chicago acapella - navidad mexico
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1Navidad en México
Navidad en MéxicoSaturday, December 1, 2012, 8:00 pm
Nichols Concert Hall1490 Chicago Ave., Evanston
Sunday, December 2, 2012, 4:00 pmPilgrim Congregational Church
460 Lake St., Oak Park
Friday, December 7, 2012, 8:00 pmFourth Presbyterian Church
Michigan Ave. at Delaware, Chicago
Sunday, December 9, 2012, 4:00 pmWentz Concert Hall
171 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville
Chicago a cappellaKathryn Kamp, SopranoAlexia Kruger, Soprano
Elizabeth Grizzell, Mezzo-sopranoSusan Schober, Mezzo-soprano
Klaus Georg, TenorGarrett Johannsen, Tenor
Matt Greenberg, BassJoe Labozetta, Bass
Benjamin Rivera, Bass
Founder and Artistic DirectorJonathan Miller
Guest Music DirectorJorge Córdoba Valencia
This program is supported in part by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s International Connections Fund. Chicago a cappella is partially supported by the Klaff Family Foundation; the MacArthur Fund
for Arts & Culture at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation; The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation; The Arts Work Fund for Organizational Development; Dr. Scholl Foundation; a CityArts Program 2 grant from the City
of Chicago Dept. of Cultural Affairs and Special Events; the Oak Park Area Arts Council, in partnership with the Villages of Oak Park, Forest Park and River Forest; and the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency. Season sponsors:
Hyde Park Bank, The Homestead Hotel, and Merit School of Music. The Consulate General of México and the Latin American Music Festival are sponsors of Navidad en México.
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2 Chicago a cappella
ABOUT CHICAGO A CAPPELLA
An ensemble of professional singers founded in 1993 by Jonathan Miller, Chicago a cappella presents an annual Chicago-area subscription series, creates studio recordings as well as live and broadcast-media musical content, and gives performances on tour and in special engagements. Long recognized for vocal virtuosity and innovative programming, the ensemble enjoys a reputation as a leader in the choral field.
With more than 325 concerts to its credit, Chicago a cappella has produced more than 200 performances on its Chicago-based series. On tour, the group has appeared in 13 American states and in Mexico. The en-semble has been heard frequently on WFMT radio and through broadcasts distributed by American Public Media, including the highly-regarded Performance Today. The ensemble has produced eight CD recordings of music ranging from Renaissance masses to con-temporary works.
From its inception, Chicago a cappella has been a champion of living composers. Since 1993 the group has presented more than 100 works in their world, national, or local premiere. Chicago a cappella has commissioned new music from composers such as Joseph Jennings, Chen Yi, Stacy Garrop, Rollo Dilworth, Tania León, and Ezequiel Viñao.
As part of its work to give back to the community, Chicago a cappella has expanded its educational outreach programming. Current programs include an annual Youth Choral Festival, where small ensembles spend a day working directly with our singers and directors, and a High School Internship Program, a unique multi-faceted immersion for selected students in the world of both performance and arts administration.
Board of DirectorsClaudia DivisMichelle Eppley (Secretary)William K. FlowersHelen C. GagelJoyce Grenis (President)Howard Hush
Murray Kopelow (Vice-President)
Leslie LauderdaleRobert B. LinnDavid PerlmanStephen Shaw (Treasurer)Maria T. Suarez
Committee MembersCarole Baumgart William Thomas Huyck Yvonne Owens Lisa ScottJohn Sterling
2936 N. Southport Ave., 2nd Floor, Chicago, IL 60657Phone: (773) 281-7820 | Fax: (773) 435-6453
www.chicagoacappella.org | [email protected]
Founder and Artistic Director ................................................................................................. Jonathan MillerExecutive Director ............................................................................................................. Matthew GreenbergBox Office & Concert Manager ....................................................................................................... Deb HobanMarketing & Operations Coordinator ...............................................................................Shaina FarwellEducation Outreach Coordinator ............................................................................................Susan SchoberInterns....................................................................................................................Amy Dorner, Cameron Lacy
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3Navidad en México
CHICAGO A CAPPELLA CDS
Days of Awe and Rejoicing:Radiant Gems of Jewish Music
Christmas a cappellaA celebration of the holiday season with Christmas songs from around the world
Shall I Compare Thee?Contemporary settings of Shakespeare’s
timeless words
EclectricNew works, familiar favorites, pop & jazz. “An overflowing cornucopia of choral delights”
(ChicagoTribune)
Holidays a cappella LiveLive performances of Christmas spirituals, Chanukah songs and holiday music from
around the world
Go Down, MosesA stunning collection of spirituals
Mathurin Forestier: MassesWorld-premiere recording of breathtaking
Renaissance church music
Palestrina: Music for the Christmas Season
Brilliant Renaissance polyphony by the Italian master Palestrina
Available in the lobby: $16 each (includes sales tax)
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4 Chicago a cappella
LOCATION INFOR M ATION
Smoking is prohibited in all venues. Food and beverage are not permitted in the audience seating area. No photography or recording of any kind is permitted.
Nichols Concert HallMusic Institute of Chicago 1490 Chicago Avenue, EvanstonRestrooms and drinking fountain: On lower level; take stairs or elevator from lobby.
Pilgrim Congregational Church460 Lake Street, Oak ParkRestrooms: Off the lobby, in thesoutheast corner of the building.Accessible restroom in south hallway near the chapel. Additional restrooms onthe lower level.
Fourth Presbyterian ChurchMichigan Avenue at Delaware, ChicagoRestrooms and drinking fountain:Through the south transept doors (to your left) and then to the right.
Wentz Concert Hall171 E. Chicago Ave., NapervilleRestrooms and drinking fountain: in the main lobby.
RESTAUR ANT SUGGESTIONS
Evanston
Lulu’s Dim Sum & Then Sum804 Davis St. (two blocks from Nichols Hall)Hours: 11:30 am – 10:00 pm15% off (excludes Munch a Brunch and 8 after 8)
Prairie Moon1502 Sherman Ave.Evanston (one block west of Nichols Hall)Fri. & Sat. 4-11pm15% off
Oak Park
Winberie’s151 N. Oak Park Ave.Hours: Sun. 1-9pm10% off
Cucina Paradiso814 North Blvd.Hours: Sunday 5-9:30 pm½ off wine bottles with purchase
of 2 entreesReservations needed
Maya Del Sol144 South Oak Park Ave.Hours: Sat. 4-11pmSun. dinner 4-9pm10% off
Chicago
Cedar’s Mediterranean Kitchen1206 E. 53rd St., Hyde ParkHours: Saturday 11:30am - 11:00 pmSunday 11:30 am - 10:00 pm15% off Piccolo Mondo1642 E. 56th St. #1, Hyde ParkHours: Saturday 11:30 am - 9:30 pmSunday 11:30 am - 8:30 pm10% off
Naperville
Catch 3535 S. Washington St.Hours: Fri. & Sat. 5-10 pmSun. 4:30-8:30pm10% off food (not valid with other offers)
Quigley’s Irish Pub43 East. Jefferson Ave.Hours: Sat. until 2 amSun. until 1 am20% off food
Tango Argentinean Grill5 W. Jackson Ave.Hours: Sat. until 1 amSun. dinner 2:30 pm-10pm$10 off purchase of $25 or more
Show your ticket stub or program book to receive discounts at these area restaurants.
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5Navidad en México
PROGR A M
Sancta Maria e! ....................................................................................................................................Hernando Franco (1532-1585)
Tleycantimo choquiliya .................................................................................................................. Gaspar Fernández (1566-1629)
* * * * * *Arrullo del Niño ........................................................................................................................Trad., arr. Rámon Noble (1920-1999)Nochpochtzine ......................................................................................................................José Galván (Castañeda)
* * * * * *Duermete Niño....................................................................................................................Domingo Lobato Bañales (1920-2012)
Por el Valle de Rosas ............................................................................................................... Miguel Bernal Jiménez (1910-1956)
* * * * * *Eso rigo e repente ............................................................................................................................ Gaspar Fernández
Las Bienaventuranzas (The Beatitudes) ........................................................................Jorge Córdoba Valencia World premiere, commissioned by Chicago a cappella (b. 1953)
* * * * * *
Cabalgata de los Tres Reyes ...................................................................... Jiménez, arr. Jorge Córdoba Valencia
Exsultate justi in Domino .................................................................................................. Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla (1595-1664)
INTERMISSION
Posada Mexicana .....................................................................................................................Trad., arr. Rámon NobleVillancicosProcesiónPara pedir y dar posadaEntradaLa Fiesta
* * * * * *
Cinco Villancicos ............................................................................................................................................Rocío Sanz¿Adonde váis, zagales? (1933-1993)Aquella Flor del campoVillancico de los pastorcillosVillancico de los negritosVillancico de las zagalas
poems: Sor Juana Inéz de la Cruz
* * * * * *Arrullo ...............................................................................................................................................................Blas Galindo (1910-1993)
Convidando esta la noche ................................................................................................ Juan García de Zespedes (1619-1678)
Latecomers will be seated at the discretion of the ushers. Unauthorized photography or sound recording of any kind are strictly prohibited. Thank you for your cooperation
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6 Chicago a cappella
FROM THE ARTISTIC D IRECTOR
¡Bienvenidos a Navidad en México!(Welcome to Navidad en México!)
You are about to embark on a musical journey through the history of Mexican Christmas music. You will hear songs from the 1500s to the present day. You will hear Spanish, Latin, Nahuatl (the traditional Aztec language), and a Creole sort of Spanish with a strong influ-ence from Africa. You will hear emotions of joy and excitement in anticipation of El Niño Jesus, bravery to make the trek to Bethlehem, sweetness of lullabies to rock the infant to sleep, boisterousness to accompany the breaking of the piñata, and even sentiments of lament. You’ll also experience the world premiere of Jorge Córdoba’s beautiful and atmospheric setting, created just for us, of Las Bienaventuranzas, the Spanish version of the Beatitudes from Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount.
* * * * * *
This is a very unusual program, of a sort that is hardly ever done anywhere, not even in Mexico. Jorge Córdoba, our Guest Music Director, informs me that Mexican choirs are so busy singing European Christmas music that they tend to neglect their country’s own, especially songs in languages other than Spanish and music from the early years of the choral tradition. Jorge’s assistance in the programming of this concert has been invalu-able. With his help, we can present to you not only a wider span of music than would have been possible with our usual research resources—since some of the music is un-available and/or out of print, except in Mexico—but also a program that gives honor and dignity to the many influences that have formed the Mexico of today.
