Westminster ChoirJoe Miller, conductor

2016 Concert Tour

A Tapestry • VoicesWestminster Choir College and its community have been likened to a tapestry—a fabric with a rich texture and design. Our tapestry is woven from individual threads that are permanently connected to one another, telling a story that is far greater than the sum of its individual strands. Every individual touched by Westminster—through the work of our students and our alumni, through our performances—becomes a part of the Westminster tapestry.

The Tapestry of Voices project seeks to represent the threads added to Westminster’s fabric through the Westminster Choir’s 2016 tour performances. Titled “Angel Band,” the tour concert program is centered on a theme of shared experience and community. Each performance creates a new community—composed of the choir and the audience. For those few hours we share an experience, a connection, a moment in time. We may enter the concert hall as strangers, and we may never see each other again, but for those few hours we have created a community and added new threads to the Westminster tapestry.

The ProjectBefore each performance, members of the audience are invited to reflect on their lives at that point in time and to select one word that best represents them as they join the concert community. After writing their word on a piece of paper they are photographed. Following each concert, the photographs are collected, printed, and placed in a communal vessel during key moments in the succeeding concerts, representing the community created by the audience and choir at each tour concert.

When the choir returns to Princeton, all of the photographs will be used to create an art installation that will appear with the choir on the stage at its Homecoming Concert. The photographs will also be the centerpiece of a video weaving together images and music to represent the many people and communities connected through Westminster—the choir and the college—a Tapestry of Voices.

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Conductor’s Note “O come, come angel band, come and around me stand; Oh bear me away on your snowy wings to my eternal home” is a strain that I can remember from my childhood in East Tennessee. Wrapping ourselves in beautiful song is something that we all seek, and the songs that we sing as a community form our collective conscience. Think about the times that you have felt immense pride in hearing the national anthem when an Olympic athlete wins the gold medal, the sense of comfort that many take in the hymn Abide with Me, or the need to dance and smile when we hear Pharrell Williams’ Happy. The gospel song Angel Band will become the thread of this concert that reminds us that we are all bound together and that we can build a unique bond by experiencing this concert together.

Along with Angel Band serving as a central musical theme, or cantus firmus, is the setting of Francis Poulenc’s Mass in G Major. The Mass is a central organizing feature of the church. It represents a shared experience in our journey of life. Poulenc’s Mass in G Major is a stark juxtaposition with the music of the old gospel tune. Poulenc says that his Mass has “a realistic side.” His vision of the world through this work is a kaleidoscope rather than a clear singular perspective. From the opening of the Kyrie, which utilizes a Byzantine-like stark sound, Poulenc takes us on a journey through fierce harmonies that are rarely what we expect and epic battles of range and texture; however, the power of the work is found in the moments of pure simplicity that bring the listener back to a place of home. Even when the music has led us to far away places, it seems to always come back to a sense of peace.

This program is broken into five scenes. Each scene infuses a movement of the Mass with the pervading Angel Band theme. In the first section, Kyrie, we ask for mercy and seek a way to belong. The second section, Gloria, celebrates life, and in the third section, Sanctus, we care for things that are holy and beautiful. After intermission we continue with the fourth section, Benedictus, which focuses on the blessings of home and family, and finally in the fifth section, Agnus Dei, we ask each other for forgiveness. This journey of life begins and ends with us searching for mercy and hope. The words of Angel Band remind us to remember that a life surrounded by the love of others is the key to life’s meaning. As in Poulenc’s Mass in G Major, our journeys bring us enlightenment, and they will hopefully lead is to a life of peace and mutual understanding.

My interest in putting this program together was inspired by my passion for building community. Singing together is the best way to bring people together. Perhaps we should start a choir at the Capitol building in Washington D.C.?

Joe Miller

Please note: The unauthorized use of

any recording device, either audio or video, and

the taking of photographs, either with or without flash, is strictly prohibited.

Out of courtesy to the performers and everyone in the audience,

please refrain from using cell phones and electronic devices

during the performance.

Westminster ChoirJoe Miller, conductor

Angel Band

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Please hold applause until intermission.

I–KyrieMiserere Mei, Deus

William Byrd (1543–1623)

Miserere mei, Deus, secundum magnam misericordiam tuam; et secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum, dele iniquitatem meam.

Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness: according to the multitude of thy mercies, do away mine offences.

