Singing City presents
American Feast
The Glaucoma Service Foundation to Prevent Blindness Wills Eye Hospital 840 Walnut Street, Suite 1130 Philadelphia, PA 19107 215-928-3190
Board of Trustees: Maxine Colm, EdD, President • Leonard Rosenfeld, PhD, Vice President • George L. Spaeth, MD, Director of Medical Research and Education • L. Jay Katz, MD, Secretary Marc Goodman, CPA, Treasurer Karen Palestini, Esquire • Irvin Schorsch George Strimel • Katerina Simonetti, CFP Charles Tressler, MD • Chris Urban • Joe Watson Jeremiah J. White, Jr. • Kenneth Wong Honorary Trustees: Charlotte Bonmartini Steve Harmelin, Esquire • James Kim • Jonathan S. Myers, MD
Singing City Jeffrey Brillhart, Artistic & Music Director Parker Kitterman, Accompanist presents
American Feast with
The DePue Brothers Band Wallace Depue Jason Depue David Cullen Kevin MacConnell & Mike Munford
Sunday, November 8, 2015, 3:00 p.m. The Church of the Holy Trinity 1904 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Cover: Melissa Graf-Evans, soprano Photo by Nick Antony
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During the concert, please feel free to tell everyone that you are present with us through Twitter and Facebook. All we ask is that your phone is in silent mode! Photos during the first ten minutes of the concert are also welcome.
Program Southern Grace Jennifer Higdon (b. 1962) Fiddlin’ Wildwood Flower Anne Hess and Susan Domingos, soprano Claire Huff and Jacy Ring, mezzo-soprano Brian Auerbach and William Lim, tenor Andrew McDermott and Andrew Westerhaus, bass Swing My True Love’s Hair The Fox Danielle Traitz, soprano; Jacy Ring, mezzo-soprano; William Lim, tenor; Rich Sobel, bass Riddle Song Michael Hogue, tenor Sourwood Mountain Amazing Grace Philadelphia Fanfare John Conahan (b. 1974)
Intermission The World Beloved: A Bluegrass Mass
Carol Barnett (b. 1949)
I. Ballad: Refrain II. Kyrie III. Ballad: First Verse IV. Gloria V. Ballad: Second Verse and Refrain VI. Credo VII. Sanctus VIII. Ballad: Third and Fourth Verses IX. Agnus Dei X. Art Thou Weary (Instrumental) XI. Benediction XII. Conclusion Anne Hess, soprano; Jacy Ring, mezzo-soprano; Michael Hogue, tenor page 2
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Post-concert talk with the artists. Please join us in the Centennial Room for a reception following the concert. Philadelphia Fanfare was commissioned by Singing City in memory of Dr. John K. Knorr, a descendant of three centuries of Philadelphians, and his wife Elizabeth, a Philadelphian by marriage, and was made possible by a grant from the John K. and Elizabeth Knorr Foundation.
Program Notes & Texts Jennifer Higdon Pulitzer Prize-winner Jennifer Higdon is one of America’s most acclaimed and most frequently performed living composers. Higdon started late in music, teaching herself to play flute at the age of 15 and beginning formal musical studies at 18, with an even later start in composition at the age of 21. Despite this late beginning, she has become a major figure in contemporary Classical music and makes her living from commissions. These commissions represent a range of genres, including orchestral, chamber, choral, vocal, and wind ensemble. Jennifer Higdon maintains a full schedule of commissions and her music is known for its technical skill and audience appeal. Hailed by The Washington Post as “a savvy, sensitive composer with a keen ear, an innate sense of form and a generous dash of pure esprit,” she is one of America’s most frequently performed composers. Her works have been recorded on over two dozen CDs. Her Percussion Concerto won the Grammy for Best Contemporary Classical Composition in January, 2010. Higdon also received the 2010 Pulitzer Prize in Music for her Violin Concerto, with the committee citing Higdon’s work as “a deeply engaging piece that combines flowing lyricism with dazzling virtuosity. Higdon’s most recent project is an opera based on the best-selling novel, Cold Mountain, by Charles Frazier. It was premiered to all sold-out performances by the Santa Fe Opera in August of 2015 and will travel to
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Opera Philadelphia, Minnesota Opera and North Carolina Opera in the next two seasons. Dr. Higdon currently holds the Milton L. Rock Chair in Composition Studies at The Curtis Institute of Music, where she has inspired a generation of young composers and musicians. Her music is published exclusively by Lawdon Press. Southern Grace Southern Grace is a sublime set of eight southern folk melodies. In these settings, Jennifer Higdon captures the essence of rural Southern America, with vivid settings of vibrant texts. Fiddlin’ is a kind of warm up to the suite, with the choir wildly dashing about on solfege syllables. Wildwood Flower speaks of a young woman’s love scorned by a cad. Swing has men calling women to dance. My True Love’s Hair again speaks of a handsome young lover. The Fox is a charming story about a fox upsetting a farmer and his wife. Riddle Song poses a series of riddles, then sweetly answers the questions. Sourwood Mountain is a vigorous dance for the gentlemen of the choir. Amazing Grace sets one of the America’s beloved melodies in series of variations that range from starkly haunting verses in two parts to the rich eight-part vocal writing. Southern Grace received its premiere in 1998 by The Philadelphia Singers. Fiddlin’ Do, re, me fa, sol, la, ti, do Wildwood Flower I’ll twine with my ring, made of raven black hair, A rose so red, and a lily so fair, The myrtle so green, with its emerald hue, And pale ermeta with eyes of dark blue, He taught me to love him, he called me his flow’r, A blossom to cheer him, through life’s weary hour; I’ll wake from my dream, for my idol is clay, My passion for loving him has vanished away, He taught me to love him, he promised me to love, To cherish me always all others above, Another has won him I’m sorry to tell, He left me no warning no words of farewell, I’ll dance and I’ll sing and my life shall be gay, I’ll stop this wild weeping and drive my sorrow away, page 4
