New York’s Own Women’s Choir
Deborah McManus, Founder
Julie Galdieri, President
Elizabeth Núñez, Founding Artistic Director
Taisiya Pushkar, Piano
present
Friday, May 29 at 7:30 pm
92nd Street Y, Kaufmann Concert Hall New York City
SoHarmoniums Women’s Choir was founded in 2006 by Deborah McManus and Artistic Director Elizabeth Nunez. From the beginning, the ensemble was conceived as a multi-generational Community where members bonded over the challenges and joys of making beautiful music together.
Through the years, we grew from six singers into an ensemble of some eighty women, ranging in age from their twenties to mid-eighties. The repertoire also expanded to include a wide range of musical traditions — classical, folk and contemporary works sung in almost thirty different languages — reflecting our continuing quest to celebrate and honor diverse cultures and musical styles.
Our early concerts were held in Manhattan’s Church of the Holy Trinity before we moved on to such prominent venues as Merkin Concert Hall, Gerald Lynch Theater, Symphony Space, Alice Tully Hall and Carnegie Hall (two performances!). Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall even dubbed us “New York City’s Very Own Women’s Choir.”
Community has remained central to our identity. Beyond weekly rehearsals, members have participated in such social and creative activities as informal singing suppers, a ukulele ensemble, tap dancing classes, bookclubs and biannual retreats, all of which helped build and sustain strong connections within our Choir. Even a pandemic could not stop us! In 2020, Zoom rehearsals culminated in fully-realized music videos to create virtual concerts that were both beautiful and artistically fulfilling for audiences and singers alike.
Tonight, we acknowledge members, including several past singers, who have been with the Choir for ten and twenty years. We are also delighted to welcome past members to the stage this evening to sing once more with us as we celebrate our twentieth birthday. Thank you for joining our party.
This is our Mission. We hope to do just that for you tonight.
Deborah McManus, Founder
Julie Galdieri President
Elizabeth Núñez, Founding Artistic Director
Taisiya Pushkar, Collaborative Pianist
Adam Wolfe, Percussion Katie Curran, Clarinet
Nicole Martin, Clarinet Laura Metcalf, Cello
Vanessa Adler
Sarah Allmon
Claire Bai
Dani Bennett
Melissa Birnbaum
Lindsay Bogaty*
Yulia BorodyanskayaGutkovich
Sophia Brooks
Deborah Cabaniss*
YunJoung Chang
Juli Cooper
Maya Dalack e ^
Charlotte Davidson**
Katy Dobbs
Chelsea Duke
Frances Eberhart**
Dea Elezaje
Blair Erich
Julie Galdieri^*
Louise Gallagher
Edilia Gerrity
Deanna Greenwood^*
Rachel Gutman-Wei
Nicole Honrado
Sarah Jensen
Deborah Johnson
Olivia Katzenstein
Ali Kaufman*
Ellen Korbonski
Susie Lang
Beth Lawrence
Bo Young Lee^
Felicia Lipson^*
Susan Mansell*
Raleigh Mayer^*
Ann McDermott*
Deborah McManus^**
Noemi Messing*
Emily Ozer^
Katy Pederson
Elizabeth Pendergrass
Abby Rapoporte
Julie Rapaport
Allison Redfern
Nathalie Risse
Dunia Rkein^
Sharik Rodriguez
Rebecca Rosenberg
Deborah Roth*
Alexa Schwartz
Elizabeth D’Annunzio Shah
Shravanti Shankar
Susan Souder**
Monica Soyemi^
Ayesha Sundaram
Dena Tasse-Winter*
Aimee Telsey
Theodora Tomuta
Anne Torselius*
Barbara Truszkowski*
Janet West
Lucy Westcott
Alexis Wilcocke
Anna Wolf
Shanelle Woods
Ariane Wunder
Diane Zagore
^ member of SoHarmoniums Board of Directors e section leader
*10 year+ honoree **20 year honoree
Additional 10 year+ Honorees
Renata Coco, Diane Fairbank, Sophia Miller, and Michelle Mestman, Founding Pianist
Additional 20 year award to Elizabeth Núñez
Vivos Voco
Gott ist Mein Hirt
Joan Szymko
Franz Schubert
Garland Mark Adamo
Elements
I. Earth
II. Air
III. Fire
IV. Water
Véñiki (Brooms)
Katerina Gimon
Russian Folk Song
arr. Feodosky Rubtsov and Veronica Sichivitsa
No Time Traditional Camp Meeting Song arr. Susan Brumfield
My Soul’s Been Anchored
Traditional Spiritual in the Lord arr. Moses Hogan adapted Rollo Dilworth
No One Is Alone
Stephen Sondheim from Into the Woods arr. Mark Brymer
S’Wonderful
George and Ira Gershwin arr. Dick Thompson
SOHARMONIUMS 20TH ANNIVERSARY PAST SINGERS CHOIR
Still I Rise Rosephanye Powell
You’ve Got A Friend
Carole King arr. Mac Huff
Vivos Voco
Joan Szymko
