The Juneau Vocal AllianceThe Juneau Vocal AllianceThe Juneau Vocal Alliance

Presents:Presents:Presents:

VISIONARY VISIONARY

VOICESVOICES

Sunday, November 6, 2011Sunday, November 6, 2011Sunday, November 6, 2011

5:30PM5:30PM5:30PM

Church of the RedeemerChurch of the RedeemerChurch of the Redeemer

Morristown, New JerseyMorristown, New JerseyMorristown, New Jersey

Fest-und Gedenkspru che Op. 109 Johannes Brahms (1833-97)

Unsere Va ter hofften auf dich

Wenn ein starker Gewappneter

Wo ist ein so herrlich Volk

~ Os Justi Meditabitur Anton Bruckner (1824-96)

Christus Factus Est

Bogoroditse Devo Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)

~

Mass for Double Chorus Frank Martin (1890-1974)

Kyrie

Gloria

Credo

Sanctus

Agnus Dei

~

Reincarnations Samuel Barber (1910-81)

Mary Hynes

Anthony O Daly

The Coolin (The Fair Haired One)

~

Elijah Rock Moses Hogan (1957-2003)

WELCOME!

On behalf of the Juneau Vocal Alliance, thank you for joining us for our inaugural concert!

I’m sure the question has arisen in your mind, “Why do we need a professional choir?”

To answer that question, I think it is important to understand my thoughts as a choral musician. I am

fortunate to be involved in singing in literally every way, conducting an outstanding community chorus,

university chorus, church choir, teaching voice, conducting opera, teaching general music to kids,

leading hymns from the organ bench at church, and composing for a variety of choral ensembles.

Every day I witness first-hand the joy that singing brings to people’s lives.

Choral singing is an art form of commonality. It is created through cooperation and codependence. It is

very much a microcosm of society and includes many of the same trials and successes that manifest in a

culture. Yet choral singing is even more beautiful, because in its purest form it brings out the best in

people. There is no competition when the communal song is sung and this is the main reason why I have

dedicated my life to this beautiful art.

The idea of the Juneau Vocal Alliance is to allow those who cherish the choral experience, whether as a

singer or audience member, the opportunity to be enveloped in the beautiful sound of a symphony of

voices which inspires our own passion for singing. Its mission is to re-invigorate this love for choral

music by allowing audiences, right here in New Jersey, to experience the virtuosic masterpieces which

are the pinnacle of the choral art with an ensemble of the highest professional caliber. In a society where

so many love to sing beautiful choral music, it is important that everyone has exposure to this art at its

highest level.

I hope you will find inspiration and joy as you experience this inaugural concert of the JVA. I also hope

you might, if you are so inclined, help support us as we begin this journey of bringing professional choral

music to our community, to our state, and hopefully beyond!

Thank you so much for your attendance and support today!

Thomas Juneau

Artistic Director

Juneau Vocal Alliance

THOMAS JUNEAU, Artistic Director of the Juneau Vocal Alliance, is Director of Choral Activities and Instructor of Voice at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. He serves as Artistic Director of Summit Chorale, now in its 103rd season. Dr. Juneau is also the Repertoire and Standards Chair of Community Choruses for the New Jersey Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association and is Vice President of the New Jersey Choral Consortium. He is Director of Music at Saint Joseph’s Church and teaches music at Saint Joseph’s School in Carteret, New Jersey. His upcoming appearances include with Summit Chorale performing Liszt’s Missa Choralis and Dido and Aeneas with the Concert Choir at

Saint Joseph’s University. His Avery Fisher Hall debut on December 20 at the Messiah Sing-In hosted by the National Choral Council. Dr. Juneau compositions for chorus are published by numerous companies, including Alliance Music, Southern Music Company, Hal Leonard Corporation, and Carl Fisher Music Company. He is in demand as a choral composer and his works are performed throughout the world. This season features the premier of his Te Deum with Summit Chorale and The Snow Carol with the Saint Joseph’s University Singers. The Snow Carol will be featured in the Carl Fischer 2012 catalog. His Gaudete for mixed chorus and men’s chorus will be premiered this upcoming December at Rutgers University with the Rutgers Kirkpatrick Choir and Glee Club. His cantata El Hombre Imaginario for women’s chorus and string orchestra will be premiered in the spring of 2012. Prior to teaching at SJU, Dr. Juneau was director of the Rutgers University Choir. He has also taught at SUNY- New Paltz, the College of Mount Saint Joseph, and the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Before moving to the Northeast, Dr. Juneau was Artistic Director of the Cincinnati Baroque Orchestra and Chorus. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Composition from Texas Tech University, Master’s in Music from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and his Doctorate of Musical Arts at Rutgers University. He resides in New Jersey with his wife, Lauren, his two loving dogs, Pirate and Thor, and his three purr-monsters, Minnerva, Fortuna, and Juno.

The JVA is in the process of waiting for review of its submitted 501c3 application, which will grant it non-profit status. While we are a non-profit organization in the state of NJ, we are not yet at the federal level . Once we have acquired our status, the date of the letter will be the date of our incorporation, 9/9/11. Therefore while donations at this time would not be immediately tax-deductible, after we receive our letter, any donations that are received after our incorporation date will be. Please consider becoming a sponsor to allow this beautiful music to continue! The JVA will offer at least two more performances this season, one in February and one in late May, and, a recital featuring the exceptional soprano Wendy Baker accompanied by pianist Holly Chatham from Yale University.

