Graduate Conducting Recital:

Adam Good, graduate conductor 

Ithaca College Women's Chorale
Ithaca College Choir 

Ford Hall
Tuesday, March 7th, 2017
8:15 pm
 Program
Ithaca College Women's Chorale
This Beautiful Day
Dixit from Vesperae Pro Festo Sancti Innocentium Michael Haydn
(1737-1806)
Felicity Thomas, Christina Dimitriou, Caroline Fresh, soloists
Victoria Boell and Evan Young, horn
Shelby Dems and Michelle Metty, violin
Craig Mehler, cello
Katelyn Adams, bass

Der 23. Psalm, D. 706 Franz Schubert

(1797-1828)
Salut printemps Claude Debussy
(1862-1918)
Lucrezia Ceccarelli, soloist

Jubilee Sally Lamb McCune

(b. 1966)
This is the Day Gerald T. Smith
Aquiala Walden, Amber Ward and D’laney Bowry, soloists
Cooper Casterline, drum set
Tristen Jarvis, bass

Intermission

Ithaca College Choir

Expressions of Love, Sacrifice, and Celebration
I Can Tell the World arr. Moses Hogan
(1957-2003)
Amor de mi Alma Z. Randall Stroope
(b. 1953)
Crucifixus Antonio Lotti
(1667-1740)
For All We Know arr. Taylor Smith, Fred Diengott
Balleilakka arr. Ethan Sperry
Laura Stedge and Taylor Smith, soloists
Alex Hoerig, Ian Jones, Hiromu Nagahama, and Danny Syvret, percussion
This recital is in fulfillment of the degree M.M. in Choral Conducting. Adam
Good is from the Conducting Studio of Janet Galván.
 Program Notes
Ithaca College Women's Chorale: This Beautiful Day
Dixit Dominus
English Translation

The Lord said unto my Lord:

Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
your footstool.

The scepter of your power

the Lord shall send forth from Zion:
Rule thou in the mids of your enemies.

The power to rule is with you

on the day of your stength,
in the splendor of the holy ones:
I have begotten you from the womb
before the rising of the day-star.

The Lord has sworn an oath,

and will not repent of it:
You are a priest forever,
after the order of Melchisedech.

The Lord at your right hand

destroys kings on the day of his wrath;
He shall judge among the heathen;
he shall pile up ruins
and scatter skulls on many lands.

He shall drink of the torrent in his way;

therefore he shall lift up his head.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.

Dixit Dominus is one of the five Lucernal or Vesper psalms wich have
been a characteristic feature of the office of Vespers for many
centuries. Michael Haydn supplements the psalm text by including
the Gloria Patri text. The Gloria Patri, or the Lesser Doxology, is
usually recited after each psalm employed in Divine Office and after
the Judica psalm (Psalm 42) in the Mass. The tradition of closing a
psalm with a doxology comes from the tradition of the Synagogue
where ancient rites and hymns concluded with a similar formula.
From the editor: "Johann Michael Haydn was an acclaimed and
respected composer during his lifetime. A prolific composer, he wrote
hundreds of compositions including a Requiem which influenced the
more famous setting by Mozart. Haydn's "Dixit," the opening
movement of the composer's Vesperae Pro Festo Sancti Innocentium,
was completed on December 8, 1793, in Salzburg for the Feast of the
Holy Innocents celebrated on December 28, a commemoration of the
slaughter of thousands of children at the hand of King Herod."

Der 23 Psalm
English Translation

God is my shepherd;
I will want for nothing more.
He lays me down on green pasture,
he leads me be quiet brooks,
he restores my languishing spirit;
he leads me on the right path
for the honor of his name.

And if I wander in the valley of death's shadow,

thus I will go without fear:
for you will protect me;
your rod and your staff
are my comfort forever more.

You prepare a joyus meal for me

in the presence of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil
and fill my cup.
Health and happiness will follow me
the rest of this life.
Someday I will rest for eternity,
there, in his eternal home.

