ABOUT THE CHOIR
octoBER 10TH at 7:30PM
Montview Blvd. Presbyterian Church 1980 Dahlia Street, Denver
Kantorei (“singers”) formed in 1997 under Richard Larson’s leadership and has expanded into an auditioned, 52-voice ensemble under the direction of Artistic Director Joel M. Rinsema. Its members come from schools with strong choral music programs, such as Augustana, Brigham Young, Concordia, Luther, St. Olaf, Wartburg, and the University of Northern Colorado. Kantorei’s mission is to elevate the human experience through choral excellence.
octoBER 11TH at 3:00PM
St. Andrew United Methodist Church 9203 S. University Blvd., Highlands Ranch
Kantorei has been featured in several Regional and National conferences, including the 2008 National Performing Arts Convention and the 2010 Southwestern Regional ACDA Convention. In March 2011, Kantorei performed by invitation at its second National ACDA Convention, including a featured performance at Orchestra Hall in Chicago, IL. Larson retired from Kantorei in May 2013, and was subsequently named Artistic Director and Conductor Emeritus. Current Artistic Director Joel M. Rinsema began his tenure with the choir in the 2014-2015 season.
MEET OUR GROUP soprano
alto
tenor
bass
Mary Christ Theresa Derr Juliane Dowell Kimberly Dunninger Beryl Fanslow Wendi Sue Grover Heather Gunnerson Stacie Hanson Jade Howard Sara Michael* Alicia Rigsby Brenda Rolling Pearl Rutherford Christianna Sullins
Emily Alexander Lindsey Aquilina Jan Ankele Lizabeth Barnett Lyn Berry-Helmlinger Sarah Harrison* Shannon Lemmon-Elrod Melissa Menter Erin Meyerhoff Jennifer Moore Michelle Tombre Andrea Ware
Kai Berry-Helmlinger Landon Covington Keith Ferguson Mason France Matthew Gierke Kevin Gunnerson Keith Harrison Jason Hindman Steve Howie* Justin Kerr Brad Larson Alex Menter Jonathan Von Stroh Ryan Wright
Michael Bizzaro Michael Boender Garth Criswell Andrew Halladay* Stephen Hooper Brad Jackson Karl Johnson John Ludwig Larry Meerdink Marc Petersen John Schaak Matt Weissenbuehler Nathan Wubbena
* section leader
MARK YOUR CALENDARS - OUR 2015-2016 SEASON
SALON: NIGHT ON BROADWAY NOVEMBER 14, 2015 An evening to benefit Kantorei
PASSION WEEK
FEBRUARY 27-28, 2016
A KANTOREI CHRISTMAS DECEMBER 11-13, 2015
MOVIE MUSIC
MAY 14-15, 2016
KANTOREI BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kevin Gunnerson, President Jason Hindman, Vice President Susan Lewkow, Treasurer Juliane Dowell, Secretary Mark Aquilina Michael Bizzaro
Theresa Derr Brad Jackson Katherine Mulready -----------Sara Michael, Administrative Assistant & Librarian
FEELING ELEVATED? We want to hear about it! Please share your thoughts about today's performance with us at
Facebook.com/Kantorei | @KantoreiDenver | Instagram.com/Kantorei | Youtube.com/Kantorei | Soundcloud.com/KantoreiCO
*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.
KANTOREI.ORG/AUDIENCE-FEEDBACK
“...one of Denver’s foremost choirs... the full-bodied sound of the choir was stunning.” - SCEN3
down in the river to pray
arr. Elizabeth Ladizinsky (b. 1965) and J.A.C. Redford (b. 1953)
Juliane Dowell, soprano; Emily Alexander, alto
THREE SETTINGS OF AMAZING GRACE jewett new britain amazing grace
R.F.M. Mann, 1869 Columbian Harmony, 1829 arr. Ēriks Ešenvalds (b. 1977)
Jade Howard, soprano
TWO GOSPEL SELECTIONS city called heaven*
arr. Josephine Poelinitz (b. 1946)
Larry Meerdink, baritone; Alicia Rigsby, piano
jordan's angels
Rollo A. Dilworth (b. 1970)
Alicia Rigsby, piano
HEAVENLY HOME: THREE AMERICAN SONGS arr. Shawn Kirchner (b. 1970) 1. unclouded day 2. angel band 3. hallelujah INTERMISSION THE LEGACY OF ROBERT SHAW AND ALICE PARKER god is seen* arr. Alice Parker (b. 1925) , arr. Alice Parker hark i hear the harps eternal Stacie Hanson, soprano
sometimes i feel
arr. Alice Parker and Robert Shaw (1916-1999)
Sarah Harrison, alto
i got shoes* FOLK/BLUEGRASS where we'll never grow old
Kim Dunninger, soprano; Andrea Ware, alto; Jennifer Moore, alto; Jan Ankele, alto
i wonder what they're doin' there now THE LEGACY OF MOSES HOGAN didn't my lord deliver daniel?
arr. Alice Parker and Robert Shaw
arr. James C. Moore (1888-1962) Forbes Family, arr. Patrick Dupre Quigley (b. 1977) arr. Moses Hogan (1957-2003)
Wendi Sue Grover, soprano; Stacie Hanson, soprano; Jan Ankele, alto
the battle of jericho* Beryl Fanslow, soprano
my soul's been anchored in the lord* *this selection appears on our cd, "the road home"
Please consider turning in your program at the end of the concert to be re-used and recycled.