SOPRANO

CHRISTINE R. HOWLETT is Assistant Professor and Director of Choral Activities at

Vassar College where she conducts the Vassar College Women's Chorus, Vassar College

Choir and teaches music theory and voice. Her choruses have sung at Lincoln Center and

Carnegie Hall, and have toured in Italy, Turkey, Germany, Spain and in the United States.

She is the Artistic Director of Cappella Festiva, an auditioned choral ensemble with a

thirty-five year history of performing in the Hudson Valley. Ms. Howlett is active as a

soprano soloist and has performed in many works including Bach's Magnificat, Mass in B minor, St. Matthew’s

Passion, Actus Tragicus, Charpentier's Les Arts Florissants, Mozart's Coronation Mass, Beethoven’s Mass in C,

Haydn’s Harmoniemesse, Mass by Stravinsky, and Poulenc’s Gloria. This past year, she made her debut at Sym-

phony Space as La Musica and Clio’s Assistant in Richard Wilson’s opera Aethelred the Unready. She collaborates

with the Patrick Wood, violin, and Holly Chatham, piano, in recitals for soprano, violin, and piano; their recording

“Love Raise Your Voice” with works by Leonard Enns, Carson Cooman, Tarik O’Regan, and Richard Wilson will

be released in Fall 2011.She is a member of Kairos: A Consort of Singers, an ensemble of sixteen voices whose

members are artists-in-residence at the Holy Cross Monastery in West Park, NY. She studied as a voice

performance major at the University of Toronto, and earned both a Master’s Degree in Early Music Voice

Performance and a D.M.A. in Choral Conducting from Indiana University.

REBECCA MARIMAN, soprano, performs a broad spectrum of repertoire, from Baroque

oratorio and opera to contemporary works and premiers. Rebecca was an Adams Fellow

at the Carmel Bach Festival in 2010 and has been a member of the Carmel Bach Festival

Chorale for two years. She was heard as a soloist in an NPR broadcast of the Chorale’s

2009 Mission concert. Rebecca has also appeared as a soloist at the Connecticut Early

Music Festival, with Tempesta di Mare, Brandywine Baroque, The Dryden Ensemble, The

Masterwork Chorus, Voices Chorale, Westminster Community Chorus and the Garden State Philharmonic

Chorus. As a long-time member of the early-music vocal ensemble, Fuma Sacra, led by Andrew Megill, Rebecca

performs as a soloist and member of the ensemble, singing music ranging from medieval to newly-composed

works, including premiers by John Magnusson and Andrew Bleckner. She earned her undergraduate degree in

theater from Dickinson College and a masters in voice performance at Westminster Choir College.

Soprano, ERIN SMITH currently teaches Elementary Vocal/General Music in the Millburn

Township Public Schools, where she is also the Producer for Millburn High School’s Limelight

Theatre. An avid soloist, Ms. Smith has appeared in performances of Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s

Vesperae Solennes de Confessore and Krönungsmesse, Bach’s Christ lag in Todesbanden,

Pinkham’s Wedding Cantata, and Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb. As a choral artist, Ms. Smith has

performed many master choral works at major venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center,

and Brooklyn Academy of Music with notable conductors including Maestro Valery Gergiev and

Maestra Jane Glover. Ms. Smith is the soprano section leader for the Riverside Choral Society of New York City,

and formerly of Christ Episcopal Church in New Brunswick. Ms. Smith holds a Bachelor of Music from the

University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a Master of Music from Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers,

the State University of New Jersey. She is an active member of the National Association for Music Education, the

American Choral Directors Association, as well as Sigma Alpha Iota.

LAUREN KLEIN JUNEAU, soprano, currently is employed by Evans Analytical Group,

where she is a Scientist. As a singer, Lauren has performed throughout the United States

and Puerto Rico. Lauren sang in the Vassar Women’s and Mixed choruses while pursuing

her degree in Chemistry. She continued to sing while doing work on her PhD at Rutgers

University. She currently performs with various ensembles, including Summit Chorale,

and maintains a busy schedule as an advocate for the Arts. She lives with her husband Thomas, their two dogs,

Pirate and Thor, and their three kitties, Minerva, Fortuna, and Juno.

JESSICA RIVKIN LARSON currently works for American Express as Manager of Millennial

Advocacy Strategy. Previously, she coordinated six, secondary school arts education programs

for Carnegie Hall following a year of teaching elementary school music and drama in Trieste,

Italy. She has worked for Royal Festival Hall in London, the Tony Awards, and has produced for

the New York International Fringe Festival. Earlier this year, she was published in 20Under40:

Re-Inventing the Arts and Arts Education for the 21st Century. Her performance experience

includes appearances with Bay Area Summer Opera Theater Institute, OperaFestival di Roma,

and on national and international tours with the Yale Glee Club. She received her MBA from New York

University’s Stern School of Business in Strategy and Marketing and her BA in American Studies from Yale

University, where she focused on cultural history. She currently resides in New York City with her husband

Jeffrey and their dog Lily.

