GALLERY: SF Concert Choir - 5/19/12

The above photos were submitted by Andreina Erwin. Erwin noted she was not allowed to use her flash during the performance. Below is the program from the show.

Concert Choir

- Accompanist

Come to the Music……………………………………….………..J. Martin

Caitlyn Colgan, piccolo

For The Beauty of the Earth……………………………………………….……..J. Rutter

God Bless America (A Gospel Medley)…………………………..……………..arr. E. Lojeski

Soloists-DeDe Kimble, Marissa Strickland and Jordan Popky 

Vocal Jazz

Words……………………………………………………………….A. Endroth

Bass-Nick Perri, Vocal Percussion-Taylor Bates

Life’s Too Good To Sing the Blues……………………………………………………….……J. Barnes

Soloists-Kayla Dwyer, Caitlyn Colgan, Yvonne O’Dea, Drew Carr, Jordan Popky

Women’s Choir

Hello, Girls…………………………………………………..………..…….L. Pfautsch

Kayla Dwyer, piano

Heart, We Will Forget Him……………………………………..…………….……….V. Johnson 

Soloist-Kayla Dwyer, Piano Lauren Wirant

Gaudete…………………………………………………………………..arr. M Engelhardt

Solosists-Carrie Thorwarth, Caitlyn Colgan, Taylor Denning, Percussionists-Ben Rowe, Tom Bailey, Taylor Bates

2008 Ladies of Gold-n-Blues

Dance on My Heart…………………………………………………..A. Koepke

Lauren Exley, piano

Men’s Choir-David Nicol, Director

Lauren Exley, piano

Coney Island Baby………………………………………………….…………….arr. SPEBSQSA

Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight………………………………..……………………arr. R. Enerson

Soloists-Noah Wheeler, Ryan Hagan

It’s Hard To Be Humble…………………………………………..………………………M. Davis

Show-Down……………………………………………………………….….D. Davison

Fiddle – Julie Wu

Bass – Nick Perri

Choreography Consultant – Miss Nicole Gerenyi

Vocal Ensemble

Jenny Kissed Me…………………………………………..…..…….Eric Barnum

The Size of Your Heart………………………….…..………Eleanor Daly

Color Madrigals: Six Songs on Poems by John Keats…………………….Joshua Shank

(Please refrain from applause until the completion of the third Madrigal)

Serpents in Red Roses Hissing

Blue, ‘Tis the Life of Heaven

A Grass-Green Pillow

Conclusion-Vocal Jazz 

In My Life…………………………………..……J. Lennon & P. McCartney/arr. S. Zegree

Soloists-Sara Thornton, Taylor Denning, Carrie Thorwarth

About featured composer, Joshua Shank

Joshua Shank is quickly becoming recognized as a talented and innovative young composer whose music has been widely performed by educational and professional ensembles alike.  His music has been called “Jubilant…ethereal” (Santa Barbraa News-Press) and “evocative and atmospheric…distilling a sustained mood most “impressively” (Gramophone).

He has enjoyed relationships with some of the most exciting choral ensembles in the US as well as abroad and has been commissioned by organizations including Choral Arts Ensemble of Rochester, Young New Yorkers’ Chorus, Northern Arizona University, Chorus, Cincinnati and the Minnesota All-State Choir. 

Joshua received his undergraduate degree from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa where he studied conducting with Weston Noble and composition with John Morrison and Neil Flory.  In 2002, he became the youngest composer ever awarded the Raymond W. Brock Student Composition Award by the American Choral Directors Association.  The winning piece, “Musica Animam Tangens” (written at the age of 20), was premiered at the 2003 ACDA National Convention in Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center.

His published works have sold over 60,000 copies worldwide.  Joshua currently resides in Austin Texas where he is pursing graduate studies at the University of Texas.

“Do me a favor…Have the Best Day of Your Life”-May 1st Skype session with Joshua Shank

Notes From the Composer (Josh Shank)-“Serpents in Red Roses Hissing”

This text starts off very simply as an exercise in dichotomy: every line contains two things which are diametrically opposed to one another.  Keats takes this principal and seemingly works himself into a rhythmic frenzy until his poem sounds more like a witch’s incantation than a piece of poetry.  Then, at line 23 (“O the sweetness of the pain!”), it suddenly turns into a beautiful elegy as he calls upon the Muses.  After all this Keats ends up very simply in passion and sorrow over the grave of his beloved-a beautiful (and human) ending to a poem that spends most of its energy invoking the gods. 

