Voices Voices of of the the Earth Earth
Saint Sebastian Catholic church Milwaukee, WI Sunday October 20, 2024 3:00 PM
Jonathan Laabs, Artistic Director Presents
Voices of the Earth
In the Beginning
Come to the Woods
Earth Song
Mid-Winter Songs
I. Lament for Pasiphaë
II. Like Snow
Rebecca Whitney, soprano
Aaron Copland (1900-1990)
Jake Runestad (b. 1986) Simone Gheller, piano
INTERMISSION
Frank Ticheli (b. 1958)
Morten Lauridsen (b. 1943) Simone Gheller, piano
III. She Tells Her Love While Half Asleep
IV. Mid-Winter Waking
V. Intercession in Late October
The Music of Stillness
Elaine Hagenberg (b. 1979) Simone Gheller, piano
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Program Text
In the Beginning
Text from Genesis 1 and 2 (KJV)
Written for and premiered at the 1947 Harvard Symposium on Music Criticism, In the Beginning is anything but typical for the “Dean of American Composers.” One of only around a dozen choral works that Copland wrote, it is by far the most substantial in length, scope, and content, setting text from the book of Genesis 1:1 to 2:7. The Biblical book divides creation into six days, followed by a day of rest; each of the first six days is marked by the refrain, “And the evening and the morning…”. Copland sets this as a musical refrain as well: homorhythmic chanting on a repeated triad inflected with a dissonant chord on the identification of the appropriate day, before resolving to the major triad. The triad changes for each day, continually rising over the course of the work: Cb (first day), Db (second day), D (third day), Eb (fourth day), F# (fifth day), G (sixth day). Copland uses other instances of repeated text, including “And it was so…” and “God saw that it was good…” to create identifiable motives and gestures that bring unity and structure to the through-composed work. The frequent text-painting, while sometimes subtle, is a delight.
The First Day
Solo
In the beginning
God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.
Chorus
And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
Solo
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
Chorus
And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night.
And the evening and the morning were the first day.
The Second Day
Solo
And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
Chorus
And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: And it was so.
And God called the firmament Heaven.
And the evening and the morning were the second day.
The Third Day
Solo
And God said,
Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear:
Chorus
And it was so.
And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: And God saw that it was good.
Program Text (cont.)
Solo and Chorus
And God said,
Let the earth bring forth grass,
Solo
the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after its kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: And it was so.
Chorus
And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after its kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after its kind: And God saw that it was good.
And the evening and the morning were the third day.
The Fourth Day
Solo
And God said,
Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years
And let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days, and years: And let there be lights
Chorus
Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years And let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years And let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth
And it was so.
And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the day from the darkness: And God saw that it was good.
And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
The Fifth Day
Chorus
And God said
Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life,
Program Text (cont.)
and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. And God created great whales, and ev’ry living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and ev’ry winged fowl after his kind: And God saw that it was good. and God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.
And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
The Sixth Day
Solo
And God said,
Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
Chorus
And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and ev’ry thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind:
Solo and Chorus
And God saw that it was good.
Chorus
And God said,
Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let him have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over ev’ry creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Solo and Chorus
So God created man in his own image,
Chorus in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over ev’ry living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Solo And God said, Behold, I have given you ev’ry herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and ev’ry tree,
Program Text (cont.)
in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; To you it shall be for food. And to ev’ry beast of the earth, and to ev’ry fowl of the air, and to ev’ry thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given ev’ry green herb for food:
Chorus
And it was so.
And God saw ev’ry thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.
And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
The Seventh Day Chorus
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the hosts of them.
And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
Solo
These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, and ev’ry plant of the field before it was in the earth, and ev’ry herb of the field before it grew:
Solo and Chorus
For the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.
Chorus
But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.
Solo and Chorus
And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, Chorus and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Come
to the Woods
Text by John Muir, adapted by Jake Runestad
Come to the Woods explores Muir's inspirations and the transporting peace found in the natural world. Using a collage of fragments from Muir’s writings, the work ventures from the boisterous joy of a "glorious day," to the quiet whispering of wind, to the rejuvenating power of a storm, to the calming "amber light" when the clouds begin to clear. I hope it captures the self-discovery and sustenance one encounters while exploring the outdoors and its vital importance in our lives. As Muir writes, "I only went out for a walk, and finally concluded to stay out ‘til sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in."