JENNIFER RUSSELL, soprano, graduated from Drew University in 2002 with a BA in

music, concentration in vocal performance and pedagogy. She taught voice lessons, as an

affiliate artist, there from 2003 until 2010. Currently, Jennifer is the professional soloist

for Church of the Redeemer’s choir and also occasionally performs with the Summit

Chorale. Additionally, she is a member of the Yuletide Carolers, a professional caroling

group, which performs at corporate events, private parties, and recently was featured on the Bravo TV show,

The Real Housewives of New Jersey. She also owns and runs a therapeutic massage business and is a certified

personal trainer. Jennifer is thrilled to be a part of this project and looks forward to future

performances with the talented musicians involved in it.

ALTO An accomplished artist, known for her colorful, clear voice and thoughtful interpretation,

TERESA BUCHHOLZ is emerging as a promising mezzo-soprano in the world of singing. After a

successful solo debut with The Bard Music Festival in 2008, Teresa returned to the festival in

August 2009 for a performance of Brahms duets (Op. 20 and 61) and a Rhinemaiden in a con-

cert of Wagner opera excerpts and in 2010 for Hans Eisler’s Tagebuch cantata. The past sum-

mer she returned to the Bard Festival once again to perform Swedish songs by Wilhelm Pe-

tersen-Berger and Sibelius and she made her Carnegie Hall debut this past May with Mid-

America Productions as mezzo soloist for Durufle’s Requiem. Other performances for the 2010-2011 season in-

cluded solo engagements with Rhode Island Civic Chorale and Orchestra (Messiah), The New York Philharmonic

(Mendelssohn’s Elijah), The Greenwich Choral Society (Bach’s Mass in B Minor), The Monmouth Civic Chorus

(Bach’s Mass in B Minor), the role of Mrs. Noah in Noye’s Fludde with Great Music at St. Bart’s (NYC) and a return

to the Amor Artis Orchestra (Norwalk, CT) for Mendelssohn’s Elijah. 2009 - 2010 performances included solo

performances with The Duke Symphony (Dorabella in Cosí fan tutte), The Berkshire Bach Society (Bach’s Christ-

mas Oratorio), and The East Texas Symphony (Handel’s Messiah) and a role with Teatro Grattacielo at Lincoln

Center’s Rose Theatre (Serena in Wolf-Ferrari’s I Gioielli della Madonna). Upcoming solo engagements include

Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with The Symphony of Northwest Arkansas, Mercedes in Carmen with Roanoke

Opera (VA), Haydn’s Paukenmesse and C.P.E. Bach’s Magnificat with the Fairfield Chorale, and Michael Tippett’s A

Child of our Time with the Rhode Island Civic Chorale and Orchestra.

ELSA LARSSON, American contralto, graduated Cum Laude from The Mannes College of Music where she stud-

ied with Charles Bressler. She continued her studies on fellowship and received her Masters of Music from the

State University of New York at Stony Brook. She has toured America, Asia, Europe, and Scandinavia with the

Gregg Smith Singers. Other tours with The Fairfield Choral and Amor Artis with Johannes Somary, and the Colli-

gate Choral with Robert Bass and James Bagwell, The Bard Summer Festival with Leon Botstien. In 1987, Ms.

Larsson was the alto soloist for Stravinskys' Les Noces at the Metropolitan Opera House. She has since reprised

her performances at Symphony Space, City Center and under the baton of Robert Craft at Tully Hall. Ms. Larsson

was featured on WQXR, June LaBelle,host, a program of Stravinskys' solo songs. Her Carnegie Hall debut was

with the New York Grand Opera, conducted by Vincent La Selva in Beethoven's 9th Symphony. Currently, Elsa

will be a soloist on Dec.4th at Grace Presbyterian's Bach Cantata concert in Montclair. She will sing the da capo

aria,"Wie furchtsam wankten meine Schritte" from BWV 33. Elsa can be heard Sundays at St. Peters Lutheran

Church at Lexington Ave and 54th Street in Manhattan.

Mezzo-soprano MARY MARATHE has appeared in Mendelssohn's Elijah with the Grace Church Choral Socie-

ty, in Humperdink's Hansel and Gretel at the Salzburg Mozarteum, and as a soloist and ensemble singer with

Musica Sacra, Amor Artis, New York Virtuoso Singers, New York Concert Singers, Gregg Smith Singers, New York

Treble Singers, The Foundation for Universal Sacred Music, New York City Ballet and New York City Opera. She

was a featured soloist on Joby Talbot’s, Path of Miracles and in the premiere of David Lang’s The Little Matchgirl

Passion, both broadcast on WNYC. She has recorded with Deutsche Grammaphone, BMG, EMI, New World

Records, CRI, and as a soloist on Thea Musgrave's Choral Works for Bridge.

CAITLIN MCKECHNEY is a mezzo-soprano from Lake Bluff, IL. Most recently she was an ap-

prentice with Des Moines Metro Opera where she was seen in scenes from Carmen, L’Italiana in

Algeri and Maria de Buenos Aires, a tango opera by Piazolla. Other operatic credits include Kate

Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly with Opera New Jersey, The Wife/Mother in Mark-Anthony

Turnage’s Greek and Inez in No Exit with Chicago Opera Vanguard, Carmen in an outreach

production of Bizet’s masterpiece with Opera Santa Barbara, the title role in Cendrillon and

Nancy in Albert Herring with Intermezzo Opera. Caitlin also has a passion for musical education

and has participated in multiple outreach productions including Granny in Little Red’s Most Unusual Day with

Cedar Rapids Opera Theater and The Witch in Hansel and Gretel with Opera Play-House. While not singing,

Caitlin loves to draw and paint, often featuring musical subjects, and maintains a private voice studio.