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I’ll live yet to see him make right that dark hour, When he neglected his frail wildwood flow’r. Swing Way down low in the cedar swamp, waters deep and muddy, There I met a pretty little miss, there I kissed my honey. Refrain: Swing a lady up and down, swing a lady home, Swing a lady up and down, swing a lady home. Built my love a big fine house, built it in the garden, Put her in and she jumped out, fare you well my darlin’, Refrain Black-eyed girl is mad at me, blue-eyed girl won’t have me, If I can’t get the one I love I guess I’ll never marry. Refrain The older she gets the prettier she gets, I tell you she’s my honey, Makes me work all through the week and get stove wood on Sunday. Refrain Way low down in the cedar swamp, waters deep and muddy, There I met a pretty little miss, there I kissed my honey. Refrain My True Love’s Hair Black is the color of my true love’s hair, His face is something wondrous and fair, The prettiest eyes and the neatest hands, I love the ground whereon he stands, I love my love and well he knows, I love the ground whereon he goes, If you on earth no more I see, I can’t serve you as you have me, The winter’s past and the leaves are green, The time is past that we have seen, But still I hope the time will come, When you and I shall be as one, My own true love, so fare you well, The time has come, but I wish you well, Singing City
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But still I hope, the time would come, When you and I shall be as one, I go to Clyde for to weep, I go to weep, But satisfied I never sleep, I’ll write to you a few lines, write to you, I’ll suffer death ten thousand times. Black is the color of my true love’s hair, His face is something wondrous and fair, The prettiest eyes and the neatest hands, I love the ground whereon he stands. The Fox The fox started out one moon-shiny night, He prayed for the Lord to give him light, For he had a mile to go that night Before he reached his den-e-o, Before he reached his den-e-o. He came at last to the farmer’s yard, Where the ducks and chickens were plenty, “Oh, one of you will grease my beard, I’ll take you to my den-e-o, I’ll take you to my den-e-o.” He grabbed an old black duck by the neck, And he threw her across his shoulder, The old black duck said, “Quack! Quack!” And its long legs hung down-e-o, And its long legs hung down-e-o. Old Granny Slipper Slopper jumped out of her bed, And out the window poked her grey head, “John, John, the black duck’s gone, With the fox straight to his den-e-o, With the fox straight to his den-e-o, den-e-o. Johnny Slipper Slopper jumped out of bed, He fell against the table and he bumped his head, He fell over the cradle and thought he was dead And the fox got to his den-e-o, And the fox got to his den-e-o.
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Slipper Slopper ran to the top of the hill, And he blew his horn so loud and shrill, But the fox got the best of the music still, Safe home inside his den-e-o Safe home inside his dene-o, Ha! Ha! Riddle Song I gave my love a cherry that had no stone, I gave my love a chicken that had no bones, I gave my love a ring that had no end, I gave my love a baby with no cryin’, How can there be a cherry with no stone? How can there be a chicken with no bones? How can there be a ring that has no end? How can there be a baby with no cryin’? A cherry when it’s bloomin’ it has no stone, A chicken when it’s pippin’ it has no bones, A ring when it’s rollin’ it has no end, A baby when it’s sleepin’ has no cryin’. Sourwood Mountain Chicken a-crowin’ on Sourwood Mountain Get your dog and we’ll go hunting, I got a gal in the head of the hollow, She won’t come and I won’t call her, She sits up there with ole Si Hall, Me and Jim can’t go a’tall, One of these days and it won’t be long I’ll get that gal and home I’m gone One of these days and it won’t be long I”ll get that girl and home I’m gone. Amazing Grace Amazing grace, how sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me, I once was lost but now I’m found, Was blind but now I see. ‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved, Singing City
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How precious did that grace appear, The hour I first believed. Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come, It is grace that brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home. How sweet the name of Jesus sounds In a believer’s ear, It soothes his sorrow, heals his wounds, And drives away his fear. When we’ve been there ten thousand year, Bright shining as the sun, We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise, Than when we first begun.