According to Jorge, there is a certain apologetic embarrassment among many “Indio” Mexicans, who feel that their native heritage makes them somehow less Mexican than people of pure-bred Spanish blood. Cultural stereotypes are not much help here; Baby Jesus is typically depicted in Mexico as having white skin and blue eyes, an image that does not mesh with the average Mexican’s appearance. People who speak languages other than Spanish are hesitant to teach these special tongues to their children, because they don’t want their children to feel less Mexican. These trends hearken to the assimila-tionist pressures felt by so many minorities in the USA, in decades both past and present. It is our duty to honor those traditions that are hesitant to honor themselves—someone has to celebrate this rich musical heritage!
* * * * * *
The seeds of this program were sown in the spring of 2008, when Chicago a cappella pre-sented a program called Voces latinas, including some terrific recent music from Mexico. Among all of the Mexican works on the program, the one that many of us (singers and directors) found most compelling was the cycle of Siete Haiku by Jorge Córdoba. I had learned of Jorge’s work through the Gregg Smith Singers’ recording of the Haiku cycle, and I was hooked. How to get to work with Jorge Córdoba became a bit of a quest.My colleague Philip Brunelle, whose Minneapolis-based ensemble VocalEssence is known for innovative partnerships, had already brought Jorge up to the Twin Cities for several residencies and commissions over the course of a few years. I currently serve with Philip on the board of Chorus America, and between committee meetings one weekend, I
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7Navidad en México
FROM THE ARTISTIC D IRECTOR c o n t.
learned that Jorge is something of a national treasure in Mexico—easy to work with, generous of heart, and a great musician.
By the fall of 2011, Chicago a cappella’s staff and board knew that we wanted to do a Navidad en México program. I was hoping that Jorge was the composer who would write a new piece for us. He was very amenable to this, and we began the usual conversation about it. I also knew that we would be hiring Guest Music Directors for three programs this season, including Navidad. But imagine my surprise when, in our search for Guest Music Directors for the current season, whose CV and cover letter should appear in my in-box but Jorge’s! The project suddenly got more exciting for me. Not only did we have the prospect of a great new piece by one of Mexico’s choral stars, but the star himself wanted to come to Chicago to prepare the singers. It was a combination too good to pass up.
Working with Jorge has been a true pleasure. I know that the singers and I will always remember the opportunity to learn first-hand, from a master, the nuances of Mexico’s rich traditions and the glories of the Spanish language that occur when set by great compos-ers and when sung with fidelity to tradition. We are so happy that you are here to cel-ebrate, with us, the work of Jorge and our ensemble in Navidad in México. ¡Feliz Navidad!
—Jonathan MillerFounder and Artistic Director
Joy Faith Knapp Music Center
38 South Peoria Street
Chicago, IL 60607
www.meritmusic.org
“Merit School of Music is one of my favorite places on Earth. I’ve seen its work through visiting there, but also through many of their graduates. What it does is to not let talent escape, because it has the broadest net. At its most lofty level, to its most basic response to the needs of a community, it is such an incredible organization.”
—Yo-Yo Ma MERIT NATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER
Visit www.meritmusic.org to find out
how you can make a difference in the
lives of Merit students.
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8 Chicago a cappella
FROM THE MUSIC D IRECTOR
“CHRISTMAS IN MEXICO” Speaking of Christmas in almost any part of the world is inspiring and generates a spirit of hope. Speaking of ‘Christmas in Mexico’ is particularly interesting due to the confluence of the three roots that have shaped our current reality:
a) The indigenous peoples (Aztecs, Mayans, Zapotec, to name a few)
b) The presence of the Spanish conquerors
c) The involuntary, but decisive, infiltration of African slaves who ran away from the ships that arrived on our shores.
It can be said that there is evidence of these three roots in various manifestations of our culture, such as the food and clothing of the different regions of our 31 states. We have some states adjoining the U.S. border, others that border Guatemala, some with a border overlooking the Pacific Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico, Baja California surrounded by the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific, and other states in the so-called Bajio area and the central part of the Mexican Republic. In several of these areas, you can find a range of delicious dishes in which one, two or all three influences are present. In clothing, one can see in the outfits of Veracruz men and women, a strong and direct influence of the outfits of flamenco dancers, traditional costumes, as well as the influence of other things such as the weather and the availability of the material of which the garments are made. Various writings mention that one of the strongest advances made by the Mexican people was the spiritual gain made through evangelization, through exchange of subtle and necessary polytheistic belief to the monotheism brought by the Catholic religion. Of course, the music could not be free of all of these influences, and in fact, the comings and goings of European music and musicians during the viceroyalty is something that was planted very deeply into several areas in Mexico. The quality and quantity of musical compositions found in the archives of the cathedrals of Puebla, Oaxaca and the very cathedral of Mexico City give obvious testimony to the musical activity during the sixteenth, seventeenth and part of the eighteenth centuries. Music practiced in Europe soon came to the viceroyalty or Virreinato (hence the name Virreinal, or colonial, music). It was of great importance that the clerics in Mexico were astonished at the ease and speed with which natives of this part of the world learned the rules of European musical theory. Great Spanish and Portuguese musicians and composers came, and occupied the post of Kapellmeister at the Cathedrals in the country. Hernando Franco, Gaspar Fernández, Juan Garcia de Zéspedes, and Antonio de Salazar, among others, left us an enviable musical heritage. The fusion of European ways of speaking and various local dialects is what generated some of the works that you will hear in today’s concert, in which the composers decided to use the Nahuatl language, thus inviting practitioners to be more connected with Catholicism. Another of the influences mentioned above only recently has been seen as the third root; in music, it is called Guineos. Some of these carols are in not just another “new language,” but rather are derived from the actual speech of slaves, their new language: Spanish combined with some words and inflections of their roots, and always with reference to the rhythms arising in those parts.
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9Navidad en México
FROM THE MUSIC D IRECTOR c o n t.
This is why, in part of today’s program, we are showing that music can be called “rescued” with this fusion of languages and rhythms. There are various Christmas celebrations in Mexico, and over time the transformation of celebrations gave us local songs that were very unique to each of the 31 states. The course of this Mexican musical history was interrupted in a hard way and regardless of anything else because of a bloody fact: The Mexican Revolution. This dramatic shift meant that music called “sacred” also suffered the ravages of the Revolution, towards a mostly secular Nationalist spirit. Hence sacred music in Mexico has received an unfair isolation, resulting in the concealment of such musical works. But composers such as Miguel Bernal Jiménez and Domingo Lobato, just to name a few, left a legacy that allowed us to discover and know our sacred music.
The adaptation of Blas Galindo’s “Arrullo” is an example of something that might be a new approach to the subject of sacred Nationalism. Rocío Sanz’s music gives us some archaic and contemporary carols with famous poems by the wise Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz. José Galván gives us a taste of the twentieth century with his prayer to the Virgin. You could say that “Navidad en México” is a stylistic and idiomatic musical show of the different ways the holiday is celebrated—this being one of the most important holidays in Mexico. Listening to music sung in old Spanish and in the current mode, in Latin, in Spanish derived from black slaves, and in the indigenous languages, really is a fascinating musical ride through time.
We could not neglect another example of a tradition that continues to be upheld in our modern Mexico: “Las Posadas.” The holiday is religious and is expected to be as such by all participants, but the sacred and the secular come together at times. The processional singing is eminently sacred in that it follows varying paths to each of nine inns prior to Jesus’ birth. It begins on December 16, with the presence of pregnant Mary and Joseph on their grueling journey, repeated nine times on nine consecutive days and is finally successful on the ninth try. Once they are accepted, this is the time to bring the sun to the world! This event is celebrated with sweets, punch and the inevitable piñata. The piñata represents the Star (The Devil) with seven points (symbolizing the seven deadly sins), which must be overcome. By hitting and breaking the piñata, we receive the gifts (purity of mind) symbolized by the goodies and fruit that are in the cheerful and colorful piñata. With all this music not being arranged chronologically in our program, and because of the nature of each of the pieces, I chose to compose “The Beatitudes” as the commission to be premiered by Chicago a cappella. Why did I choose these beautiful words of the New Testament? First, because I thought it would be important to include in the concert not only the allegorical birth of Jesus, but also some of his spiritual legacy; and second, because I believe that in these words, wisdom is totally locked, and I know them to be the core of Jesus’s thinking. The treatment of these verses is completely at odds with what else is heard in the concert. It is a highly dramatic piece with a series of twenty-first century atmospheres that allow the listener to hear, from many angles, truths that for me are eternal and unchanging. All you will hear makes this “Navidad en Mexico” a “short walk” over more than four centuries in only a little time. I invite you to fasten your seatbelts and accompany Chicago a cappella on this exciting musical journey!
—Jorge Córdoba
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10 Chicago a cappella
NOTES ON THE MUSIC
Hernando Franco (1532-1585): Sancta Maria e!
This is a prayer in Nahuatl, the ancient language of the Aztecs. It has been attributed to Hernando Franco, who was born in Spain, trained as a choirboy and composer at a cathedral in Segovia, and came to the New World sometime in the mid-1500s. Surviving records show him working in Guatemala in 1571, and later he came to take the vacant maestro de capilla spot at Mexico City’s cathedral. While the composer’s name in the manuscript source is also “Hernando Franco,” it is more likely that a native composer took Franco’s name when converting to Christianity, a common practice of the time. The grand, though slightly clunky block chords, and occasional unusual dissonances in the music support this hypothesis; while these are wonderful musical devices and show great local character, composer of the Spanish Franco’s training would have shunned such elements in the music.
Sancta Maria e yn ilhuicac cihuapille tina tzin dios yn tito tenpantlato cantzin.Ma hueltehuatzin topanximotlatolti yn titlatlaconhuanimen.
