THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY College of Music presents
Collegians
Kevin Fenton, Conductor Harold Wright, Assistant Conductor Judy Arthur, Piano
Levana
Annika Stucky, Conductor Ruth Springer, Assistant Conductor Elizabeth LaJeunesse, Piano
Tuesday, October 31, 2023 7:30 p.m. | Opperman Music Hall
PROGRAM Collegians “How Can I Keep from Singing” Terminus
Nancy Hill Cobb (b. 1951)
The Trumpet Sounds Within-a My Soul
Traditional African-American Spiritual arr. Ian David Coleman (b. 1968) Zachary Russell, trumpet
Santiano The River
Jonathan Arms and Michael Mesa, percussion
Carlos Guevara, guitar
How Can I Keep from Singing
Sea Shanty arr. Sean Barnette (b. 2003) Susan LaBarr (b. 1981) Robert Lowry (1826–1899) arr. Daniel Schreiner (b. 1990)
Grim Grinning Ghosts
Buddy Baker (1918–2002) INTERMISSION
To Ensure An Enjoyable Concert Experience For All… Please refrain from talking, entering, or exiting during performances. Food and drink are prohibited in all concert halls. Recording or broadcasting of the concert by any means, including the use of digital cameras, cell phones, or other devices is expressly forbidden. Please deactivate all portable electronic devices including watches, cell phones, pagers, hand-held gaming devices or other electronic equipment that may distract the audience or performers. Recording Notice: This performance may be recorded. Please note that members of the audience may at times be included in this process. By attending this performance you consent to have your image or likeness appear in any live or recorded video or other transmission or reproduction made in conjunction to the performance. Florida State University provides accommodations for persons with disabilities. Please notify the College of Music at (850) 644-3424 at least five working days prior to a musical event to request accommodation for disability or alternative program format.
Levana “Transcendence” I am Leaving
Itken pois
Soloist: Katie Vincent Ensemble: Amy Arredondo, Zoë Ashberg, Rocky Chrieki, Julie A. Cruz Theasamantha Figueras, Jillian Katz, Ally Kelso, Casey Kerr, Taylor Livingston Maggie Merrell, Charlotte Palmer, Jennifer Perez-Aguilar
Soloists: Amy Arredondo, Rocky Chrieki, Theasamantha Figueras Casey Kerr, Taylor Livingston, Kaelyn Siller, Hailey Swanson
Koowu (Strength)
Hayley Elmore, reader
Miriam Sonstenes
Anna-Mari Kähärä (b. 1963)
Maryam Khoury (b. 1983)
Broken
Dominick Diorio (b. 1984)
Song of Miriam
Elaine Hagenberg (b. 1979)
Kujichagulia
Mackenzie Selimi, percussion
I See the Heaven’s Glories Shine Faith Is the Bird
In Paradisum
Zenaida Stewart Robles
Andrea Ramsey (b. 1977)
Soloists: Jillian Katz, Zoë Ashberg
Elizabeth Alexander (b. 1962)
Nadia Boulanger (1887–1979) arr. Douglas E. Wagner (b. 1952)
NOTES ON THE PROGRAM Collegians The theme of the Collegians portion of this evening’s program is “How Can I Keep from Singing” and is based on the text of “The River,” which is the story about a person who grew up by a river and notices how the water shapes the flow and shape of the river. In a similar manner, events, and individuals in our lives shape who we are and who we become. As members of the Collegians, singing is obviously central to our journey. We close our portion of this evening’s concert with a barbershop arrangement of “Grim Grinning Ghost,” featuring our bass 2 section and celebrating all things haunted...with a Disney sensibility. Levana The Goddess Queen Mother of the West was the highest female deity of the Taoist religion during the T’ang dynasty (618-907AD). While men, women, and all people worshiped her, she was the patron deity for women. Having a distinct relationship with women, she was also the special guardian of singing girls, novices, nuns, adepts, and priestesses. These scholars and religious leaders were positions which stood outside the roles traditionally prescribed for women. The Taoist texts show that while the Queen Mother did not