Schubert's text is interesting in that it is one of the only three Biblical

quotations that he set to music, and the only one in German. It was
also from an unusual source. Since the official Catholic Bible was in
Latin, Catholic composers seldom wrote Biblical texts in German.
When they did use a German text, they had no official denominational
Bible to use as a source. Instead of using a Protestant Bible or a
Catholic translation, Schubert chose the translation of Moses
Mendelssohn, the grandfather of composer Felix Mendelssohn. In
1780 Moses Mendelssohn turned toward his Jewish heritage and
published a new translation of the Torah, the first five books of the
Judeo- Christian Old Testament, and in 1783 he published a
translation of the Psalter, from which Schubert took his text. Schubert
altered Mendelssohn's text in three places; however, the reasons for
these alterations are uncertain. It is entirely possible that Schubert,
who was notoriously careless, simply copied the text incorrectly.

Salut Printemps
English Translation

Hail spring, young season!

God restores the crown to the plains.
The ardent, bubbling sap
Overflows and breaks its prison.

Woods and fields are flowering;

An invisible world murmurs;
Water runs over the reverberating pebble
And sings its clear song.

The broom gilds the hill;

On the green lawn the hawthorn
Pours forth its snowy blooms.

All is freshness, love, and light,

And songs and scents arise
From the fertile bosom of the earth.

Welcome spring! Hail spring!

For the initial round of the 1882 Prix de Rome competition, Claude
Debussy composed “Printemps” which is based on a poem by Anatole
de Ségur and scored for three-part treble chorus, soprano solo, and
orchestra. Debussy did not advance beyond the preliminary round of
the competition for his composition nor was it published during his
lifetime. Due to other compositions of the same name, it was
published posthumously as “Salut, printemps” in 1928 for piano and
treble chorus, and in 1956 for orchestra and treble chorus . There is
little research on this early work by Debussy; however, it reveals
unique trademarks of his compositional style. The individual aspects
that comprise “Salut printemps” suggest that Debussy was forging his
own compositional vocabulary at an early age. Using the text, he
reinforces the larger ternary formal design by creating a smaller
ternary form in the first A section. The overall form arises from the
setting of the text and motivic writing in the context of the open and
closed large-scale harmonic tensions and releases. The ternary form
used in this piece becomes Debussy’s most favored formal design
which he employs with inexhaustible variety throughout his life. The
non-tonic opening, and its variations, as well as the chordal
successions of the neighbor motive, and the hinting pentatonicism
are indications of Debussy’s mature style and sound. These aspects
discussed above are pervasive features in this early composition for
the Prix de Rome and throughout the music of Claude Debussy.

Jubilee
"Jubilee" was written as part of a set of four Appalachian Songs
entitled VOICES of the HILLS, commissioned by Percy Browning for
Cornell University Women’s Chorus (2011).  In writing these songs, I
wanted to represent a select handful of the types of texts and tunes
typical of the region.  Although the origins of the tune and text for
"Jubilee" are unknown, there are several lines of the text that can be
traced to the West Virginian song “Cindy” or “Miss Lucy.”  Also known
by some as “Jubilee”, it was often sung as part of a “folk game” or
“singing game.”  These movement-based games served as
convenient substitutes for dancing, which was prohibited in many
Puritanical homes. - Sally Lamb McCune