Holy Mary, Queen of Heaven, Mother of God,Thou art our mediator.Intercede [“speak Thou well”]For us who are sinners.—trans. Charles E. Dibble
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11Navidad en México
Gaspar Fernández: Tleycantimo choquiliya
Here is another piece in Nahuatl, mixed with Spanish. Like Franco, Gaspar Fernández was born in the Old World—Portugal. Like Franco, he came first as a working musician to Guatemala in 1599 and then in 1606 to Mexico, where he worked in Puebla (east of Mexico City), one of the five most important colonial Mexican cities. Though classically trained and completely adept at writing high-quality Renaissance-style church music with Latin texts, he also wrote and collected villancicos—literally, “songs of the villages”—in vernacular styles, not only in Spanish and Portuguese but also in Amerindian and even a faux-African dialect that appears later in this program. He even wrote a piece all in Nahuatl, as well as this catchy tune, Tleycantimo choquiliya.
Despite the jaunty 6/8 meter and the F-major key, all is not sweetness and light here. The text partly expresses the tension between the belief in a single God, as dictated by the Christian conquerors, and the more pantheistic native religion, which described many aspects of divine beings.
Tleycantimo choquiliyaMis prasedes, mi apisión.Aleloya.
Dejal to el llando crecida,miral to el mulo y el buey.Ximoyollali, mi rey.Tlein mitztolinia, mi vida?
No sé por qué deneis pena,tan lindo cara de rosa.Nocpiholotzin, niño hermosa,nochalchiuh, naxoquena.
Jesós de mi goraçón,no lloreis, mi pantasía.
We sing to you, little flower,My pleasures, my passion.Alleluia.
Leave thou the growing cry,Behold the mule and the ox.Take comfort, my king.What bothers you, my beloved?
I know not what pains you,Such beautiful rosy face,Noble Lord, handsome child,My gem, my white-plumed bird.
Jesus of my heart,Do not cry, my fantasy.—trans. Choral Public Domain Library
NOTES ON THE MUSIC c o n t.
* * * * * *
Trad., arr. Rámon Noble (1920-1999): Arrullo del Niño
This is a tune sung by countless mothers to their children. Jorge Córdoba told the singers in rehearsal that the rhythm of the tune was originally an even pulse, but it has been adapted here to feel more like a heartbeat, as a baby would hear when held close to its mother’s breast. The setting is by Rámon Noble, the towering and tireless promoter of choral music in Mexico, who worked closely with the Chorus of the Ballet Folklorico de México and the Mexico Boys’ Choir School of Music.
A larrorro niño a larrorrorro duérmete mi niño duérmete mi amor
Rockabye, baby, rockabyego to sleep my childgo to sleep my love—trans. Mary Kate Colbert, Instituto Cervantes
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12 Chicago a cappella
Domingo Lobato Bañales (1920-2012): Duermete Niño
This sweet lullaby was written by Domingo Lobato, who was born in Morelia, Michoacán in 1920 and died just last month, on November 5, 2012. One of the greats in Mexican church music, he was a pillar of the musical community in Guadalajara, where he was ap-pointed chair in composition in 1946 at the School of Sacred Music, and he was honored during his lifetime by the states of Jalisco and Michoacán. He founded the School of Music at the University of Guadalajara and directed it from 1956 to 1973. He was known as a dedicated, tenacious teacher, determined to pass on high-quality teaching to his students. He wrote music in many styles and forms, includes a great deal of piano music, choral music, a cantata, and the ballet Insóchitlincuícatl.
The poem here has a charming image of the baby Jesus as “sweet honeycomb,” sort of like calling a baby “cupcake” or “sweetie pie.” The flowing, tuneful melody borrows some of its gentle character from the Gregorian chant that Lobato studied intensively as a young man.
José Galván: Nochpochtzine Long before the Pilgrims set sail, the text for this hymn was written down. The text comes from the manuscript source known as Nicán Mohopua, versicle 63, written down by the Indian scribe Antonio Valeriano between 1540 and 1545. It has been set to original a cap-pella music by José Galván Castañeda. An active singer, composer, arranger, and conduc-tor, the Mexico City-based musician is probably best known as the founder and director of Voz en Punto, an eclectic a cappella sextet that has toured the world in its mission to spread the joys and traditions of Mexican choral music. Galván’s treatment of the text is an unusual combination of sweet lyricism (at the start) and angular, unusual harmonies (later on) to set up the final joyous “Amen.”
Duérmete Nino Rey celestial hermoso Niño Flor en botón.
Te adoramos naces en pajas ven a nacer en nosotros también.
[Solo]Toma mi alma mi vida entera eres panàl de
dulce miel.
Go to sleep Baby, Heavenly King, beautiful child, flower bud.
We adore you, you are born in straw, come be born in us as well.
[Solo]Take my soul, my whole life, you are the
comb of sweet honey.
Notecuiyoe, Cihuapille Nochpochtzine,macamo nictequipacho in mixtin in
moyollotzin.Cahuel nocenyollocacopa nonyaz,noconneltilitiuh in miiyotzin in
motlatoltzinCaniman amo nicnocacahualtia manoce nictecococamatti in ohtli. Amen.
Nochpochttiné (my little girl)My Lady, my Queen, my little girl,It hurts me to see pain in your face, your
heartI would happily bear the task of breathing,
of speaking, for youthere is no way I will let you to do it alonenor will it be any burden.—trans. Mary Kate Colbert, Instituto Cervantes
* * * * * *
NOTES ON THE MUSIC c o n t.
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13Navidad en México
NOTES ON THE MUSIC c o n t.
Miguel Bernal Jiménez (1910-1956): Por el Valle de Rosas
A composer, musicologist, and performer, M. B. Jiménez is considered the most important mid-20th-century Mexican composer of sacred music. He started his musical career at seven years as a choirboy in Morelia’s cathedral, going at age 18 to Rome to study at the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music. Returning to Morelia in 1933, he headed the School of Sacred Music there for twenty years. His styles are rather conservative while including traditional Mexican elements—which he knew well, having discovered the first archive of colonial (18th-century) Mexican music. This song, one of his earliest compositions (1941), is a well-known Christmas lullaby, contrasting great sweetness with careful use of chromatic dissonances.
[Pueblo]Duérmete Nino Rey celestial hermoso
Niño Flor en botón.Te adoramos naces en pajas eres panal de
dulce miel.
[Chorus]Go to sleep Baby, Heavenly King, beautiful
child, flower bud.We adore you, you are born in straw, you
are the comb of sweet honey.—trans. Mary Kate Colbert, Instituto Cervantes.
* * * * * *
Gaspar Fernández: Eso rigo e repente
There is a long tradition of Africans in Mexico, including the area in Guerrero and Oaxaca, where several groups of Africans have made their home since the 1500s. Fernández cap-tures the playful spirit of a group of African Mexicans who are preparing to visit the baby Jesus. There are several mentions of musical instruments and of charming gifts for the baby. Astute readers will notice the “dissing” of Africans from elsewhere—among other less-than-politically-correct sentiments—but it all seems to be in a sporting spirit, for the music if full of powerful joy and enthusiasm. You may be singing “sumbacasu cucumbe” in the shower tomorrow, for this is one catchy chorus!
Por el valle de rosas de tus mejillascorren dos arroyitos de lagrimitas Déjame, deja Déjame, dejaque ellas la sed apaguen que me atormenta.
Duérmete Jesús mío duerme en mis brazosy no llores, no llores por mis pecados. Duérmete, duermey aun que llorar me sientesno te despiertes
In the valley of rosesof your cheeksrun two rivuletsof little tearsLeave me, leaveLeave me, leavefor they extinguish the thirstthat torments me.
Go to sleep, my Jesussleep in my armsand do not cry, do not cryfor my sins.Go to sleep, sleepand although you feel me cryingdo not wake up—trans. Mary Kate Colbert, Instituto Cervantes.
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14 Chicago a cappella
Eso rigo e repente. Juro aqui se ni yo siquito. Que aunque nace poco branquito turu
somo noso parente.No tenemo branco grande. Tenle primo, tenle calje! Husihe husiha paraçia. Toca negriyo tamboritiyo. Canta parente!
Chorus:Sarabanda tenge que tenge, sum bacasu
cucumbe. Ese noche branco seremo.O Jesu que risa tenemo! O que risa Santo Tomé!
That sudden hardship and repentance:Certainly here I’m not favored. But although the child was born a little
white one, we all amount to brothers. We have no fear of the big white one. Come on, cousin, put on your shoes, get dressed! Play, black children, Play the little drum. Sing, brothers and sisters!
Chorus:Dance, make noise, have fun. Sumbacasu
cucumbe. Tonight we’ll all be white! Oh Jesus, what laughter we have! Oh what laughter, Saint Thomas!
NOTES ON THE MUSIC c o n t.
Verse:Vamo negro de Guinea a
lo pesebrito sola, no vamo negro de Angola que sa turu
negla fea.Queremo que niño vea negro pulizo y
galano, que como sa noso hermano tenemo ya
fantasia.
Toca viyano y follia baylaremo alegremente!
Garantiya legranate yegamo a lo sequitiyo,
Manteya rebosico comfit curubacate.Y le curia te faxue la guante camisaCapisayta de frisa
canutiyo de Tabaco.
Toca preso pero beyaco guitarra alegremente! Toca parente:
Chorus
Verse:Let’s go, Guinean blacks, to the little
manger by ourselves. Don’t let the Angolan blacks go because
they’re all ugly blacks. We want the child to see only polished and
handsome blacks, such as our brothers, who have fine
clothes.
Play a Spanish song and gaily dance!
Necklaces of precious stones we bring to the little one,
a mantilla and little shawl, candy and dried fruit. And we bring a small sash, gloves, shirt, a little hooded cape made of wool, and a
little cane pipe for tobacco.
Play fast but skillfully on the merry guitar. Play, everybody!
Chorus—English translation by Christopher Moroney.
Used by permission of World Library Publications, wlpmusic.com.
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15Navidad en México
NOTES ON THE MUSIC c o n t.
Jorge Córdoba Valencia (b. 1953): Las Bienaventuranzas (The Beatitudes)World premiere, commissioned by Chicago a cappella
Jorge Córdoba wrote the following about this new piece:
Escribí esta pieza tomando en cuenta las palabras de Jesús en el Sermón del Monte del Nuevo Testamento del Santo Evangelio según San Mateo; y que para mí son el reflejo de una convicción personal y también como lo escencial de las enseñanzas de aquel mítico personaje.