John Conahan John Conahan is a composer, conductor, performer, and educator. As a composer, John’s choral and orchestral works have received much acclaim and are performed frequently all over the world. His works have been premiered by Donald Nally & The Crossing, Lorin Maazel, Marin Alsop, Denyce Graves, Deborah Voigt, and Sir James Galway—at venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, The Kimmel Center, and The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. John is a frequently featured Guest Conductor and visiting clinician for a number of ensembles, including State Music Education Festivals, Choral Unions, and numerous academic institutions. In addition to his life as a composer and conductor, John is an active performer and recording artist, maintaining a number of albums as a singer/songwriter, as well as with an experimental improvisation trio, and as a solo pianist focusing on his spontaneous piano works. His recordings are featured both on television and in film. John attended Ithaca College, the Manhattan School of Music, the University of the Arts, and the Juilliard School. You can find out more about John Conahan online at www.johnconahan.com. page 8
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Philadelphia Fanfare When Jeff and I began discussing a commission for Singing City, he mentioned that it might be fun to have a piece that in some manner focused on Philadelphia. I agreed straight away; from the moment that I permanently relocated to Philadelphia, I have found inspiration in so much of the city’s history, personality, and breadth of artistry—and knew that discovering a text for the piece would be a fun and quick process. So, happily, I went searching for a text. My first inclination was William Penn, a fascinating figure and writer, and one whom every Philadelphian knows is watching over us (literally) on a daily basis. As introspective and impressive (and direct) as Penn’s writings were, I had a difficult time finding something that immediately spoke to me. I read through a number of Founding Fathers’ letters and speeches, some resident poets of the past—and learned about some incredible works—but again, found nothing that resonated with me for this commission. And then, I did something very 21st Century (although far from noble or scholarly): I threw my hands in the air and announced, “OK, Google” and typed ‘Philadelphia Poem’ —then hit return. And I will admit with shame and reticence that I was drawn to and immediately clicked on the very first result: Kipling. I like Kipling. And Kipling knew a Philadelphia during the late-19th and early-20th century, a brilliant and interesting time in the city’s history. And upon reading the poem, I was immediately drawn to it, heard a number of musical ideas, and was taken with the beauty and charming nature of the work. So, on a quiet day in beautiful Big Sky, Montana during a lovely week with Donald Nally and The Crossing, I sat down in an empty Warren Miller Performing Arts Center, pulled up to the gorgeous Bechstein Grand piano and wrote most of what has become the material for Philadelphia Fanfare. It didn’t take long to realize that I needed more than two hands on the piano in order to bring to fruition all of the colors I heard in the poem, and happily began writing the piece for SATB and four-hands piano. I have a deep respect for Jeff Brillhart and Singing City. I have had the opportunity to work with them a few times in the past in association with the brilliant Lyric Fest, and I am a profoundly grateful to have the opportunity to write for them again. I am also thrilled to be included on a program with two luminous composers, Jennifer Higdon and Carol Barnett. —John Conahan
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“Philadelphia” from Rewards and Fairies By Rudyard Kipling If you’re off to Philadelphia in the morning, You mustn’t take my stories for a guide. There’s little left indeed of the city you will read of, And all the folk I write about have died. Now few will understand if you mention Talleyrand, Or remember what his cunning and his skill did. And the cabmen at the wharf do not know Count Zinzendorf, Nor the Church in Philadelphia he builded. It is gone, gone, gone with lost Atlantis (Never say I didn’t give you warning). In Seventeen Ninety-three ‘twas there for all to see, But it’s not in Philadelphia this morning. If you’re off to Philadelphia in the morning, You mustn’t go by everything I’ve said. Bob Bicknell’s Southern Stages have been laid aside for ages, But the Limited will take you there instead. Toby Hirte can’t be seen at One Hundred and Eighteen, North Second Street—no matter when you call; And I fear you’ll search in vain for the wash-house down the lane Where Pharaoh played the fiddle at the ball. It is gone, gone, gone with Thebes the Golden (Never say I didn’t give you warning). In Seventeen Ninety-four ‘twas a famous dancing-floor— But it’s not in Philadelphia this morning. If you’re off to Philadelphia in the morning, You must telegraph for rooms at some Hotel. You needn’t try your luck at Epply’s or the ‘Buck,’ Though the Father of his Country liked them well. It is not the slightest use to inquire for Adam Goos, Or to ask where Pastor Meder has removed—so You must treat as out-of-date the story I relate Of the Church in Philadelphia he loved so. He is gone, gone, gone with Martin Luther (Never say I didn’t give you warning). In Seventeen Ninety-five he was (rest his soul!) alive, But he’s not in Philadelphia this morning. page 10
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If you’re off to Philadelphia this morning, And wish to prove the truth of what I say, I pledge my word you’ll find the pleasant land behind Unaltered since Red Jacket rode that way. Still the pine-woods scent the noon; still the cat-bird sings his tune; Still Autumn sets the maple-forest blazing. Still the grape-vine through the dusk flings her soul-compelling musk; Still the fire-flies in the corn make night amazing. They are there, there, there with Earth immortal (Citizens, I give you friendly warning). The things that truly last when men and times have passed, They are all in Pennsylvania this morning!
Carol Barnett Carol Barnett’s music has been called audacious and engaging. Her varied catalog includes works for solo voice, piano, chorus, diverse chamber ensembles, orchestra, and wind ensemble. She was awarded the 2003 Nancy Van de Vate International Prize for Opera for her chamber opera, Snow, and Meeting at Seneca Falls was featured at the 2006 Diversity Festival in Red Wing, MN. The World Beloved: A Bluegrass Mass, commissioned in 2006 by VocalEssence and written with Marisha Chamberlain, had its Carnegie Hall debut in February 2013 and has become a favorite across the country. Recent works include March to Glory: ”Draw Me Nearer,” for the American Guild of Organists 2014 convention; Near Odessa, for Bella Voce and Jennifer Tibben; Coy Pond Suite, for the Gordon College Big Band; and Hyfrydol Meditations, for Westminster Presbyterian Church, Minneapolis, MN. Other commissions include works for the Minnesota Orchestra, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Harvard Glee Club, the Minnesota Music Teachers Association, and the Children’s Theatre of Minneapolis. She has received grants from the Jerome Foundation, the Camargo Foundation, the Inter-University Research Committee on Cyprus, and the McKnight Foundation. A longtime presence on the Minnesota music scene, Barnett is a charter member of the American Composers Forum and a graduate of the Singing City
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University of Minnesota, where she studied composition with Dominick Argento and Paul Fetler, piano with Bernard Weiser, and flute with Emil J. Niosi. She was composer-in-residence with the Dale Warland Singers from 1992 to 2001, and was an adjunct faculty member at Augsburg College from 2000 to 2015.