PROGRAM NOTES
ABOUT THE STAFF
J.A.C. Redford says of his Down in the River arrangement: “With chant-like repetition and pure earlyAmerican harmony, Down in the River to Pray helped make the baptism scene in the film O Brother, Where Art Thou a thoroughly haunting one. Liz Ladizinsky’s arrangement for the vocal group, Zephyr, was equally affecting. I partnered with her to create this version for a concert of choral music from the movies which I produced for the Los Angeles Master Chorale in 2003.”
artistic director
The shape-note tradition is an early American adaptation of the ancient technique of solmization, or the assigning of certain syllables to certain pitches. The four-note system, consisting of a scale spelled fa sol la fa sol la mi, with mi being reserved for the leading-tone, was considered the easiest, and the syllables were printed in the music as an aid to sight-reading. When The Easy Instructor was published in 1801, the system was taken a step further, and each of the four syllables was given a note head of a distinctive shape. These shape-notes became a tremendously popular tool in Southern tune books. In this style of singing, the melody is in the tenor, but octave doublings of the tune in the soprano are a common performance tradition, creating its characteristic austere, open harmonies. The story of Amazing Grace is well-known, of course – John Newton, the slave ship captain, experienced a conversion and repudiated his old life and livelihood, becoming an ordained minister after leaving the sea. The melody by which Americans know the hymn is a tune called New Britain, but it can be sung to any melody with the appropriate meter, as, for example, Jewett, which tags a foot-tapping chorus onto the familiar text. Latvian composer Ēriks Ešenvalds takes on the traditional melody with a modern flare, setting successive tones of the opening verse (sung here by soprano soloist Jade Howard) to specific voice parts in the accompanying choir. The result is a stunning wall of sound, one that traverses through several changes in tonal center and voicing, serving as a vivid reminder of the power and importance of this melody to our culture over time and distance. Shawn Kirchner's Three American Songs is a virtuosic “bluegrass” setting of well-loved 19th-century spiritual songs. "Unclouded Day" is high-spirited and grand, with an energizing "bluegrass fugue" as a middle verse. "Angel Band" is flowing, deep, and ultimately transcendent, with a beautiful countermelody that weaves between each verse. "Hallelujah" brings the set to a close, as verses adorned with intricate counterpoint contrast with homophonic "Sacred Harp"-style refrains. Gospel music roots run deep into the foundation of America. Tracing back to the early 17th century from the African American religious experience, the genre emerged from the "call and response" oral tradition. Josephine Poelinitz' arrangement of City Called Heaven and Dr. Rollo Dilworth's Jordan's Angels both set traditional African-American spirituals in this repetitive, rhythmic, and wholly-melodic fashion. While working on her master's degree from the Juilliard School, Alice Parker studied choral conducting with internationally-renowned musician and conductor Robert Shaw. As Shaw began to organize the Robert Shaw Chorale, he enlisted the young Parker to do research and create choral arrangements for the new touring and recording ensemble. The many Parker/Shaw settings of American folksongs, hymns and spirituals from that period form an enduring repertoire for choruses all around the world. We present four of them on this program in contrasting styles: God is Seen, serene and introspective; Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal, joyful and triumphant; Sometimes I Feel, solemn and steadfast; and I Got Shoes, innocent and playful. Alice Parker, a true force in the American choral tradition, celebrates her 90th birthday this year. Bluegrass and folk incorporate musical styles amalgamated from the immigrant traditions of the Scots, Irish, and English, as well as African influences brought in from slave music, with further influences from gospel, jazz, and country. James Moore, a Missionary Baptist preacher and singing teacher, wrote both the words and music for Where We’ll Never Grow Old in 1914 as a dedication to his aging parents. The Forbes Family is a band comprised of four siblings, two brothers and two sisters, who have recorded off and on since 1977. Their work, represented here by I Wonder What They’re Doin’ There Now, has been released by Rebel Records, and their most recent album features a collaboration with Alison Krause and Union Station. It is easy at this remove to forget to listen for the undercurrent of woe that ran under even the liveliest spirituals, as so eloquently illustrated in the words of Frederick Douglass: “I have often been utterly astonished, since I came to the north, to find persons who could speak of the singing, among slaves, as evidence of their contentment and happiness. Slaves sing most when they are most unhappy. The songs of the slave represent the sorrows of his heart; and he is relieved by them, only as an aching heart is relieved by its tears. At least, such is my experience. I have often sung to drown my sorrow, but seldom to express my happiness. Crying for joy, and singing for joy, were alike uncommon to me while in the jaws of slavery. The singing of a man cast away upon a desolate island might be as appropriately considered as evidence of contentment and happiness, as the singing of a slave; the songs of the one and of the other are prompted by the same emotion.” Moses Hogan, a graduate of Oberlin Conservatory of Music and Juilliard, was an award-winning concert pianist and director of the admired Moses Hogan Chorale. He left us too young, dying in 2003 of complications from a stroke at age 45. We close our program with three of his well-known and oftperformed arrangements: Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel, The Battle of Jericho, and My Soul's Been Anchored in the Lord. Program Notes courtesy of Kathryn Parke, except "Three American Songs" (courtesy Shawn Kirchner), Alice Parker-Robert Shaw (courtesy MorningStar Music), and Ēriks Ešenvalds (courtesy Kevin Gunnerson).