“Vivos Voco” mimics the sound of the bells, warding off evil, crying for the dying and consoling the living with a belief in a loving God. The lyrics are derived from medieval virtutes and the writings of Julian of Norwich, a 14th century English woman who is renowned and venerated as a Christian mystic. Julian of Norwich believed God was merciful, all loving, and without wrath, and that humans sinned because they were ignorant or naïve, not because they were evil. Julian claimed the phrase “all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well” was said to her by God himself. The optimism and joy in the phrase reflected her compassionate and forgiving theology. It is one of the most famous lines in Catholic theological writing and was one of the best-known phrases of the literature of her era. Joan Szymko is widely regarded as an outstanding composer of choral music in America today. With a catalog of over 100 choral works in print, her music is sung regularly at choral festivals and competitions across North America and abroad and has been heard on stage or in sessions at every National Conference of the American Choral Director’s Association since 2003.
Gott ist Mein Hirt
Franz Schubert
“Gott ist mein Hirt” is a rich and contemplative piece written to the setting of Psalm 23, “The Lord is my Shepherd.” Composed by Franz Schubert in 1820, “Gott Ist Mein Hirt,” has become a staple for women’s choirs throughout the world. Although Schubert wrote it at the request of his friend, Anna Frolich, for one of her voice students, this piece transcended its original purpose and has become a piece of musical religious art. The Soharmoniums are singing this piece as it was originally written — in four parts for two soprano and two alto lines.
Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to rest in green pastures; he leadeth me beside still waters; he giveth peace unto my soul. He leadeth me in paths of goodness for his name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. Thy rod and staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest a table for me in the presence of mine enemies; my head with oil thou anointest; my cup runneth over.
Yea, surely peace and mercy all my life shall follow me, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for evermore.
Garland Mark Adamo
“Poems about a kind of double abandonment. The first abandonment is the one you feel when a loved one leaves. The second is when you look at the things people say will console you—God, church, heaven—and realize they don’t console you much: not really, not at all. So I imagined “Garland” as what might go through your mind at a funeral of someone you loved…The first poem, “Is Heaven a physician,” in a polite, pointed way, notes the difference between how people describe God and death and how it feels to the ones left behind. The second poem–”Crumbling is not an instant’s act”–is crazier. It tries to describe what happens when you’re seeing something so awful – someone dying, little by little – that your feelings switch off. You observe everything in minute detail, because it’s easier to describe it as if from a great distance than as if it were happening to you, or to someone you love. The third poem – guilty, regretful – says goodbye for the last time. The piano takes over the music of the third poem, and brings it to a very high pitch of grief. The fourth poem, “The life we have is very great,” answers the first poem. It says that stories of heaven and infinity are all very well, but that you don’t need those stories to love someone, or miss him, or to heal from the pain of losing her and going on.” – Mark Adamo.
Four Poems by Emily Dickinson
I.
Is Heaven a physician?
They say that He can heal; But posthumous medicine Is unavailable.
Is Heaven an exchequeur?
They speak of what we owe: But that negotiation I’m not a party to.
II.
Crumbling is not an instant’s act, A fundamental pause; Dilapidation’s processes Are organized decays.
‘T’is first a cobweb on the soul, A cuticle of dust; A borer in the axis
An elemental rust.
Ruin is formal, devil’s work
Consecutive and slow; Fall in an instant no man did. Slipping is crash’s law.
Elements
Katerina Gimon
III.
We cover thee, sweet face Not that we tire of thee, But that thyself fatigue of us; Remember, as thou flee We follow thee until Thou notice us no more; And then, reluctant, turn away To con thee o’er and o’er, And blame the scanty love We were content to show, Augmented, sweet, a hundredfold If thou wouldst take it now.
IV.
The life we have is very great; The life we are to see Surpasses it because we know It is infinity.
But when all space has been beheld And all dominion shown; The smallest human heart’s extent Reduces it to none.