The World Beloved: A Bluegrass Mass To bring the solemnity of the classical choir-based mass together with the down home sparkle of bluegrass—now there’s an assignment. My highest hope is that listeners coming from one tradition—classical or bluegrass—and perhaps dubious about the other, might discover something new and wonderful in the combination, as I have. Composing the music for The World Beloved has given me the chance to write cheery sacred music—all too rare in a medium rife with staid and even lugubrious settings. And it’s brought me back to memories of music heard while visiting my grandparents, country music with a church flavor that told stories and came out of a scratchy old record player. Grandma would not have allowed dancing, but under the table I tapped my toes. I. Ballad: Refrain They say God loved the world so dear He set aside His crown And cloaked Himself in human shape; They say that He came down, And dwelt awhile among us here. He came on down. II. Kyrie Mercy! Oh, Kyrie! Have mercy! Oh Christe! Mercy, oh mercy, eleison, eleison. Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison Kyrie eleison, have mercy on creation! Christe eleison, have mercy on our souls! III. Ballad: First Verse A child walked forth on Eden’s way, A child stretched our her hand. O, may I taste the apple there And take to understand The fruit of knowledge in my mouth, And know of God firsthand? page 12
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IV. Gloria Glory be to God on high, Who launched the sunlight, loosed the rain, Who scattered stars across the sky, Who piled the mountains, rolled the plains, Who spilled the rivers and the seas. Oh Glory be, oh Glory be. Glory be to God below, For feather, fur, for scale and fin, For vine uptwisting, blossom’s fire, For muscle, sinew, nerve and skin And every feature set aglow Oh, Glory be to God below. Oh, Glory be for peace on earth, And prayerful be the human heart That has required a Savior’s birth To make of earth heav’ns counterpart, So strife might stop and warring cease. Oh, Glory be for peace, oh, be for peace. Oh, Glory be the generous Hand Who left us to our work, and care, Who gave us only few commands But that we help each other bear Life’s burdens. Pain and suffering ease. Oh, Glory be, oh, Glory be. V. Ballad: Second Verse and Refrain Adam, he labored, Eve, she toiled, And many children bore, And sometimes all was fruitlessness And sometimes seasons wore Them down to dust and emptiness And hunger at the door. But they said God loved the world so dear He set aside his crown And cloaked himself in human shape; They say that he came down, And dwelt awhile among us here. He came on down.
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VI. Credo Oh, I do believe a place awaits us far across the Jordan, And when we reach those mossy banks, we’ll cast aside our oars. Row on, row on, we’re crossing River Jordan, Row on, row on, and no one goes alone. Oh, I do believe a place awaits us high above the mountains And when we reach that highest peak, we’ll spread our wings and soar. Climb on, climb on, we’re climbing Jacob’s Ladder, Climb on, climb on, and no one goes alone. Oh, I do believe a resting place awaits us ’cross the Jordan. We’ll toss our coats, throw off our hats, and take the seat of ease. And it’s not the seat of riches and it’s not the seat of power. Row on, row on, and no one goes alone. VII. Sanctus Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus. Dominus Deus Sabaoth. pleni sunt caeli et terra Gloria tua. Hosanna in excelsis VIII. Ballad: Third and Fourth Verses and Refrain The skies exploded, towers fell; The floods came rushing down And many souls were burned alive And many souls were drowned And others set to marching, marching Far from house and home. Where are you now, our Savior dear, When we are all undone? They say God loved the world so dear He set aside His crown And cloaked Himself in human shape; They say that He came down, And dwelt awhile among us here. He came on down. Oh, I am here among you now Tho’ I must pass unseen, And cannot show why this must be Nor how I walk between page 14
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Your souls and greater dangers Than you have ever known, To laugh with you and weep with you, My people, oh my own. It’s true, I love the world so dear I cast aside my crown And cloak Myself in mystery So I can come on down And dwell in and among you now, I come on down. IX. Agnus Dei Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem. X. Instrumental Interlude: Art Thou Weary? XI. Benediction Blessings be upon your heads. Bless the living, bless the dead. Blessings be upon you, my people. Blessing so that you may go Lightly through this world of woe. Blessings be upon you, my people. Blessings, and may you embrace God in guise of human grace. Blessings now and forever. XII. Conclusion They say God loved the World so dear She set aside Her crown And cloaked Herself in human shape; They say that She came down, And dwelt awhile among us here. She came on down.