JOEL M. RINSEMA was named Artistic Director of Kantorei in
2014. Dedicated to expanding the artistic reach and transformative power of quality choral arts, he won the coveted Louis Botto Award for Innovative Action and Entrepreneurial Zeal from Chorus America in 2013. For the past 15 years, he served as the Assistant Conductor and President/CEO of the Grammy-winning Phoenix Chorale, working with internationally renowned conductor Charles Bruffy. Joel assisted in all aspects of artistic planning and leadership, and during his tenure, Phoenix Chorale recordings earned a total of two Grammy awards and eight Grammy nominations. The group’s recording “Northern Lights: Music of Ola Gjeilo” was named iTunes Classical Vocal Album of the year in 2012. Joel 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 recently completed his nearly 25-year tenure with the Phoenix Chorale, in order to relocate to Denver and focus his time and energy on Kantorei.
assistant conductor SARAH HARRISON teaches 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 CCHS, Sarah opened and spent five years at Silver Creek Middle/ Senior High School in Longmont, Colo. In addition to teaching, Sarah sings with various ensembles throughout the community, including Kantorei, and is an orchestra and jazz string bassist. She was Kantorei’s Interim Director for the 2013-2014 season, and recently served as Colorado’s ACDA High School Mixed Repertoire and Standard Chair. Sarah earned her Bachelor of Music Education degree, with instrumental and vocal certification, from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., and her Master of Music in conducting and music education from Colorado State University.
accompanist ALICIA RIGSBY came to Colorado in 1997 after completing
her Master of Music degree in piano performance and music theory at Indiana University, Bloomington. Alicia is one of the original members of Kantorei, both as a singer and accompanist. She has performed with the Estes Trio, the Aspen Music Festival and the Boulder Chamber Orchestra, and teaches music at the Homeschool Connection, an extension of Woodrow Wilson Academy in Westminster. She is passionate about music as an art form, a teaching tool and an expressionistic medium, and enjoys having all of the musical opportunities in her life.
down in the river to pray
arr. Elizabeth Ladizinsky (b. 1965) and J.A.C. Redford (b. 1953)
Juliane Dowell, soprano; Emily Alexander, alto
THREE SETTINGS OF AMAZING GRACE jewett new britain amazing grace
R.F.M. Mann, 1869 Columbian Harmony, 1829 arr. Ēriks Ešenvalds (b. 1977)
Jade Howard, soprano
TWO GOSPEL SELECTIONS city called heaven*
arr. Josephine Poelinitz (b. 1946)
Larry Meerdink, baritone; Alicia Rigsby, piano
jordan's angels
Rollo A. Dilworth (b. 1970)
Alicia Rigsby, piano
HEAVENLY HOME: THREE AMERICAN SONGS arr. Shawn Kirchner (b. 1970) 1. unclouded day 2. angel band 3. hallelujah INTERMISSION THE LEGACY OF ROBERT SHAW AND ALICE PARKER god is seen* arr. Alice Parker (b. 1925) , arr. Alice Parker hark i hear the harps eternal Stacie Hanson, soprano
sometimes i feel
arr. Alice Parker and Robert Shaw (1916-1999)
Sarah Harrison, alto
i got shoes* FOLK/BLUEGRASS where we'll never grow old
Kim Dunninger, soprano; Andrea Ware, alto; Jennifer Moore, alto; Jan Ankele, alto
i wonder what they're doin' there now THE LEGACY OF MOSES HOGAN didn't my lord deliver daniel?
arr. Alice Parker and Robert Shaw
arr. James C. Moore (1888-1962) Forbes Family, arr. Patrick Dupre Quigley (b. 1977) arr. Moses Hogan (1957-2003)
Wendi Sue Grover, soprano; Stacie Hanson, soprano; Jan Ankele, alto
the battle of jericho* Beryl Fanslow, soprano
my soul's been anchored in the lord* *this selection appears on our cd, "the road home"
Please consider turning in your program at the end of the concert to be re-used and recycled.