Anthem, Op. 96Eskil Hemberg

(1938–2004)

Tiffany Ho, soprano Emily Skilling, alto

Garret Kheshtinejad, tenor Jeff Vanderlee, bass

Within thy grace, O father mild From now until times forever I leave you myself and what I have Take father all in your keeping

My life, my body, my spirit (The road, you shall follow it) Belong to you father dear (The fun, you shall forget it) Protect and keep what belongs to thee That nothing evil injures me (The cup, you shall empty it)

Today I am pleased in my heart (The pain, you shall conceal it) You are my only consolation and happiness (the truth, you shall be told it) In all my need and great emptiness You are my help I know that (The end, you shall endure it)

It is my faith, O father mild Help me that I will always stay by you From your child never turn away That I may inherit heaven.

Messe en Sol Majeur 1. Kyrie

Francis Poulenc (1899–1963)

Kyrie eleison Christe eleison Kyrie eleison

Lord have mercy Christ have mercy Lord have mercy

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II–GloriaMesse en Sol Majeur

2. GloriaPoulenc

Gloria in excelsis Deo. Et in terra pax hominibus bonæ voluntatis.

Laudamus te; benedicimus te; adoramus te; glorificamus te. Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam.

Domine Deus, Rex coelestis, Deus Pater omnipotens. Domine Fili unigenite Jesu Christe. Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris. Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram. Qui sedes ad dextram Patris, O miserere nobis.

Quoniam tu solus Sanctus, tu solus Dominus, tu solus Altissimus, Jesu Christe. Cum Sancto Spiritu in gloria Dei Patris.

Amen.

Glory be to God in the highest. And on earth peace to men of good will.

We praise Thee; we bless Thee; We worship Thee; we glorify Thee. We give thanks to Thee for Thy great glory.

O Lord God, Heavenly King, God the Father Almighty. O Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son. Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. Thou that sittest at the right hand of the Father, have mercy upon us.

For thou only art holy, thou only art the Lord, thou only art the most high, Jesus Christ. Together with the Holy Ghost in the glory of God the Father.

Amen.

Canticum NovumIvo Antognini

(b. 1963)

Cantate Domino canticum novum: Cantate Domino omnis terra. Cantate Domino, et benedicte nomini ejus: annuntiate de die in diem salutare ejus.

Sing to the Lord a new song: Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, and bless his name: show forth his salvation from day to day.

Ev’ry Time I Feel the SpiritWilliam Dawson

(1899–1990)

Andrew Stack, baritone Jordan Carroll, baritone

Ev’ry time I feel the spirit moving in my heart, I will pray Ev’ry time I feel the spirit moving in my heart, I will pray.

Upon the mountain my Lord spoke Out of His mouth came fire and smoke Looked all around me, it looked so fine Till I asked my Lord if all was mine.

Ev’ry time I feel the spirit moving in my heart, I will pray Ev’ry time I feel the spirit moving in my heart, I will pray.

Jordan river, is chilly an’ cold It chills the body but not the soul There ain’t but one train, upon this track It runs to heaven, an’ right back.

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III–SanctusTrois Chansons de

Charles d’OrleansClaude Debussy

(1862-1918)

1. Dieu! qu’il la fait bon regarder

Dieu! qu’il la fait bon regarder Dieu! qu’il la fait bon regarder la gracieuse bonne et belle; pour les grans biens que sont en elle chascun est prest de la loüer. Qui se pourroit d’elle lasser? Toujours sa beauté renouvelle. Par de ça, ne de là, la mer nescay dame ne demoiselle qui soit en tous bien parfais telle. C’est ung songe que d’i penser: Dieu! qu’il la fait bon regarder.

God, what a vision she is God, what a vision she is; one imbued with grace, true and beautiful! For all the virtues that are hers everyone is quick to praise her. Who could tire of her? Her beauty constantly renews itself; On neither side of the ocean do I know any girl or woman who is in all virtues so perfect; it’s a dream even to think of her; God, what a vision she is.

Messe en Sol Majeur 3. Sanctus

Poulenc

Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua. Osanna in excelsis.

Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts. Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory. Hosanna in the highest.

2. Quant j’ai ouy le tabourin

Emily Skilling, mezzo-soprano

Quant j’ai ouy le tabourin Quant j’ai ouy le tabourin sonner pour s’en aller au may, en mon lit n’en ay fait affray ne levé mon chief du coissin en disant: il est trop matin ung peu je me rendormiray: Quant j’ai ouy le tabourin sonner pour s’en aller au may, jeunes gens partent leur butin; De non chaloir m’accointeray A lui je m’abutineray. Trouvé l’ay plus prouchain voisin Quant j’ai ouy le tabourin Sonner pour s’en aller au may, En mon lit n’en ay fait affray ne levé mon chief du coissin.

When I hear the tambourine When I hear the tambourine sound, calling us to May, in my bed I remain calm, not lifting my head from the pillow saying, “It is too early, I’ll fall asleep again.” When I hear the tambourine sound, calling us to May, the young jump from partner to partner not even bothering to remember you. From him, I’ll move on, finding a lover that’s conveniently close by. When I hear the tambourine sound, calling us to May, in my bed I remain calm, not lifting my head from the pillow.