Program Text (cont.)
Another glorious day, the air as delicious to the lungs as nectar to the tongue.
The day was full of sparkling sunshine, and at the same time enlivened with one of the most bracing wind storms.
The mountain winds bless the forests with love. They touch every tree, not one is forgotten.
When the storm began to sound, I pushed out into the woods to enjoy it. I should climb one of the trees for a wider look.
The sounds of the storm were glorious with wild exuberance of light and motion. Bending and swirling backward and forward, round and round, in this wild sea of pines.
The storm-tones died away, and turning toward the east, I beheld the trees, hushed and tranquil. The setting sun filled them with amber light, and seemed to say, “Come to the woods, for here is rest.”
Earth Song
Text by Frank Ticheli
“Earth Song is one of only a few works that I have composed without a commission. Instead it sprang out of a personal need during a time when so many in this country, including myself, were growing disillusioned with the war in Iraq. I felt a strong impulse to create something that would express my own personal longing for peace. It was this longing which engendered the poem’s creation... in this case, I knew I had to write the poem myself, partly because it is not just a poem, but a prayer, a plea, a wish—a bid to find inner peace in a world that seems eternally bent on war and hatred. But also, the poem is a steadfast declaration of the power of music to heal. In the end, the speaker in the poem discovers that, through music, he is the embodiment of hope, peace, the song within the Song. Perhaps music has the power not only to nurture inner peace, but also to open hearts and ears in a world that desperately needs love and listening.” —Frank Ticheli
Sing, Be, Live, See…
This dark stormy hour, The wind, it stirs. The scorched earth cries out in vain:
O war and power, You blind and blur, The torn heart cries out in pain.
Mid-Winter Songs
Text by Robert Graves
But music and singing Have been my refuge, And music and singing Shall be my light.
A light of song
Shining Strong: Alleluia! Through darkness, pain, and strife, I’ll Sing, Be, Live, See… Peace.
The Mid-Winter Songs, setting poems by British poet Robert Graves, were commissioned by the University of Southern California to mark its Centennial in 1980. Those acquainted with Lauridsen’s rich choral textures and almost mystical style may find this earlier cycle both striking and unexpected when compared to his more recent compositions. In this relatively early piece, Lauridsen's style echoes that of Benjamin Britten, providing a captivating musical interpretation of Graves’ exquisite poetry.
Program Text (cont.)
The cycle is crafted in an arch form, embodying an internal structure that allows for both expressive lyricism and profound emotional depth, particularly evident in the opening movement, “Lament for Pasiphaë.” Following the intense emotion of this initial lament, the second movement, titled “Like Snow,” takes on a madrigal-like quality, evoking winter and referencing the poet Graves’ romantic muse, Laura Riding. The subsequent slow movement, “She Tells Her Love While Half Asleep,” which Lauridsen characterizes as imbued with ‘tenderness and warmth,’ serves as a tribute to the poet’s second wife, marking the emotional and structural high point of the piece. This is succeeded by another choral scherzo, “Mid-Winter Waking,” which features jazzy rhythms that reflect the poet’s renewed inspiration, likened to the first signs of spring melting the winter chill. The work concludes with “Intercession in Late October,” a soft prayer that poignantly expresses a reluctance to face the return of both cold weather and emotional distance. An extended piano passage revisits the thematic elements, yet, like many of Lauridsen’s compositions, the MidWinter Songs finish on a note that is both touching and unresolved.
I. Lament for Pasiphaë
Dying sun, shine warm a little longer!
My eye, dazzled with tears, shall dazzle yours, Conjuring you to shine and not to move. You, sun, and I all afternoon have laboured Beneath the dewless and oppressive cloud–a fleece now gilded with our common grief That this must be a night without a moon. Dying sun, shine warm a little longer!
Faithless she was not: she was very woman, Smiling with dire impartiality, Sovereign, with heart unmatched, adored by men, Until Spring’s cuckoo with bedraggled plumes Tempted her pity and her truth betrayed. Then she who shone for all resigned her being, And this must be a night without a moon. Dying sun, shine warm a little longer!