DENISE MILHALIK has performed extensively throughout the United States with various

opera companies and orchestras including the National Opera Company, Lyric Opera Cleveland,

Natchez Opera Festival, Greensboro Opera Company, and the North Carolina Symphony. Her

favorite roles include Rosina, Cherubino, Hansel, and Perichole. Other credits include a

televised performance of the Vivaldi Gloria and the American premie re of Fanny Hensel’s

Lobegesang. As a chorister, she has sung under the batons of Bernstein, Levine, Mazur, Muti

and Mehta with the Vienna Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra and the NY Philharmonic.

She is on the voice faculty of the Westminster Conservatory of Music and Felician College and

has a private voice studio in Madison. Denise is a certified Yoga and YogaVoice instructor and is currently

researching and developing a program of chanting and singing for therapeutic benefit.

TENOR

ALEX CORSON is a graduate in voice performance of Westminster Choir College. In

performance with the Westminster Symphonic choir, Alex has worked with noted conductors

including Kurt Masur, Ton Koopman, Christoph Eschenbach, Pierre Boulez and Sir Roger

Norrington performing such works as Mahler's 2nd and 8th Symphonies, Mendelssohn's Die

Erste Walpurgisnacht, Handel's Messiah, Beethoven's 9th Symphony and Bach's Saint Matthew

Passion. He was previously seen in Westminster’s production of Dialogues of the Carmelites, in

which he was the 1st Commissaire. Previous roles include Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance,

Ralph Rackstraw in HMS Pinafore, Pippin in Pippin, and Teen Angel in Grease for which he was

nominated for a Rising Star Award for best supporting actor. Alex is a student of Elem Eley.

CHRISTOPHER ELMANN, tenor, has been singing in the New York area for fifteen

years. Singing has taken him across the tri-state area, with concerts at Carnegie Hall,

the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and the United Nations. Mr. Ellmann's choral

experience spans eight centuries of music, from Perotin to Harbison. His recent

choral engagements have included Britten's Rejoice in the Lamb, Handel's Dixit

Dominus, Victoria's Missa O Quam Gloriosum, and Vaughan Williams' Mass in

G Minor. Highlights of his solo performances include the Evangelist in Bach's St. John Passion, Britten's Serenade

for Tenor Horn and Strings, both Aeneas and the First Sailor in Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, and Puccini's Messa

di Gloria. His upcoming engagements include soloist in Mozart's Requiem, as well as choral performances

including Handel's Messiah, Bach's Christmas Oratorio, and the premiere of Solot's The Hawk.

STAN LACY, has been heard onstage in the New York area with Dicapo Opera, Opera Company

of Brooklyn, and in europe at the MezzoTV festival in Szeged, Hungary. Highlights from his

concert reperoire are, the Bach bminor Mass, Handel's Messiah, Vaughan-Williams' Five

Mystical Songs, and the Brahm's Liebeslieder Walzer.He studied Vocal Performance at Texas

Tech University and then at the Jacobs School for Music at Indiana University.

JEFFREY S. LARSON is an Associate Manager in the Vocal Division at Columbia Artists

Management. A Texas native, he works with a distinguished roster of artists who perform with

leading opera companies and symphony orchestras around the world. As a performer,

Mr. Larson was heard at the Aspen Music Festival, Pine Mountain Music Festival, and with Opera

North in New Hampshire. A former voice instructor in Houston, TX, his students consistently

received recognition at district and regional competitions presented by the National Association

of Teachers of Singing, and at Texas State solo and choral competitions. He holds a Bachelor of

Music in Vocal Performance from Texas Tech University, a Master of Music in Vocal Performance

from the University of Kentucky, and a Master of Arts in Performing Arts Administration from New York

University. He currently resides in New York City with his wife Jessica and their dog Lily.

Bass Baritone NICHOLAS CONNOLLY is a Resident Artist with DiCapo Opera Theater for the 2011-

2012 season, where he has appeared as Sciarrone in Tosca. Last season he appeared as

Papageno in the Manhattan School of Music Outreach production of The Magic Flute, Henry in

the MSM and American Opera Project's production of Henry's Wife, and the Imperial

Commissioner in Madama Butterfly with Opera New Jersey. At Manhattan School of Music he

appeared in Faure ’s Pe ne lope as Cte sippe and as the cover of Vernon in Lee Hoiby’s Summer

and Smoke, and with the Outreach program as Hagen in Myron Fink’s Animal Opera. Previous

credits include Too Many Sopranos (Orson) with PORTOpera’s Maine’s Emerging Artists program, Dido and

Aeneas (Aeneas) with the Lyric Theatre at the College of New Jersey, Die Lustige Witwe (Vicomte Cascada),

The Mother of Us All (Herman Atlan, Gloster Heming), Street Scene (Henry Jones), La Traviata (servant,

Commisionario) with Opera at Rutgers. Nicholas holds a Master of Music from Manhattan School of Music and a

Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. He is a stu-

dent of Mark Oswald.