This is the Day

Gerald T. Smith writes, "This is the Day is a Gospel song in rondo form
with an expanded introduction. It combines classic Gospel with a 
Calypso feel. The text is based on scripture with additional text by the
composer." The words of Rollo Dilworth are important when
discussing the history and development of this treasured, uniquely
American style. "While gospel music today is celebrated and
embraced by people all over the world, many of the elements that
make up gospel have their roots in the African American culture.
From the tribal ceremonial songs and rhythmic riffs of the African
continent to the field hollers, plantation songs, folk melodies,
spirituals, blues and hymn singing traditions of America, the lifestyles
and life circumstances of an African American people were combined
to develop a musical framework for what has become known to the
world as gospel."
 Ithaca College Choir: Expressions of Love,
Sacrifice, and Celebration
I Can Tell the World
This spiritual arrangement by the late Moses Hogan is characterized
by many of the aspects that conductors have come to expect from his
arrangements. Intense, driving syncopation, treble against tenor and
bass voicing (both with uniquely different musical ideas occuring
simultaneously), and an incomparable energy are trademarks of a
musical work by Moses Hogan.

Amor de mi Alma
"Spanish author Garcilaso de la Vega (1503-1536) wrote the
poem Amor de mi Alma, which he simply called "Soneto V". He is a
vivid example of a Renaissance man, skilled in music, arms, letters
and in the battles of love. His poetic output is not large (only 38
sonnets and a few songs and odes), but his high quality places him
among the finest of the Spanish Renaissance poets. He died at age 33
from wounds received in military combat." - Z. Randall Stroope. 
 
English Translation

I was born to love only you;

My soul has formed you to its measure;
I want you as a garment for my soul.

Your very image is written on my soul;

Such indescribable intimacy
I hide even from you.

All that I have, I owe to you;

For you I was born, for you I live,
For you I must die, and for you I give my last breath. 

Crucifixus
Antonio Lotti composed multiple choral works, solo motets, oratorios,
and almost thirty operas, and his work was highly regarded by music
critics during his time; manuscripts of his music circulated throughout
Europe. However, he is mostly known today for several settings of the
Crucifixus text, taken from the Credo section of the Mass. Crucifixus,
the second movement of the Credo in F major, uses overlapping vocal
lines, repetitions, and expanding intervals, which are characteristic of
Renaissance polyphony. In addition, this setting highlights Lotti's
fondness for suspensions, which are also the hallmark of this
movement.
For All We Know 
The intricate jazz harmonies that Peter Eldridge and Darmon Meader
use in their New York Voices arrangement of “For All We Know”
reflects the sensitive text of this ballad and was the inspiration for
this new arrangement. Working with my friend and colleague Fred
Diengott, we wanted to find a way to extend the harmonic language
yet maintain the sensitive core that originally drew me to this piece
as a freshmen in high school. The guidance and feedback from both
Dana Wilson and Darmon Meader shaped the ins and outs this
arrangement and helped solidify the final version. I would like to
extend my heartfelt thanks to Dr. Janet Galván and Adam Good. Their
leadership has allowed this arrangement to live in front of a live
audience. I am beyond thrilled to have the Ithaca College Choir
perform the premiere of this piece tonight and it is my hope that you
will fall in love with this song as much as I have. - Taylor Smith

Balleilakka
"Balleilakka is a song from the Tamil film Sivaji, which means "The
Boss." Tamil is the language of the Southern Indian province of Tamil
Nadu whos capital, Chennai (Madras under British rule) is India's
third-largest city and A.R. Rahman's, the composer, home. An old
language dating back to before 300 B.C., Tamil is the native language
of Singapore and Sri Lanka as well as tens of millions of Indians (there
are almost 2,000 newspapers in print in Tamil today of which about
350 are daily papers). The text of this piece is a tounge-twister
lamenting how traditional Indian culture is being subsumed and listing
the speaker's memories of his homeland in increasing faster syllabic
patterns. Often referred to as "The Indian Mozart", A.R. Rahman
writes at least as fast, having completed over 100 films scores since
1992. His soundtracks have sold more than 300 million copies world
wide, making him one of the best-selling recording artists of all time.
he has won fourteen of India's Filmfare awards (equivalent of the
American Oscar) and his first two Academy Awards in 2008, one for
"Jai Ho" being the Best Song of the Year." - Ethan Sperry.