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Jeffrey Brillhart, Artistic & Music Director Appointed in 1999, Jeffrey Brillhart directs the Singing City Choir and oversees all aspects of Singing City’s musical initiatives. He provides artistic leadership for a rich program of formal concerts, choral music workshops as part of Singing City in the Schools, and outreach concerts in diverse communities in and around Philadelphia. Jeffrey is also Director of Music and Fine Arts at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church in Bryn Mawr and is recognized as one of the foremost musicians working in the Presbyterian Church. He has won national recognition for his abilities in organ improvisation, organ performance, and conducting. Mr. Brillhart’s formal training was at Drake University, where he received his Bachelor of Church Music degree in 1977, and at the Eastman School of Music, where he received a Master of Performance and Literature Degree in 1979 and studied piano, organ, harpsichord, voice and conducting. In addition to his position as Director of the Fine Arts Program at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, where he works with over 600 youth and adults, Jeffrey supervises nine choral and handbell ensembles, an art program and “Young-in-Arts,” a music and art school for children. He directs the 120-voice Senior Choir which sings for two services each week and prepares several special performances each season. Mr. Brillhart also directs the Bryn Mawr Chamber Singers, a 24-voice ensemble specializing in baroque and 20th century music. His church ensembles have performed for national conventions of the American Guild of Organists and the American Choral Directors Association. Mr. Brillhart has presented master classes at the Curtis Institute of Music, the University of Iowa, Drake University, and the Eastman School of Music. He served as chorus master for The Philadelphia Orchestra’s Martin Luther King Tribute Concert in January 2004. In January 2005, he joined the music faculty of Yale University to teach organ improvisation. He is the author of “Breaking Free,” an improvisation textbook, that is in wide use throughout the United States and Europe.
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Parker Kitterman, accompanist Parker Kitterman is Director of Music and Organist at historic Christ Church, Philadelphia, where he directs the Christ Church Choir and Children’s Choir in weekly choral services and monthly Evensong services, among other responsibilities. A graduate of Duke University and the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, he also studied organ at the Brussels Royal Conservatory on a Fulbright Grant. Parker was a finalist in international organ competitions in Tokyo and Toulouse, and remains active as a soloist, accompanist, conductor, teacher, clinician, and composer of choral and congregational music. His compositions and arrangements can be heard on a weekly basis at Christ Church.
The Depue Brothers Band Dr. Wallace DePue Jr., violin/fiddle Dr. Wallace DePue Jr. is a leading American figure in the development of “Grassical” music; which is the fusion of many different genres of American grass-roots music and traditional Western Art Music (classical music). He first coined the term Grassical in the late 1990s. The DePue Brothers, a professional musical ensemble in which Dr. DePue has been a member for decades, has been the leading musical group to cultivate and develop Grassical music. One of his first compositional examples of Grassical music is a work titled: A Theme and Variations on a Little Brown Jug, which Dr. DePue composed in 2000. Dr. DePue received a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in Violin Performance from the University of Texas at Austin in 2006. Before that, he received a Master of Musical Arts degree from Temple University (1995) and a Bachelor of Musical Arts degree from Bowling Green State University in Ohio (1993). It is interesting to note that his doctoral dissertation title was: The Fusion of Modern Twentieth Century Composition-
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al Techniques with Traditional American Fiddle Music in Lukas Foss’s “Central Park Reel”; a modern musical work for violin and piano composed by Dr. Lukas Foss in 1986 and analyzed by Dr. DePue in 2006. DePue argues that Lukas Foss’s Central Park Reel exemplifies exactly what Grassical music is even before the term describing this new genre of music ever existed. There are also several works composed by Dr. Wallace DePue Sr. (DePue’s father) that harken the origins of the Grassical sound/genre as far back as the 1970s. One of Dr. DePue’s proudest musical achievements was being awarded the 1989 Musical Family of the Year by President George H. W. Bush, accompanied by an official letter from The White House. As a child, DePue won many fiddle contests, including the 1985 Michigan State Fiddling Championship. This will be Dr. DePue’s second performance as violinist/fiddler of The World Beloved: A Bluegrass Mass, composed by Carol Barnett with libretto by Marisha Chamberlain. In his opinion, this brilliant modern musical composition has many of the attributes that contribute greatly to the Grassical genre, especially in the realm of vocal music.
Jason Depue, mandolin Jason DePue is a member of the first violin section of The Philadelphia Orchestra. He was concertmaster of the Verbier Festival Orchestra in Switzerland under James Levine (‘99), the New York String Seminar under Jamie Laredo (‘99), as well as the Curtis Symphony (‘98). He has performed live concerts of the complete Bach Sonatas and Partitas for Unaccompanied Violin as well as the complete Paganini 24 Caprices—both concerts are available to view on Jason’s YouTube channel. Jason DePue is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music.
David Cullen, guitar David Cullen has performed in a dazzling wide range of styles including Jazz, Classical and World Music. David Cullen is a Grammy Award Winning Guitarist for Best Pop Instrumental Recording. He has performed with Will Ackerman , Samite, Michael Manring, Victor Wooten, Tracy Silverman, Darol Anger, The Depue BrothersBand, The Jaco Big Band and The Philly Pops. He was a featured soloist in the New
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York Guitar Festival presented at the 92nd St Y. He is currently an Artist-inResidence at Elizabethtown College. He teaches Jazz, Classical and Contemporary Popular Styles at West Chester University and Millersville University. David graduated from the Hartt School of Music with a BM, Magna Cum Laude, in Classical Guitar Performance. He is featured on the Windham Hill Guitar Sampler and other Windham Hill compilation recordings. He has released 2 books through Warner Brothers Publications: Jazz, Classical and Beyond and Grateful Guitar. His performance DVD, Jazz, Classical and Beyond features multi-camera angles and lessons. He has performed throughout North America for classical guitar societies, performing arts series and jazz festivals. David Cullen has released ten CD recordings on Solid Air Records. His recordings have been featured on NPR stations across the country. For more information please go to www.cullenguitar.com.
