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Photo: Ashwini Ramaswamy’s Let the Crows Come by Jake Armour
for a full listing of this season’s events.
Department of Music and Theatre University at Albany presents:
The
Choral Hour UAlbany Chamber Singers UAlbany Chorale Michael Lister, director Trevor Kahlbaugh, accompanist Samantha Streeter, choral assistant
Friday, April 29, 2022 at 7pm
Main Theatre UAlbany Performing Arts Center
Note from the Director
Thank you for joining us for our concert presentation today. For our Spring Choral Hour, we focus on two major themes: the idea of spring in terms of renewal, love, and communion with nature, and an exploration of music from a variety of cultures and philosophies. For our first theme, the theme of renewal is clearly presented in the Renaissance madrigal Spring Returns, which joyously focuses on the earth returning to life and the joy and love that inspires; the music is also joyful as the composer provides great interaction of melodic lines between the parts and intentional word painting where the music reflects the text (an example may be heard in the oscillating movement of the word waves that cease with the word “stilled”). Eric Barnum’s setting of Edna St. Vincent Millay’s poem Afternoon on a Hill and Don MacDonald’s When the Earth Stands Still find both powerfully represent meaning and connection that may be found either in isolation with nature or in sharing the majesty of nature with another person as incredibly moving and spiritual experience. Eric Whitacre’s Five Hebrew Love Songs was written in the spring of 2010 as a chamber work with poems from his soon to be bride and is filled with beautiful connections of their relationship in this marriage of music and poetry. Similarly, Emma Lou Diemer’s Three Madrigals set Shakespeare sonnets that progress from young infatuation to bittersweet heartbreak to resolution and return to joy in a way that reflects the changing of the seasons. And perhaps no selection from this concert better reflects the philosophy of love more than Nature Boy, a standard that has been recorded by many artists over the years, most prominently being featured in the movie and musical Moulin Rouge, and arranged here for vocal ensemble by the Swedish jazz ensemble The Real Group. Finally, Ralph Vaughan Williams’ setting of the English folk song Just as the Tide Was Flowing invokes the joy of love and life in the spring while painting beautifully the movement of the waves in the third verse of the song, and Philip Silvey’s more modern anthem Bloom is a testament to the power of nature in communion with the human spirit.
Other music presented in this concert is drawn from a variety of cultural sources. Stephen Leek’s Tunggare creates an entire piece of music incorporating rhythmic patterns unique to each part using one word of text- “sing” – in the language of the aboriginal people of his native Australia. Now I Walk in Beauty is similarly a simple melody derived from Native American traditions and is set here in a round between the voices; the simple melody is paired with a simple text as well that allows simply being in nature to be surrounded by beauty. Brian Tate’ Gate Gate uses a Sanskrit text that is generally regarded as the essence of Buddhist teaching: “Gate” means “gone,” indicating a communal movement toward enlightenment, and a freedom from sorrow and suffering. Akekho Ofana No Jesu celebrates the community of South Africa with bright harmonic singing, call and response, and interlocking of complex rhythms. William Grant Still, the “Dean of African-American Composers” and one of the most important composers of color in 20th century United States, is known for both his larger works (symphonies and operas) that blend European style music with music from the African American tradition as well as his championing of African American spirituals as a significant musical form; of his numerous arrangements of spirituals, we present three that demonstrate his use of the source material in creative ways that remain faithful to the meaning and style of the music that inspired them. Our final selection for the concert combines two folk melodies – one from the United States and one from Easter Europe – that together present fresh musical harmony as well as a strong statement of the need for unity and peace in our world: “When all lands walk hand in hand together, we shall walk in the valley of peace.” Dr. Michael Lister Director of Choirs University at Albany
Program
UAlbany Chorale Festival Sanctus……………………………Frank Leavitt (b. 1956) Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts. Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria ejus. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Benedictus, qui venit in nomine Domini. Hosanna in excelsis. Blessed be he that comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
Now I Walk in Beauty……………...Traditional Native American arr. Gregg Smith Tunggare…………………………………...Stephen Leek (b. 1959) Eugene Lorini, percussion Three Madrigals……………………..Emma Lou Diemer (b. 1927) Text: William Shakespeare Three Spirituals…………………….William Grant Still (1895-1978) Every Time I Feel the Spirit (1977) I Feel Like My Time Ain’t Long (1956) Lord I Looked Down the Road (1961)
That Lonesome Road……………………James Taylor (b. 1948) arr. Simon Carrington Kierra Foster-Bagley, solo Gate Gate………………………………………Brian Tate (b. 1954)
UAlbany Chamber Singers Spring Returns……………...…………Luca Marenzio (1554-1599) Afternoon on a Hill …………………………..Eric Barnum (b.1979) Poem: Edna St. Vincent Millay Bloom…………………………………………Philip Silvey (b. 1965) Just As the Tide Was Flowing………..Ralph Vaughan Williams
(1872-1958)
Five Hebrew Love Songs…………………Eric Whitacre (b. 1970) Poetry: Hila Plitmann (b.1973) Hilary Cumming, violin Eugene Lorini, percussion i. Temuná
(A Picture)
ii. Kalá Kallá
(Light Bride)
iii. Laróv
(Mostly)
Temuná belibí charuntá; Nodédet beyn ór uveyn ófel: Min dmamá shekazó et guféch kach otá, Usaréch al pańa’ich kach nófel. Kalá kallá Kulá shelí, U’ve kalút Tishákhílí! “Laróv,” amár gag la’shama’im, “Hamerchák shebeynéynu hu ad; Ach lifnéy zman alu lechán shna’im, Uveynéynu nishár sentiméter echad”
A picture is engraved in my heart; Moving between light and darkness: A sort of silence envelopes your body, And your hair falls upon your face just so. Light bride she is all mine, And lightly she will kiss me! “Mostly,” said the roof to the sky, “the distance between you and I is endlessness; But a while ago two came up here, And only one centimeter was left between us.”