A Song of Opposites
WELCOME joy, and welcome sorrow,
Lethe's weed and Hermes' feather;
Come to-day, and come to-morrow,
I do love you both together!
I love to mark sad faces in fair weather;
And hear a merry laugh amid the thunder;
Fair and foul I love together.
Meadows sweet where flames are under,
And a giggle at a wonder;
Visage sage at pantomine;
Funeral, and steeple-chime;
Infant playing with a skull;
Morning fair, and shipwreck'd hull;
Nightshade with the woodbine kissing;
Serpents in red roses hissing;
Cleopatra regal-dress'd
With the aspic at her breast;
Dancing music, music sad,
Both together, sane and mad;
Muses bright and muses pale;
Sombre Saturn, Momus hale; -
Laugh and sigh, and laugh again;
Oh the sweetness of the pain!
Muses bright, and muses pale,
Bare your faces of the veil;
Let me see; and let me write
Of the day, and of the night -
Both together: - let me slake
All my thirst for sweet heart-ache!
Let my bower be of yew,
Interwreath'd with myrtles new;
Pines and lime-trees full in bloom,
And my couch a low grass-tomb

Notes From the Composer-Blue! ‘Tis the Life of Heaven

Of all of the Color Madrigals, this text is the one written about the actual color it takes its title from.  Keats captures blue in all its forms by bringing the poem from the heavens to the ocean and finally back to the earth. Because of this, the poetry becomes more and more intimateas it progresses. I chose to write a gradually expanding hymn to create a sense of reverence for my own favorite color. 

Answer to a Sonnet Ending thus:

Dark eyes are dearer far

Than orbs that mock the hyacinthine bell-J.H. Reynolds

"Blue! 'tis the life of heaven--the domain
Of Cynthia--the wide palace of the sun,
The tent of Hesperus, and all his train,
The bosomer of clouds, gold, grey, and dun.
Blue! 'tis the life of waters--Ocean
And all its vassal streams: pools numberless
May rage, and foam, and fret, but never can
Subside, if not to dark-blue nativeness.
Blue! gentle cousin of the forest-green,
Married to green in all the sweetest flowers,
Forget-me-not, the Bluebell, and that Queen
Of secrecy, the Violet: what strange powers
Hast thou, as a mere shadow! But how great,
When in an Eye thou art alive with fate!"

Notes From the Composer-“A Green Grass Pillow”

If there were a “standard” subject for a poetry centered on the season of spring it would probably be love and, more specifically, new love.  Luckily, the genius of Keats takes on the traditional theme with the amazing, poetic language and seamless rhyme he is known for.  I gravitated towards this particular text because of the symmetry between the first and second halves of the poem.  In the first two stanzas it sounds like the stereotypical, overzealous young man trying to woo a maiden who might be above him in social standing and may not return his sentiments.  However, once you reach the midway point (and especially in the last stanza), it suddenly becomes much more tender and romantic-as if he suddenly figures out the difference between lust and love.

Where Be Ye Going, Ye Devon Maid?

Where be ye going, you Devon maid?
And what have ye there i' the basket?
Ye tight little fairy, just fresh from the dairy,
Will ye give me some cream if I ask it?

I love your meads, and I love your flowers,
And I love your junkets mainly,
But 'hind the door, I love kissing more,
O look not so disdainly!

I love your hills, and I love your dales,
And I love your flocks a-bleating;
But O, on the heather to lie together,
With both our hearts a-beating!

I'll put your basket all safe in a nook,
Your shawl I'll hang up on this willow,
And we will sigh in the daisy's eye,
And kiss on a grass-green pillow.

Spring-Ford Choir Members

Soprano
*Anna Aldinger
*Emily Angelucci
Margie Boyle
*Ken-ne’ Brown
Hayley Clark
Hayley Curtiss
*Cayla Denning
*Gabbie Drummer
+*◊Kayla Dwyer
*Sarah Egleston
+*Emily Falcone
Laura Faraei
+*Ashley Flenders
Brielle Frasca
+*◊Masynn Gensler
Lorelei Gerstemeier
*Ellie Graziadei
*Jenny Green
+*Stephanie Hodge
*Grayce Hoffman
Sierra Huff
*Stefanie Jacobson
+*◊DeDe Kimble
Katie Leonard
*Emily Lewis
Skylar Lyons
*Gianna McNutt
+*Liza Moore
Charlotte Myer
Kristina Napoli
*Jackie Pascale
*Sabrina Pelletier
+*◊Jordan Popky
Morgan Post
Chelsea Reynolds
*Ali Rich
Michaela Santiago
+*Tierney Seufer
Krista Shelvay
Lindsay Siron
*Anna Skilton
*Samantha Smith
MarrisaStrickland
Cassidy Tennity
*Julia Thomas
+*◊Sara Thornton
+*◊Carrie Thorwarth
*Ashwini Vatsamanu
+*Alexa Vettori
*Emily Walters
*Shantel Wetzel
Tiffany Williams
+Kelli Wilson
Natalie Wright