Kevin MacConnell, bass Living in the Philadelphia area since 1982, Kevin has performed with jazz greats Mel Torme, Nancy Wilson, Billy Eckstine and Joe Williams, as well as a wide variety of other international performers such as Natalie Cole, Marilyn McCoo, Diahann Caroll, Merv Griffin and opera diva Denyce Graves. He has performed and recorded with tenor saxophonist Earnie Watts and local jazz legends Larry McKenna and Tony Miceli, with whom he performs regularly. No stranger to the classical scene, Kevin has performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra, The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia and many classical ensembles in and around the area. Kevin has also spent a significant amount of time in the theaters of Philadelphia, having done productions at the Walnut, Merriam and most notably the Prince Theater, where he had the opportunity to work with the late Cy Coleman on his last show, “The Great Ostrovsky”. He began performing with DePue Brothers Band in 2007, and performs on occasion with Mark Cosgrove’s band, Good Medicine.
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Mike Munford, banjo
Mike is one of the hidden treasures of the five string banjo world. Mike grew up in the sixties and seventies in the bluegrass hotbed of Baltimore and D.C. and assimilated just about everything that all the great players in that area could offer but long ago developed his own style. His style can best be described as harddriving melodic but such a description diminishes what’s actually going on. When Mike Munford plays you hear all things that great banjo player strive to achieve: power, drive, impeccable timing, exquisite tone and jawdropping technique. Mike is a walking encyclopedia of banjo trivia. He is an inspiration to countless players in the mid-Atlantic region and beyond. Born in St. Louis and raised in Baltimore, Mike started playing banjo at age 15. A professional bluegrass musician since 1976, Mike spent many years of experience developing his craft. His fluid style, both tasteful and driving, allows him to easily blend traditional and contemporary influences into his music. Mike currently tours with Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen, a highly acclaimed contemporary bluegrass band whose 2014 album “Cold Spell” received a Grammy nomination. In 2013, Mike received the “Banjo Player of the Year” award from the I.B.M.A. (International Bluegrass Music Association).
Do you love to sing? Are you looking for a great community of singers? Singing City is now auditioning experienced tenors and basses. Auditions are held by appointment. Call the Singing City office, 267-519-5322, to schedule an audition or e-mail Choir Administrator Ben Weissman, benw@singingcity.org. Rehearsals are Tuesday evenings from 7:20 to 9:50 p.m. at Friends Center, 1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102
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ABOUT SINGING CITY For over half a century, Singing City has been Philadelphia’s premier avocational chorus, committed to bringing people of diverse races, creeds and backgrounds together under the common purpose of music making. Singing City grew out of the Fellowship House movement, and has been deeply engaged not only in creating a community of mind and purpose in Philadelphia, but also in other civil rights and social justice movements since the 1950s. In addition to its deep commitment to inclusion and community building, Singing City has consistently achieved the highest levels of performance practice and artistry. The chorus has performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Leningrad Philharmonic, and Israel Philharmonic, and has to its credit a number of critically acclaimed national and international concert tours and festival appearances. The 90-member strong chorus is led by Artistic & Music Director Jeffrey Brillhart and continues to fulfill its original mission, which today encompasses an educational program for youth, the Singing City Children’s Choir, and programs for under-served populations.
Through Performance, Arts Education, and Fellowship, Singing City is a force for social impact, bringing people together and lifting the human spirit through the artistry of choral music.
Singing City
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Singing City Choir Lauren Anderson Soryl Angel Brian Auerbach Alyssa Barlis Joyce Barton Jamerica Bevel Peter Boyer Kathleen Brady Wendy Browder Sara Harris Brown Gloria Ruszkiewicz Brown Luke Brown Theresa Carter Elizabeth Childs Deb Clarke Leslie Clearwater Steve Crandall Peggy Curchack Elaine Del Vecchio Tony Del Vecchio Faith Dickens Kelly Dolan Susan Domingos
Martha Fried-Cassorla Jennifer Gottschalk Melissa Graf-Evans Marlene Graham Anne Hess Michael Hogue Mark Hollern Rebecca Horowitz Claire Huff Barbara Jenkins Adam Johnson Angela Jones Laura Kelly Robert Kidder Rachel Kleinman Francine Levin William Lim, Jr. Kristen Maguire Robert Mann Joyce Marshall Yuko Martin Andrew McDermott Kim Murphy
Rob Mygatt Rosalyn Ominsky Elizabeth Plowman Laura Randolph Jacy Ring Mark Ritter Gili Ronen M’Annette Ruddell Rajeev Sachdeva Peter Scarpato Ken Schoenholz Matt Siverd Richard Sobel Betty Stockwell Robert Thuener Danielle Traitz David Weaver Andrew Westerhaus Kerri Williams Amberly Williams Barbara Willig LaVerne Wood William Young
Staff Jeffrey Brillhart, Artistic and Music Director Lauren Anderson, Executive Director Ben Weissman, Choir Administrator and Office Manager Parker Kitterman, Accompanist Steven Fisher, Director, Singing City Children’s Choir Andrew Bleckner, Composer-in-Residence
Special Thanks Friends of Singing City The Church of the Holy Trinity Program Advertisers Ushers, Box Office and Riser Crew To everyone who provided food and drink and helped with this evening’s post-concert reception.