Elements is a set of choral works that abstractly depict the four classical elements and explores the wide range of capabilities of the human voice - from overtone singing, to vocal percussion, to colorful vocal timbres. “Elements” features no ‘text’ (at least not in the traditional sense), rather a series of syllables generated through improvisation meant to evoke the sound and energy of each element.
I. Earth is a beautiful, texturally-driven work interpreting the ground, dirt, rocks of planet Earth. It features harmonic overtone singing by a group of soloists.
II. Air traces the movement from calm breath to thick violent winds. Together singers gradually introduce new sounds and pitches, building an intricate texture with ever-shifting emphasis.
III. Fire is a fun, lively, and energetic work incorporating vocal percussion, body percussion, nasal singing, calls, and nonsense syllables.
IV. Water presents powerful soaring textures and lilting melodies that grow and decay like waves in the ocean.
Véñiki (Brooms)
Russian Folk Song arr. Feodosky Rubtsov and Veronica Sichivitsa
The text of this folk-song is a Russian tongue-twister, the text of which is essentially meaningless. For the curious, here is a literal word for word translation: “Brooms, brooms, yes brooms – sweepers yes on the hearth laid about, yes from the hearth were torn off. Godfather Gabriel, godfather Gabriel, I to Gabriel was saying.” Feodosiy Rubtsov (1904–1986) was a Russian folklorist, ethnomusicologist, and composer who taught at the Leningrad Conservatory starting in 1948. He is best known for this work. Dr. Veronica O. Sichivitsa is a well known educator as well as arranger. She is an active composer for Musica Russica, specializing in Russian and Ukrainian folk music arrangements for choirs. Dr. Sichivitsa has published her work in several research journals, including the Journal of Research in Music Education, Contributions to Music Education, and Journal of Integrative Psychology.
Traditional Camp Meeting Song arr. Susan Brumfield
“No Time” is a traditional 19th-century American camp meeting song that centers on themes of urgency, spiritual homecoming, and looking forward to the end of time. It combines themes of saying goodbye to loved ones while urgently preparing for heaven, featuring lyrics like “no time to tarry here” and “I’m on my journey home.” Dr. Susan Brumfield is the founder and Artistic Director of The West Texas Children’s Chorus. She holds a Ph.D. in Music Education from the University of Oklahoma. Dr. Brumfield is known for her work as a teacher, author, composer and conductor.
Soul’s
Traditional Spiritual arr. Moses Hogan, adapted for treble voices Rollo Dilworth
“My Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord” is a powerful piece that utilizes the church-like call and response form, highlighting the role that others play in our individual experiences of faith.
Moses Hogan is known for his arranging of African-American spirituals, publishing more than 70 works during his lifetime. Also the editor of the new Oxford Book of Spirituals, Hogan was a master of reinvigorating classic and familiar tunes with newness and freshness. His version of “My Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord” was first performed in 1998.
Stephen Sondheim from Into the Woods arr. Mark Brymer
“No One Is Alone” is a song by Stephen Sondheim from the musical Into the Woods, performed toward the end of Act II as the piece’s penultimate number. During the show’s tryouts at the Old Globe theatre, this song was absent. The LA Times recounts: “At that point, there was simply a spot in the ‘Woods’ script that said ‘quartet for Cinderella, Red Riding Hood, Baker and Jack.’ During intermission at a Wednesday evening performance, Sondheim showed up with ‘No One Is Alone.’ He played it for the cast after the show that night, and it was part of the score by Friday. The song serves a dual purpose to demonstrate that even when life throws its greatest challenges, you do not have to face them alone and there are still people who love you, and secondly that each of your actions are not made in a bubble and that you are not guaranteed to be the protagonist of your own story.
In 1994, lyrics from the song were emblazoned on a signed charity t-shirt for the Minnesota AIDS Project. Rob Marshall recounted a story where he heard President Barack Obama quote the song during a speech at the 10th anniversary of 9/11, which inspired him to direct the film version of the stage musical.
George and Ira Gershwin arr. Dick Thompson
George Gershwin, who began working in Tin Pan Alley when he was a teen-ager, collaborated with his brother Ira (1896-1983) on more than a dozen Broadway musicals, starting with Lady Be Good (1924). ‘SWonderful made its debut in the 1927 Broadway musical Funny Face,with Fred and Adele Astaire; it was sung by Gene Kelly in the 1951 movie An American in Paris, and by Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire in the movie Funny Face (whose plot was unrelated to the musical’s), in 1957. It has been recorded numerous times both as a vocal—by the likes of Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Rod Stewart, Diana Krall, and Brian Wilson—and as an instrumental by, among others, Ray Conniff and Lionel Hampton with Oscar Peterson.