Alto
+*Adeline Bova
*Alyssa Brooks
*Inna Caruso
*Rachel Carson
Kaseba Chibwe
+*◊Caitlyn Colgan
+*Tara Colgan
*Brianna Decerio
+*◊Taylor Denning
+*Mary Dolenti
*Catherine Doyle
*Kasey Fitzpatrick
*Colleen Ford
*Patti Granese
*Erin Hagan
*Sarah Hudlow
Sierra Huff
Ashlee Hutchins
*Anna Kalinowski
+Alicia Kearns
*Anna Keller
*Christina Maziarz
Amy McCullough
Megan McGrath
Sarah McKenna
*Jenny Nelson
Lorena Pavon
Megan Pavone
+Lindsay Pawson
+*◊Jordan Popky
*Paulina Portela
Trisha Ramant
*Delaney Regan
*Abby Rutkowski
Kaitly Schoeck
+*Lindy Thornton
+*◊Carrie Thorwarth
Jessica Tolcarsia
+*Cassie Wells
◊Maddie Wilkes

Tenor
+^Bryan Banks
+^◊Anthony Barbine
+^◊Drew Carr
+^Nick Edwards
+^Ryan Hagan
Brett Marino
Connor Powers
Connor Riley
+Emonn Sailes
+^◊Tim Watson
+^Noah Wheeler

Bass
^Tom Bailey
+^Tom Bakay
+◊Stephen Barszowski
^Taylor Bates
+Brian DeAngelis
+^Clayton Hofmockel
^Davis Holladay
Austin McGarr
Justin McNutt
+^◊Benjamin Rowe
Joseph Santoro
+^Kyle Schwirian
+^◊Karl Segletes
Robert Theisen
^Zach Zimmerman

+Vocal Ensemble

*Women’s Choir

^Men’s Choir

◊Vocal Jazz

Acknowledgements and Special Thanks To:

• Dan Rowe, President of Spring-Ford Music Association and the entire Spring-Ford Music Association for their time and commitment to our music program

• Parents of music students for your time and support of the music programs at Spring-Ford

• My family; Marty, Conor and Teagan for being the most understanding and wonderful family.  I am blessed!

• The high school custodial staff under the direction of Mr. Joseph Bean

• Aimee Oblak for her help with lights, sound, camaraderie and support

• Paul Johnson for lighting

• Maureen Serago for her help with programs

• Mr. John Matsko for recording the concert   

• Charlie Denning for the Choir T-Shirts

To my Freshman, Sophomores and Junior singers,

Thank you for the time, and talent that you have given to our choral program.  I’m looking forward to what musical adventures there will be for us next year.  Have a wonderful summer and I’ll see you in a couple months

To my Seniors.

Words will never express how much you mean to me, You have always had confidence in me and have trusted me as a musician to lead you. I will forever be grateful for the experience and the music that we have shared. I know there are wonderful things in store for all of you. Thank you so much for everything.

Mrs. O’Dea

Spring-Ford Area High School Administration
Mr. Patrick Nugent, Principal
Mr. Douglas Reigner 12 Grade House Principal
Mr. Jeffrey Kollar 11th Grade House Principal
Mr. Robert Colyer, 10th Grade House Principal
Dr. Douglas Kent, 9th Grade House Principal

Spring-Ford Area School District Administration
Dr. David Goodin, Superintendent
Mr. Allyn Roche, Assistant Superintendent
Timothy C. Anspach, Business Manager
Elizabeth A. Leiss, Director of Human Resources
Bruce W. Cooper, Director for Planning, Operations, & Facilities
Michael McDaniel, Director of Athletics
Kris Jennings, Music Department Chairwoman

Spring-Ford School Board Members

Region I
Edward T. Dressler
Bernard F. Pettit
David R. Shaffer

Region II
Clara M. Gudolonis
Julie A. MullinsDawn R. Heine

Region III
Joseph P. Ciresi
Mark P. Dehnert
Thomas J. DiBello

Student Representative