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Singing City Board of Directors
Season Subscribers
Diane Mallery President Brian Auerbach, Vice-President Jane Gardner, Treasurer Steve Crandall, Secretary Peter J. Boyer Wendy Browder Peggy Curchack Peggy C. Gregg, ex-officio Jackie Lesser Jane Murphy Barbara Rittenhouse Art Stewart
Benefactors
Advisory Board Anton E. Armstrong Jack Asher Jeffrey Cornelius Joseph Flummerfelt R. Thomas Friedman DeVonne Gardner Elizabeth L. Haslam Robert H. Holmes Scott Jenkins Walter Johnson Mary Tryon Ledwith Claire McKinley Weston Noble Helmuth Rilling Sandra Stouffer Andre J. Thomas Radclyffe Thompson
Singing City
Mr. and Mrs. James R. Affleck, Jr. Lauren Anderson Deb Clarke and Cheryl Bruttomesso Richard and Ruth Horowitz Clare and Jim Mackie Kim and Jane Murphy Rajeev Sachdeva Richard and Dorothy Stevens Bill and Betty Stockwell
Patrons Peter J. Boyer Wendy Browder Peggy and Mark Curchack Stuart Donaldson Jim and Martha Grant Ron and Peggy Gregg Elizabeth L. Haslam Warren and Claire Huff Beth Johnson Mary Tryon Ledwith Barbara Rittenhouse
Sponsors Jeffrey Brillhart and Joacy Mendonca Jessica R. Brown Maguerite P. Harris David Sachs
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SINGING CITY SUPPORTERS 2014-15 Annual contributions to Singing City are of crucial importance because they are used to support the operating budget of the Choir. Annual Friends Drive gifts are spent throughout the year on operating needs such as our formal concert series, community concerts at care facilities and retirement homes, the SC Children’s Choir, and to support our small but dedicated staff. Our thanks go out to all those who have so generously supported the mission and work of Singing City. The 2015-16 campaign is underway. Please help us reach our goal of raising $60,000 by June 30, 2016. Visit www.singingcity.org/support for more information. $1,000 and above Lauren Anderson Peggy and Mark Curchack Nancy and Roy Fairman Nancy R. Frandsen Robert Kidder Mary Tryon Ledwith Jonathan E. Lehman Diane Mallery Charles and Jane Murphy Judy R. Neilson Barbara Rittenhouse Rajeev Sachdeva Virginia A. Smith $500 to $999 Anonymous Peter Boyer Jeffrey Brillhart and Joacy Mendonca Wendy Browder Jeffrey Cornelius Jane Gardner Jim and Martha Grant Sue Anne Grier Elizabeth Haslam Herbert Heineman Richard and Ruth Horowitz C. Stewart Patrick David L. Rawle Cheryl Slipski Bill and Betty Stockwell Laura Ward
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$250 to $499
Brian and Sarah Auerbach Rebecca Bien and David Poll Alice Chase Deb Clarke and Cheryl Bruttomesso Rebecca Coyne Ellen and Bill Dohmen Peggy Gregg Robert H. Holmes, M. D. Beth E. Johnson Clare and Jim Mackie Bonnie Motel Estate of George E. Rimby Mark and Sandy Ritter Angela Scully and George Elser Elaine B. Shaffer John and Sandra Stouffer Barbara Willig $100 to $249 Aminda Baird Kenneth and Betty Barrow Elizabeth W. Bartle Gloria Ruszkiewicz Brown Charlotte E. Cady Anthony P. Checchia Harris R. and Louise Clearfield Sharon and Bruce Cundiff
Olena Roma Dockhorn Dana Fiero Helen Gilmore Mr. and Mrs. Robert Girondi Melissa Graf-Evans Carol Grey Marguerite Harris Margot and Ellis Horwitz Don and Laila Nada Isaacson Walter H. Johnson Jeffrey W. Knightly Robert and Lisa Landley Rosalinda R. Madara Robert Mann John McNichol Michael Merin Brenda J. Oliphant Rosalyn Ominsky Barbara Poll Jeffrey Roccia Jack and Roberta Rubinlicht Franna Ruddell David Sachs Ken Schoenholz Richard and Rachel Sobel William W. Van Stone Carol Tashjian Karen Teel Linda Thompson Steven H. Tyre Eleanor B Warder Elizabeth Weigle
American Feast
Up to $100 Soryl Angel Anton Armstrong Elaine Axelman Emily Babiash Elaine W. Baer Joyce Barton Sara Harris Brown Jeanne Burd John Connell Dave and Cyndi Detwiler Frank Domingos Mona Feldman Jayne Fiero Marylouise Finch Martha Fried-Cassorla Carol Frieder Andrew Fuller Sonya C. Garfinkle Warren and Claire Huff John R. Immerwahr and Kathleen Jean Byrnes Sue Kettell Beth Krick Francine and Bruce Levin Dorothy Marshall Genevieve Perloff Matthew Point Edith Roberts Gili Ronen Frances and Harold S. Rosenbluth John Rossheim Frances B. Rubinsohn Henry Rubner Peter Scarpato and Paula Weiss Linda H. Weaver LaVerne Wood Janet M. Yamron
Foundation & Government Support Archie W. and Grace Berry Foundation The Connelly Foundation Samuel S. Fels Fund Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation John K. and Elizabeth W. Knorr Foundation The Philadelphia Cultural Fund The Philadelphia Foundation The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts The Presser Foundation Henrietta Tower Wurts Memorial Wells Fargo Foundation
Legacy Fund Donors Douglas and Deborah Faulkner Julie Friedman Sue Anne Grier Elizabeth L. Haslam Carolyn Lowery Judith R. Neilson Rosalyn Ominsky Barbara Rittenhouse M’Annette Ruddell Mary Ann Sullivan Jean S. Weiss John H. Wood
A Simple Gift-The Legacy Fund A bequest or deferred gift to Singing City will support the Choir’s endowment, which in turn will help strengthen the Choir’s ability to retain and attract the very best staff, provide ongoing support for the Singing City Children’s Choir, stabilize the operating budget and establish a financial aid fund so that prospective singers have an opportunity to be a part of Singing City. Keep it simple—make a bequest to Singing City. If you would like to include Singing City in your planning, please contact Executive Director Lauren Anderson at 267-519-5321 or by e-mail at lauren@ singingcity.org.