This original song by Rosephanye Powell was inspired by the poem of the same name by poet laureate Maya Angelou. Dynamic, thoughtful, entertaining and moving, “Still I Rise” weaves together story and song to provide a glimpse into women’s struggles and triumphs. It is a women’s anthem, saluting the strength of women to persevere through life’s difficulties. Though a woman’s life or past may be filled with tears and heartaches, with each day that she finds herself still living, she finds that she has grown stronger and risen a little higher because her circumstances have not overcome her. Thus, every new day can be one of hope and joy because regardless of the past, today, “still I rise.”
Carole King arr. Mac Huff
“You’ve Got a Friend” is a 1971 song and single by American singersongwriter Carole King. It was first recorded by King and included on her second studio album, Tapestry (1971). King has said that “the song was as close to pure inspiration as I’ve ever experienced. The song wrote itself. It was written by something outside myself, through me.” The song’s themes include an expression of a universal, sisterly/brotherly, love of one human being for another, regardless of gender.” The song’s messages of friendship with no boundaries and unconditional support in times of need have long made the song popular and especially meaningful to lonely people needing a boost of self-confidence. “You’ve Got a Friend” won Song of the Year at the 14th Annual Grammy Awards in 1972 and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002.
Would you like to be a SoHarmonium?
For information about joining the SoHarmoniums, contact Barbara at manager@soharmoniums.com.
Sight-readers with good pitch are welcome in any voice part. Rehearsals are on Thursday evenings from 7:30 to 9:30, in Manhattan.
Elizabeth Núñez is the Creative Director of the award-winning Young People’s Chorus of New York City and the conductor, choral clinician, soloist, and founding artistic director of the SoHarmoniums Women’s Choir. At YPC, an organization renowned for its diversity and artistic excellence, she directs children ranging in age from 8 to 18 in rehearsals, performances, and tours in the U.S. and abroad. Each year nearly 2,000 children benefit musically, academically, and socially through their participation in YPC’s after-school and in-school programs.
Elizabeth has led YPC in debuts in both Lincoln Center’s Mostly Mozart and its White Light Festivals, and in international choral competitions, has led the singers to first-place wins at the Cantonigròs International Music Festival in Spain and the Choral Kathaumixw Festival in British Columbia, where, in addition, the choristers were recognized with the overall title of “Choir of the World.” Elizabeth has also prepared YPC for performances of Bernstein Mass at Mostly Mozart and for the world premiere performances of Julia Wolfe’s acclaimed multimedia work Fire in My Mouth with the New York Philharmonic, the live recording of which garnered two Grammy nominations. She can be seen with YPC in the four-part documentary series “Choir Games”, filmed in NYC, showcasing the journey to the 2024 International competition in New Zealand.
Taisiya Pushkar enjoys a vibrant career as a pianist, with extensive performances in Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Israel, Canada, and the United States as a soloist and in collaboration with many leading singers and instrumentalists. In 2019, Taisiya became the first full-time pianist for the award-winning Young People’s Chorus of New York City, joining them in rehearsals and performances in New York City and on tour, as well as managing pianists and instrumentalists for their numerous performances. Dr. Pushkar has been on the faculty of the Ethical Culture Fieldston School, the Lucy Moses School at Kaufman Center, and a teaching artist for the Distance Learning Center at the Manhattan School of Music. Taisiya holds a BM from Oberlin College, and an MM and DMA from the Manhattan School of Music.
Known as a musical and solid drummer, Adam Wolfe plays for the song, with fastidious attention given to time, tone and feel. Adam completed his bachelor’s degree at Cleveland State University and his master’s degree from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music. With classical training as a percussionist and timpanist, he now plays drum set and percussion for a variety of Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, singer/songwriters, cabaret acts, orchestras, freelance groups and more. Adam also maintains a drum recording studio in Midtown Manhattan at the famed “Music Building,” and is often found developing new works in NYC’s rehearsal studios, working with established and new writing teams whenever possible.
Since finishing her enlistment with the United States Coast Guard Band, clarinetist Katie Curran has been an active freelance and chamber musician in the New York and Atlanta areas. She has performed with esteemed ensembles such as the New York Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Katie has also performed on Broadway’s “Wicked,” “Camelot,” “Into the Woods,” “My Fair Lady” and “The King and I.” While maintaining a private studio of clarinet students, in 2019 Katie joined The New York Philharmonic Teaching Artist faculty where she shares and introduces the joy of music to elementary students throughout NYC.