II. Like Snow
She, then, like snow in a dark night, Fell secretly. And the world waked With dazzling of the drowsy eye, So that some muttered ‘Too much light,’ And drew the curtains close. Like snow, warmer than fingers feared, And to soil friendly; Holding the histories of the night In yet unmelted tracks.
III. She Tells Her Love While Half Asleep
She tells her love while half asleep, In the dark hours, With half-words whispered low:
As Earth stirs in her winter sleep And puts out grass and flowers
Despite the snow, Despite the falling snow.
IV. Mid-Winter Waking
Stirring suddenly from long hibernation I knew myself once more a poet Guarded by timeless principalities Against the worm of death, this hillside haunting; And presently dared open both my eyes.
O gracious, lofty, shone against from under, Back-of-the-mind-far clouds like towers;
Program Text (cont.)
And you, sudden warm airs that blow Before the expected season of new blossom, While sheep still gnaw at roots and lambless go–
Be witness that on waking, this mid-winter, I found her hand in mine laid closely Who shall watch out the Spring with me. We stared in silence all around us But found no winter anywhere to see.
V. Intercession in Late October
How hard the year dies: no frost yet. On drifts of yellow sand Midas reclines, Fearless of moaning reed or sullen wave. Firm and fragrant still the brambleberries. On ivy-bloom butterflies wag.
Spare him a little longer, Crone, For his clean hands and love-submissive heart.
The Music of Stillness Text by Sara Teasdale
“The inspiration for The Music of Stillness originated from the poem ‘There Will Be Rest’ by Sara Teasdale, where she describes her journey from loneliness to hope through the hushed beauty of evening. One autumn night, when the weather first turned cold, I was enjoying the midwestern countryside and the entire sky was filled with stars. As the cold air hit my lungs, the expanse of the heavens took my breath away, and this is the music I heard. The music of a dream world under the stars where we can leave our troubles and find this momentary “crystal of peace” and rest. A place where beauty and calm exist, and all else fades away.” —Elaine Hagenberg
There will be rest, and sure stars shining Over the roof-tops crowned with snow, A reign of rest, serene forgetting, The music of stillness holy and low.
I will make this world of my devising Out of a dream in my lonely mind. I shall find the crystal of peace, –above me Stars I shall find.
Sign up for our mailing list:
Musicians
Bel Canto Chorus
Barbara Allbright
Noel Ash
Kelly Bartyczak
Carol Bayne
Chelsea Betz*
Kate Braatz
Susan Brown*
Abby Armstrong Check
Jason A. Clark*
Heather Comiskey
Elizabeth Conway
Peter Craig
Chelsey Daniels
Martha Felton Dobbs
Luella Dooley
Molly Farley
Thayer Fisher
Emily Fox
Karri L. Fritz-Klaus
Ellen Fulton
Ashlyn Galloway
Albrecht Gaub
Jaymes Gayhart*
Amanda Jo Gonzalez
Anthony Grant
Joe Hatchell
Mitch Haycock
Keith Heidmann
Dan Holzmiller
Kathleen Hughes*
Brent M. Johnston*
Ryan Kluba
Morgan Knigge
Emily Knutson*
Kyle Kolberg*
Erin Laabs*
James LaBelle*
Lindsay Lamm*
Michael LaPlant
Nichole Larson
Angela Lee
Judy Zoelzer Levine
Noah Lindenberg
Wendelin Lockett*
Marilyn Mascitti*
Colleen Miner
Winfield Mitchell
David Mohr*
Sharon Morrow
Jamie Murray
Katie Panciera
Alexandra Pieper
Joshua Pope*
Alison Rada-Bayne
Stephen Ragatz
Annalisa Ragatz
Debbie Rakestraw
Lisa Rao
Jessica Rauh
Kristin Raymond
Kerry Saver
John Schilling
Kate Schmitt
Patrick Schneider
Marcia Schwager
Brian J. Schwanz
Josh Sievert
Dean Sievert
Delbert Slowik
Binette Solomon
Erin Stamm
Philip Starr
Shannon Sweeney
Timothy Szczepaniak
Tom Thiele
Nina Weid
Mark W. Weller
Kayla Wendlake
Elaine K. Wessel
Hazel Wheaton
Rebecca Whitney*
Andrew Widder*
Natalie Wikstrom
Annie Williams
Josiah Winkel
Evan Witz
*Denotes Section Leader
Biographies
Jonathan Laabs, Artistic Director
Jonathan Laabs is thrilled to begin the next chapter of the Bel Canto Chorus musical journey as its new Artistic Director. He has been an active conductor, clinician, performer, and music educator throughout the Midwest and beyond. He most recently held the position of Professor of Music and Music Division Chairman at Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minnesota, where he conducted the College Chorale and Women’s Choir and taught courses in conducting, choral literature, and aural theory.