PROGRAM NOTES
ABOUT THE STAFF
J.A.C. Redford says of his Down in the River arrangement: “With chant-like repetition and pure earlyAmerican harmony, Down in the River to Pray helped make the baptism scene in the film O Brother, Where Art Thou a thoroughly haunting one. Liz Ladizinsky’s arrangement for the vocal group, Zephyr, was equally affecting. I partnered with her to create this version for a concert of choral music from the movies which I produced for the Los Angeles Master Chorale in 2003.”
artistic director
The shape-note tradition is an early American adaptation of the ancient technique of solmization, or the assigning of certain syllables to certain pitches. The four-note system, consisting of a scale spelled fa sol la fa sol la mi, with mi being reserved for the leading-tone, was considered the easiest, and the syllables were printed in the music as an aid to sight-reading. When The Easy Instructor was published in 1801, the system was taken a step further, and each of the four syllables was given a note head of a distinctive shape. These shape-notes became a tremendously popular tool in Southern tune books. In this style of singing, the melody is in the tenor, but octave doublings of the tune in the soprano are a common performance tradition, creating its characteristic austere, open harmonies. The story of Amazing Grace is well-known, of course – John Newton, the slave ship captain, experienced a conversion and repudiated his old life and livelihood, becoming an ordained minister after leaving the sea. The melody by which Americans know the hymn is a tune called New Britain, but it can be sung to any melody with the appropriate meter, as, for example, Jewett, which tags a foot-tapping chorus onto the familiar text. Latvian composer Ēriks Ešenvalds takes on the traditional melody with a modern flare, setting successive tones of the opening verse (sung here by soprano soloist Jade Howard) to specific voice parts in the accompanying choir. The result is a stunning wall of sound, one that traverses through several changes in tonal center and voicing, serving as a vivid reminder of the power and importance of this melody to our culture over time and distance. Shawn Kirchner's Three American Songs is a virtuosic “bluegrass” setting of well-loved 19th-century spiritual songs. "Unclouded Day" is high-spirited and grand, with an energizing "bluegrass fugue" as a middle verse. "Angel Band" is flowing, deep, and ultimately transcendent, with a beautiful countermelody that weaves between each verse. "Hallelujah" brings the set to a close, as verses adorned with intricate counterpoint contrast with homophonic "Sacred Harp"-style refrains. Gospel music roots run deep into the foundation of America. Tracing back to the early 17th century from the African American religious experience, the genre emerged from the "call and response" oral tradition. Josephine Poelinitz' arrangement of City Called Heaven and Dr. Rollo Dilworth's Jordan's Angels both set traditional African-American spirituals in this repetitive, rhythmic, and wholly-melodic fashion. While working on her master's degree from the Juilliard School, Alice Parker studied choral conducting with internationally-renowned musician and conductor Robert Shaw. As Shaw began to organize the Robert Shaw Chorale, he enlisted the young Parker to do research and create choral arrangements for the new touring and recording ensemble. The many Parker/Shaw settings of American folksongs, hymns and spirituals from that period form an enduring repertoire for choruses all around the world. We present four of them on this program in contrasting styles: God is Seen, serene and introspective; Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal, joyful and triumphant; Sometimes I Feel, solemn and steadfast; and I Got Shoes, innocent and playful. Alice Parker, a true force in the American choral tradition, celebrates her 90th birthday this year. Bluegrass and folk incorporate musical styles amalgamated from the immigrant traditions of the Scots, Irish, and English, as well as African influences brought in from slave music, with further influences from gospel, jazz, and country. James Moore, a Missionary Baptist preacher and singing teacher, wrote both the words and music for Where We’ll Never Grow Old in 1914 as a dedication to his aging parents. The Forbes Family is a band comprised of four siblings, two brothers and two sisters, who have recorded off and on since 1977. Their work, represented here by I Wonder What They’re Doin’ There Now, has been released by Rebel Records, and their most recent album features a collaboration with Alison Krause and Union Station. It is easy at this remove to forget to listen for the undercurrent of woe that ran under even the liveliest spirituals, as so eloquently illustrated in the words of Frederick Douglass: “I have often been utterly astonished, since I came to the north, to find persons who could speak of the singing, among slaves, as evidence of their contentment and happiness. Slaves sing most when they are most unhappy. The songs of the slave represent the sorrows of his heart; and he is relieved by them, only as an aching heart is relieved by its tears. At least, such is my experience. I have often sung to drown my sorrow, but seldom to express my happiness. Crying for joy, and singing for joy, were alike uncommon to me while in the jaws of slavery. The singing of a man cast away upon a desolate island might be as appropriately considered as evidence of contentment and happiness, as the singing of a slave; the songs of the one and of the other are prompted by the same emotion.” Moses Hogan, a graduate of Oberlin Conservatory of Music and Juilliard, was an award-winning concert pianist and director of the admired Moses Hogan Chorale. He left us too young, dying in 2003 of complications from a stroke at age 45. We close our program with three of his well-known and oftperformed arrangements: Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel, The Battle of Jericho, and My Soul's Been Anchored in the Lord. Program Notes courtesy of Kathryn Parke, except "Three American Songs" (courtesy Shawn Kirchner), Alice Parker-Robert Shaw (courtesy MorningStar Music), and Ēriks Ešenvalds (courtesy Kevin Gunnerson).