3. Yver, vous n’estes qu’un villain

Fiona Ellis, soprano Lauren Kelly, alto

Matthew Van Dyke, tenor Grant Steiner, bass

Yver, vous n’estes qu’un villain Yver, vous n’estes qu’un villain! Esté est plaisant et gentil en témoing de may et d’avril qui l’accompaignent soir et main. Esté revet champs bois et fleurs de salivrée de verdure et de maintes autres couleurs, par l’ordonnance de nature. Mais vous, Yver, trop estes plein de nége, vent, pluye et grézil. On vous deust banir en éxil. Sans point flater je parle plein: Yver, vous n’estes qu’un villain!

Winter, you’re nothing but a villain Winter, you’re nothing but a villain! Summer is pleasant and nice, joined to May and April, who go hand in hand. Summer dreams of fields, woods, and flowers, covered with green and many other colors, by nature’s command. But you, Winter, are too full of snow, wind, rain, and hail. You should be banished! Without exaggerating, I speak plainly— Winter, you’re nothing but a villain!

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Intermission

Please hold applause until the conclusion of the concert.

IV–Benedictus Aftonen Hugo Alfven (1872–1960)

Still, still the woods Radiant the heavens Dim horns fill the air with their echo.

Sunset aglow, soon disappears beneath the sea. Slowly, so slowly it disappears beneath the sea. Thru’ the mountains, Thru’ the valleys, ling’ring, the echoes sound.

An Die Heimat from Drei Quarttete, Op. 64, No. 1

Johannes Brahms (1833–1897)

Tyler Weakland, piano

Heimat! Wunderbar tönendes Wort! Wie auf befiederten Schwingen Ziehst du mein Herz zu dir fort, Jubelnd, als müßt’ ich den Gruß Jeglicher Seele dir bringen, Trag’ ich zu dir meinen Fuß, Freundliche Heimat!

Heimat! Bei dem sanftklingenden Ton Wecken mich alte Gesänge, Die in der Ferne mich flohn; Rufen mir freudenvoll zu Heimatlich lockende Klänge: Du nur allein bist die Ruh’, Schützende Heimat!

Heimat! Gib mir den Frieden zurück, Den ich im Weiten verloren, Gib mir dein blühendes Glück! Unter den Bäumen am Bach, Wo ich vor Zeiten geboren, Gib mir ein schützendes Dach, Liebende Heimat!

Homeland! Wonderful-sounding word! How on feathery wings you draw my heart toward you, rejoicing, as if I must bring you the greeting of every soul. I turn my steps to you, welcoming homeland!

Homeland! With that gentle-sounding note old songs awaken in me which have flown far away from me; they call me, full of joy, to alluring sounds of home. Only you are peace, sheltering homeland!

Homeland! Give me back the peace that I have lost in the distance, give me your thriving happiness! Beneath the trees by the brook, where I was born long ago, Give me a sheltering roof, dear homeland!

Messe en Sol Majeur 4. Benedictus

Poulenc

Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Osanna in excelsis.

Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

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V–Agnus Dei How can I keep

from singing?Howard Helvey

(b. 1968)

My life flows on in endless song; Above earth’s lamentation, I hear the sweet, tho’ far-off hymn That hails a new creation;

Thro’ all the tumult and the strife I hear the music ringing; It finds an echo in my soul— How can I keep from singing?

What tho’ my joys and comforts die? The Lord my Saviour liveth; What tho’ the darkness gather round? Songs in the night he giveth.

No storm can shake my inmost calm While to that refuge clinging; Since Christ is Lord of heaven and earth, How can I keep from singing?

I lift my eyes; the cloud grows thin; I see the blue above it; And day by day this pathway smooths, Since first I learned to love it,

The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart, A fountain ever springing; All things are mine since I am his— How can I keep from singing?

Angel Band

arr. Ryan Brandau (b. 1981)

Chloe Elzey, soprano Evan Rieger, tenor, banjo

David Conley, baritone, acoustic guitar

Justin Langford, electric bass Marisa Curcio, violin

Oh, come, angel band, Come and around me stand; Oh, bear me away on your snowy wings To my eternal home; Oh, bear me away on your snowy wings To my eternal home.