teach her disciples directly, she remained the ultimate source of knowledge and often passed her wisdom indirectly through messengers such as the blue bird. – Adapted from Suzanne Cahill. Our program, “Transcendence,” follows the journey of the woman in this T’ang dynasty era poem by Tai Shu-lun. The heroine makes the decision to leave the palace, forsaking the position into which society forced her, and instead seeks knowledge, empowerment, and transcendence. Our program tells the story of her decision to leave, the struggle along the journey, lessons brought to her on the wings of birds, and the discovery of inner strength. The program ends with the hope, faith, and light of a transcendent life beyond, whether that is beyond the boundaries of what others or even we ourselves believed possible, or beyond the boundaries of this physical world to life eternal. Wind whispering and whistling through her white hair, she exits the palace gates. Feathered clothes and starry crown-her intentions toward the Way remain fixed in her mind. By the nine tiers of the Empyrean Han, she parts from the phoenix watchtowers; In the cloudy mountains, where will she go in search of the peachtree spring? Under the drunken moon by the Turquoise Pond, she’s wearied by dreams of transcendence. Her jade carriage riding upon the spring, she declines the thearch’s mercy. Turning back her head, she blows the syrinx to her companions above the heavens; At the Supreme Yang Palace, when flowers fall, with whom will he discuss it?” – Tai Shu-lun
TEXTS AND TRANSLATIONS Sostenes: I am leaving I am leaving, I am leaving, Don’t you cry – it won’t be long. I’ll hold on to one sweet memory Singing songs until the dawn. Take my hand, it’s getting late now, sing a song to dry the tears. Still in dreams I will remember all that we lost through the years. Can you still see the reflection of the stars arising high: On the river at midnight – not a cloud was in the sky. Through it’s spring time, you’re still waiting, Plant the seed and watching it grow. Leave your fears – they only bind you, You will reap just what you sow.
– Miriam Sostenes
Kähärä: Itken pois Itku silmähän tulevi itku vieraalla vuotehella. Olen joutunu jonnekki, kurja kunnekki kulkenunna. Itken pois ihanat silmät, vieritän pois verevät kasvot, kasvot kaunihit kaotan. Itken itseni ikäni kaiken. Itken saavit, itken saunat, itken metsät, itken vuoret, itken järvet, itken joet, itken itseni ikäni kaiken. Jo tuosta joki tulevi, itkemistäni vesistä. Jo tuosta meri tulevi.
I start crying, crying on a strange bed. I’ve been taken somewhere, poor gone somewhere. I cry away beautiful eyes, roll away fresh face, fair face I lose. I cry myself all my life. I fill tubs, I fill saunas, I cry forests, I cry mountains, I cry lakes, I cry rivers, I cry myself all my life. I create a river, with the water I cry. I create a sea. – adapted from Kanteletar (Finnish book of folklore)
Khoury: Koowu (Strength)
Diorio: Broken
I have a caged bird who longs to fly away. Her name is Koowu. I have a caged bird who is weeping. I dare not set her free. Her song, I am keeping. But soon this Dove will die, If she does not get the chance to fly. I have a caged bird who is weeping. Koowu do not cry. If it is freedom you are seeking, Then my bird must fly away. I am Koowu and her keeper. Taste the wind, Breathe the air, I’ll be waiting for you there, Koowu.
When a compass is broken It can be replaced Needle, cork, shallow dish Is all it takes Much more difficult Is learning The compass is broken That part takes decades Of wandering in the desert.
– Megan Levad
– Maryam Khoury
Hagenberg: Song of Miriam I stand at the sea and turn to face the desert stretching endless and still. My eyes are dazzled The sky brilliant blue Sunburnt sands unyielding white. My hands turn to dove wings. My arms reach for the sky and I want to sing the song rising inside me. My mouth open I stop. Where are the words? Where the melody?