La sencillez de estas verdades y la constante comprobación de las mismas, fue el impulso que recibí para plasmar un tratamiento musical de estructura abierta, lleno de sorpresas sonoras con la idea de reforzar y abrir otros horizontes sonoros, con-vergiendo y dirigiéndose éstos, hacia un punto común, que como dice la frase: No existe un solo camino, existe un solo final: Dios.-----------------I wrote this piece considering the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount in the New Testament of the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, and that to me is a reflection of a personal conviction as well as the essentials of the teachings of that legendary character.The simplicity of these truths and constant verification thereof, was the impetus for me to shape a musical treatment of open structure, a sound full of surprises with the idea of strengthening and opening sonic horizons, converging and moving them to a common point, as the saying goes: There is only one way, there is only one end: God.
The atmospheric mood created by the repeated melodic fragments evokes a sound-world somewhat reminiscent of the composer’s Siete Haiku. We are honored to present this composition in its world premiere.
Bienaventurados los pobres de espíritu,porque de ellos es el reino de los cielos.Bienaventurados los que lloran,porque ellos recibirán consolación.Bienaventurados los mansos,porque ellos recibirán la tierra por heredad.Bienaventurados los que tienen hambre y sed de justicia,porque ellos serán saciados.Bienaventurados los misericordiosos,porque ellos alcanzarán misericordia.Bienaventurados los de limpio corazónporque ellos verán a Dios.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.—Matthew 5:3-12 – The Beatitudes
* * * * * *
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16 Chicago a cappella
NOTES ON THE MUSIC c o n t.
Jiménez, arr. Jorge Córdoba: Cabalgata de los Tres Reyes
Originally for voice and piano, this vigorous piece has been arranged for us by Jorge Cór-doba. The pounding, driving rhythm in the lower voices sets up the mood, which is one of “epic” intensity: as in an epic or heroic story, one must press on despite fatigue, hardship, and disappointment to reach the goal. In this case the goal is the manger in Bethlehem, and the heroes are the three wise men. “Los Tres Reyes” (Jan. 6th or Epiphany) is actually more important in Mexican culture than December 25th; children across Mexico feel about the Three Kings the way kids in the USA do about Santa Claus, for in Mexico all good children are rewarded with gifts from the Three Kings, just as Jesus was given gifts.
Lo mejor será subir, Lo mejor será subirPor mil años el azur, azur
Por mil años el azur.Mira la estrella lucir véla
muy alta brillar.¡Oigan! ¡Miren! ¡Paren! ¡Arriben! ¡Atraquen!
It is best to go up, It is best to go upFor a thousand years the azure sky, For a
thousand years the azureLook at the star shine, see the
very bright twinkleListen! Look!Stop! They are arriving!They are tying up their horses!—trans. Mary Kate Colbert, Instituto Cervantes
Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla (1595-1664): Exsultate justi in Domino
Gutiérrez was born in Málaga, Spain, and came to Puebla Cathedral in 1620. At the time, Puebla was a more important religious center than Mexico City. He worked tirelessly, leaving more than 700 compositions. This joyous setting of Psalm 33 is a double-choir version in a bright key, reminiscent of the two-choir works of the Gabrielis in Venice.
Rejoice in the Lord, you just ones; praise is becoming to the upright.
Give praise to the Lord on the harp; on the psaltery of ten strings, sing psalms to him.
Sing to him a new song; sing psalms well to him with loud voice.
For the word of the Lord is right, and all his works in faith.
He loves mercy and judgment; the earth is filled with the mercy of the Lord.
The heavens are fixed by the word of the Lord, and all of their power by the spirit of his mouth.
Gathering up the sea’s waters as in a vessel; placing the depths in storehouses.
Let all the earth fear the Lord; and let all the inhabitants of the sphere be moved (in awe) by him.
For he said it, and they were made; he commanded it, and they were created.
The Lord scatters the counsel of the
Exsultate, justi, in Domino; rectos decet collaudatio.
Confitemini Domino in cithara; in psalterio decem chordarum psallite illi.
Cantate ei canticum novum; bene psallite ei in vociferatione.
Quia rectum est verbum Domini, et omnia opera ejus in fide.
Diligit misericordiam et judicium; misericordia Domini plena est terra.
Verbo Domini cæli firmati sunt, et spiritu oris ejus omnis virtus eorum.
Congregans sicut in utre aquas maris; ponens in thesauris abyssos.
Timeat Dominum omnis terra; ab eo autem commoveantur omnes inhabitantes orbem.
Quoniam ipse dixit, et facta sunt; ipse mandavit et creata sunt.
Dominus dissipat consilia gentium;
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17Navidad en México
.COMART I MUSIC I THEATER I DANCE I SPORTS I MORE
If it’s happening,It’s here.
reprobat autem cogitationes populorum, et reprobat consilia principum.
Consilium autem Domini in æternum manet; cogitationes cordis ejus in generatione et generationem.
Beata gens cujus est Dominus Deus ejus; populus quem elegit in hæreditatem sibi.
De cælo respexit Dominus; vidit omnes filios hominum.
De præparato habitaculo suo respexit super omnes qui habitant terram :
qui finxit sigillatim corda eoru ; qui intelligit omnia opera eorum.
Non salvatur rex per multam virtutem, et gigas non salvabitur in multitudine virtutis suæ.
Fallax equus ad salutem; in abundantia autem virtutis suæ non salvabitur.
Ecce oculi Domini super metuentes eum, et in eis qui sperant super misericordia ejus :
ut eruat a morte animas eorum, et alat eos in fame.
nations; he also reproves the schemes of peoples and the counsel of princes.
And the counsel of the Lord remains forever; the thoughts of his heart from generation to generation.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; the people whom he elected for his inheritance.
From the heaven the Lord has looked; he saw all the children of men.
He has looked from his prepared dwelling-place, above all who inhabit the earth:
He who fixed the hearts of them all, who comprehends all their works.
Not by many armies is king saved, nor will the giant be saved by his many strengths.
A horse is false for safety; and in the abundance of its strength it will not be saved.
Behold, the eyes of the Lord are upon those that fear him, and on those who hope in his mercy;
That he might deliver their souls from death, and feed them in famine.
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18 Chicago a cappella
INTERMISSION
Suggestions for Intermission
• Fill out your audience survey and return it to an usher or to the lobby to entered in tonight’s prize drawing for a free CD of your choice!
• Bring your survey to our ticket table in the lobby and get a special 2-for-1 deal to our next program in February, Sprit/Breath/Voice!
NOTES ON THE MUSIC c o n t.
Trad., arr. Rámon Noble: Posada Mexicana
This is the traditional music to which Mexicans typically re-enact the scene at the posada, or inn, where Joseph and Mary are trying to find a place to stay. Rámon Noble, one of Mexico’s iconic musical figures, has created a choral setting of the typical melodies that are sung during the festivities. The final movement is sung while whacking at a piñata!
I. Señor ten piedad de nosotrosCristo escúchanos ruega por nosotrosCristo ten piedad de nosotrosCristo óyenos ruega por nosotrosSeñor ten pieded de nosotrosCristo escúchanos ruega por nosotrosDios hijo Redentor del mundo ruega por
nosotrosDios Espiritu Santo ruega por nosotrosSanta Trinidad en un solo Dios ruega por
nosotrosSanta María ruega por nosotros
II. En nombre del cieloos pido posada,pues no puede andarmi espoda amada
Aquí no es mesónsigan adelante,pues no debo abrirno sea algún tunante
I.Lord have mercy on usChrist listen to us pray for usChrist have mercy on usChrist hear us pray for usLord have mercy on usChrist hear us pray for us Son of God, Redeemer of the world pray
for usGod the Holy Spirit pray for usHoly Trinity in one God prays
for usHoly Mary pray for us
II.In the name of heavenI beg for shelterfor she cannot walkmy beloved wife
This is not an innmove along,for I won’t opennot for some rogue
Anima nostra sustinet Dominum, quoniam adjutor et protector noster est.
Quia in eo lætabitur cor nostrum, et in nomine sancto ejus speravimus.
Fiat misericordia tua, Domine, super nos, quemadmodum speravimus in te.
Our souls wait on the Lord, for he is our aid and protector.
For our heart will rejoice in him, and we will hope in his name,
Let your mercy, Lord, be upon us, as we have hoped in you.
—trans. Jonathan Miller
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19Navidad en México
NOTES ON THE MUSIC c o n t.
Venimos rendidosdesde Nazareth,yo soy carpintero,de nombre JoséNo me importa el nombre,déjenme dormir,pues que yo les digoque no hemos de abrir
Posada te pide,amado casero,por solo una nochela reina del cielo
Pues si es una reinaquien lo solicitacomo es que de nocheauda tan solita
Mi eposa es María,es Reina del cieloy madre va a serdel Divino Verbo
Eres tu José,tu esposa es María,entren peregrinos,no los conocía
III. Entren Santos peregrinos,Peregrinos reciban este rincónNo de esta pobre morada,Mi morada si no de mi corazón
IV.Andale Juana no te dilates con la canasta
de los cacahuntes.Castaña cruda castaña a sadas denle de
palos al de la piñata.
Dale dale dale no pierdas el tino que si no le dás de un palo te empino.
Mide la distancia que hay en el camino que si no le dás de un palo te empino.
V. Vamos pastores vamos a BelénA ver a ese niño que ha nacido en BelénVamos todos a ver a ese niño que ha
We arrive exhaustedfrom Nazareth,I am a carpenter,named JosephI do not care about the name,let me sleep,because I am telling youwe do not have to open
I ask you for shelter,lord of the housefor only one nightfor the Queen of Heaven
Well if it is a queenwho requests ithow is it that at nightyou walk so alone
My wife is Mary,she is the Queen of Heavenand she’s going to be the mother of the Divine Word
Are you Joseph,Your wife is Mary,Come in Pilgrims,I did not recognize you
III.Enter holy pilgrims,Pilgrims, take this cornerNot only of this poor dwelling,but of my heart
IV.Quickly Juana hurry with the peanut
basketRaw chestnut, roasted chestnut, give a
whack to the piñata.
Hit it, hit it, hit it don´t miss the targetif you don´t give it a whack I’ll set you up
straight.Measure the distance that lies aheadif you don t́ give it a whack I’ll set you up straight.
