TheArvadaWestHighSchoolChoir presents
ASCENSION
October1st 7:00PM
Wearesopleasedtowelcomeyouofficiallytoour2024-2025concert season!Ithasbeensuchapleasuretogettoknowthesestudentsover thepastmonth-and-a-half,andwehavebeenabsolutelyblownaway bytheirpassionanddedicationtomusicalartistry.Thisevening,weare takinganauditoryjourneytotheskywithmusicinspiredbytheair, theheavens,hope,andtheever-enduringhumanspirit.
Thisperformancewillberecorded.Wedoaskforyourhelpin ensuringthataudiencenoiseisnotpickedupbythemicrophones whilethemusiciansareperforming.Thankyouagainforbeinghere andsupportingusinthisendeavor!
Tshotsholoza
Good Timber
The Goslings
Flight
Dôme Épais
I’m On My Way
In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree
LukeFoster,tenor
arr.JefferyL.Ames
SusanLaBarr
arr.RosalindHall
arr.RyanMurphy
PaigeRodgers,violin
IrelynBever,violin
PennyAppl,viola
ZachBye,cello
IsisSteinmetz,bass
arr.FranciscoJ.Núñez
arr.AnthonyTrecek-King
MorrisRector
What Now
Sir Duke
arr.ShamsAhmed
arr.PaulLangford
Tshotsholoza
TshotsholozaisatraditionalfreedomsongofSouthAfrica.ThetextusedinthisarrangementisamixtureoftheZuluandNdebeledialects.Thetext andtranslationmaybefoundbelow.
Tshotsholoza
Hekulezontaba
Dôme Épais
Shosholoza
Youaremovingfastonthosemountains StimelasiphumeSouthAfrika
Wen’uyabaleka
Hekulezontaba
ThetrainiscomingoutofSouthAfrica
Youarerunningaway
Youaremovingfastonthosemountains StimelasiphumeSouthAfrica
ThetrainiscomingoutofSouthAfrica
LéoDelibes(1836-1891)wasknownasacomposerofballet,choral,piano,organandchambermusic.LAKMÉishisoperaticmasterpiece,which hecompletedshortlybeforehisdeath.LAKMÉ,anoperainthreeacts,issetinIndiaduringthemid19thcentury.Thisduet“DômeÉpais”comesfrom Act1.ThesettingisasacredgardensurroundingaruinedHindutemple.LakmésummonsherservantMallikatoaccompanyherinaboatonthelittle rivernearbywhileherfather,Nilakantha,visitsthetown.LakméandMallikaplantopluckabluelotustogainthegod’sprotection.Lakméleavesher jewelryonaseatbeforesheandMallikafloatawaybeneaththeshadydomesingingthisgentleduet.Thetextandtranslationmaybefoundbelow.
Sousledômeépaisoùleblancjasminàlaroses’assemble, Underneaththedensedomewherethewhitejasminereuniteswiththeroses. Surlariveenfleurs,fraismatin,(riantaumatin) Thefloweringbank,laughing,inthefreshmorning, Nousappelentensemble.(Viens,descendonsensemble.) Callsustogether.(Come,let’sgodowntogether.)
Ah!Glissonsensuivantlecourantfuyantdansl’ondefrémissante Ah!Letusglidewiththeever-flowingcurrentintheshimmeringwaves Doucementglissonsdesonflotcharmantsuivonslecourantfuyant:). (Carefullyweglidefollowingthelovelyflowoftherushingwaters) D’unemainnonchalante,gagnonslebord,oùl’oiseauchante, Beforeweknowit,we’llbeatthespotwherethebirdsaresinging, (Oùlasourcedort)(Viens,gagnonslebord)
(Wherethesourceofthestreamsleeps.)(Come,let’sgettotheshore.)
Ad Astra
“Adastraperaspera”istheStateMottoofKansas,whichisthehomesstateofthecomposerJacobNarverud.Thispiecewasoriginally commissionedforthe2020KansasAll-StateChoir.TheLatintexttranslatesto“Throughhardshipstothestars.”Itisavisionofhopeinthemidstof suffering.Thetextandtranslationmaybefoundbelow.