Clarinetist Nicole Martin has enjoyed a diverse career as a soloist, orchestral player, and chamber musician. Nicole has performed as a substitute clarinetist with The Cleveland Orchestra, principal clarinet of the Firelands Symphony Orchestra, and was accepted as a fellow in the New World Symphony. In 2024, she was named winner of Yale’s Woolsey Hall Concerto Competition, resulting in a performance of Magnus Lindberg’s Clarinet Concerto conducted by Rune Bergmann. She was also named a Rising Star at ChamberFest Cleveland, where she performed Jörg Widmann’s Fantasie for solo clarinet. Nicole has premiered chamber works by Vijay Iyer and others, and managed a chamber music collective series focused on programming music by underrepresented composers.
Cellist Laura Metcalf, renowned worldwide as a soloist and chamber musician, has performed throughout the US and on six continents, and her recordings have reached #3 on the Billboard Classical Charts and surpassed 6 million streams on Spotify. She tours with her duo Boyd Meets Girl and string quartet The Overlook. Laura is also a curator and artistic director, having presented over 140 concerts in New York as the co-founder and co-artistic director of the groundbreaking Sunday morning concert series GatherNYC. Since 2025, Laura has held the position of Music Director of the Chamber Music Conference and Composers’ Forum of the East.
We lovingly honor those members of our community who are no longer with us. Their contributions, friendship, and spirit will be remembered with gratitude and respect.
Louise Ames
Pam Brown
Rachel Dowell
June Goldberg
Carol Marlantes
Alice Roseman
The SoHarmoniums Women’s Choir is a diverse community of singers aged 20 to 85. The ensemble, under its Founding Artistic Director Elizabeth Núñez, performs an eclectic repertoire of international works ranging from classical and folk to contemporary music. Founded in 2006 by Deborah McManus with just six singers, the choir has expanded to eighty members from varying professions, united by their common joy for choral performing and the weekly conviviality of the rehearsals.
We couldn’t do what we do without support from our community! We are deeply grateful to our wonderful steadfast supporters.
Donors as of May 13, 2026
20 for 20 Patrons ($1,000+)
Anonymous
Deborah and Thomas Cabaniss
Julie Galdieri and Brian Ragan
Felicia and Robert Lipson
Deborah McManus
Dunia Rkein
Susan Souder and Stephan Russo
Barbara Truszkowski and Jon Ottomanelli
20 for 20 Supporters ($1-$999)
Marshall Beil
Madeline Brine
Beth Brodsky
Jenny Burton
Shelton Cornell
Paula K. Eberhart
Olive Getlein
Deanna Greenwood
Emma Grettenberger
Jackie Gubow
Jennifer Johnson
Noemi Messing
Margaret Natiello
Elizabeth and Francisco Núñez
Linda O’Callahan
Lauren Peterson
Maxine Phillips
Taisiya Pushkar
Abby Rapoport
Robert Ragan
Nathalie Risse
Joan Rosenthal
Niral Shah
Jill Wellenbach
Janet West
Barbara Zeller
During our first 20 years, The SoHarmoniums have built an intergenerational community, bringing a wide-ranging repertoire to thousands of people in venues both intimate and grand. Join us as we continue to deepen our artistry and bring joy in music to all who hear us. Thank you for your support!
Visit soharmoniums.com/donate
We would like to thank our SoHarmoniums Sweethearts & Songbirds for generously sponsoring tonight’s concert
As of May 13, 2026
Ellen Auwarter
Joseph Bolduc
Thomas and Deborah Cabaniss
Linda Davies
George Davidson
Michael Dessent
Rik Fairlie
Mark Getlein
Catherine Hansen
Anne Hermann
John Hanc
Virginia Kasinki
Ellen Kier
Yukiko Konishi
Robert and Felicia Lipson
Jean Martin
Deborah McManus
Michele Mestman
Linda Novak
Linda O’Callahan
Renwick Paige
Susan Souder & Stephan Russo
Lilian Stern
Aimee Telsey
Barbara Truszkowski
Vlad Tomula
Elissa Singer Williams
To Michelle Britt, production manager
To John Kelly, lighting designer
To Don Giordano, program design
To Barbara Truszkowski, chorus manager
To Felicia Lipson, concert treasurer
To Vanessa Adler and Dunia Rkein for food coordination
To Deanna Greenwood, SoHo Notes and program editor
A very special thank you to Deborah McManus, Founder, and Julie Galdieri, President, for their inspired leadership.
With deep gratitude and love, we celebrate Elizabeth Núñez for her inspiring leadership, artistry, and dedication over the past 20 years and look forward to the next 20.