JOEL M. RINSEMA was named Artistic Director of Kantorei in
2014. Dedicated to expanding the artistic reach and transformative power of quality choral arts, he won the coveted Louis Botto Award for Innovative Action and Entrepreneurial Zeal from Chorus America in 2013. For the past 15 years, he served as the Assistant Conductor and President/CEO of the Grammy-winning Phoenix Chorale, working with internationally renowned conductor Charles Bruffy. Joel assisted in all aspects of artistic planning and leadership, and during his tenure, Phoenix Chorale recordings earned a total of two Grammy awards and eight Grammy nominations. The group’s recording “Northern Lights: Music of Ola Gjeilo” was named iTunes Classical Vocal Album of the year in 2012. Joel 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 recently completed his nearly 25-year tenure with the Phoenix Chorale, in order to relocate to Denver and focus his time and energy on Kantorei.
assistant conductor SARAH HARRISON teaches 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 CCHS, Sarah opened and spent five years at Silver Creek Middle/ Senior High School in Longmont, Colo. In addition to teaching, Sarah sings with various ensembles throughout the community, including Kantorei, and is an orchestra and jazz string bassist. She was Kantorei’s Interim Director for the 2013-2014 season, and recently served as Colorado’s ACDA High School Mixed Repertoire and Standard Chair. Sarah earned her Bachelor of Music Education degree, with instrumental and vocal certification, from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., and her Master of Music in conducting and music education from Colorado State University.
accompanist ALICIA RIGSBY came to Colorado in 1997 after completing
her Master of Music degree in piano performance and music theory at Indiana University, Bloomington. Alicia is one of the original members of Kantorei, both as a singer and accompanist. She has performed with the Estes Trio, the Aspen Music Festival and the Boulder Chamber Orchestra, and teaches music at the Homeschool Connection, an extension of Woodrow Wilson Academy in Westminster. She is passionate about music as an art form, a teaching tool and an expressionistic medium, and enjoys having all of the musical opportunities in her life.
down in the river to pray
arr. Elizabeth Ladizinsky (b. 1965) and J.A.C. Redford (b. 1953)
Juliane Dowell, soprano; Emily Alexander, alto
THREE SETTINGS OF AMAZING GRACE jewett new britain amazing grace
R.F.M. Mann, 1869 Columbian Harmony, 1829 arr. Ēriks Ešenvalds (b. 1977)
Jade Howard, soprano
TWO GOSPEL SELECTIONS city called heaven*
arr. Josephine Poelinitz (b. 1946)
Larry Meerdink, baritone; Alicia Rigsby, piano
jordan's angels
Rollo A. Dilworth (b. 1970)
Alicia Rigsby, piano
HEAVENLY HOME: THREE AMERICAN SONGS arr. Shawn Kirchner (b. 1970) 1. unclouded day 2. angel band 3. hallelujah INTERMISSION THE LEGACY OF ROBERT SHAW AND ALICE PARKER god is seen* arr. Alice Parker (b. 1925) , arr. Alice Parker hark i hear the harps eternal Stacie Hanson, soprano
sometimes i feel
arr. Alice Parker and Robert Shaw (1916-1999)
Sarah Harrison, alto
i got shoes* FOLK/BLUEGRASS where we'll never grow old
Kim Dunninger, soprano; Andrea Ware, alto; Jennifer Moore, alto; Jan Ankele, alto
i wonder what they're doin' there now THE LEGACY OF MOSES HOGAN didn't my lord deliver daniel?
arr. Alice Parker and Robert Shaw
arr. James C. Moore (1888-1962) Forbes Family, arr. Patrick Dupre Quigley (b. 1977) arr. Moses Hogan (1957-2003)
Wendi Sue Grover, soprano; Stacie Hanson, soprano; Jan Ankele, alto
the battle of jericho* Beryl Fanslow, soprano
my soul's been anchored in the lord* *this selection appears on our cd, "the road home"
Please consider turning in your program at the end of the concert to be re-used and recycled.