Hymn to the Eternal FlameStephen Paulus

(1949-2014)

Marisa Curcio, soprano Will Doreza, baritone

Ev’ry face is in you, ev’ry voice, ev’ry sorrow in you, Ev’ry pity, ev’ry love, ev’ry mem’ry, woven into fire. Ev’ry breath is in you, ev’ry cry, ev’ry longing in you, Ev’ry singing, ev’ry hope, ev’ry healing, woven into fire. Ev’ry heart is in you, ev’ry tongue, ev’ry trembling in you, Ev’ry blessing, ev’ry soul, ev’ry shining, woven into fire.

Messe en Sol Majeur 5. Agnus Dei

Poulenc

Cheuk Yee Wong, soprano

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Agnus Dei. Dona nobis pacem.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Lamb of God. Grant us peace.

Angel Band SoloistsJustin Langford, tenor Pauli Kamenakis, tenor Olivia Greene, soprano

Angel Band TrioJade Blocker, soprano Taria Mitchell, alto Kanisha Feliciano, soprano

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About UsRider University’s Westminster College of the Arts educates and trains aspiring performers, artists, teachers and students with artistic interests to pursue professional, scholarly and lifelong personal opportunities in art, dance, music and theatre. The College consists of three divisions: Westminster Choir College, the School of Fine and Performing Arts and Westminster Conservatory.

•Westminster Choir College is a college of music and graduate school located on Rider’s Princeton campus. Renowned for its tradition of choral excellence, Westminster has become a center of excel-lence in solo performance as well. The College has eight major choirs, including the Westminster Symphonic Choir, which has performed and recorded with virtually all of the major orchestras and conductors of our time, and the Westminster Choir, which sets the standard for choral excellence in America today. Its programs include music education; music theory and composition; sacred music; voice, organ, and piano performance and pedagogy; choral conducting; American and public musicology; and piano accompanying and coaching. In addition, Westminster offers two summer-study degree programs—Master of Music Education and Master of Voice Pedagogy.

•The School of Fine and Performing Arts is located on Rider’s Lawrenceville campus. Its programs include art, arts administration, dance, music, musical theatre, theatre and popular music studies. The School provides many opportunities for all students to participate in the arts. The highly regarded theatre program produces plays and musicals throughout the year. The Rider University Band wel-comes participants from the entire University community. The Rider dance program presents several performances, some in collaboration with local dance companies. The Rider Art Gallery showcases leading regional and national artists, as well as student work. Artist lectures and gallery recitals bring additional opportunities for artistic enrichment to students and the community.

•For more than 40 years Westminster Conservatory of Music has served the Central New Jersey/Eastern Pennsylvania area with on-campus and community-based music instruction. The community music school of Westminster College of the Arts, it offers a superior faculty and tailors lessons, work-shops and classes to the needs of the individual student. Music study at the Conservatory provides a unique opportunity for musical growth and is available to students of all ages and stages of advance-ment. It also offers many opportunities to perform through its community choral, orchestral and theatre ensembles. In addition to its program on the Westminster Choir College campus in Princeton, the Con-servatory offers classes at extensions in Lawrenceville and South Brunswick, N.J. and in Yardley, Pa.

•Rider University is a private co-educational university with campuses in Lawrenceville and Princeton, N.J., which emphasizes purposeful connections between academic study and education for the profes-sions. Its four colleges—The College of Business Administration; College of Liberal Arts, Education, and Sciences; the College of Continuing Studies and Westminster College of the Arts—provide dynamic undergraduate programs in more than 60 areas and graduate programs in 18 specialties.

Rider is a member of the NCAA Division I and the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) for both men’s and women’s athletics, and currently offers 20 intercollegiate sports on the varsity level. In addition to enjoying tremendous success in championship competition, Rider has earned equal recogni-tion for the outstanding academic achievement of its student-athletes.

Rider’s rigorous, hands-on learning prepares students to think critically and communicate clearly to become socially responsible leaders.

WESTMINSTER COLLEGE

OF THE ARTS

Westminster Choir College

School of Fine and Performing Arts

Westminster Conservatory

101 Walnut Lane Princeton, NJ 08540

609-921-7100

2083 Lawrenceville Road Lawrenceville, NJ 08648

609-896-5000

www.rider.edu/westminster

www.facebook.com/ westminsterchoircollege

Matthew R. Shaftel Dean

OFFICE OF PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

James Moore Director

Carren Klenke Assistant Director

Ryan Dalton Production Coordinator

609-921-7100 ext. 8111

OFFICE OF ADMISSION

Katherine Shields Director

800-962-4647

OFFICE OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

Anne M. Sears Director

609-921-7100 ext. 8307

OFFICE OF ALUMNI RELATIONS

Natalie Pollard Director

609-896-5340

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About the ArtistsJOE MILLER is conductor of two of America’s most renowned choral ensembles: the Westminster Choir and the Westminster Symphonic Choir. He is also director of choral activities at Westminster Choir College of Rider University. In addition to his responsibilities at Westminster, Dr. Miller is artistic director for choral activities for the renowned Spoleto Festival USA.