Singing City
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PHIL ADELPHIA CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIET Y
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American Feast
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MOUNT AIRY FAMILY PRACTICE Congratulates Singing City on their 68th Season Deborah A. Clarke, MD Linda W. Good, MD Susan J. Leath, MD David W. Lewis, MD Thomas F. Lyon, MD Vincent Tyson, CRNP
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The Businesses of Keswick Village & Greater Glenside Community Congratulate Singing City on its 2015-16 Season! Marcella’s Music | Where Service is Key 215-517-8466 (Glenside) Sweet Magnolia | Home • Garden • Giving 215-576-5583 (Glenside) The Nest | Antiques & Collectibles 267-625-4542 (Keswick) Humpty’s Dumpling’s | Unique Gourmet Dumplings 215-935-6180 (Keswick)
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American Feast
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Singing City
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Singing City
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SINGING CITY
2015-2016 Concert Season Jeffrey Brillhart, Artistic & Music Director
Fall Concert—American Feast Sunday, November 8, 2015, 3 p.m. The Church of the Holy Trinity, 1904 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA Singing City opens the season with Carol Barnett’s The World Beloved: A Bluegrass Mass, a dazzling work combining the sacred classical choral tradition with the sparkling down home sound of banjo, mandolin and fiddle, featuring the DePue Brothers Band; Philadelphia Fanfare, a newly commissioned work by John Conahan (with John at the podium) and Jennifer Higdon’s Southern Grace.
Post-concert talk with the artists and reception. Tickets: $20 in advance; $25 at the door ($10 for students)
Holiday Concert—Christmas by Candlelight Saturday, December 19, 2015, 7:00 p.m. The Church of the Holy Trinity, 1904 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
With the Philadelphia Brass A festive program of traditional and popular Christmas carols from Britain and beyond. The audience will join in, too!
Post-concert reception. Tickets: $20 in advance; $25 at the door ($10 for students)
Spring Concert—Beethoven Choral Fantasy & Mozart Mass in C Minor Sunday, May 1, 2016, 3 p.m. The Church of the Holy Trinity, 1904 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA With the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia The Choral Fantasy is probably best known as a precursor to the last movement of the Ninth Symphony. The work builds, through a series of variations, to a rousing chorus—praising the power of music. No Western composer demonstrated a more Shakespearean range of emotion than Mozart. His most ravishing music looks inside the soul as deeply as art can.
Post-concert reception. Tickets: $25 ($10 for students) For tickets and more information:
www.singingcity.org or 267-519-5322 page 34
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Office Hours by Appointment
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Philadelphia Handbell Ensemble Presents Our Holiday Concerts featuring
New Jersey Chamber Singers Saturday, December 12 @ 7:00 The Church of St. Luke and the Ephiphany 220 South 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA Satruday, December 19 @ 7:00 Doylestown Presbyterian Church 127 East Court Street, Doylestown, PA Tickets available at the door or at phillybells.org Be sure and check back for our Spring concert schedule at phillybells.org
William J. McLeer, CFP®, ChFC®
Financial Advisor Certified Financial Planner™ practitioner
An American Platinum Financial Services® practice
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Singing City
Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Suite 142 1105 Laurel Oak Road Voorhees, NJ 08043-4312
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Congratulations and Best Wishes to the
SINGING CITY CHOIR ON YOUR 2015-16 SEASON
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American Feast
Laurel Oak Wealth Management Group
A financial advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.
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Singing City
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SINGING CITY Tour to South Africa June 30-July 13, 2016
Join Singing City on its tour to South Africa in the summer of 2016 where we will perform in Johannesburg, Garden Route and Cape Town. Singers and non-singers welcome! The $4,500 cost of the trip includes: Airfare from Philadelphia to Johannesburg and ground and air transportation within South Africa; 6 performances, including concerts, informal recitals and outreach participation; 11 nights accommodation in superior tourist class hotels, sharing twin-bedded rooms with private bathrooms; Continental breakfast plus 7 group dinners; land transportation by private deluxe motor coach; guided sightseeing tours of Soweto, Johannesburg, and Cape Town, and visits to a penguin colony, Featherbed Nature Reserve, and an open vehicle game drive in Pilanesberg National Park. If you are interested in participating and would like to receive more information, please contact Executive Director Lauren Anderson, lauren@singingcity.org or 267-519-5321 or visit our website:
www.singingcity.org
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I’ll Make Me A World
Singing City Friends Drive Singing City is all about uniting people. Whether in one of our two singing ensembles or as members of an audience, we are committed to exploring what it means to be in community. We believe that people in a community are stronger people, better able to be a transformational part of our city. Your gift to Singing City’s annual Friends Drive has a direct impact on our work—from an outstanding concert series to outreach concerts in Philadelphia neighborhoods, collaborations with area arts organizations and the Singing City Children’s Choir. Send your gift to: Singing City, 1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, or give online at www.singingcity.org.
Thank you for your support!
Singing City 1501 Cherry Street • Philadelphia, PA 19102 www.singingcity.org | info@singingcity.org 267-519-5321
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