JUAN JOSÉ IBARRA is a member of the full-time chorus of New York City Opera. He has been

a member of the Riverside Church Choir since 1993, when he moved to New York City for

studies at Manhattan School of Music. As a soloist, Mr. Ibarra has appeared locally with the

Bronx Opera, One World Symphony, and Opera Company of Brooklyn. Regionally he has sung

with the Natchez Music Festival, Brevard Music Center, Utah Opera, and Burlington Choral

Union. In January of 2012, Juan will appear in Bronx Opera's United States premiere of Ralph

Vaughan Williams' "The Poisoned Kiss."

DAVID SAYBROOK - Professional choral artist with Opera Company of Philadelphia, Opera

New Jersey, Opera Orchestra of New York, Teatro Grattacielo, American Opera Center at

Juilliard. Member: Kinnara Ensemble, Aureus Quartet. Has sung with Musica Sacra, NY Choral

Artists, Pro Arte Singers of CT, and choirs of The Riverside Church, Cathedral of St. John the

Divine, St. Thomas Fifth Avenue. “A Royal Christmas” tour with Andrea Bocelli and Denyce

Graves. Production assistant with Nureyev and Makarova ballet companies. Dancer with Bejart

Ballet and Berlin Ballet. Personal assistant to Emlyn Williams on tour. Architect of facility for

Arizona Broadway Theatre and of custom residences in the tri-state area. Off-Broadway set

design (“Songs For a New World” revival, 2008). Trained at Westminster Choir College and Boston Architectural

Center. Proud AGMA member.

JAMES J. SEILER, baritone, has been singing professionally since he graduated high

school. He has performed with most of the metropolitan area's professional choruses,

including Gregg Smith Singers, NY Choral Artists, Musica Sacra and the Pro Arte Singers

of CT as well as with the choirs of St. Thomas Fifth Avenue, Cathedral of St. John the

Divine, Trinity Wall Street, St. Bartholomew's, to name just a few. Also, Jim sings with

Opera NJ, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Opera Orchestra of NY and Teatro Grattacielo

and is the Choral Contractor for Opera NJ and NJ State Opera. His wide-ranging

performances have been as diverse as singing on the QE2, numerous seasons in Radio

City Music Hall's Christmas Spectacular and a national tour with Andrea Bocelli and Denyce Graves called "A

Royal Christmas". He is founder and music director of Aureus Quartet, a male vocal ensemble. Jim trained at

Westminster Choir College, with further studies at Juilliard.

DANIEL SPRATLAN, a native of Amherst, MA, is in his first-year of doctoral

studies in choral conducting at the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers

University. Along with his conducting he is an active professional singer in New

York and Philadelphia, performing solo and ensemble music from all time

periods. This year he will be performing with the New York Philharmonic, the Opera

Company of Philadelphia, the American Symphony Orchestra, the San Francisco

Symphony, the New York Choral Artists, the Crossing Choir, Fuma Sacra, Choral Arts

Philadelphia, Opera New Jersey, Piffaro, the Philadelphia Bach Orchestra, and many others. These professional

engagements have granted him the opportunity to sing under some of the great conductors of our time including

Neeme Ja rvi, Lorin Maazel, Charles Dutoit, Valery Gergiev, Alan Gilbert, and Joseph Flummerfelt. Mr. Spratlan has

served as the assistant director of the choirs at Earlham College in Richmond, IN, assistant conductor of the

Westminster Chapel Choir at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ, and recently was the associate music

director at St. James the Less Episcopal Church in Scarsdale, NY. He received his B.A. in music from Earlham

College and a M.M. in choral conducting from Westminster Choir College.

The term “Visionary Voices” has a double meaning this afternoon. In addition to the singers and

supporters of the Juneau Vocal Alliance who have a vision for the future of choral singing, it also defines

the composers whose music we will be performing today. Each work on the program is a cornerstone

in the choral repertoire, although often under-performed due to their virtuosic nature. We hope you

will enjoy the grandeur and beauty of our program.

Fest-Und Gedenksprüche Op. 109 (1889) Johannes Brahms

The three a cappella choruses which Johannes Brahms called Fest-und Gedenksprüche (Festival and

Commemorative Sentences) received their premier on September 9, 1889 with the Hamburg

Ca cilienverein as a gesture of thanks to Dr. Carl Petersen, mayor of Hamburg, for the reception of his

hometown’s highest honor, the Hamburg Freedom. The biblical texts, which focus on civic virtues,

made these works ideal for such an occasion.

These three choruses, full of grandeur, reflect the influence of composers from earlier musical periods

such as Giovanni Gabrieli and Heinrich Schu tz, of whose music Brahms was very familiar. This is

evident in the double-choir arrangement which offers the acoustical of the Venetian poly-choral

tradition. However Brahms does divert from this model by manipulating the texture between

polyphonic and homophonic voicing between the two choirs.

Following true motet style, the music continually changes to reflect the meaning of the text. The

opening movement offers a triumphant celebration of trust in the Lord. The second movement is

martial in nature, and through this style Brahms himself was making political commentary. In a letter

to his friend Josef Widmann, he mentioned that the text “When a strong armed man keeps his palace,

his goods are in peace”, evoking the German nation under the rule of the Prussian Kaiser. He also knew

very well that the “strong man” in that passage is actually Satan. Brahms called this “theological, even

Jesuitical subtlety.”