Since 2011, he has served as Artistic Director and conductor of Canticum Novum, a Midwestbased chorus with performances centered around an annual intensive week-long retreat. In August of 2024, he was a guest conductor at the opening Festival Concert of the WELS National Conference on Worship, Music, and the Arts held at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He has twice conducted the National High School Honors Choir at past conferences (2014, 2017). In 2018, he was one of 12 international conductors selected as a fellow at the Chorus America Conducting Academy in Fullerton, California, where he studied and conducted choral-orchestral works by Bernstein, Mendelssohn, and Mozart.
He holds a bachelor’s degree from Martin Luther College and a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Dr. Simone Gheller was born in Padua, Italy in I978. He received master’s degrees in Piano (1999), Organ Performance & Organ Composition (1999), Music Education (2003), and Choral Music & Choral Conducting (2004). He also received a doctorate in Organ Performance and Organ Composition, magna cum laude (2006). He studied at the University of Vienna, and he received two “Medaille d'Or en Superieur d'Interpretation” at the Conservatoire Superior des Music de Paris. Gheller also studied at Oberlin
Simone Gheller, Collaborative Pianist College, where he completed the Artist Diploma—a great distinction in music. Currently, he is Music Director and Organist at St. Jerome Church in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. He is also the accompanist of the Waukesha Choral Union and the Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy.
Gheller has an extensive international performing history spanning the last 35 years, with concerts in prestigious locations. He has garnered many awards, including first prizes at several national and international organ competitions. He has recorded four CDs: Fiori Musicali by Girolamo Frescobaldi, The Complete Choral Works with Organ by Alessandro Scarlatti for the Tactus label, the Orgelbüchlein by J.S. Bach, and music by Liszt and Reubke for the Onclassical Label.
Soprano Rebecca Whitney received her Bachelor of Music Degree in Vocal Performance and Vocal Music Education from the University of Wisconsin –Whitewater. She has performed as a soloist with numerous groups in Southeastern Wisconsin, singing Handel’s Messiah and Israel in Egypt, Haydn’s The Creation, Mozart’s Vesperae solennes de confessore, Coronation Mass, and Exultate, jubilate, Faure’s Requiem, Poulenc’s Gloria, and works by Bach, Vivaldi, Vaughan Williams, and John Rutter among others. In 2011, she was featured as the soprano soloist in
Mozart’s Requiem on the “United We Stand” concert—a Bel Canto event televised across Wisconsin commemorating the 10th anniversary of the events of September 11, 2001. A professional core member of Milwaukee’s Bel Canto Chorus since 2005, Whitney joined Bel Canto on its 2013 tour to France and 2015 tour to Ireland, appearing as the soprano soloist in Brahms’s Ein Deutches Requiem and Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass respectively. She also soloed on the Bel Canto 2024 tour to Sicily and Rome. As an experienced liturgical singer, she is also a professional member of the Basilica of St. Josaphat choir in Milwaukee and the High Holy Day Choir of Congregation Sinai in Fox Point. By day, Whitney is proud to serve as the Director of Education for the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. She lives in Milwaukee with her husband Steve and their three children.
Rebecca Whitney, Soprano
Biographies
Kai Simone, Managing Director of Bel Canto Chorus
Kai Simone, with a career marked by excellence, is an accomplished director, producer, musician, performer, radio personality, and educator. She is the recipient of the 2016 Milwaukee Black Excellence Award in Music and Theater. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theater Directing and Design from the University of Illinois-Chicago, and her diverse training includes music theory, composition, and voice. Simone’s broad talents have seen her producing memorable plays like A Raisin in the Sun and The Wiz, and creating unique musical experiences through her original Kwanzaa musical, Imani and the Magic Drum, which she
recreated and produced into a fully animated production.