Adastraadperaspera
Throughhardshipstothestars Movere,deinceps,sinecura,postomnes. Moveforward,carefree,afterall
Jubilate Deo
PeterAnglea’s“JubilateDeo”isderivedfromPsalm100:1,2,and5.Thepieceisanexaltationofjoywithmelodiesthattakeflightandan undercurrentofexcitementwovenintotheharmonies.Thetextandtranslationmaybefoundbelow.
JubilateDeo,omnisterra
Makeajoyfulnoise,alltheEarth serviteDominoinlaetitia. ServetheLordwithgladness
Introiteinconspectuejus
Comebeforehispresence inexultatione
QuoniamsuavisestDominus:
Withsinging
FortheLordisgood; inaeternummisericoridaejus, Hismercyiseverlasting; etusqueingenerationem Andhistruthendureth etgenerationemveritasejus. Toallgenerations
Kaitlyn Adams
Peytynn Adams
Reese Ames
Patience Ayers
AnaLyn Casper
Jessica Cassano
Emery Chapla
Molly Dugan
Kenzie Dwyer
Sofie Frappier
Kaia Guttenberg
Kaiya Harris
Grace Hoyt
TREBLE CHORUS
Verona Jarschke
Ash Keith
Sonia McCabe
Dae McWhirter
Dani Milligan Ellenburg
Charlotte Nations
Cora Nichols
Wako Okutake
Naomi Orenstein
Kadin Patterson
Kendall Reffel
Carolina Reynolds
Jill Rodocker
FREE AGENTS
Luke Hamilton
Vinny Hooper
J J Jones
Mark Kondratishin
Michael Kondratishin
Chak Ting Li
Penny Appl
Evelyn Donaldson
Taylor Foster
Issa Malu
Mannan Martin
Alonzo Medina
Oliver Nations
Cutter Nunley
Matthew Petersen
CAMERATA
Paige Rodgers
Ahna Smith
MANTASTIC 4
Isaac Carroll
Jordan Fair
Charles Geisz
Braiden Portie
Luna Rotunno
Eli Rueda
Lily Ruiz
Kailee Schissler
Addison Sharkey
Tegan Slaga Kumpunen
Alex Smith
Allison Swindle
Ellie Wallace
Jalyn Wells
Elizabeth Willis
Sydney Witte
Jamiah Reid
Tymofii Salomatin
August Stevens
Jude Wilson
Nora Wallace
Julia Wilson
CONCERT CHOIR
Brandon Bittick
Izaiah Brees
Charlie Durant
Luke Foster
Zoe Harms
Liz Aguilar Perez
Phi AhSing
Marley Allen
Nancy Branstiter
Nelly Branstiter
Maggie Cota
Michelle Davila Rojas
Maya Doust
Sasha Duran
Kaelyn Eastman
Brody Anderson
Penny Appl
Sophie Call
Jacob Carpenter
Isaac Carroll
Roen Casari
Elora Chism
Erick Cochenour
Mia Dark
Evelyn Donaldson
Jordan Fair
Caleb Fleming
Luke Foster
Taylor Foster
Charles Geisz
Hannah Gilpatric
Ryn Haynes
Reagan Hoskinson
Orania Morgan
Ben Rankin
Hannah Rumley
COMPANY WEST
Alyson Erekson
Aspen Garcia
Rylee Kardoes
Maryana Kondratishin
Kira Lacey
Alyssa LaMaster
Emily Lien
Elle Molinaro
Shekinah Padron
Emma Richter
VOCAL SHOWCASE
Hannah Hinkle
Rylee Kardoes
Owen Kingham
Kira Lacey
Cha Lawrence
Lily Lemmon
Maci Lesh
Ella Lockhart
Lydia Mauger
Elizabeth McDonald
Lee Metzinger
Logan Millard
James Morrow
Aaron Nyquist
Lillian Nyquist
Rosie O’Dorisio
Kaydence Schissler
Summer Stamps
Isabella Streeter
Sakara Two Eagles
Paige Rodgers
Azariah Rohrs
Kate Sanders Kiana Smith
Allison Wennen
Julia Wilson
Ally Wohlcke
Quinn Zimmer
Shekinah Padron
Anjalie Pasrich
Zoe Piatt
Braiden Portie
Lena Redford
Lily Rosset
Elora Rowland
Alli Sault
Ahna Smith
Julia Stamps
Jackson Stevens
Onyx Svoboda
Sylvia Van Stelten
Nora Wallace
Lincoln Wicke
Brody Anderson
Penny Appl
Isaac Carroll
Elora Chism
VOCAL CHORDS
Jordan Fair
Taylor Foster
Joe McMaster
Ashley Meyers
A W E S T H O I R
Rosie O’Dorisio
Braiden Portie
Ahna Smith
Onyx Svoboda
“Allweare,wehavefoundinsong:youhavedrawnthissongfromus.Songs oflivesunfoldingflyoverheard,cryoverhead:longing,risingfromthesong within.”