His 2015–2016 season with the Westminster Choir includes a concert tour of the eastern United States, a residency with Carnegie Hall, several national radio broadcasts, and their annual residency at the Spoleto Festival USA. Dr. Miller has made three recordings with the Westminster Choir. Their latest CD, The Heart’s Reflection: Music of Daniel Elder, has been hailed by Minnesota Public Radio’s Classical Notes as “simply astounding.”

Performances by the Westminster Choir and Joe Miller at the Spoleto Festival USA have earned critical praise. The New York Times described their 2014 performance of John Adams’ El Niño as “superb” and wrote, “Meticulously prepared…the chorus was remarkable for its precision, unanimity and power.” The Wall Street Journal praised the same performance, crediting “the fine Westminster Choir and the Spoleto Festival USA Orchestra, under the direction of Joe Miller.” The Post and Courier wrote about their 2015 performance of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, “This was an evening of near-flawless execution and many moments of ravishing beauty and power. It will go down as a highlight (maybe even THE highlight) of this year’s festival, and, I think, as the work with which Joe Miller established his credentials to lead an extended choral/orchestral masterwork, not just recreating Bach’s music but also putting his own interpretive stamp on the whole.”

As conductor of the Westminster Symphonic Choir, Dr. Miller has collaborated with some of the world’s leading orchestras and conductors, earning him critical praise. The New York Times wrote about Symphonic Choir’s performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 with the Cleveland Orchestra, “Joe Miller’s Westminster Symphonic Choir was subtle when asked and powerful when turned loose.” Recent seasons have included performances with the Philharmoniker Berliner and Sir Simon Rattle; The Philadelphia Orchestra and Yannick Nézet-Séguin; and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela and Gustavo Dudamel.

Dr. Miller is also founder and conductor of the Westminster Summer Choral Festival Chamber Choir, a program that offers professional-level choral and vocal artists the opportunity to explore challenging works for one week each summer on the Westminster campus in Princeton.

Setting the standard for choral excellence for 94 years, the WESTMINSTER CHOIR is composed of students at Westminster Choir College, a division of Rider University’s Westminster College of the Arts. It has been the chorus-in-residence for the prestigious Spoleto Festival USA since 1977, performing both in concert and as the opera chorus.

The ensemble’s 2015–2016 season includes a concert tour of the eastern United States, performances and broadcasts at its home in Princeton and its annual residency at the Spoleto Festival USA. The Charleston City Paper wrote about its role in the festival, "...if you love choral music, your life won't be complete until you hear this choir."

The Westminster Choir has made three recordings with Joe Miller. The most recent, The Heart’s Reflection: Music of Daniel Elder, was described by Classics Today as “first rate” and “highly recom-mended.” Their second recording, Noël, a collection of French Christmas music and sacred works; also features Westminster alumna Jennifer Larmore, the most recorded mezzo-soprano of our era; and organist Ken Cowan. It was the centerpiece of the PRI Radio broadcast Noël–A Christmas from Paris, hosted by Bill McGlaughlin.

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The choir’s debut recording with Maestro Miller, Flower of Beauty, received four stars from Choir & Organ magazine and earned critical praise from American Record Guide, which described the Westminster Choir as “the gold standard for academic choirs in America.”

Praised by The New York Times for its “full-bodied, incisive singing,” the Westminster Choir also forms the core of the Westminster Symphonic Choir, which has performed and recorded with the leading conductors and orchestras of our time. The ensemble’s 2015–2016 season includes performances of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and Jacques Lacombe and with the Berliner Philharmoniker conducted by Simon Rattle, and Handel’s Messiah with the New York Philharmonic conducted by Jane Glover and Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 with The Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

Westminster ChoirJoe Miller, conductor

David Conley, graduate assistant conductor

*Indicates Section Leader

Roster approved 10/16/15

SOPRANOJade Blocker, Great Neck, NYAlicia Brozovich, Conway Springs, KSKatherine Caughlin, Tonkawa, OKMarissa Curcio, Ballston Spa, NYFiona Ellis, London, United Kingdom*Chloe Elzey, Menasha, WIKanisha Feliciano, Quakertown, PAOlivia Greene, Columbus, GATemple Hammen, Fredericksburg, VAKristin Hill, Dallas, TXTiffany Ho, Rochester, NYCheuk Yee Wong, Hong Kong