V.Let’s go, shepherds, let us go to BethlehemTo see this child born in BethlehemLet’s go, everyone, to see the child born in
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20 Chicago a cappella
NOTES ON THE MUSIC c o n t.
nacido en Belén.Ese precioso niño yo me muero por él su
padre le acariciaSu madre mira en el y los dos extasiados
contemplan aquel ser,Sus ojitos me encantan su boquita también
su padre le acariciaSu madre mira en el y los dos extasiados
contemplan aquel ser.
Bethlehem.I would die for this precious child says his
father caressing himHis mother gazes at him and the two
ecstatic parents contemplate this being,His eyes are captivating and his mouth is
too, coos his fatherHis mother gazes at him the two ecstatic
parents marvel at this being.—trans. Mary Kate Colbert, Instituto Cervantes
* * * * * *
Rocío Sanz (1933-1993): Cinco Villancicos poems: Sor Juan Inéz de la Cruz
Born in Costa Rica but spending most of her career in Mexico, Rocío Sanz wrote chamber and orchestral music as well as music for theatre and ballet. This cycle was championed by the Gregg Smith Singers, who recorded it 1995. The villancicos (Christmas songs from villages) employ unusual dialects, including an African variant of Spanish in the fourth movement. The composer shows unusual skill in setting these five poems by Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (1651-1695), who was a child genius; by age eight, Juana had read every-thing in her grandfather’s library. She took the nun’s veil at age 16 and soon was serving as accountant and librarian in her convent. However, her real contribution to the world is in her poetry and prose, which is extensive, imaginative, and wide-ranging.
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21Navidad en México
NOTES ON THE MUSIC c o n t.
Where are you going, shepherds?“Where are you going, shepherds?”To Bethlehem, to see marvels to be seen.Tell us, shepherds, how do you know this?The Angels sing it in the air,
the angelsWith resounding voices, pay attention now,listen, listen:
Today you will see in a crècheThe Word made silent,Magnitude in the very small,Immensity in swaddling clothes.
The Sun is born from a Star,The Sea reaches the shoreAnd from a Flower, another FlowerThe infant Fruit comes to life.Tell us shepherds, how do you know this?The Angels sing it in the air, the AngelsWith resounding voices, listen: To Bethlehem, to Bethlehem.
That WildflowerThat WildflowerOf splendid blueIs born of the LilyLike a flower Child.
A fertile VirginSings a lullaby;She takes Him as a Jewel to her breastLike a Flower of the dawn.
Oh! The ice offends Him,For the dawn brings the finishing touchesTo his tears like running pearls as He cries,The tender Infant and God of all love!
Christmas Carol of the Little ShepherdsSome little shepherds arrived at the crèche,They said to the child very lovingly:Where do you come from, beautiful Child,that no one like you has ever come here
before?
Some little shepherds arrived at the crèche,They said to the Child very lovingly:As a little lamb you are born in the field:For surely one day you will be famous.
“¿Adonde váis, zagales?”¿Adonde váis, zagales?A Belén, a ver maravillas que son par aver.Decidnos, zagales, ¿cómo lo sabéis?En los aires lo cantan los Angeles, los
AngelesCon voces sonoras, atended,oíd, oíd:
Hoy veréis en un portalla Palabra enmudecida,la Grandeza en pequeñez,la Inmensidad en mantillas
De una Estrella nace el Sol,El Marse estrecha a una orillay una Flor en otra Flor,infante Fruto se anima.Decidnos, zagales, ¿cómo lo sabéis?En los aires lo cantan los Angeles, los Angelescon voces sonoras, oíd: en Belén, en Belén.
“Aquella flor del campo”Aquella Flor del campode azules esplendoresnace de una Azucenacomo un Niño de flores.
Una fecunda Virgenen su arrullolo acoge por Joya de su pechoy Flor de sus albores.
¡Ay, que el hielo le ofendeporque su albor retoquecon brinquiños de perlas cuando las llore,enternecido Infante y Dios de los amores!
“Villancico de los pastorcillos”Unos pastorcillos que al portal llegaron,dijeron al Niño muy enamorados:¿De dónde venís hermoso Muchacho,que otro como Vos acá no ha
llegado?
Unos pastorcillos que al portal llegaron,dijeron al Niño muy enamorados:Como un corderito nacéis en el campo:A fe que algún día sereís señalado
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NOTES ON THE MUSIC c o n t.
Unos pastorcillos que al portal llegaron,dijeron al Niño muy enamorados:Niño, no lloreís, dormid por un ratoque ese Corazón está desvelado
“Villancico de los negritos”¿Ah, Siñol Andlea? ¿Ah, Siñol Tomé?¿Tenemo guitarra? Guitarra tenemo.¿Sabemo tocaya? Tocaya
sabemo.¿Qué me contá? Ve.pué vamo turu a Belén.
y al Niño que sa yorandacantemo la sala banda.Paléceme ben.y a mí tambén.
“Villancico de las zagalas”Por la espesura de un monte,a lo espacioso del valle,tropas de hermosas zagalasal romper el alba salen.
Some little shepherds arrived at the crèche,They said to the Child very lovingly:Child, don’t cry, sleep for a while;Your heart is restless.
Ah, Señor Andrea! Ah, Señor Tomé!Ah, Sir Andrew! Ah, Señor Thomas!Do we have a guitar? We have a guitar.Do we know how to play it? We know how
to play it.What do you say? Come along.Well, we are all going to Bethlehem.
And to the Baby that is cryingWe’ll sing to him the “salabanda”.Sounds good to meAnd also to me.
The Shepherdesses CarolFrom the wooded hills,To the spacious valley,Groups of beautiful shepherdessesCome out to break the dawn.
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NOTES ON THE MUSIC c o n t.
Corren y vuelan festivasen busca de un Sol Infante,y en pasto riles cantiñastrataron de celebrarle:
A lasnue vas que les dióun mancebo como un Angel,corren y vuelan festivasen busca de un Sol Infante.
¡Mírenlo, mírenlo, que hermoso nace!¡Tóquenle, tóquenle,cántenle, cántenle, cántenle!
¡Mírenlo hermoso, Flor de los Valles,hágan le amores,cántenle, cántenle, cántenle!¡Mírenlo, Nieve que Fuego ardetiemplénle el llanto,cántenle, cántenle, cántenle!
¡Mírenlo en brazos de Virgen Madre,bríndenle halagos,cántenle, cántenle, cántenle!—Poetry: Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz.
They run and fly in a festive wayIn search of the Infant Sun,Through the pastoral countrysideThey try to celebrate Him:
Of the news that they were givenBy a young man like an Angel,They run and fly in a festive wayIn search of the Infant Sun.
Look at Him, look at Him, how beautifullyhe is born! Touch Him, touch Him,Sing to Him, sing to Him, sing to Him!
See how beautiful He is, Flower of theValleys! Adore Him,Sing to Him, sing to Him, sing to Him!Look at Him, Snow that burns with Fire;Soothe His cries,Sing to Him, sing to Him, sing to Him!
See Him in the arms of His Virgin Mother,Sing His praises,Sing to Him, sing to Him, sing to Him!—Translation: Katie Villaseñor. Used by
permission from VocalEssence.
* * * * * *
Blas Galindo (1910-1993): Arrullo
This lovely lullaby is by Blas Galindo, who was born in San Gabriel in Jalisco state, of Huichol Indian descent. He began his study of music unusually late in his life, teaching himself organ at 19. He studied clarinet, counterpoint and composition at the Mexico City National Conser-vatory. He formed the “Grupo de los Cuatro” (Group of The Four) with Ayala Pérez, Salvador Contreras and José Moncayo, with the express purpose of using Mexican instruments and melodies to make Mexican music. In 1941Galindo began studies with Aaron Copland at the Berkshire Music Center on a Rockefeller Grant. In those same years he taught harmony, coun-terpoint and composition at the National Conservatory of Mexico, before becoming its direc-tor, a position he held from 1947 until 1961. This song shows careful use of traditional Mexican elements, such as parallel thirds in the women’s voices at the words “Todos los angelos” and again at “y en su claridad Te cobjara” in the men’s.
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NOTES ON THE MUSIC c o n t.
Duérmete mi niñaQue la luna ya no tardaY te va a traer un lucero azulUn cascabel, un cascabelQue en tus manos brille y que música
cintileY para tus sueños todos los anhelos de
este mundo de quimerasDel que jamás queremos retornarDuérmete mi niñaQue la luna ya no tardaY en su claridad te cobijaraDuérmete ya lindo botónDuérmete mi niñaQue velándote en tu cunaQuedara mi amor
Go to sleep my babyThe moon won´t be long nowAnd it will bring you a bright blue starA bell, a bellThat shines in your hands and that music
makes twinkleAnd for your dreams all desires of this
world of chimerasFrom which we never want to returnGo to sleep my babyThe moon won´t be long nowAnd in its clarity it shelters youGo to sleep now, cute buttonGo to sleep my babyWatching over you in your cribWill be my love—trans. Mary Kate Colbert, Instituto Cervantes
Juan García de Zespedes (1619-1678): Convidando esta la noche
Born in Mexico, García was an accomplished musician. He studied in Puebla with Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla, whose music closes the first half this program, and succeeded Gutiérrez in 1670 as maestro de capilla of Puebla Cathedral. This is probably García’s best-known piece, a joyous song that has contrasting slow and fast sections. The slow sections are more serious, with lyrics that evoke a traditional image of the newborn infant. The fast sections are marked “Duo guaracha,” indicating a zippy style of music that might typically have instruments playing along (the guaracha is a musical style now closely associated with Cuba). The overall effect is sort of like a hymn alternating with a jam session.
Convidando está la nocheaquí de músicas variasAl recién nacido infantecanten tiernas alabanzas¡Ay, que me abraso, ay! divino dueño, ay!en la hermosura, ay! de tus ojuelos, ¡ay!¡Ay, cómo llueven, ay! ciento
luceros, ay!rayos de gloria, ay! rayos de fuego, ¡ay!¡Ay, que la gloria, ay! del portaliño, ay!ya viste rayos, ay! si arroja hielos,
¡ay!¡Ay, que su madre, ay! como en su espero,
ay!mira en su lucencia, ay! sus crecimientos, ¡ay!Alegres cuando festivasunas hermosas zagalesCon novedad entonaron
Inviting is the nightwith many musicians hereTo the newborn infantthey sing tender praiseOh, I am embraced, oh! divine Father, oh!in the beauty, oh! of your eyes, oh!Oh, how they rain down, oh! a hundred
constellations, Oh!rays of glory, oh! rays of fire, oh!Oh, the glory, oh! of the manger, Oh!you already saw rays, oh! if they throw ice,
oh!Oh, may his mother, oh! like in her mirror,
oh!see in his lucency, oh! their growth, oh!Happy when celebratingsome lovely young shepherdessesSang authentically
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25Navidad en México
NOTES ON THE MUSIC c o n t.