English Translation
Is he the sun or the moon? Who is he? Tell me now!
Is he the valorous Cheran or Pandiyan king?
Tell me, tell me, tell me now!
Look at him, look at him, who is he?
Is he the legs of the pouncing leopard?
Tell me, tell me, who is he?
Is he the Sivan who scorches the wrong in an instant?
Aey Balleilakka Balleilakka, Salethukka, Maduraikka,
Madrasukka, Thiruchikka, Thiruthanikkaa. 
For all the people from all of these places,
if the respectful Annan comes,
Tamil Nadu will become America itself.
Can we ever forget the river Cauvery and the hand-poured rice?
Will the girls in the traditional dhaavani and the eyes
that transmit hundres of messages ever be lost?
Our ploughing fields and the woods on the side of the creek,
and the rustic roads that shower red mud.
The tree (trunk) around which we played sadugudu,
the lush green ofthe grasslands that look as if
the earth has been blanketed,
The dew drop that breaks as you slight touch it,
the idli which is served hot, really hot,
The railroads that shudder with the passing train,
the river Cauvery which flows quickly, very quickly,
The real fresh crisp betel leaves that are folded with vigor,
the moustache that is curled with vivacity...
These are all in my heart truly, truly, truly... 

 
 Personnel
Ithaca College Women's Chorale
Soprano I/II Soprano II/Alto I
Annie Brady D’laney Bowry
Lucrezia Ceccarelli Hannah Cayem
Chandler Cronk Olivia Hunt
Jamila Drecker-Waxman Carrie Lindeman
Molly Ferguson Alison Melchionna
Caroline Fresh
Phoebe Holland Alto I
Ann-Marie Iacoviello Olivia Bartfield
Nicolette Nordmark Kate Bobsein
Erin O’Rourke Jenna Capriglione
Madeleine Parkes Virginia Douglas
Noelle Rai Emily O’Connor
Anastasia Sereda Olivia Rhein
Kristy Shuck Nicole Rivera-Diaz
Corinne Vance Jaclyn Scheiner
Aquiala Walden
Amber Ward Alto I/II
Carlynn Wolfe Jasmine Pigott
Casey Quinn
Soprano II Michelle Shaubi
Christine DeNobile
Sarah Kieran Alto II
Abby Mae Rogers Alexia Castle
Haley Servidone McKinny Danger-James
Sage Stoakley Lindsey Davis
Carolynn Walker Meghan Murray
Alexandra Wright Claire Park
Abby Sullivan
Felicity Thomas
Lindsey Weissman
Karimah White
 Ithaca College Choir
Soprano I Tenor I
Magdalyn Chauby Seamus Buxton
Juliana Child Francesco DiLello
Enaw Elonge Adam Good
Allison Fay Jacob Kerzner
Rebecca Guderian Joseph Lupa
Kathleen Maloney Taylor Smith
Imogen Mills Adam Tarpey

Soprano II Tenor II
Sherley-Ann Belleus Kyle Banks
Andrea Bickford Andrew Carr
Julia Gershkoff Matthew Coveney
Lauren Hoalcraft Sean Gillen
Megan Jones Max Keisling
Liliana Saffa Benjamin Monacelli
Rachel Silverstein  James Wolter

Alto I Baritone
Nick Kelliher Nicholas Duffin
Sarah Loeffler Joshua Dufour
Deanna Payne Christopher Hauser
Maria Rabbia Matthew Moody
Leah Sperber Marshall Pokrentowski
Laura Stedge Josiah Spellman Jr.
Jessica Voutsinas Holden Turner
Nicole Wills Michael White

Alto II Bass
Danielle Avicolli Luke Armentrout
Catherine Barr Ethan Fisher
Sophie Israelsohn Michael Galvin
Carolyn Kruszona Sean Gatta
Hannah Martin Kevin Harris
Claire Noonen William Leichty
Bergen Price Logan Mednick