ALTOMolly Getsinger, Mt. Airy, MDTsarina Islam, Dallas, TXLauren Kelly, Ambler PAJessica Kerler, Wind Gap, PATaria Mitchell, Egg Harbor Township, NJGabrielle San Roman, Cedar Grove, NJChelsea Sardoni, Robbinsville, NJEmily Skilling, Sugar Hill, GACecelia Snow, Fort Wayne, INPauline Taumalolo, Honolulu, Hi

TENORWill Brown, Hernando, MSPauli Kamenakis, Pennsville, NJGarrett Kheshtinejad, Dallas, TXJustin Langford, Georgetown, TX*Michael McCormick, Oneida, NY Jacob Nelson, Ada, MNFransisco Ortiz, Orocovis, PREvan Rieger, King of Prussia, PAMatthew Van Dyke, Cherry Hill, NJ*Tyler Weakland, State College, PAMike Williams, Blue Point, NY

BASSMichael Banks, Glen Cove, NYJordan Carroll, West Windsor, NJDavid Conley, Peachtree City, GA*William Doreza, Fontana, WIGrant Farmer, Nashville, TNGabriel Harley, Wilmington, DEThomas Lynch, Lynbrook, NYAndrew Stack, Manhasset, NYGrant Steiner, London, UKJacob Truby, Appleton, WIJeff Vanderlee, Austin, TX

2016 Tour FRIDAY, JANUARY 8 • 7:30 P.M.Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola 28 Commonwealth Avenue • Chestnut Hill, MA www.bc.edu/stingatius

SUNDAY, JANUARY 10 • 7:30 P.M.Madison Theatre, Molloy College 1000 Hempstead Avenue • Rockville Centre, NY www.madisontheatreny.org Presented by St. Agnes Cathedral

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13 • 7:30 P.M.Music in McLean Saint Luke Catholic Church 7001 Georgetown Pike • McLean, VA www.musicinmclean.org

THURSDAY, JANUARY 14 • 7:30 P.M.Cathedral of the Sacred Heart 800 South Cathedral Place • Richmond, VA www.richmondcathedral.org

SATURDAY, JANUARY 16 • 7:30 P.M.First Presbyterian Church 617 N. Elm Street • Greensboro, NC www.fpcgreensboro.org

MONDAY, JANUARY 25 • 7:30 P.M.Homecoming Concert Richardson Auditorium Princeton University www.rider.edu/arts

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Orchestral PerformancesWestminster symphonic choir

2015–2017

BeethoVen: Symphony No. 9 New Jersey Symphony Orchestra

Jacques Lacombe, conductor November 5, 6 and 8, 2015

New Jersey Performing Arts Center November 7, 2015

State Theater, New Brunswick

BeethoVen: Symphony No. 9 Berliner Philharmoniker

Sir Simon Rattle, conductor November 21, 2015

Carnegie Hall

BrAhms: Ein deutsches Requiem New York Philharmonic

Christoph von Dohnányi, conductor March 3, 4, 5 and 8, 2016

Lincoln Center

hAnDeL: Messiah New York Philharmonic Jane Glover, conductor December 15–19, 2015

Avery Fisher Hall

mAhLer: Symphony No. 8 The Philadelphia Orchestra

Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor March 10–13, 2016

Kimmel Center

•

moZArt: C Minor Mass The Philadelphia Orchestra

Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor September 29, October 1 & 2, 2016

Kimmel Center

rAVeL: Daphnis et Chloé (complete) The Philadelphia Orchestra

Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor November 10–13, 15, 2016

Kimmel Center

Britten: War Requiem The Philadelphia Orchestra Charles Dutoit, conductor

March 23–26, 2017 Kimmel Center

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Princeton and Lawrenceville, NJ

SUMMERAT WESTMINSTER

To learn more, visit rider.edu/summerartsor call 609-924-7416

Adult ProgramsSummer Choral FestivalConducting (programs for all ability levels)Study Abroad (Oxford, Florence, Vienna)AP Music TheoryChoral and Vocal Pedagogy The CoOPERAtive ProgramKodály

Explore your talents, build your techniques and grow artistically at Summer at Westminster — taught by internationally acclaimedfaculty and distinguished artists-in-residence.

Join some of the most respected and innovative forces in music today.

Middle and High School ProgramsVocal Institute Music TheatrePianoCompositionMusic TheoryOrganSolo Vocal

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Westminster Firsts A Classical Legacy

1920 Westminster Choir was established by John Finley William son at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Dayton, Ohio.

1926 The Westminster Choir School was founded.

1928 Westminster Choir and the Cincinnati Symphony made the nation’s first coast-to-coast radio broadcast, aired over Station WLW.

1929 Westminster Choir College was established and moved to Ithaca College.

1932 Westminster Choir College moved to Princeton, N.J.

1934 As the first official American guests of the Soviet Union, with whom the United States had just resumed diplomatic relations, Westminster Choir made the first broadcast from Russia to the United States.