THANK YOU
Chris BaerAnn Meier Baker, Chorus AmericaElbio Barilari, Latino Music FestivalPhilip Brunelle, VocalEssenceMary Kate Colbert, Instituto CervantesFourth Presbyterian Church: John ShererEnid FrandzelJoyce Grenis & Mike KoenBill HobanBeatriz Margáin, Consulate General of MexicoKimberly Meisten, VocalEssenceMerit School of Music: Tom Bracy, Brian GordonMusic Institute of Chicago: Fiona Queen, Jared ScottNorth Central College: Ken HannahPedro OrtizDavid PerlmanPilgrim Congregational Church: Joan Hutchinson, Joycelin FowlerEden Sabala, Rockefeller ChapelScott Silberstein, HMS MediaMaria SuarezCarlos Totolero, National Museum of Mexican ArtJon Washburn, Vancouver Chamber Choir
Thanks also to The Saints, Volunteers for the Performing Arts, for providing our house staff. For information visit www.saintschicago.org or call 773-529-5510.
juguetes por la guaracha.¡En la guaracha, ay! le festinemos, ay!
mientras el niño, ay! se rinde al sueño, ¡ay!¡Toquen y bailen, ay! porque
tenemos, ay!fuego en la nieve, ay! nieve en el fuego, ¡ay!¡Pero el chicote, ay! a un mismo tiempo, ay!llora y se ríe, ay! qué dos extremos,
¡ay!¡Paz a los hombres, ay! dan de
los cielos, ay!a Dios las gracias, ay! porque callemos, ¡ay!
—Reprinted with permission by Sony/ATV
verses for the guaracha. In the guaracha song, oh! we celebrate Him, oh!
while the child, oh! yields to sleep, oh!They play and they dance, oh! because we
have, oh!fire in the snow, oh! snow in the fire, oh!But the strong boy oh! all at once, oh!cries and laughs, oh! what two extremes,
oh!Peace to mankind oh! is given from heaven,
oh!thanks to God, oh! because we shut up, oh!—trans. Mary Kate Colbert, Instituto Cervantes
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26 Chicago a cappella
Chicago a cappella Youth Programs
Chicago a cappella’s Educational Outreach programs aim to serve singers and students of all ages and levels of experience, promoting and improving the life-long performance, understanding, and appreciation of a cappella vocal music.
Current programs include:• The Youth Choral Festival, a day of workshops, singing, and performing for area
high school ensembles. The students work with Chicago a cappella’s artists, and the festival culminates in a concert featuring all the groups and Chicago a cappella. The second annual Youth Choral Festival will be held on Saturday, March 9, 2013, at First Unitarian Church in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood, with the concert finale at Rockefeller Chapel.
• High School Internship Program, a unique and innovative program giving
talented high school students access to professional musicians, directors and arts administrators in a broad range of settings. In 2012-13 eight talented and motivated students are serving as Chicago a cappella High School Interns, gaining skills gaining skills to further their musical ambitions, including how to rehearse collaboratively, how to sing at a high level in a small a cappella ensemble, and how such activities are supported behind the scene by a nonprofit organization.
How you can be involved:• Help us identify corporate and business partners to support these projects.• Spread the word to schools and community organizations who may be interested
in working with us.• Use the envelope in this program to make your own gift today! Your contribution
will not only support our education programming. It will also nourish innovative new concerts and world-class CD recordings, and help establish an ever-stronger financial base for our future.
For more information about our education programs,
contact Susan Schober at [email protected].
For sponsorship opportunities, contact Matt Greenberg at [email protected] or 773-281-7820.
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27Navidad en México
CHICAGO A CAPPELL A ARTIST ROSTER 2012-13
Jonathan Miller ...................................................................................................................... Artistic DirectorJorge Córdoba Valencia .................................................................Music Director, Navidad en MéxicoWilliam Chin ....................................................................................... Music Director, Spirit/Breath/VoiceJohn William Trotter....................................... Music Director, The A Cappella American SongbookKlaus Georg ................................................................................................. tenor (Genius; Navidad; Spirit)Matt Greenberg .....................................................................................bass (Navidad; Spirit; Songbook)Elizabeth Grizzell ....................................................................................................... mezzo (entire season)Garrett Johannsen ..............................................................................tenor (Navidad; Spirit; Songbook)Kathryn Kamp ................................................................................. soprano (Navidad; Spirit; Songbook)Alexia Kruger ..........................................................................................soprano (Genius; Navidad; Spirit)Joe Labozetta ...................................................................................... bass (Genius; Navidad; Songbook)Cary Lovett ........................................................................................................................... tenor (Songbook)Trevor Mitchell ........................................................................................................................... tenor (Genius)Cari Plachy ...........................................................................................soprano (Genius; Spirit; Songbook)Emily Price .................................................................................................................................... mezzo (Spirit) Benjamin Rivera ........................................................................................... bass (Genius; Navidad; Spirit)Susan Schober ................................................................................mezzo (Genius; Navidad; Songbook)Brian Streem .............................................................................................. bass (Genius; Spirit; Songbook)
B IOGR APHIES
Jonathan Miller, Founder and Artistic DirectorSince founding Chicago a cappella in 1993, Jonathan Miller has guided the ensemble through more than 130
concerts, seven commercial CD releases, and thirty choral-music demo CDs. His international accolades include the 2008 Louis Botto Award for Innovative Action and Entrepreneurial Zeal from Chorus America. His skills at presenting a wide spectrum of music are a combined product of his singer’s ear, scholar’s training, and composer’s temperament. He was fortunate to be exposed at an early age to a wide range of music by a remarkable group of mentors, including Christopher Moore, Lena McLin, Max Janowski, Joseph Brewer, Howard Mayer Brown, Richard Proulx, John Nygro, and Anne Heider. He was a founding member of His Majestie’s Clerkes (now Bella Voce) and for ten years was bass soloist with the Harwood Early Music Ensemble. Eager to learn research tools for repertoire, Jonathan pursued musicology, earning his doctorate at UNC-Chapel Hill while remaining an active performer. Since returning to the Chicago area, Jonathan has expanded his
role as a conductor and composer. He has led the volunteer choir at Unity Temple and Heritage Chorale in Oak Park and has served several other choirs as clinician and coach. He has written more than fifty choral works in a variety of genres and languages; his music has been sung at venues including St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City and the Pentagon. He conducted his piece The Lincoln Memorial at the Lincoln Memorial on the 200th anniversary weekend of Lincoln’s birth. Since 1998, Jonathan has taken a growing leadership role in Chicago-area Jewish music, leading the high-holiday choir and occasional Kabbalat Shabbat services at Congregation Rodfei Zedek in Hyde Park; he now serves there as high-holiday cantor. He is principal guest conductor of Kol Zimrah, the Jewish Community Chorus of Metro Chicago, and holds as a great honor his role as publisher of the late Max Janowski’s catalogue. Jonathan enjoys the blessings of family and neighbors in the woods of Downers Grove, where he loves helping to maintain two shared vegetable gardens.
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28 Chicago a cappella
B IOGR APHIES c o n t.
Jorge Córdoba Valencia, Music DirectorComposer and conductor Jorge Córdoba did most of his musical studies at Mexico City’s National Conservatory, with later work in
Composition and Direction in Spain, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, the U.S., and Hungary. He has received various awards, including the Bartók Recognition Award and the Kodaly Medal (both issued by the Hungarian government) and First Place honors in the 4th and 5th annual National Choral Composition Contests (in 2003 and 2005, respectively), as well as First Place in the 7th annual National Composition Contests for Children’s Choruses, held in 2006. He has participated in the World Music Days celebrated in Romania (1999), Ljubljana, Slovenia (2003), Croatia (2005), and Hong Kong (2007). In 2002, his work The Divine Image was commissioned for, and performed at, the 6th World Symposium of Choral Music, held in Minneapolis. Córdoba conducted the string orchestra of the Kuronoma Academy of Mexico City in some of his own pieces. During a tour of Japan in 2005. In 2006, he obtained a residency in the Visby International Composers’ Center in Gottland, Sweden, and in October of this same year he attended the 21st Annual Festival of Havana, Cuba, as a conductor, composer, and lecturer. In 2007 he was a participant in Mexico City’s International Forum for New Music. His music was performed by the Vancouver Chamber Choir (conducted by Jon Washburn) during this ensemble’s “Music of the Americas” Canadian tour. Córdoba was also a composer and lecturer in the América Cantat Festival, celebrated in Havana, Cuba. He was one of the featured composers within New York City’s North/South Consonance Cinco de Mayo Celebration, with Houston’s Schola Cantorum, conducted by Doborah King. In Panama, he offered workshops and lectures in the International Caribbean and Central-American Choral Festival. He also was invited to participate with his cantata La esperanza es nuestra (Hope is Ours) in the
inaugural concert of the Universal Cultural Forum of 2007, held in Monterrey, Mexico. Since 2001, Jorge Córdoba has coordinated and directed the radio program entitled Horizontes de Nuestra Música (Horizons of Our Music), transmitted in Mexico by the Opus 94 Radio Station (94.5-FM).
Klaus Georg, tenorIn his second year with Chicago a cappella, Klaus Georg is an active tenor, conductor, and teacher in the Chicago area. He is currently Adjunct Professor of
Voice at Carthage College while pursuing doctoral studies at Northwestern University. Klaus has performed leading tenor roles in Mozart’s Zauberflöte, Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmelites, Loesser’s The Most Happy Fella, and Hoiby’s Summer and Smoke, as well as the tenor solos in Mozart’s Requiem, Händel’s Messiah, Haydn’s Creation, and Brahms’s Zigeunerlieder. Recently, he appeared as the tenor soloist in Mozart’s Requiem at the Music Institute of Chicago and as Chibiabos in Coleridge-Taylor’s Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast in Park Ridge. An accomplished choral singer, Klaus sings with the CSO Chorus and Music of the Baroque, and has appeared as a soloist with both groups. He also sings with the Grant Park Music Festival and is chorus director at Beth Emet the Free Synagogue.