PROGRAM NOTES
ABOUT THE STAFF
J.A.C. Redford says of his Down in the River arrangement: “With chant-like repetition and pure earlyAmerican harmony, Down in the River to Pray helped make the baptism scene in the film O Brother, Where Art Thou a thoroughly haunting one. Liz Ladizinsky’s arrangement for the vocal group, Zephyr, was equally affecting. I partnered with her to create this version for a concert of choral music from the movies which I produced for the Los Angeles Master Chorale in 2003.”
artistic director
The shape-note tradition is an early American adaptation of the ancient technique of solmization, or the assigning of certain syllables to certain pitches. The four-note system, consisting of a scale spelled fa sol la fa sol la mi, with mi being reserved for the leading-tone, was considered the easiest, and the syllables were printed in the music as an aid to sight-reading. When The Easy Instructor was published in 1801, the system was taken a step further, and each of the four syllables was given a note head of a distinctive shape. These shape-notes became a tremendously popular tool in Southern tune books. In this style of singing, the melody is in the tenor, but octave doublings of the tune in the soprano are a common performance tradition, creating its characteristic austere, open harmonies. The story of Amazing Grace is well-known, of course – John Newton, the slave ship captain, experienced a conversion and repudiated his old life and livelihood, becoming an ordained minister after leaving the sea. The melody by which Americans know the hymn is a tune called New Britain, but it can be sung to any melody with the appropriate meter, as, for example, Jewett, which tags a foot-tapping chorus onto the familiar text. Latvian composer Ēriks Ešenvalds takes on the traditional melody with a modern flare, setting successive tones of the opening verse (sung here by soprano soloist Jade Howard) to specific voice parts in the accompanying choir. The result is a stunning wall of sound, one that traverses through several changes in tonal center and voicing, serving as a vivid reminder of the power and importance of this melody to our culture over time and distance. Shawn Kirchner's Three American Songs is a virtuosic “bluegrass” setting of well-loved 19th-century spiritual songs. "Unclouded Day" is high-spirited and grand, with an energizing "bluegrass fugue" as a middle verse. "Angel Band" is flowing, deep, and ultimately transcendent, with a beautiful countermelody that weaves between each verse. "Hallelujah" brings the set to a close, as verses adorned with intricate counterpoint contrast with homophonic "Sacred Harp"-style refrains. Gospel music roots run deep into the foundation of America. Tracing back to the early 17th century from the African American religious experience, the genre emerged from the "call and response" oral tradition. Josephine Poelinitz' arrangement of City Called Heaven and Dr. Rollo Dilworth's Jordan's Angels both set traditional African-American spirituals in this repetitive, rhythmic, and wholly-melodic fashion. While working on her master's degree from the Juilliard School, Alice Parker studied choral conducting with internationally-renowned musician and conductor Robert Shaw. As Shaw began to organize the Robert Shaw Chorale, he enlisted the young Parker to do research and create choral arrangements for the new touring and recording ensemble. The many Parker/Shaw settings of American folksongs, hymns and spirituals from that period form an enduring repertoire for choruses all around the world. We present four of them on this program in contrasting styles: God is Seen, serene and introspective; Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal, joyful and triumphant; Sometimes I Feel, solemn and steadfast; and I Got Shoes, innocent and playful. Alice Parker, a true force in the American choral tradition, celebrates her 90th birthday this year. Bluegrass and folk incorporate musical styles amalgamated from the immigrant traditions of the Scots, Irish, and English, as well as African influences brought in from slave music, with further influences from gospel, jazz, and country. James Moore, a Missionary Baptist preacher and singing teacher, wrote both the words and music for Where We’ll Never Grow Old in 1914 as a dedication to his aging parents. The Forbes Family is a band comprised of four siblings, two brothers and two sisters, who have recorded off and on since 1977. Their work, represented here by I Wonder What They’re Doin’ There Now, has been released by Rebel Records, and their most recent album features a collaboration with Alison Krause and Union Station. It is easy at this remove to forget to listen for the undercurrent of woe that ran under even the liveliest spirituals, as so eloquently illustrated in the words of Frederick Douglass: “I have often been utterly astonished, since I came to the north, to find persons who could speak of the singing, among slaves, as evidence of their contentment and happiness. Slaves sing most when they are most unhappy. The songs of the slave represent the sorrows of his heart; and he is relieved by them, only as an aching heart is relieved by its tears. At least, such is my experience. I have often sung to drown my sorrow, but seldom to express my happiness. Crying for joy, and singing for joy, were alike uncommon to me while in the jaws of slavery. The singing of a man cast away upon a desolate island might be as appropriately considered as evidence of contentment and happiness, as the singing of a slave; the songs of the one and of the other are prompted by the same emotion.” Moses Hogan, a graduate of Oberlin Conservatory of Music and Juilliard, was an award-winning concert pianist and director of the admired Moses Hogan Chorale. He left us too young, dying in 2003 of complications from a stroke at age 45. We close our program with three of his well-known and oftperformed arrangements: Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel, The Battle of Jericho, and My Soul's Been Anchored in the Lord. Program Notes courtesy of Kathryn Parke, except "Three American Songs" (courtesy Shawn Kirchner), Alice Parker-Robert Shaw (courtesy MorningStar Music), and Ēriks Ešenvalds (courtesy Kevin Gunnerson).
JOEL M. RINSEMA was named Artistic Director of Kantorei in
2014. Dedicated to expanding the artistic reach and transformative power of quality choral arts, he won the coveted Louis Botto Award for Innovative Action and Entrepreneurial Zeal from Chorus America in 2013. For the past 15 years, he served as the Assistant Conductor and President/CEO of the Grammy-winning Phoenix Chorale, working with internationally renowned conductor Charles Bruffy. Joel assisted in all aspects of artistic planning and leadership, and during his tenure, Phoenix Chorale recordings earned a total of two Grammy awards and eight Grammy nominations. The group’s recording “Northern Lights: Music of Ola Gjeilo” was named iTunes Classical Vocal Album of the year in 2012. Joel 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 recently completed his nearly 25-year tenure with the Phoenix Chorale, in order to relocate to Denver and focus his time and energy on Kantorei.
assistant conductor SARAH HARRISON teaches 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 CCHS, Sarah opened and spent five years at Silver Creek Middle/ Senior High School in Longmont, Colo. In addition to teaching, Sarah sings with various ensembles throughout the community, including Kantorei, and is an orchestra and jazz string bassist. She was Kantorei’s Interim Director for the 2013-2014 season, and recently served as Colorado’s ACDA High School Mixed Repertoire and Standard Chair. Sarah earned her Bachelor of Music Education degree, with instrumental and vocal certification, from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., and her Master of Music in conducting and music education from Colorado State University.
accompanist ALICIA RIGSBY came to Colorado in 1997 after completing
her Master of Music degree in piano performance and music theory at Indiana University, Bloomington. Alicia is one of the original members of Kantorei, both as a singer and accompanist. She has performed with the Estes Trio, the Aspen Music Festival and the Boulder Chamber Orchestra, and teaches music at the Homeschool Connection, an extension of Woodrow Wilson Academy in Westminster. She is passionate about music as an art form, a teaching tool and an expressionistic medium, and enjoys having all of the musical opportunities in her life.
ABOUT THE CHOIR
octoBER 10TH at 7:30PM
Montview Blvd. Presbyterian Church 1980 Dahlia Street, Denver
Kantorei (“singers”) formed in 1997 under Richard Larson’s leadership and has expanded into an auditioned, 52-voice ensemble under the direction of Artistic Director Joel M. Rinsema. Its members come from schools with strong choral music programs, such as Augustana, Brigham Young, Concordia, Luther, St. Olaf, Wartburg, and the University of Northern Colorado. Kantorei’s mission is to elevate the human experience through choral excellence.
octoBER 11TH at 3:00PM
St. Andrew United Methodist Church 9203 S. University Blvd., Highlands Ranch
Kantorei has been featured in several Regional and National conferences, including the 2008 National Performing Arts Convention and the 2010 Southwestern Regional ACDA Convention. In March 2011, Kantorei performed by invitation at its second National ACDA Convention, including a featured performance at Orchestra Hall in Chicago, IL. Larson retired from Kantorei in May 2013, and was subsequently named Artistic Director and Conductor Emeritus. Current Artistic Director Joel M. Rinsema began his tenure with the choir in the 2014-2015 season.
MEET OUR GROUP soprano
alto
tenor
bass
Mary Christ Theresa Derr Juliane Dowell Kimberly Dunninger Beryl Fanslow Wendi Sue Grover Heather Gunnerson Stacie Hanson Jade Howard Sara Michael* Alicia Rigsby Brenda Rolling Pearl Rutherford Christianna Sullins
Emily Alexander Lindsey Aquilina Jan Ankele Lizabeth Barnett Lyn Berry-Helmlinger Sarah Harrison* Shannon Lemmon-Elrod Melissa Menter Erin Meyerhoff Jennifer Moore Michelle Tombre Andrea Ware
Kai Berry-Helmlinger Landon Covington Keith Ferguson Mason France Matthew Gierke Kevin Gunnerson Keith Harrison Jason Hindman Steve Howie* Justin Kerr Brad Larson Alex Menter Jonathan Von Stroh Ryan Wright
Michael Bizzaro Michael Boender Garth Criswell Andrew Halladay* Stephen Hooper Brad Jackson Karl Johnson John Ludwig Larry Meerdink Marc Petersen John Schaak Matt Weissenbuehler Nathan Wubbena
* section leader
MARK YOUR CALENDARS - OUR 2015-2016 SEASON
SALON: NIGHT ON BROADWAY NOVEMBER 14, 2015 An evening to benefit Kantorei
PASSION WEEK
FEBRUARY 27-28, 2016
A KANTOREI CHRISTMAS DECEMBER 11-13, 2015
MOVIE MUSIC
MAY 14-15, 2016
KANTOREI BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kevin Gunnerson, President Jason Hindman, Vice President Susan Lewkow, Treasurer Juliane Dowell, Secretary Mark Aquilina Michael Bizzaro
Theresa Derr Brad Jackson Katherine Mulready -----------Sara Michael, Administrative Assistant & Librarian
FEELING ELEVATED? We want to hear about it! Please share your thoughts about today's performance with us at
Facebook.com/Kantorei | @KantoreiDenver | Instagram.com/Kantorei | Youtube.com/Kantorei | Soundcloud.com/KantoreiCO
*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.
KANTOREI.ORG/AUDIENCE-FEEDBACK
“...one of Denver’s foremost choirs... the full-bodied sound of the choir was stunning.” - SCEN3
ABOUT THE CHOIR
octoBER 10TH at 7:30PM
Montview Blvd. Presbyterian Church 1980 Dahlia Street, Denver
Kantorei (“singers”) formed in 1997 under Richard Larson’s leadership and has expanded into an auditioned, 52-voice ensemble under the direction of Artistic Director Joel M. Rinsema. Its members come from schools with strong choral music programs, such as Augustana, Brigham Young, Concordia, Luther, St. Olaf, Wartburg, and the University of Northern Colorado. Kantorei’s mission is to elevate the human experience through choral excellence.
octoBER 11TH at 3:00PM
St. Andrew United Methodist Church 9203 S. University Blvd., Highlands Ranch
Kantorei has been featured in several Regional and National conferences, including the 2008 National Performing Arts Convention and the 2010 Southwestern Regional ACDA Convention. In March 2011, Kantorei performed by invitation at its second National ACDA Convention, including a featured performance at Orchestra Hall in Chicago, IL. Larson retired from Kantorei in May 2013, and was subsequently named Artistic Director and Conductor Emeritus. Current Artistic Director Joel M. Rinsema began his tenure with the choir in the 2014-2015 season.
MEET OUR GROUP soprano
alto
tenor
bass
Mary Christ Theresa Derr Juliane Dowell Kimberly Dunninger Beryl Fanslow Wendi Sue Grover Heather Gunnerson Stacie Hanson Jade Howard Sara Michael* Alicia Rigsby Brenda Rolling Pearl Rutherford Christianna Sullins
Emily Alexander Lindsey Aquilina Jan Ankele Lizabeth Barnett Lyn Berry-Helmlinger Sarah Harrison* Shannon Lemmon-Elrod Melissa Menter Erin Meyerhoff Jennifer Moore Michelle Tombre Andrea Ware
Kai Berry-Helmlinger Landon Covington Keith Ferguson Mason France Matthew Gierke Kevin Gunnerson Keith Harrison Jason Hindman Steve Howie* Justin Kerr Brad Larson Alex Menter Jonathan Von Stroh Ryan Wright
Michael Bizzaro Michael Boender Garth Criswell Andrew Halladay* Stephen Hooper Brad Jackson Karl Johnson John Ludwig Larry Meerdink Marc Petersen John Schaak Matt Weissenbuehler Nathan Wubbena
* section leader
MARK YOUR CALENDARS - OUR 2015-2016 SEASON
SALON: NIGHT ON BROADWAY NOVEMBER 14, 2015 An evening to benefit Kantorei
PASSION WEEK
FEBRUARY 27-28, 2016
A KANTOREI CHRISTMAS DECEMBER 11-13, 2015
MOVIE MUSIC
MAY 14-15, 2016
KANTOREI BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kevin Gunnerson, President Jason Hindman, Vice President Susan Lewkow, Treasurer Juliane Dowell, Secretary Mark Aquilina Michael Bizzaro
Theresa Derr Brad Jackson Katherine Mulready -----------Sara Michael, Administrative Assistant & Librarian
FEELING ELEVATED? We want to hear about it! Please share your thoughts about today's performance with us at
Facebook.com/Kantorei | @KantoreiDenver | Instagram.com/Kantorei | Youtube.com/Kantorei | Soundcloud.com/KantoreiCO
*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.
KANTOREI.ORG/AUDIENCE-FEEDBACK
“...one of Denver’s foremost choirs... the full-bodied sound of the choir was stunning.” - SCEN3