Sydney Miller, solo
iv. Éyze Shéleg!
(What Snow!)
What snow! Like little dreams Falling from the sky.
Ézye shéleg! Kmo chalomót ktaníim Noflím mehashamá im.
Sophia Levitt and Sydney Miller, soloists Lucy Skidmore, spoken word v. Rakút
Hu hayá malé rakút; Hi haytá kasha Vechól káma shenistá lehishaér kach, Pashút, uvlí sibá tová, Lakách otá el toch atzmó, Veheníach Bamakóm hachí rach.
(Tenderness)
He was full of tenderness; She was very hard. And as much as she tried to stay thus, Simply, and with no good reason, He took her into himself, And set her down In the softest, softest place.
When the Earth Stands Still……...……Don MacDonald (b. 1966) Nature Boy……………………………….eden ahbez (1908-1995) arr. The Real Group Brittney Clarke, solo
UAlbany Chamber Singers & UAlbany Chorale Akekho Ofana No Jesu……………….Traditional South African arr. Daniel Jackson
Jennifer Avila, solo
Eugene Lorini, percussion Akekho ofana no Jesu, akekho ofana ye. Siyahamba, akekho, siyafuna, akekho Siyajika, akekho, akekho ofana ye.
There's no one like Jesus, there's no one like Him. I walked but found no one, I searched, but found no one I turned around, but found no one, there's no one like him.
Anthem of Peace………………………..…Mack Wilberg (b 1955) UAlbany Chorale
UAlbany Chamber Singers
Soprano Tamarja Anderson Kim Davis Taylor Dykeman Kierra Foster-Bagley Madison Groff Jackie Harris Fiona Hernandez Aleasa Julian Kathleen Miller Meylie Reyes Tia Smith Jenn Thiem
Soprano Jennifer Avilla Brittany Clarke Kim Davis Helena Danzig Claire Efa Sophia Levit Camille McCalla Sydney Miller Jessica Mollé
Alto Joy Efiom Zyrafete Fazlija Tina Haq Wendy Maithland Kayla Martino Nadia Merchant Ashley Miranda Kellianne Parrett Gina Pellegrino Grace Sayward Theodora Sinis Samantha Streeter Tenor Jared Harmon Sung Cho Kim Sung In Kim Tony Leva Xiuxian Wu Bass Will Carroll Jean-Paul Klem Pablo Orellana Astudillo Jordan Ozley
Alto Kaity Burke Candace Erni Angela Gattgens Shannon Gilpatrick Emma LoConte Grace Sayward Jillian Sharp Lucy Skidmore Samantha Streeter Sammy Wilson Tenor Quillan Brady Aidan Carpenter Chai Kam Alen Stupar Bass Bruce Konopa Tony Leva Chauncy Lewis Richard Serafin
PERFORMING ARTS CENTER HOUSE POLICIES Latecomers will be seated at the discretion of the management and its staff. . The use of photographic or recording devices of any kind during this performance is strictly prohibited. . There is no food or drink allowed in the theatres, nor is smoking allowed in UAlbany buildings. . To avoid disrupting the performance, kindly disable any noise making electronic devices you may have with you. . Please take time to note the location of the fire exits nearest to you. In the event of an emergency, please proceed to the nearest exit in an orderly fashion and follow the directions of our staff.
Created and produced by the University Art Museum, NYS Writers Institute and UAlbany Performing Arts Center in collaboration with WAMC Public Radio, this popular series features leading figures from a variety of artistic disciplines in conversation about their creative inspirations, their craft and their careers. “Roundtable” host Joe Donahue conducts live on-stage interviews followed by a Q&A with the audience.
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