1938 Westminster Choir, with conductor and founder Dr. John Finley Williamson, presented the first U.S. performance of Joseph Haydn’s Passion (The Seven Last Words). The perfor-mance also featured a volunteer orchestra of Princetonians, including Albert Einstein in the violin section. • The Choir sang at the dedication of the New York World’s Fair.

1939 Westminster Choir sang for the first time with the New York Philharmonic. Since then, it has set a record for the number of joint performances—more than 350—by a single choir and orchestra.

1957 Westminster Choir completed a five-month, globe-circling tour under the auspices of the U.S. State Department’s Cultural Exchange Program. The Choir performed in 22 countries, traveled 40,000 miles and appeared before 227,000 people.

1964 Westminster Choir sang on the Telstar World-Wide Telecast in the spring for the opening ceremonies of the New York World’s Fair. This reportedly was the largest audience ever to see a television show at that time.

1965 For the first time the Choir appeared with three major orchestras in one year: the Berlin Philharmonic, the American Symphony Orchestra and The Philadelphia Orchestra.

1971 Westminster Choir performed at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts during the inaugural week of concerts with the Piedmont Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Nicholas Harsanyi. The work performed was The Dawn of Glory by Christian Latrobe.

1972 The Choir began its first summer as the chorus-in- residence for the Festival dei Due Mondi (Festival of Two Worlds) in Spoleto, Italy, at the invitation of Gian Carlo Menotti.

1977 Westminster Choir became the first chorus-in-residence at the Spoleto Festival U.S.A. in Charleston, S.C., at the invitation of Gian Carlo Menotti.

1978 Westminster Choir established its own recording label, copyrighted “Westminster Choir,” and released its first recording: Six Motets of Johann Sebastian Bach, with guest conductor Wilhelm Ehmann.

1980 Westminster Choir was the first choir to be featured on the “ Live from Lincoln Center” telecast series over National Public Television. The Choir performed Verdi’s Requiem with the New York Philharmonic and Zubin Mehta.

1982 Westminster Choir was part of the 10,000th performance of the New York Philharmonic, America’s oldest perma-nent orchestra.

1988 Westminster Choir sang Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms with the New York Philharmonic under the composer’s direction in a performance at Carnegie Hall celebrating the 45th anniversary of Bernstein’s conducting debut with the orchestra.

1990 Westminster Symphonic Choir sang in the Leonard Bernstein memorial concert at the invitation of the Bernstein family.

1991 Westminster Symphonic Choir performed at Carnegie Hall’s 100th Anniversary Celebration.

1992 Westminster Choir College merged with Rider University. • Westminster Symphonic Choir performed in “A Tribute to Riccardo Muti” with The Philadelphia Orchestra and Maestro Muti, a performance televised nationally on the Arts & Entertainment Cable Network.

1993 Conducted by Wolfgang Sawallisch, Westminster Symphonic Choir participated in The Philadelphia Orchestra’s first performance of Britten’s War Requiem.

1996 Westminster Choir, conducted by Joseph Flummerfelt, traveled on a concert tour of Korea and Taiwan and per-formed in the Colmar Music Festival in Colmar, France.

1999 Westminster Symphonic Choir performed the world premiere of Kaija Saariaho’s Oltra Mar, 7 Preludes for the New Millennium with the New York Philharmonic conducted by Kurt Masur.

2001 Westminster Choir and the New York Philharmonic, conducted by Joseph Flummerfelt, performed the world premiere of Stephen Paulus’ Voices of Light, commissioned by Rider University to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of Westminster Choir College.

2002 To commemorate the events of September 11, 2001, Westminster Choir was featured in the PRI national radio broadcast of “In the Shadow of the Towers.” They were

joined by President George W. Bush and former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. • Westminster Sym-phonic Choir’s performance of Verdi’s Requiem with the New Jersey Symphony was broadcast nationally by PBS.

2004 Westminster Choir premiered Arise My Love by Ste-phen Paulus, a gift from the composer to celebrate Joseph Flummerfelt’s extraordinary career. • Westminster’s artistic director, Joseph Flummerfelt, was named Musical America’s 2004 Conductor of the Year, the first choral conductor to be so honored.

2005 Westminster Symphonic Choir performed Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé (complete) for the first time with the New York Philharmonic, conducted by Lorin Maazel.

2006 Westminster Symphonic Choir participated in the New York Philharmonic’s first performance of Mozart’s Mass in C Major, K. 317 “Coronation,” conducted by Lorin Maazel. • Joe Miller appointed director of choral activities and conductor of the Westminster Choir and the Westminster Symphonic Choir.

2007 Rider University established Westminster College of the Arts. • Westminster Williamson Voices presented the North American premiere of James Whitbourn’s Annelies: The Anne Frank Oratorio. • Westminster Symphonic Choir opened the Carnegie Hall season performing Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, conducted by David Robertson.

2008 Westminster Kantorei participated in the world premiere recording of John Magnussen’s Psalm, composed for the Limón Dance Company.

2009 Westminster Choir and Joe Miller released their first recording, Flower of Beauty.

2010 Westminster Williamson Voices premiered James Whitbourn’s Requiem Canticorum, and the Westminster Choir premiered Jaakko Mäntyjärvi’s To a Locomotive in Winter.

2011 Westminster Symphonic Choir performed with The Philadelphia Orchestra for the first time under the baton of Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

2012 Westminster Symphonic Choir performed with Gustavo Dudamel and the Simón Bolivar Symphony Orchestra for the first time.

2014 The Westminster Williamson Voices’ and James Jordan’s recording of James Whitbourn’s Annelies, the first major choral setting of The Diary of Anne Frank, was nominated for a GRAMMY Award for Best Choral Performance.

2015 Westminster Symphonic Choir performed Leonard Bernstein’s Mass: A Theater Piece for Singers, Players and Dancers for the first time with The Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

When she was growing up in Dallas, at every Thanksgiving dinner Kristin Hill joined her sisters and mother to share five things for which they were grateful. “It was a beautiful reminder that, regardless of the challenges or difficulties we faced, there was still something to be grateful for,” she recalls.

Six months before she was scheduled to enroll as a Music Education major at Westminster, Kristin’s life changed forever when her mother lost a five-year battle with ovarian cancer.

“My mom was a vocalist and music teacher, and her influence was the main reason I chose to pursue Music Education. I didn’t know how to chase that dream without her by my side to lead and support me, but I found a beautiful family and home in the community that is Westminster Choir College. The music that I am able to create here fills my life with a joy that connects me to my mother’s memory,” she says.

After graduating this spring, Kristin plans to return to Dallas to teach elementary general music and choir.

“When I began my journey four years ago, my goal was to teach my students to be good musicians. Now, that goal has grown into a passion to transform students’ lives through music. I am a firm believer that the innate healing power of music can help a person become more complete again, and that is a gift I want my students to experience. I cannot wait to have my first classroom!”

Kristin’s story epitomizes the commitment to service through music shared by all Westminster Choir College students— 98 percent of whom receive financial aid.

If you enjoyed this concert and want to help students like Kristin receive the education that will prepare them to strengthen communities and serve the world through music, please consider making a gift to the Westminster Choir College Scholarship Fund.

Phone: 609-921-7100, ext 8216 • Online: alumni.rider.edu/wccgive

Office of Annual Giving • Westminster Choir College of Rider University • 101 Walnut Lane • Princeton, NJ 08540

I amWESTMINSTERCHOIR COLLEGE

recorDings from Westminster

Flower of BeautyWestminster ChoirJoe Miller, conductor

Westminster Choir’s first full recording with Maestro Miller

NoëlWestminster ChoirJoe Miller, conductor

Jennifer Larmore, mezzo-soprano

Ken Cowan, organ

Classic French Christmas music for choir, organ and mezzo-soprano

The Heart’s Reflection: Music of Daniel ElderWestminster ChoirJoe Miller, conductor

Classics Today: “First rate…highly recommended”

When the concert is over, enjoy the sounds of Westminster wherever you go.

LegacyWestminster ChoirJoseph Flummerfelt, conductor

Live recording of the Westminster Choir’s final campus performance with Maestro Flummerfelt

Heaven to EarthWestminster ChoirJoseph Flummerfelt, conductor

Sacred and secular choral masterpieces

Favorite Hymns & AnthemsWestminster ChoirJoseph Flummerfelt, conductor

Re-release of a Westminster classic

Beauty

Flower of

Westminster ChoirJoe Miller, conductor

NoëllW E S T M I N S T E R C H O I R

J O E M I L L E R • C O N D U C T O R

J E N N I F E R L A R M O R E

K E N C OWA N

T h e H e a r t ’s R e f l e c t ionMusic of Daniel Elder

Westminster ChoirJoe Miller, conductor

Legacy

Westminster ChoirJoseph Flummerfelt Nancianne Parella

L I V E R E C O R D I N G

April 18, 2004

Heaven to EarthWestminster Choir | Joseph FlummerfeltBarber | Ives | Bernstein | Stravinsky | Verdi | Schoenberg

Westminster Choir

Joseph Flummerfeltconductor

Hymns & Anthems

Favorite

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