In 2012, Simone co-founded the Skai Academy of the Performing Arts in Milwaukee alongside Emmanuel Turner. This institution has enriched thousands of students with dynamic workshops and performances, fostering young talent across diverse backgrounds. The Skai Stage Band, formed under their guidance, is celebrated for its vibrant fusion of styles, captivating audiences in Milwaukee and Madison.
Currently, as the Managing Director of the Bel Canto Chorus and through her Skai Music programs, Simone continues to influence the Milwaukee arts scene. She is actively involved in the Lullaby Project, a collaborative effort with Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute through its Milwaukee partner, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. She contributes to musical education through the Discover Music, Discover Life, Inc. curriculum, a program of the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic Orchestra. Additionally, she enhances the cultural landscape through partnerships with Milwaukee area community and educational entities including Milwaukee Public Schools, Milwaukee Arts Museum, and Boerner Botanical Gardens. Simone’s commitment extends to serving on local arts boards, further demonstrating her dedication to enriching the artistic community.
Danielle Bridges, Production Manager
Danielle Bridges received a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Music Education from the University of Central Arkansas and a Master of Arts in Choral Conducting and Pedagogy from the University of Iowa. During her studies, Bridges discovered a particular interest in developing creative, communal textual analysis and nonverbal communication methods for use during choral rehearsals. She is a proponent of music by women composers and founded the Iowa Women’s Music Collective to advocate for the research and performance of music by women. Bridges has presented her research at a wide range of conferences including the International Voice Foundation Symposium and the inaugural Theorizing African-American Music conference.
Bridges has taught choral music in contexts ranging from middle school to retirement community choirs and has served as a choral consultant for public and private schools. In addition to her work at Bel Canto Chorus, she is the Artistic Director of the Waukesha Choral Union and the Director of Music at Community United Methodist Church in Elm Grove, where she conducts the Chancel Choir, Clarion Bells, and Festival Choir.
Bel Canto Senior Singers FREE Fall Concerts
Bel Canto Senior Singers are open to choristers ages 55 and better of all abilities with a love of music. Their joy comes across in every note at their concerts!
BCSS Southwest Concert
Sunday, November 17, 2024 at 2:00 PM
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
12700 West Howard Avenue, New Berlin
BCSS Northeast Concert
Sunday, November 24, 2024 at 2:00 PM
Crossroads Presbyterian Church
6031 West Chapel Hill Road, Mequon
Learn more about BCSS:
About Bel Canto Chorus
Values and Mission Statement
We believe lifelong learning builds thriving communities. At Bel Canto Chorus, we build communities by connecting people through music. We offer world-class choral programs in the Milwaukee Area. Our mission is to connect singers, audiences, and the community through experiences with diverse choral music.
About
Founded in 1931, Bel Canto Chorus is Southeastern Wisconsin’s oldest continually performing arts organization. The group includes an auditioned adult performance chorus of approximately 100 singers and a Senior Singers program for those 55 or better who want to sing in an organized performance chorus. Characterized by a heartfelt belief in the value of Bel Canto Chorus's mission and vision, and supported by devoted singers and audiences, talented artistic and administrative staff, and dedicated Board members, the group's passion for sharing the thrill of live choral music has remained steadfast throughout its long, proud history.
