All-State Chorus, Orchestra, and Jazz Programs for AC & NJPAC

Procession of the Nobles from Mlada........ Korsakow Carnaval Overture.........................................Dvorak Sola Gratia ..............................................Amundsen Finale from Symphony No. 5............... Shostakovich

Wonder ................................................ Mack Wilberg Spaseniye sodelal.....................................P. Chesnokov No Time............................................Susan Brumfield Baba Yetu.......................................................... C. Tin Nyon Nyon ............................................Jake Runetad Song to the Moon ................................. Z. R. Stroope Signs of the Judgment ................................. M. Butler

Alleluia ..................................................Jake Runestad Der Gang Zum Liebchen.................Johannes Brahms Evening Prayer............................................ Ola Gjeilo Balleilakka .....................................Rahman arr/Sperry O Radiant Dawn............................. James MacMillan Even When He is Silent............... Kim Andre Arnesen Music Keeps Us Here ................................. Sean Ivory

Let All the World ................ Ralph Vaughn Williams

Christopher B. Thomas is Associate Professor, Director of Choral Activities, and Chair of the Department of Music at Rowan University. In his role as Director of Choral Activities, he oversees four curricular choirs and personally conducts the Rowan University Concert Choir, a chamber ensemble named Voices, and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in choral conducting and choral literature. Under his direction, the Rowan University Concert Choir has performed at regional and state conferences of ACDA and NJMEA in addition to international performance tours throughout Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, and Poland. He recently served as assistant conductor of Varna International Music Academy’s performances of The Creation by Joseph Haydn in Varna and Dobrich, Bulgaria, and returned in 2017 to serve on the conducting faculty for a performance of Mozart’s Requiem. Domestically, his recent guest conducting engagements have been in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Ohio, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Vermont. As a scholar, Thomas has presented at International, Regional, and State Conferences on choral literature, pedagogy, philosophical, and historical topics. In addition to his academic positions, Chris is also the Artistic Director of the 90-voice Greater South Jersey Chorus. In the past, he served several churches as director of music and was an award-winning music educator for grades 6-12 in the Illinois Public School systems. Thomas is president of NJ-ACDA on the planning committee of the 2018 Eastern Divisional ACDA conference in Pittsburgh. He received the BM in Music Education from Millikin University where he studied with Brad Holmes and graduate degrees (MM and DMA) in Choral Conducting at the University of Arizona under the direction of Bruce Chamberlain. Chris and his wife Jessica live in Glassboro with their son Greyson and daughter Elandra.

Timothy Dixon is Director of Orchestral Studies / Professor of Music at Messiah College (PA), and the Music Director/ Conductor of the American Youth Philharmonic, the leading youth orchestra in the Washington D.C. area. At Messiah College, he conducts the symphony orchestra, chamber orchestra and opera productions, and provides leadership to the string area, and is the lead teacher in the graduate program in orchestral conducting at Messiah College. Under his leadership, the orchestras at Messiah College have been selected to perform at many conferences and have won multiple awards from the National Opera Association. Timothy Dixon is the Conductor Laureate of the West Shore Symphony Orchestra (PA) and has been a regular conductor of the Harrisburg Opera Association. Active nationally and internationally, Dixon has conducted numerous all-state and other festival orchestras, as well as professional orchestras in the United States, Germany and Ukraine. He has also served as a music educator, grades 4-12, in the Middletown City School District (OH). Timothy Dixon holds the Doctor of Musical Arts in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Iowa, the M.M. in Orchestral Conducting from Michigan State University, and a B.A. and B.M. in Music and Music Education, respectively, from Miami University (OH). Timothy Dixon lives in Camp Hill, PA with his wife, Roxanne, a K-5 music educator in the Camp Hill School District, and his children Delaney and Alex.

Words........................................Lane & Lerner, arr. Marsh Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars.............Jobin, arr. Rutherford Yesterdays......................Kern & Harbach, arr. Rutherford Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me ...Ellington, arr. Weir Bli Blip............................................ Ellington, arr. Meader

Low Down ................................................Thad Jones Who Cares .................... G. Gershwin, arr. McGuiness Blues in Hoss Flat.................................... Frank Foster Butter....................................................Jerry Dodigan Beautiful Dreamer....................Foster, arr. McGuiness El Carborjeno..........................................Bob Mintzer Stompin’ at the Savoy...............Sampson, arr. Holman

Finale NJ Honors Jazz Choir & All-State Jazz Ensemble Don’t Be That Way...Sampson/Goodman, arr. Meader

Lisa DeSpain is a Utah-native, New York City based composer of musical theatre, opera, and concert works known for her American sound. She is the recipient of a 2018 Discovery Grant from OPERA America in support of her first opera, THAT HELL-BOUND TRAIN. Lisa was also a Dramatists Guild Foundation Fellow and writer-in-residence at the Eugene O’Neil Musical Theatre Center for her original musical STORYVILLE created with Oscar Award-winning lyricist, Kristen Anderson-Lopez. Commissioned by a wide range of ensembles, Lisa has composed works for The United States Air Force Band of Flight, the Cassatt String Quartet, Liz Lerman Dance Exchange, Copland House/Hendrick Hudson High School, New York Choral Society, New Haven Symphony Orchestra, pianist Scott Holden, and the womens choir Bella Voce. A force in the musical theatre education world, Lisa is the go-to arranger for Broadway educational choral works including HAMILTON, ONCE, AMERICAN IDIOT, NEXT TO NORMAL and more. Lisa was the first jazz composer awarded a Copland House Residency. Living and composing in Copland’s home profoundly impacted her artistic mission. Inspired by Copland’s legacy, DeSpain strives to explore and expand the boundaries of the American musical language, to create artistic works uniquely identifiable as American. She is a Professor of Music & Theatre at LaGuardia Community College - CUNY (City University of New York)

Originally from West Hartford, Connecticut, Pete McGuinness has been an active New York City-based jazz musician since 1987. His creativity is expressed in many capacities…well-established NYCbased jazz trombonist, GRAMMY-nominated composer/arranger, award-winning jazz vocalist, and longtime jazz educator. After his many years of studies, starting back as a teenager in the renowned Hall High School jazz program (West Hartford, CT), going on to college studies at New England Conservatory and University of Miami (bachelor of music, 1986), and Manhattan School of Music (master of music, 1987), Pete quickly became involved in the NYC jazz scene. His credits as a jazz trombonist over the years are many, including performances with many varied jazz artists. Pete appears as a sideman on over 50 jazz CDs, including the GRAMMY-winning CD by Maria Schneider “Concert in the Garden” He has performed in the pits of many Broadway shows throughout the years. Pete is also featured as a trombonist on 6 CDs he has either lead or co-lead throughout the years. His most recent CD “Strength in Numbers” received TWO GRAMMY nomination; Best Instrumental or A Capella Arrangement for “Beautiful Dreamer” AND Best Instrumental Arrangement with Vocals for “What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?” Pete is an active jazz educator. He was a member of the jazz studies faculty at New Jersey City University (Jersey City, NJ) for 17 years. He is currently an Associate Professor of Jazz Studies/Arranging at William Paterson University (Wayne, NJ). Pete is a Conn-Selmer company affiliated clinician.