In a moment of panic My eyes go blind. Can I take a step Without knowing a Destination? Will I falter? Will I fall? Will the ground sink away from under me? The song still unformed— How can I sing? To take the first step— To sing a new song— Is to close one’s eyes and dive into unknown waters, For a moment knowing nothing risking all— But then to discover The waters are friendly The ground is firm. And the song— the song rises again. Out of my mouth come words lifting the wind. And I hear for the first time the song that has been in my heart silent Unknown even to me.
– Rabbi Ruth Sohn
Robles: Kujichagulia Kujichagullia, Self-determination
Ramsey: I See the Heaven’s Glories Shine No coward soul is mine. No trembler in this world’s storm troubled sphere: I see the Heaven’s glories shine, And faith shines equal, arming me from fear. O God within my breast, Almighty, ever-present Deity! Life–that in me has rest, As I –undying life– have power in thee! With wide-embracing love Thy spirit animates eternal years, Pervades and broods above, Changes, sustains, dissolves, creates, and rears. Though earth and man were gone, And suns and universes ceased to be, And Thou wert left alone, Every existence would exist in Thee. There is not room for Death, Nor atom that his might could render void: Since Thou art Being and Breath, And what Thou art may never be destroyed.
– Emily Brontë
Alexander: Faith is the bird Faith is the bird that feel the light and sings when the dawn is still dark.
– Elizabeth Alexander
Boulanger: In Paradisum I paradisum deducant te Angeli, in tuo adventu suscipiant te martyres, et perducant te in civitatem sanctam Jerusalem. Chorus Angelorum te suscipiat, et cum Lazaro quondam paupere, aeternam habeas requiem.
May the angels receive them in Paradise, at they coming may the martyrs receive thee and bring thee into the holy city Jerusalem. There may the chorus of angels receive thee, and with Lazarus, once a beggar, may thou have eternal rest.
– Traditional
Collegians Personnel Kevin Fenton, conductor Harold Wright, assistant conductor Tenor 1 Sean Barnette Carlos Guevara Adam Henning Harold Wright
Tenor 2 Seaira Anderson Tyler Brown Jacob Da Costa Ian Javelosa Christopher Martinez Joshua Nover Lemuel Rexach Noah Ruis Reece Windjack
Baritone Arjan Adhikari Zachary Copeland Dawson Corey Liam Dunn Levi Helton Connor McDonald Sean Regan Jonathan Rodriguez Dylan Sneddon Jeremiah Tacey Shay Wisdom
Bass 2 Grayson Dannelly Adam Henning Ryan Ruby Zachary Russell Sean Solomon Kristopher Stam
Levana Personnel Annika Stucky, conductor Ruth Springer, assistant conductor Soprano 1 Cherlyssa Alcineus Amy Arredondo Julie A. Cruz Shannon Dugan Casey Kerr Paige Kinch Allison Lee Karolyne Lugo Mariah Moran Charlotte Palmer Mariangely Rodriguez Zoe Rue Lydia Shackelford Dylan Valdes Brooke Walsh Emma Wasserman
Soprano 2 Maggie Acquaviva Victoria Angiulli Olivia Bahmer Lexi Barton Julia Chaves Riley Craft Mia Cruz Bella Jordan Ally Kelso Olivia Klimek Taylor Livingston Maggie Merrell Sophie Nagy Jennifer Perez-Aguilar Jennifer Rabideau Adriana Isabel Rivera Maldonado Keeley Sawyer Makayla Sawyer Mogale Stewart Lissi Strom Hailey Swanson Brianna Van Antwerp Madison Zuel
Alto 1 Allyson Andaluz Zoë Ashberg Kiley Berkery Cassandra Cruz Hayley Elmore Abigail Fernandez de Castro Theasamantha Figueras Veronica Saavedra-Howell Abigail Hatfield Alyssa Jiménez Jillian Katz Veronica Parodi Jackie Petichakis Emma Robbins Daelynn Trotman
Alto 2 Lily Allen Edmarly Ariol Rocky Chrieki Anabella Ellis Grace Leali Isabella Martinez Haley MacDonald Katelyn Palmer MitchPaelle Quetant Mattia Reformato-Santoro Kaelyn Siller Sára Smoliar Katie Vincent Jenny Will