-EuanTait
When you make a donation to the Arvada West High School Choir, you become part of a larger group of active supporters in the Arvada arts community! Your contribution ensures the best educational experience for our student-singers through new music, professional collaborations, voice lessons, camp scholarships, leadership training, and group travel.
Music Changes Lives.
Beyond learning notes and rhythms, our singers are developing skills and essential characteristics for a successful future. The choir classroom provides a safe space for students to express themselves, take risks, and collaborate with others. We inspire confidence, build effective communication, promote analytical reasoning and problem-solving in addition to learning vocal technique and theory. With your help, we can continue to create art for the Arvada community and you will be instrumental in bringing our song to life!
Scan here to find more information about becoming a AWest Choir Sponsor!
Taylor Rodgers, a native of Oklahoma, is the Director of Choral Activities at Arvada West High School in the Jeffco School District He currently teaches six curricular ensemble classes, including Free Agents, Treble Chorus, Concert Choir, the Varsity Tenor/Bass Choir, Company West, and Vocal Showcase Under his direction, the Arvada West High School choirs have been selected to perform at the Southwest American Choral Directors Association Conference (2024) with Ola Gjeilo and Cadogan Hall in London with Voces8 (2024) Company West has recently been selected to perform for the Colorado Music Educators Association Conference in Colorado Springs (2025)
In addition to his work at the school level, Taylor has been involved in the Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA), serving as the District IV Choral Chair He was also selected to lead as the choral chair for DeKalb County He has spent seven summers working as a Choral Liaison for the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute This year, he will start his four-year service as a Metro Governor on the Colorado All-State Choir Board
Taylor holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Central Oklahoma He is a member of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), the National Association for Music Educators (NAfME), and the Colorado Music Educators Association (CMEA). He is certified by the AP CollegeBoard to teach AP Music Theory, and he regularly collaborates as a pianist
Jesse Vanlandingham is the Director of Orchestras and Assistant Director of Choirs at Arvada West High School Mr Vanlandingham's ensembles include all three levels of orchestra, Concert Choir, and Arvada West's acapella group, Vocal Chords
T H O M A S B E L L E W
Jesse is a native of Arvada, and attended elementary, middle and high school all in Jeffco Public Schools. He later earned his Bachelor of Music Education from Metropolitan State University of Denver. During his time at MSU Denver, Jesse primarily studied voice, studied violin as a secondary instrument, and also earned a Spanish minor. Before joining the team at Arvada West, Mr. Vanlandingham taught choir and orchestra at Oberon Middle School. As a singer and violinist, Jesse regularly performs with community and professional ensembles in the Denver area, including Elus Vocal Ensemble, St. Martin's Chamber Choir, the Colorado Symphony Chorus, and local churches. As a conductor, he had the honor of directing a select group of Arvada West string players in a concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City
Jesse is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), the American String Teachers Association (ASTA), National Association for Music Educators (NAfME), and Colorado Music Educators Association (CMEA)
T
R E E C E C L A S S E N
Reece Classen is a pianist, musician and educator residing in Golden Graduating from MSU Denver in 2020 with BA’s in Piano Performance and Music Composition, he is always looking for unique and fresh ways to share his love for music with others Since his time at MSU, he has recorded and performed with various groups in the area as well as honing his skills as a producer to share his own music in a new way He also teaches private music and piano lessons with a focus on helping students learn music that interests them In the rare occasion that Reece isn’t making music, you’ll likely find him on top of a 14er or spending time with family in the mountains.
Wewouldliketoextendoursincerestthankstoourour incredibleadministrationfortheirunwaveringsupport, toeachyourfamilies,ouralumni,andtoour ElementaryandMiddleSchoolFeederprograms.Music isaliveandwellatArvadaWest,andthiswouldnotbe possiblewithoutyourjointefforts.