Matt Greenberg, bassMatt Greenberg has appeared frequently on Chicago’s concert and theater stages, singing everything from Bach to Broadway. His solo appearances
include Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, Mozart’s Requiem, and an evening of Rodgers and Hammerstein. Matt is a longtime member of the Grant Park Chorus and sang for over 20 years with the Chicago Symphony Chorus, where he made over a dozen solo or small ensemble appearances. A founding member of Chicago a cappella, he has also performed with Music of the Baroque, William Ferris
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29Navidad en México
B IOGR APHIES c o n t.
Chorale, and the Harwood Early Music Ensemble. Matt’s work in musical theater includes the Jeff-award winning Sylvia’s Real Good Advice, Hot Mikado, and appearances at Light Opera Works and Wisdom Bridge. He has also appeared with the pop quintet Table For Five. Combining his performing with a career in arts administration, Matt is Chicago a cappella’s Executive Director.
Elizabeth Grizzell, mezzoMezzo-soprano Elizabeth Grizzell has performed with groups both in Chicago and abroad. She has appeared as soloist with the Tunbridge Wells
Opera, the Marlow Choral Society, and the Wooburn Singers of England. As a member of the Chicago Symphony Chorus, she has recorded the role of Apprentice with the late Sir Georg Solti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in Wagner’s Die Meistersinger. Betsy is also a member of the Grant Park Chorus, and records regularly as a soloist for GIA Publications. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree with a vocal emphasis from DePaul University. This will be Betsy’s 12th season with Chicago a cappella. She is proud to be programming this year’s All About the Women concert, and she previously programmed the ensemble’s 2009 concert, The Birds and the Bees. Of special note is her Betsy’s MusiKids program, a musical education experience designed for children ages 16 months to 9 years old. Her studio in Naperville introduces more than 100 children each year to the fun and beauty of music. Find her on Facebook at “Betsy’s MusiKids”, or at www.grizzell.com.
Garrett Johannsen, tenorGarrett Johannsen grew up in Schiller Park, IL. He started singing shortly after learning to play the trumpet at Kennedy School. Garrett decided
to take private voice lessons at East Leyden High School which led him to study voice at
Roosevelt University. Beyond Roosevelt, he has performed with the Chicago Symphony Chorus, Grant Park Chorus, William Ferris Chorale, Bella Voce, and Lyric Opera Chorus. Garrett has branched out of the city limits to work with Chorus Angelorum in Indiana, Opera for the Young in Wisconsin, and Sarasota Opera in Florida, and to participate in a week-long workshop with the a cappella group Chanticleer in California. He hopes in the near future to continue traveling nationally to share his love of singing opera and Broadway music. One of his favorite moments to date is an invitation to sing the National Anthem for his family’s favorite sports team, the Chicago White Sox…..four times.
Kathryn Kamp, sopranoA mix of opera, operetta, and musical theater productions as well as oratorio, concert, and choral engagements keeps Kathryn busy when she’s not singing
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30 Chicago a cappella
B IOGR APHIES c o n t.
with Chicago a cappella. She has appeared as soloist at the Ravinia Festival, Orchestra Hall at Chicago Symphony Center, Grant Park Music Festival, the Peninsula Music Festival, and Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society, among others. Favorite works include Mozart Requiem; Haydn Creation and Dixit Dominus; Handel (Messiah); Poulenc (Gloria) and Brahms (Requiem); Mozart’s Despina (Cosi fan tutte); many Gilbert and Sullivan ingénues (Patience, Rose Maybud, Yum-Yum and Mabel); and anything by Steven Sondheim (especially Anne Egerman and Mrs. Segstrom of A Little Night Music). She has also directed over 15 opera and operetta productions. Free time is spent in the garden, on a bike, cooking, reading, and hanging out with her husband. She always looks forward to the unique vocal demands and wonderful colleagues of Chicago a cappella.
Alexia Kruger, soprano Alexia Kruger enjoys performing a wide variety of music from the stage to the recital hall. A member of the Chicago Symphony Chorus and the Grant Park Chorus,
Alexia has also been a soloist with such groups as the Chicago Chamber Orchestra (J.S. Bach’s Cantata 51), Chicago Sinfonietta at the Shedd and at Joffrey, Mantra Blue Free Orchestra, the Valparaiso University Symphony Orchestra (R. Strauss Beim Schlafengehen and Im Abendrot), and the University of Illinois Percussion Ensemble (Stravinsky’s Les Noces). She loves art song as well and has given recitals at such venues as the Chicago Cultural Center, Fourth Presbyterian Church, and several locations with VOX 3. Past roles have included Susanna and Contessa dAlmaviva (Le Nozze di Figaro), Giulietta (Les Contes dHoffmann), the title role in Suor Angelica, Lola (Gallantry), and Eve (Children of Eden). She is very excited to sing with Chicago a cappella this season!
Joe Labozetta, bassHailing from Northern California, Joe Labozetta moved to Chicago in 2003 to further his musical studies at DePaul University’s School of Music. After
finishing a degree in Sound Recording Technology, he quickly immersed himself into a full-time career as a professional musician. Joe currently holds the position of Director of Music at St. Josaphat Church, where he is kept busy with choirs, pipe organs, handbells and composing hymnody. His local choral activities have included Chicago Symphony Chorus, Grant Park Chorus, Bella Voce, and the William Ferris Chorale. Joe is also an award-winning baritone soloist, notably at the International Choral Kathaumixw in Powell River, B.C., Canada. Additionally, as an accomplished keyboardist, guitarist and bassist, Joe performs in venues other than churches and concert halls. In fact, Labozetta sightings have been reported in dive bars, hotel lounges and almost-but-not-yet foreclosed recording studios.
Benjamin Rivera, bassBass-baritone Benjamin Rivera appears often as a concert and oratorio soloist. Recent appearances include performances of Bach’s St. John Passion, several
Haydn Masses and a local premiere of a song cycle for baritone and instrumental sextet by Stacy Garrop. He is a longtime member of the Chicago Symphony Chorus, where he served in the position of section leader for several seasons. Benjamin also sings with the Grant Park Chorus during the summer. He recently completed his tenth season as conductor of the Chicago-area chamber choir Cantate, with whom he performs a wide range of mainly a cappella music. Benjamin holds the Master of Music degree in Music Theory from Roosevelt University and recently left a teaching position at St. Xavier University to pursue doctoral studies in conducting at Northwestern University.
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31Navidad en México
B IOGR APHIES c o n t.
Susan Schober, mezzoSusan Schober is a founding member of Chicago a cappella. A native Chicagoan, she sang for nine years with the Chicago Children’s Choir, and has performed
a wide variety of solo and choral music with Chicago-area ensembles. Most recently, she was a soloist at the 23rd International Kodály Festival in Kecskemét, Hungary. In addition to solo and choral music, Susan has performed leading roles in several theatrical
productions, including Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, Britten’s Albert Herring, Herman’s La Cage Aux Folles, and Sullivan’s Utopia Limited. Susan received her bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University and a master’s degree in Music Education from Holy Names University in Oakland, CA. She is an accomplished music educator, specializing in the Kodály Method. She has taught students at every level, from preschool to graduate level teacher training. Susan loves both singing and teaching, but her favorite job is being a new mom to twins Katherine and Andrew.
DONORS
We offer our deep gratitude to our contributors who made gifts and pledges to Chicago a cappella between July 1, 2011 and November, 1, 2012. We regret that we are unable to list the many thoughtful contributors who made gifts under $50. If this list contains an error, please accept our apologies and kindly let us know so that we may correct it.
FOUNDATIONSUPPORTERSArts Work Fund for
Organizational Development
Dr. Scholl FoundationElizabeth F. Cheney
FoundationThe Gaylord and Dorothy
Donnelley FoundationJohn D. and Catherine T.
MacArthur Foundation’s International Connections Fund
Klaff Family FoundationThe MacArthur Fund for
Arts and Culture at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation
Richard H. Driehaus Foundation
GOVERNMENTSUPPORTERSIllinois Arts CouncilCity of Chicago Dept. of
Cultural Affairs and Special Events
Oak Park Area Arts Council
MEDIA SPONSORS98.7 WFMT (Spirit/Breath/
Voice) Chicago Jewish News (Days
of Awe; Genius)JUF News (Genius)Naperville Sun (concerts at
Wentz Hall, Naperville)
CORPORATE SUPPORT,MATCHING GIFTS, ANDOTHER SUPPORTAT&T FoundationAV ChicagoBank of AmericaFirst Bank and Trust
EvanstonHomestead HotelHouse Red VinotecaHyde Park BankJP Morgan Chase
FoundationMacy’s FoundationNorth Shore Community
Bank
INSTITUTIONAL CONTRIBUTORS
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32 Chicago a cappella
NAVIDAD EN MÉXICOA special repeat performance of this concert in the Little Village neighborhood, celebrating
El Día de Reyes (Epiphany) with Chicago’s vibrant Mexican-American community.
Saturday, Jan. 5, 8:00 pmSt. Agnes of Bohemia Church
2651 S. Central Park Ave.
SPIRIT/BREATH/VOICE An inspiring concert about generosity, peace, and joy, with music ranging from
a Renaissance Mass to Shaker tunes and new works.
THE A CAPPELLA AMERICAN SONGBOOKCharming and witty classics by Gershwin, Porter, Berlin, and
others in new a cappella adaptations.
ChicagoSaturday, Feb. 9, 8:00 pm
Rockefeller Memorial Chapel
Oak ParkSunday, Feb. 10, 4:00 pm
Pilgrim Congregational Church
EvanstonFriday, Feb. 15, 8:00 pm
Nichols Concert Hall
NapervilleSunday, Feb. 17, 4:00 pm
Wentz Concert Hall
EvanstonSaturday, April 20, 8:00 pm
Nichols Concert Hall
Oak ParkSunday, April 21, 4:00 pm
Pilgrim Congregational Church
NapervilleFriday, April 26, 8:00 pm
Wentz Concert Hall
ChicagoSunday, April 28, 7:30 pm
Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts
UPCOMING CONCERTS
SH-BOOM: An A Cappella Evening of Doo-Wop Classics Our gala benefit features the great harmonies of doo-wop favorites and
celebrates our Tribute Award honoree, the Chicago Children’s Choir.
Thursday May 23, 7:00pmSalvage One
1840 W. Hubbard St., Chicago
Tickets and information: chicagoacappella.org or (773) 281-7820
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33Navidad en México
Special thanks to Chicago a cappella’s Board of Directors for their impressive commitment and a 50% increase in their contributions this year.
INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTORS
UNDERWRITER($10,000 or more)Estate of Helen AsherSpecial gift in memory of
Florine M. Tippett, by her daughter, Joyce Tippett Grenis
Hyslop Shannon Foundation ARCHANGEL ($2,500 or more)Joyce Grenis and Michael KoenMurray Kopelow and Cathy
BachmanHoward and Jane HushKenneth Schug ANGEL ($1,000 or more)Claudia and Timothy DivisMichelle EppleyBill and Jeanetta FlowersHelen GagelAnn Hicks and Lawrence
HamiltonJay and Jackie LauderdaleLeslie LauderdaleBob and Fleury LinnLoPrete Family FoundationAlice and David OsbergDavid and Carole PerlmanPriscilla and Steve ShawMaria Suarez
BENEFACTOR ($500 or more)Bonnie BensonMarguerite BlochAlex and Rosemary CudzewiczMarina GilmanTim GoodsellJoan and Guy GunzbergHank and Becky HartmanTerri HemmertTom and Margaret HuyckDouglas and Christine KelnerLindy Lauderdale, in honor of
Leslie LauderdaleRonna Lerner In recognition
of educational outreach programs
Linda Mast and Bard Schatzman
Mary MillerNora Bergman FundKen NovakCarolyn SackstederLisa ScottSusan and Jason SchoberBette Sikes and Joan PedersonSallie and Mark SmylieAnn StevensFrank VillellaJoanne WhitmoreDuain Wolfe
SPONSOR ($250 or more)AnonymousRobert Alpaugh and Rob
Waters in honor of Joan Gunzberg
Barbara and Harvey DershinFive K. Family Fund at The
Chicago Community TrustSanford Greenberg and Betsy
PerdueSandra GoldDon and Joanna GwinnAnne Heider and Steve WarnerCharles KatzenmeyerDan and Cari LevinJim and Lois HobartSandi and Mike MillerRobert and Lois MoellerVreni NaessDrs. Donald and Mary Ellen
NewsomCamilla NielsenDale and Donna PrestMarlene RichmanTom and Linda SpringHeather SteansGeri SztukLance and Stephanie
Wilkening
PATRON ($100 or more)Tom AndrewsWendy Anker and Edward
ReedSusan BealVivian Beckford
Norm and Mary Jo BowersIoanna and Robert ChaneyJudy ChernickEd and Barbara Collins in honor
of John VorrasiLaura and Gary CooperRosemary CorriganSusan EleuterioRon & Judy EshlemanAnne EvansJerry and Sue FalconSherry and Richard Frenzel in
honor of Joan GunzbergHoward and Judy GilbertMarvin and Muriel GlickEdmund GronkiewiczJudith Grubner and Craig
JobsonMargo Lynn HablutzelRobert HarrisAnn HewittMunn and Bonnie HeydornTroy HuberJean and Lester HuntMichael and Kathleen
JohnstonDr. Perry and Elena KamelSusan KampRae KendrickJohn and Karen KrugerHelen and John LauderdaleBarbara and Martin LetscherJoan LevinJay LytleMary and Steven MagnaniJennifer MarlingKristi McGonagle-French and
Paul FrenchCheryl and Tom McRobertsGlenn and Sandy MeadeAndrew MicheliJonathan Miller and Sandra
Siegel MillerNancy Mulcahu in honor of
John VorrasiCathy and Paul NewportJohn and Vicky PickettLarry and Judy PittsJohn and Gail PollesJane Ann PrestDoris Roskin
DONORS c o n t.
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34 Chicago a cappella
DONORS c o n t.
Penelope Sachs in honor of Joan Gunzberg
Jennifer and Warren SchultzLaura SmithJulius and Alice SolomonJeni and David Spinney in
honor of Bob and Fleury LinnEileen SutterKris SwansonDavid and Mari TermanDave and Carolyn UtechBarbara VolinJohn Vorrasi In memory of Dr.
Joan M. FerrisGary and Beth WainerShirlene Ward and Kevin KippBob and Sue WieseneckVirginia Witucke
FRIEND ($50 or more)AnonymousDavid and Patricia AgnewGary AgrestDiane AltkornFrank Brockway and Mimi Brile
Rona and Ralph Brown in honor of Ronna Lerner
Arlene BunisRuth CrippenDeb CullenBernhard and Roslyn Ebstein in
honor of John VorrasiJane and Joel ErkenswickNorma FelbingerGail Schaefer FuValerie and Stephen GarryEvelyn GaudutisIrene HansenCarolyn HayesAndy and Junia HedbergKathleen HigginsCharles Hoffman and Tamara
SchillerValerie HumowieckiJohn and Martha JureckoLinda KaplanLorraine KaplanIvan and Jasna LappinCarol Lounsbury
Elene Cafasso Mahnken in honor of Michelle Eppley
Scott and Kelly McClearyPatrice Michaels and Jim
GinsburgCarol MullinsBelverd and Marian NeedlesRichard and Cindy PardoThe Rembrandt Chamber
Players, Inc.Shirley RonanDennis and Patricia SmithBarbara Steffensen in honor of
Dan McDanielGene and Mindy SteinTerrill L. StumpfJuan J. SuarezBernard SzeszolNancy Ellen TauchmanWilliam WallaceJohn WashburnRobert and Barbara WichmannScott WilliamsonRobert Wolff
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35Navidad en México
DONORS c o n t.
By joining our Sustaining Donor program, the following individuals support the work of Chicago a cappella while reducing our fundraising costs and saving resources. Sustaining donors choose the level and frequency of their automatic payment, and receive the benefits of annual tax deductions without the hassle of writing checks. For more information, see the envelope in this program, visit our website, or call (773) 281-7820.
SUSTAINING DONORS
Susan BealFrank BrockwayNorma FelbingerPatrice Michaels and Jim
GinsburgSanford Greenberg & Betsy
PerdueAnn Hewitt
Jean & Lester HuntTom and Margaret HuyckDoug & Christine KelnerVreni NaessDonald & Mary Ellen NewsomKen NovakAlice & David OsbergDavid & Carole Perlman
Carolyn SackstederWarren & Jennifer SchultzTom & Linda SpringAnn StevensDavid & Carolyn UtechFrank VillellaShirlene Ward & Kevin Kipp
MEET THE CHALLENGE
Chicago a cappella has an important challenge grant opportunity right now: if we can increase giving from individuals by $25,000 this year, a family foundation has pledged to match it with an additional $25,000. That means new and increased gifts from new donors like you will be doubled!
Ticket sales only cover a portion of our costs… in fact, more than 1/3 of our operating budget comes from friends like you who value what Chicago a cappella brings to your own life and to the community.
Your gift will support newly commissioned works, exciting new musical programs, and educational programming such as our expanding High School Internship Program and Youth Choral Festival.
Our Board of Directors is leading the way with a 50% increase in their contributions this year. Please join them to help us meet this challenge, so that Chicago a cappella can increase our impact, widen our reach, and set the stage for a thrilling future.
Use the envelope in this program or donate online at chicagoacappella.org.
Thank You!
A huge thank you to our Sustaining Donors:
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36 Chicago a cappella
IN -K IND CONTR IBUTIONS (S INCE JANUARY 1, 2012 )
93.1 WXRTAbout Face TheatreAdler PlanetariumThe Ambassador HotelArlington ParkAV ChicagoAvanti Skin Center
ofChicagoBella VoceBlue Man Group – ChicagoHoss BrockCambridge Suites Hotel
TorontoCedille RecordsChicago Architecture
FoundationChicago BlackhawksChicago Botanic GardenChicago Chamber
MusiciansChicago DramatistsChicago FilmmakersChicago Gay Men’s ChorusChicago History MuseumChicago Human Rhythm
ProjectChicago Opera TheaterChicago Shakespeare
TheaterChicago SinfoniettaChicago SkyChicago Symphony
OrchestraChicago Zoological SocietyCity Lit Theater CompanyThe Comedy Sportz
TheatreCourt TheatreDePaul Merle Reskin
TheatreDevon Seafood GrillThe Dance Center of
Columbia CollegeEast Bank ClubEclipse Theatre CompanyEmerald City Theatre
Enerpace, Inc. Executive and Personal Coaching
Facets/Facets Children’s Programs
Norma FelbingerFox Valley RepertoryThe French Pastry SchoolFulcrum Point New Music
ProjectGabriel’s RestaurantGene Siskel Film CenterGethsemane Garden
CenterJennifer GirardGoodman TheatreGrant Park Music FestivalGymboree CorporationHarris Theater for Music
and DanceHedwig DancesTerri HemmertMunn HeydornHomestead HotelHotel FelixHouse RedHowl at the MoonJ&L CateringJaks Tap Restaurant and BarBrian Jordan, Chicago
White SoxKingston MinesLeslie LauderdaleLe Cordon Bleu College of
Culinary Arts in ChicagoThe Leigh GalleryDan Lerner, Crosstown
ProductionsLifeline TheatreLight Opera WorksLulu’s RestaurantMamma Mia! BroadwayMarriott LincolnshireMedieval TimesMetropolis Performing Arts
CenterMichael Kors
The Morton ArboretumMuseum of Science and
IndustryMusic Box TheatreMusic of the BaroqueNext Theatre CompanyNortheastern Illinois
UniversityNorthlight TheatreOak Park Festival TheatreOrion EnsemblePorter AirlinesRavinia FestivalThe Redhead Piano BarShedd AquariumNorbert ShimkusShiraleahShureSkylight Music TheatreSouthwest AirlinesSwedish American
MuseumBrian StreemLindsay StreemMaria SuarezSwedish BakeryTimeLine Theatre CompanyTrader JoesTRUTwisted LizardUrban OasisVictory Gardens TheaterThe William Ferris ChoraleWinestyles in downtown
EvanstonCheryl WollinWriters’ TheatreZanies Comedy Nite Club