Board of Directors
Officers
Theodore Perlick Molinari – President Thayer Fisher – Treasurer
Marcia Schwager – Secretary
Directors
Ellen Fulton, Nina Johnston, Michelle Klotz, Meredith Marine, Sarah Paul, Stephen Ragatz, Tom Thiele, Jacob Wolter
Artistic Staff
Artistic Director – Jonathan Laabs
Collaborative Pianist – Simone Gheller
Senior Singers Conductors – Rebecca Renee Winnie
Senior Singers Accompanists – Elna Hickson, Sunkyung Lee
Artistic Director Laureate – Richard Hynson
Assistant Conductor Laureate – Michelle Hynson
Administrative Staff
Chief Executive Officer – Theodore Perlick Molinari
Managing Director – Kai Simone
Production Manager – Danielle Bridges
Chorus Cabinet
CarolAnne Bozosi, Joe Hatchell, Mitch Haycock, Jim LaBelle, Angela Lee, Alex Pieper, Annalisa Ragatz, Stephen Ragatz, Kristin Raymond, Kay Richardson, Kerry Saver, Philip Starr, Kayla Wendlake
Bel Canto Chorus Financial Supporters
Bel Canto Legacy Society
Members of the Bel Canto Legacy Society have agreed to include the Chorus as a part of their estate planning arrangements. You may join them by contacting the Bel Canto office at (414) 481-8801.
Margaret E. Haggerty
Louise L. Hedrick
Sally D. Hoyt & Vaughn Ausman
Michelle & Richard Hynson
Kerry Saver
Corporate and Foundation Support
$10,000+
United Performing Arts Fund
$5,000-$9,999
State of Wisconsin
Wisconsin Arts Board
$1,000-$4,999
Sarah Margaret Hegarty Foundation Inc. Zurn Foundation
William & Susan Smith
Joanna & Chris Smocke
James Steinman
Roseanne & David Tolan
Louis Winter
$100-$999
Vanguard Charitable
Marcus Hotels
Matching Gifts
Amazon Smile Network for Good
Bel Canto Chorus Individual Supporters
Standing Ovation (10,000+)
Anonymous
Sally D. Hoyt & Vaughn Ausman
Bravissimo ($5,000-$9,999)
Peter J. Storer
Helen & Robert Vettori
Bravo ($1,000-$4,999)
Janet Gibeau
Ed & Linda Mordy
Jeff & Marcia Schwager
Richard Wagner
Mark Weller
Fortissimo ($500-$999)
Randy Casey
Thayer Fisher & Hayley German Fisher
Joan & Dave Henkel
Gregg & Sheila Jozwik
Alex & Rick Pieper
Agustin Ramirez Jr.
Michael & Mary Burke Ryan
Julie Tolan & Mark Wiesman
Elaine & Robert Wessel
Rebecca Winnie
Forte ($250-$499)
Bob Balderson
Jan & Bob Becker
Susan J. Brown
Brent & Nina Johnston
Katie Kaminsky & Jeff Niehus
Emily & Kyle Knutson
Kathleen Muldowney & Jeff Kalenak
Raka & Lisa Rao
Kerry Saver
Martin & Janet Tierney
Elizabeth Wessel
Mezzo Forte ($100-$249)
Anonymous [2]
Moki & Cindy Amini
Janine Arseneau
Tom & Carole Barnum
Valerie Burbey-Lutzen
Susan Cattey
Sandra Christensen
Robert & Elizabeth Conway
Dixie Deines
John & Terri Devine
Don & Martha Dobbs
Margaret Douglas
Mary Alice Dunn
Martin Emerson
Stanley & Janet Fox
Alex Freund
Ellen Fulton & James Hegarty
Carl Granberg
Anthony Grant
Eileen Griffiths
Joe & Lisa Hatchell
Louise L. Hedrick
Randy Hoffman
Tom & Katie Hofman
Patrick Horne
Katherine Hughes & David McDowell
Kathleen & Tyrrell Hughes
Richard & Michelle Hynson
Ellen Osburn Johnson
Jerome Kerkman
Jerome Kerkman
Jack Koehler
Myriam Konieczka
Mary Ann & Charles LaBahn
Kathy Lake
Gordon Lang & Julie Ziefle
Dale & Barbara Lenz
Wayne Lueders
Todd & Sarah Lundquist
Lois Malawsky
Meike Mansfield
Sibyl McCarley & Brian Frailing
Theodore & Kelsey Perlick Molinari
