phoenix where he will continue in his role as president & CEO of the Phoenix Chorale, but relinquish his artistic duties as assistant conductor and singer for the ensemble.
CONDUCTOR EMERITUS DICK LARSON, Kantorei's founding artistic director, has been involved in community music for more than 40 years. Named "Choral Conductor of the Year" in 1989 by the Colorado ACDA, Mr. Larson has taught music in public schools and at the college level. He conducted Kantorei in regional ACDA conferences in 2002 and 2010, and national ACDA conferences in 2003 (NYC) and 2010 (Chicago). He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Luther College and a master’s in Music Education from the University of Colorado. Beyond his graduate degree, he has studied with many notable musicians including Westin Noble, Julius Herford, Alfred Mann, Warner Imig, Jean Berger and Robert Shaw. Mr. Larson was recently honored by Luther College as the first annual recipient of the Weston H. Noble award honoring excellence in the field of choral music.
ABOUT THE CHOIR
KANTOREI ("singers") formed in 1997 under Richard Larson’s leadership and has expanded into an auditioned, 52-voice ensemble. Its members come from schools with strong choral music programs, such as Augustana, Brigham Young, Concordia, Luther, St. Olaf, University of Denver, Wartburg and University of Northern Colorado. Kantorei established itself as one of the nation’s premier choral ensembles after performing as an auditioned choir for the 2003 national American Choral Director’s Association conference at Carnegie Hall in New York City, and the Vatican in June 2007. More recently, Kantorei has been featured in several regional and national conferences, including the 2008 National Performing Arts Convention and 2010 Southwestern Regional ACDA convention, both held in Denver. In March 2011, Kantorei returned to the national ACDA conference, with performances at Roosevelt University and Symphony Hall in Chicago. Kantorei completed its second European tour in 2012, traveling to Austria, Hungary and the Czech Republic.
MEET OUR GROUP SOPRANO
ALTO
TENOR
BASS
Theresa Derr Juli Dowell Kim Dunninger Beryl Fanslow Wendi Sue Grover Heather Gunnerson Erin Hackel Stacie Hanson Sara Michael ‡ Brenda Rolling Alicia Rigsby Pearl Rutherford
Emily Alexander Jan Ankele Lizabeth Barnett Lyn Berry-Helmlinger ∆ Jordan Bickel Hillary Foster Shannon Lemmon-Elrod Melissa Menter Erin Meyerhoff Jennifer Moore Annie Sullins Michelle Tombre Andrea Ware ‡ Lindsey Whitaker
Kai Berry-Helmlinger Michael Bizzaro Keith Ferguson Kevin Gunnerson Keith Harrison Justin Kerr Brad Larson ‡ Alex Menter ‡ Jonathan Von Stroh David Weaver Ryan Wright
Michael Boender Garth Criswell Tony Domenick Andy Halladay Stephen Hooper Brad Jackson ‡ Karl Johnson Michael Lewis John Ludwig ‡ Larry Meerdink John Schaak Mark Wagstrom Matt Weissenbuehler
ACCOMPANIST -
‡ board member ∆ executive director
Alicia Rigsby ALICIA RIGSBY came to Colorado in 1997 after completing her Master of Music degree in piano performance and music theory at Indiana University, Bloomington. Ms. Rigsby was one of the original members of Kantorei, both as a singer and accompanist, but has taken time with her family since 2004. Ms. Rigsby has performed with the Estes Trio, the Aspen Music Festival and the Boulder Chamber Orchestra. She has been teaching music at the Children’s Music Academy, based in Littleton, for 15 years. She is passionate about music as an art form, a teaching tool and an expressionistic medium, and enjoys having all of those musical opportunities in her life. In her free time, she likes to hike, camp, ski and cycle with her husband and two daughters.
*Kantorei is a 501(c)(3) organization and any donations to the group are deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. Please consult your tax advisor for more information. *Please make donations, purchase CDs, purchase tickets and sign up for Kantorei’s mailing list in the lobby during intermission or after the concert. *We record our concerts and frequently use live recordings for our CDs. Please keep extraneous noise to a minimum during the performance. If we have misspelled your name, incorrectly listed your giving level, or omitted your name inadvertently from this list, please don’t hesitate to inform us and we will make the correction. Additionally, if you have donated to Kantorei and have not received an official thank you letter for your tax records, please let us know so that we can get one to you as soon as possible.
Augustana Ar ts Concer t Series is grateful for suppor t from the Citizens of the Scientif ic and Cultural Facilities District; the Colorado Creative Industries , a state agency and the National Endowment for the Ar ts , a federal agency; the Anschut z Foundation, the Augustana Foundation; The Bonf ils-Stanton Foundation; and several other communit y and media par tners .
FOLLOW KANTOREI ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND YOUTUBE! Facebook .com/kantorei | Twitter.com/kantoreidenver | Youtube.com/kantorei
ABOUT THE CHOIR
KANTOREI ("singers") formed in 1997 under Richard Larson’s leadership and has expanded into an auditioned, 52-voice ensemble. Its members come from schools with strong choral music programs, such as Augustana, Brigham Young, Concordia, Luther, St. Olaf, University of Denver, Wartburg and University of Northern Colorado. Kantorei established itself as one of the nation’s premier choral ensembles after performing as an auditioned choir for the 2003 national American Choral Director’s Association conference at Carnegie Hall in New York City, and the Vatican in June 2007. More recently, Kantorei has been featured in several regional and national conferences, including the 2008 National Performing Arts Convention and 2010 Southwestern Regional ACDA convention, both held in Denver. In March 2011, Kantorei returned to the national ACDA conference, with performances at Roosevelt University and Symphony Hall in Chicago. Kantorei completed its second European tour in 2012, traveling to Austria, Hungary and the Czech Republic.
MEET OUR GROUP SOPRANO
ALTO
TENOR
BASS
Theresa Derr Juli Dowell Kim Dunninger Beryl Fanslow Wendi Sue Grover Heather Gunnerson Erin Hackel Stacie Hanson Sara Michael ‡ Brenda Rolling Alicia Rigsby Pearl Rutherford
Emily Alexander Jan Ankele Lizabeth Barnett Lyn Berry-Helmlinger ∆ Jordan Bickel Hillary Foster Shannon Lemmon-Elrod Melissa Menter Erin Meyerhoff Jennifer Moore Annie Sullins Michelle Tombre Andrea Ware ‡ Lindsey Whitaker
Kai Berry-Helmlinger Michael Bizzaro Keith Ferguson Kevin Gunnerson Keith Harrison Justin Kerr Brad Larson ‡ Alex Menter ‡ Jonathan Von Stroh David Weaver Ryan Wright
Michael Boender Garth Criswell Tony Domenick Andy Halladay Stephen Hooper Brad Jackson ‡ Karl Johnson Michael Lewis John Ludwig ‡ Larry Meerdink John Schaak Mark Wagstrom Matt Weissenbuehler
ACCOMPANIST -
‡ board member ∆ executive director
Alicia Rigsby ALICIA RIGSBY came to Colorado in 1997 after completing her Master of Music degree in piano performance and music theory at Indiana University, Bloomington. Ms. Rigsby was one of the original members of Kantorei, both as a singer and accompanist, but has taken time with her family since 2004. Ms. Rigsby has performed with the Estes Trio, the Aspen Music Festival and the Boulder Chamber Orchestra. She has been teaching music at the Children’s Music Academy, based in Littleton, for 15 years. She is passionate about music as an art form, a teaching tool and an expressionistic medium, and enjoys having all of those musical opportunities in her life. In her free time, she likes to hike, camp, ski and cycle with her husband and two daughters.
*Kantorei is a 501(c)(3) organization and any donations to the group are deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. Please consult your tax advisor for more information. *Please make donations, purchase CDs, purchase tickets and sign up for Kantorei’s mailing list in the lobby during intermission or after the concert. *We record our concerts and frequently use live recordings for our CDs. Please keep extraneous noise to a minimum during the performance. If we have misspelled your name, incorrectly listed your giving level, or omitted your name inadvertently from this list, please don’t hesitate to inform us and we will make the correction. Additionally, if you have donated to Kantorei and have not received an official thank you letter for your tax records, please let us know so that we can get one to you as soon as possible.
Augustana Ar ts Concer t Series is grateful for suppor t from the Citizens of the Scientif ic and Cultural Facilities District; the Colorado Creative Industries , a state agency and the National Endowment for the Ar ts , a federal agency; the Anschut z Foundation, the Augustana Foundation; The Bonf ils-Stanton Foundation; and several other communit y and media par tners .
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