The final movement sends a message to the listener to remember the great deeds which have happened

in their own time, and to pass down this knowledge to future generations. This can only be a reference

to Brahms himself, who was beginning to tell his friends that since he had gained some fame, he had

never been acknowledged by his own hometown. The movement is in three parts, indicating the

forgetfulness and final remembrance of past triumphs.

Os Justi Meditabitur (1879) Anton Bruckner

Composed for the choir of Saint Florian Monastery in Linz, Austria, where Anton Bruckner grew up and

is now buried, Os Justi Meditabitur features some of the most glorious choral music ever composed. This

motet begins with a simple statement of “Os Justi ” (of the just), and evolves into a brilliant eight-part

chorus of majesty as the mouth of the righteous opens to utter its wisdom. The middle section, speaking

of justice, adheres to a strict fugal form in which one part imitates another. The opening material

returns and concludes with a simple plainchant on the text “Alleluia”.

Christus Factus Est (1884)

The Gradual (verse accompanying the Gospel Acclamation) Christus Factus Est, may be heard every

Maundy Thursday in churches throughout the world. Composed in 1884 in Vienna, this dramatic setting

of the text amplifies the emotional angst of each line of text. The opening figure, beginning in a

homophonic fashion similar to Os Justi, transcends to a rigorous exclamation of “obediens”, exploding

with fervor in Bruckner’s traditional style of descending counterpoint. The drama continues as the

Basses boisterously exclaim “even death on a cross”. The second half of the work offers a continuous

expression of joy at the exultation of Christ as the intensity of the music elevates. The music culminates

in a great shout of triumph which finally recedes back to its somber beginnings.

Bogoroditse Devo (1915) Sergei Rachmaninoff

Although perhaps best known for his compositions for the piano, Sergei Rachmaninoff composed many

choral works, including his “All-Night Vigil”, to be sung on the eve of Holy Days in the Russian Orthodox

Church. Bogoroditse Devo is the centerpiece of this vigil. A Marian motet, it begins with a simple,

expression of joy to the Mother of God. The middle section features a lovely duet for the alto section

which is paired with a simple hymn sung by the sopranos and tenors. As the basses join in the

magnificent song of joy, the listener feels as if the gates of Heaven itself are opening.

Mass for Double Chorus (1922/26) Frank Martin

Born in 1890 in Geneva, Switzerland, Swiss composer Frank Martin was enamored with the human

voice and was already writing for it by the age of 9. At the age of twelve, Martin attended a performance

of the Saint Matthew Passion by Johann Sebastian Bach, whose music left a lifelong impression upon him.

The Mass for Double Chorus, begun in 1922 and completed in 1926, employs a double chorus, a

technique also found throughout Bach’s Matthew Passion. In the Mass, the texture evokes a medieval

ethos of sacred choral tradition using a rich language of musical color from the early 20th-century.

The opening movement, Kyrie, begins with a haunting melody between the alto voices, echoing the chant

of ancient cathedrals. The movement builds in intensity in a pleading fashion until it finally lends itself

to peaceful resolve.

The second movement, Gloria, creates the image of angels as they sing the praises of Heaven throughout

the movement. The music morphs continually to reflect the dynamic hymn of praise. A stunning

musical moment is heard when the choir sings “Agnus Dei”. The first choir sings in a style reminiscent

of plainchant while the second chorus supports with deliciously rich chords. Another example of lovely

text painting may be found toward the end of the movement with the text “cum sancto spiritu”, in which

the music becomes very rapid to illustrate the idea of the Holy Spirit flying throughout the heavens.

Credo begins with a strong, hymn-like statement of belief. It is followed by an intimate and touching

setting of the text. Some exceptional moments of beauty include “descendit de coelis” in which the

musical lines interweave in a descending pattern to the cadence. Another may be found in the jubilant

section “et ressurexit” where the playful motive beginning in the soprano is echoed by the entire

chorus, reaching its Zenith through a magnificent musical interpretation of the ascent into Heaven. This

passage is followed by another text regarding the “Spiritus Sanctus” (Holy Spirit) and offers a

multi-metric virtuosic challenge for the chorus. The movement culminates with a glorious “Amen”.

The opening of the Sanctus is one of the most beloved musical settings of the Twentieth Century.

Throughout the movement we hear the double choir acting as a chorus of angels singing across the

heavens to one another in a triumphant hymn of praise. This heavenly call is then answered with a

driving poly-metric setting of “Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua” in which the second choir sings a

rhythmic mantra while the first choir expresses a bel canto song of joy.

The final movement of the Mass, Agnus Dei was completed four years later using musical material from

the Gloria as the basis for its texture. The second choir invokes a pulsing choral motive, while singers

from the first choir chant in a haunting unison. The movement slowly builds in a prayerful manner,

resolving with a luscious cadence on the text “Dona nobis pacem”.

While Frank Martin considered his Mass a “frivolity of youth”, it is now considered one of the musical

cornerstones of the Twentieth-Century. We are pleased to offer a performance of this challenging and

gorgeous work which exemplifies the true beauty and mystery of the choral experience.

Reincarnations (1940) Samuel Barber

The Reincarnations, three madrigal-like works by Samuel Barber, were composed during his tenure as

director of the Chamber Choir at the Curtis Institute of Music. Since Barber had the opportunity to work

with very talented singers, he took the opportunity to compose works for chorus which are to this day

considered treasures of the choral repertoire.

Barber had a fascination for Celtic, particularly Irish, literature which is reflected in many of his vocal

works. The poems for these lovely pieces were written in 1918 by the Irish poet James Stephen. They

are poetic reincarnations of old Gaelic poems, and feature characterizations of three very different fig-

ures in Irish history. The first piece tells of the beautiful Mary Hynes. In this setting Barber begins with

an ecstatic shout of bliss, which eventually cools into a pastoral scene featuring the beautiful view of

Ballylea (a sixteenth-century castle eventually purchased by W.B. Yeats, of whom Barber was a great

admirer, in 1916) as the two lovers dream away the day.

Anthony O’Daly was not a fictitious figure, but rather a member of the radical Leveller movement in

Ireland, which used violence to defend land rights for tenant farmers. He was something of a peasant

hero in Ireland, although he was eventually caught and hanged for attempted murder in 1820. This

chorus of lament is essentially a funeral dirge, which begins with a cry of pain from the sopranos and

altos, while the tenors and basses drone a march of lament. As the drama unfolds ,Barber brilliantly

reverses the roles of the chorus, creating a sense of wailing from the treble voices. The movement ends

in disparity as the shocked group of singers exclaim the word “grief”.

The Coolin (The Fair-Haired One) is perhaps the most beloved American choral work of the Twentieth-

Century. The term “coolin”, refers to a lock of hair or "curleen" that grew on a young girl's neck and

came to be used as a term for one's sweetheart. Stephens wrote: "I sought to represent that state which

is almost entirely a condition of dream wherein the passion of love has almost overreached itself and is

sinking into a motionless languor." Barber uses a gentle siciliano rhythm for this musical gem which is

filled with pastoral visions of innocent love.

Elijah Rock (1994) Moses Hogan In the Book of Kings, when everyone else had turned against Jehovah and had murdered the other

prophets, Elijah stood as a rock to defend the faith. Stability is quite evident in the opening of this

dynamic and powerful spiritual. Awash in highly rhythmic spiritual fervor, this dramatic setting of this

outstanding spiritual is a sheer tour de force.

Visit our website!

www.JuneauVocalAlliance.orgwww.JuneauVocalAlliance.org

For news and information about upcoming performances!For news and information about upcoming performances!

Fest-Und Gedenksprüche

I.

Unsere Va ter hofften auf dich; In thee have our fathers hoped;

und da sie hofften, and since they hoped,

halfst du ihnen aus. thou didst deliver them.

Zu dir schrieen sie They cried to thee,

und wurden errettet; and they were saved:

sie hofften auf dich they trusted in thee,

und wurden nicht zu Schanden. and were not confounded.

Der Herr wird seinem The Lord will give

Volk Kraft geben; strength to his people:

der Herr wird sein the Lord will bless

Volk segnen mit Frieden. his people with peace.

II.

Wenn ein starker Gewappneter seinen When a strong man fully armed

Palast bewahret, guards his palace,

so bleibet das Seine mit Frieden. his possessions are safe.

Aber: ein jeglich Reich, But every kingdom

so es mit ihm selbst uneins wird, divided against itself

das wird wu ste; will be laid waste;

und ein Haus fa llet u ber das andere. and one house collapses upon the next.

III.

Wo ist ein so herrlich Volk, Where is so great a nation

zu dem Go tter also nahe sich tun that gods draw near to it,

als der Herr, unser Gott, as the Lord, our God,

so oft wir ihn anrufen. as often as we call on Him.

Hu te dich nur Only beware

und bewahre deine Seele wohl, and guard your soul,

dass du nicht that you may not

vergessest der Geschichten, forget the great deeds

die deine Augen which your eyes

gesehen haben, have seen,

und dass sie nicht aus and that they may not

deinem Herzen kommen depart from your heart

alle dein Leben lang. all your life long.

Und sollst deinen Kindern And you shall tell your children

und Kindeskindern kundtun. Amen. and your children's children. Amen.

Os Justi Meditabitur

Os justi meditabitur sapientiam, The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,

et lingua ejus loquetur judicium. and his tongue speaks what is just

Lex Dei ejus in corde ipsius: The law of his God is in his heart;

et non supplantabuntur gressus ejus. Alleluia. and his feet do not falter. Alleluia

Christus Factus Est

Christus factus est pro nobis obediens Christ became obedient for us unto death,

usque ad mortem, mortem autem crucis. even to the death, death on the cross.

Propter quod et Deus exaltavit illum Therefore God exalted Him

et dedit illi nomen, and gave Him a name

quod est super omne nomen. which is above all names.

Bogoroditse Devo

Bogoroditse Devo, raduisya, Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos,

Blagodatnaya Mariye, Gospod s Toboyu. Mary full of grace, the Lord is with Thee.

Blagoslovenna Ty v zhenakh, Blessed art Thou among women,

i blagosloven plod chreva Tvoyego, and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb,

yako Spasa rodila esi dush nashikh. for Thou hast borne the Savior of our souls.

Mass for Double Chorus

Kyrie eleison. Lord, have mercy.

Christe eleison. Christ, have mercy.

Kyrie eleison. Lord, have mercy.

Gloria in excelsis Deo. Et in terra pax Glory in the highest to God. And on earth peace

hominibus bonae voluntatis. to men of good will.

Laudamus te. Benedicimus te. We praise thee. We bless thee.

Adoramus te. Glorificamus te. We worship thee. We glorify thee.

Gratias agimus tibi Thanks we give to thee

propter magnam gloriam tuam. because of great glory thy.

Domine Deus, Rex coelestis, Lord God, King of heaven,

Deus Pater omnipotens. God Father almighty.

Domine Fili unigenite, Jesu Christe. Lord Son only begotten, Jesus Christ.

Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris. Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of Father.

Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Who take away sins of world, have mercy on us.

Qui tollis peccata mundi, Who take away sins of world,

suscipe deprecationem nostram. receive our supplication.

Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, Who sit at right hand of Father,

miserere nobis. have mercy on us.

Quoniam tu solus sanctus. Tu solus Dominus. For thou alone holy. Thou alone Lord.

Tu solus altisimus, Jesu Christe. Thou alone most high, Jesus Christ.

Cum Sancto Spiritu in gloria Dei Patris. Amen. With Holy Spirit in glory of God Father. Amen.

Credo in unum Deum, Patrem omnipotentem, I believe in one God, Father almighty,

factorem coeli et terrae, maker of heaven and of earth,

visibilium omnium, et invisibilium. Of all things visible and invisible.

Et in umum Dominum Jesum Christum, And in one Lord Jesus Christ,

Filium Dei unigenitum. Only begotten son of the Father.

Et ex Patre natum ante omni saecula. And of Father born before all ages.

Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine, God from God, light from light,

Deum verum de Deo vero. True God from true God.

Genitum, non factum, Begotten, not made,

consubstantialem Patri, One in being with the Father.

per quem omnia facta sunt. Through him all things were made.

Qui propter nos homines, Who for us men,

et propter nostram salutem and for our salvation

descendit de caelis. descended from heaven.

Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit

ex Maria Virgine. Et homo factus est. And the Virgin Mary and was made man.

Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato, For our sins he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,

passus, et sepultus est. Suffered, died and was buried.

Et resurrexit tertia die, On the third day he rose again

secundum Scripturas. according to Scriptures.

Et ascendit in caelum, He ascended into Heaven

sedet ad dexteram Patris. and sits at right hand of Father.

Et interum venturus est cum gloria, He will come again in glory

judicare vivos et mortuos, to judge the living and dead,

cujus regni non erit finis. And his kingdom will have no end.

Et in Spiritum Sanctum Dominum, I believe in the Holy Spirit,

et vivificantem, the giver of life,

qui ex Patre Filioque procedit. who proceeds from Father and Son.

Qui cum Patre, et Filio simul adoratur Who with Father, and Son together is adored

et conglorificatur, and glorified,

qui locutus est per Prophetas. who spoke through Prophets.

Et unam, sanctam, catholicam, And one, holy, catholic,

et apostolicam Ecclesiam. and Apostolic Church.

Confiteor unum baptisma I confess one baptism

in remissionem peccatorum. for the remission of sins.

Et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum. And I expect resurrection of dead.

Et vitam venturi saeculi. Amen. And life everlasting. Amen.

Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Holy, Holy, Holy,

Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Lord God of Hosts.

Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua. Full of your glory are Heaven and Earth.

Hosanna in excelsis. Hosanna in highest.

Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Blessed is he who comes in name of Lord.

Hosanna in excelsis. Hosanna in highest.

Agnus Dei, qui tolis peccata mundi, Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of world,

miserere nobis. have mercy on us.

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,

dona nobis pacem. Grant us peace.

Lauren Ashley Klein-Juneau

Donna Klein

Jan Juneau

Vikrant Lal

Viraj Lal

Olivia Goryn

Catherine Katona

Dr. Brian Katona

Special Thanks to:

Jan Juneau, music donation Donna Klein, marketing

Jeffrey John Masino, camera work Kenneth Klein, marketing

John Grecia, technical advice Dr. Brian Katona, rehearsal accompanist

James J. Seiler, contractor Viraj Lal, educational outreach

Vikrant Lal, social chair Heinz Roth, editing

Dick Cole and St. Stephen’s Church

Upcoming Performances by the JVAUpcoming Performances by the JVAUpcoming Performances by the JVA

February 2012

The Romantic Voice

Featuring a dynamic offering of romantic choral music, including madrigals, part-songs,

and delightful scenes from great operas.

March 2012

JVA Solo Recital

Wendy Baker, soprano

Holly Chatham, piano

May 2012

Astounding A Cappella

Featuring glorious works for unaccompanied chorus, including motets by

J.S. Bach, Johannes Brahms, Richard Strauss, Francis Poulenc, and Aaron Jay Kernis.

Please join us across the street at Sona Thirteen

to celebrate the our inaugural performance!

Want to experience more outstanding

choral music in New Jersey?

Visit www.njchoralconsortium.org for

listings of choral performances in your area!