Katherine & Oliver Moss
David Nelson & Lynne Shaner
Melissa Newhall & George Yu
Dan Nordloh
Kristine O'Meara
Sarah Paul
Doug & Judy Ross
Brett Seamons
James & Mary Stout
Theresa Sundberg
Kathryn Walters
Charlie & Denise White
John Wiesman
Heidi & Craig Witz
Bob Wrenn & Margaret Hickey
Friend (to $99)
Anonymous [3]
Barbara Allbright
Monica & Dan Allen
Teresa Allison
Marcia Anderson
Gary Aubry
Jennifer Banachowicz
Donna Bartolone
Deborah Berg
Durim Berisha
John & Judy Bintliff
Gail Bosworth
Kimarie Boucher
Susan & Bruce Boyd
CarolAnne Bozosi
Tom Brucker
Peter Burrows
Mary Bykowski
Eddie Carrasquillo
Jim Carroll
Jerald Cayo
Leigh Barker Cheesebro
Robert Christie
Laura Cmeyla
Daniel Cochrane
Jen Czajka
Mary Dahl
Diane Davis
Tricia & Bill Drimel
Michael Drimel
Catherine Dummer
Lisa Dunford
Regina Dunst
Holly Edgell
Merzy Eisenberg
Constance Ferentz
Robert Ferguson
Gloria Frigerio
Reanna Grabow
Lisa Green
Emily Gronseth
Bel Canto Chorus Individual Supporters
Sarah Gruetzmacher
Erica Gumieny
Mike Haas
Rachel & Dennis Hafemann
Rebecca Hammer
Darlene Hancock
Thomas Hanson
Peter Havens
Lloyd & Elna Hickson
Stephanie Howe
Dennis Jacobsen
Kim Johnson
Omar Kebir
Vicki Keogh
Andrew Klapperich & Debra Dunco-Klapperich
Ryan Kramer
John & Loretta Krenitsky
Jonathan & Erin Laabs
Paul LaBelle
Cynthia Lange
Peggy Langenfeld
Gregg Langenfeld
Robert Lawrence
Sheila Leander
Peter Leschke
Donald Liebel
Mack Lindsey
Marjut Lohtari-Kuklin
Barbara Lyons
Mary Jo MacGregor
Sue Martin-Steiner & Tony Steiner
Susan McAllister
Tom McGovern
Amy McGowan
Mary Pat McGurk
Rachel McKinley
Kathy McKinney
Pat & Ray Mehler
Rita Menet
Patrick Metzker
John Michel
John Mooney
Jeff & Mary Mrochinski
Samuel Naegele
Joan Namm
Pat Nnadi
Karen Owens
Simon Painter
James Pankratz
Lori Ann Pannier
Chris Paulsen
Kate Petrosky
Marjorie Piechowski
Bill & Mary Powell
Paul M. Pruessing
Jill Radcliff
Tracy Rath
Melanie Raymond
Diane Reynolds
Caroline Robertson
Laure Ropson
Jill Griffee Ross
Megan & Sam Sarver
Mary Schiro
Frank & Nancy Schultz
Sarah & Joe Schwab
Judith Schwerm
Alexandra Sielaff
Dean & Amy Sievert
Bob & Esther Simonson
Michelle Smith
Mark Spiess
Philip Starr
Sheila Strock
Cynthia Stuckey
Lora & Gregg Sunder
Eileen Swierczek
Veronica Thomas
Pamela Thurston
Ellen Tripler
Dawn Vallee
Barbara Wallner
Christine Warsaw
Susan Wells
Lee Weyers
Mary Beth Whalen
Lisa White
Jeffrey Williams
Melissa Winnie
Mike Wipper
Pamela Wronski
Joan Yuen
Nina Zealy
Marilyn & Doug Zwissler
If you identify any errors, please notify us at info@belcanto.org or (414) 481-8801.
The generosity of the foundations, corporate donors, and individual contributors listed above makes our music possible. If you are in a position to introduce us to a potential new corporate sponsor, please email Kai Simone at ksimone@belcanto.org. If you would like to make an individual, tax-deductible contribution to Bel Canto Chorus, please visit www.belcanto.org/donate.html. Every dollar makes a difference. We thank you warmly.
Christmas at the Basilica of St. Josaphat
December 13 | 7:30 PM December 13 | 7:30 PM
December 14 | 12:00 PM December 14 | 12:00 PM
December 14 | 7:30 PM December 14 | 7:30 PM
December 15 | 4:00 PM December 15 | 4:00 PM
Tickets: Tickets:
