Yearning to Breathe Program

5.17.2025 SATURDAY @ 7:30PM First Plymouth UCC

3501 S Colorado Blvd, Cherry Hills Village

5.18.2025 SUNDAY @ 3:00PM Wellshire Presbyterian Church 2999 S Colorado Blvd, Denver

Composer Melissa Dunphy Photo courtesy of Melissa Dunphy

YEARNING TO BREATHE AD MANUS (From Membra Jesu nostri)

DIETERICH BUXTEHUDE (C. 1637-1707)

Chris Leonard, violin; Autumn Pepper, violin; Dylan Tyree, cello; Peter Schimpf, theorbo; Jerimiah Stephen Otto, portative Beryl Fanslow Wilson, soprano; Sara Michael, soprano; Sarah Branton, alto; Matthew Eschliman, tenor; Kirk Schjodt, bass

TO THE HANDS

CAROLINE SHAW (B. 1982)

Chris Leonard, violin; Autumn Pepper, violin; Aimee McAnulty, viola; Dylan Tyree, cello; Kurt Melendy, bass

1. PRELUDE 2. IN MEDIO / IN THE MIDST 3. HER BEACON-HAND BECKONS 4. EVER EVER EVER 5. LITANY OF THE DISPLACED 6. I WILL HOLD YOU

MELISSA DUNPHY (B. 1980)

1. FORM N-400 ERASURES 2. N-400 (AN ERASURE)

Stacie Hanson, soprano; Scott Horowitz, baritone 3. CHANGE [Y]OUR COUNTRY

SONGS FOR THE PEOPLE

MELISSA DUNPHY

CITY CALLED HEAVEN

JOSEPHINE POELINITZ (B. 1942)

THE ROAD HOME

STEPHEN PAULUS (1949-2014)

Victoria Bailey, soprano; Alicia Rigsby, piano

Christianna Sullins, soprano

PRECIOUS LORD SPONSORED IN PART BY

To elevate the human experience through choral excellence

Our Mission:

Kantorei is an inclusive community of volunteer singers that invites audiences to experience the richness and diversity of the choral art form, joyously executed at the highest standard of musical excellence. We are innovators: we responsibly leverage our resources to commission work by living composers, perform music by underrepresented and emerging artists, encourage future talent through educational engagement, and nurture the choral community.

Our Values:

Musical Excellence – We maintain the highest possible standards.

We hold ourselves and each other accountable for putting in the necessary effort. We take on artistic challenges that many choirs cannot. We provide our audiences with unique musical experiences performed with professionalism, accuracy, passion, and finesse. We are a volunteer choir with world-class aspirations and achievements.

Inclusion – We strive to create a singer community where individuals from all backgrounds and experiences can be their best. We celebrate and perform composers that have been underrepresented in the choral tradition alongside those who have historically enjoyed the spotlight. We amplify voices that should be heard, and seek to bring our voices to new places. We connect diverse audiences through the power of music.

----- INTERMISSION -----

N-400 ERASURE SONGS

Kantorei’s Vision:

THOMAS A. DORSEY (1899-1993) ARR. ARNOLD SEVIER

Joy – We make music because it brings us joy and we are passionate about sharing that joy with others. Audiences feel our connection to each other and the music; through our work they experience intellectual and emotional expansion. Sharing this joy with each other and our audiences is a privilege.

Community – We provide an opportunity for singers, artists, students, and audiences from many different backgrounds and identities to share in musical experiences that allow us to transcend the world we live in. Our singers show up for each other, both musically and personally. We are in community with the composers who partner with us. We create nurturing relationships with other choirs so we can collectively thrive. We show young and emerging artists what their musical future can look like.

Innovation – As an organization, we are never stagnant. We feel a responsibility to use our funding to educate, delight, and amaze, which is evident through every aspect of our work: programming, recordings, concerts, and community impact. We move the art form forward by celebrating the full diversity of modern choral composition, and juxtaposing it with treasured work of the traditional canon. Our audiences can feel the musical past resonating with wisdom in the present, and the present reaching back to seek guidance from the past.

Land acknowledgement Kantorei honors and acknowledges the Tséstho’e (Cheyenne), hinono’eino’ biito’owu’ (Arapaho), Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute), and Očhéthi Šakówiŋ (Sioux) Tribes, and all of the original Indigenous peoples of the land upon which we rehearse and perform.

PROGRAM NOTES Program Notes compiled by Sara Michael

Dietrich Buxtehude (c. 1637-1707) "Ad Manus" from Membra Jesu Nostri

Dietrich Buxtehude's Membra Jesu Nostri ("The Limbs of our Jesus") stands as one of the most profound sacred works of the 17th century. Composed in 1680 while Buxtehude served as organist at the Marienkirche in Lübeck, this seven-part cycle of cantatas represents a deeply contemplative meditation on the crucified body of Christ.

"Ad Manus" ("To the Hands") is the second cantata and third movement in this cycle, focusing on Christ's wounded hands.

The work draws its text from "Salve mundi salutare," a medieval Latin poem attributed to Arnulf of Louvain, combined with carefully selected biblical verses. This structure – alternating between biblical quotation and poetic meditation – creates a unique devotional experience that invites listeners to contemplate the suffering of Christ with both theological rigor and emotional intensity.

The cantata opens with an instrumental sonata, followed by a concerto for five voices that presents the biblical text from Zechariah 13:6: "What are these wounds in thy hands?"

The three aria movements that follow feature soul-stirring meditations on Christ's outstretched hands, culminating in a concluding chorus that repeats the opening concerto text.

Buxtehude's setting employs a chamber ensemble of strings and continuo to support the voices, creating an intimate atmosphere for this deeply personal meditation. His musical language combines the expressive rhetoric of the late Renaissance with emerging Baroque sensibilities, utilizing subtle text painting and harmonic shifts to heighten the emotional impact of the poetry. The work's structure – moving from scriptural quotation to personal reflection – embodies the Lutheran devotional practice of his time.

Caroline Shaw (b. 1982) "To the Hands" (2016) premiered June 24, 2016, Philadelphia The Crossing commissioned To the Hands as a response to Ad manus from Dieterich Buxtehude’s 17th century masterpiece, Membra Jesu Nostri. It is a part of the Seven Responses project and was performed by members of The Crossing, the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), and the early music ensemble Quicksilver, alongside the complete Buxtehude and new works by six other composers. To the Hands begins inside the 17th century sound of Buxtehude.

It expands and colors and breaks this language, as the piece’s core considerations, of the suffering of those around the world seeking refuge, and of our role and responsibility in these

global and local crises, gradually come into focus. The prelude turns the tune of Ad manus into a wordless plainchant melody, punctured later by the strings’ introduction of an unsettling pattern. The second movement fragments Buxtehude’s choral setting of the central question, “quid sunt plagae istae in medio manuum tuarum,” or “what are these wounds in the midst of your hands.” It settles finally on an inversion of the question, so that we reflect, “What are these wounds in the midst of our hands?” We notice what may have been done to us, but we also question what we have done and what our role has been in these wounds we see before us.

The text that follows in the third movement is a riff on Emma Lazarus’ sonnet The New Colossus, famous for its engraving at the base of the Statue of Liberty. The poem’s lines “Give me your tired, your poor,/ Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free” and its reference to the statue’s “beacon-hand” present a very different image of a hand – one that is open, beckoning, and strong. No wounds are to be found there – only comfort for those caught in a dangerous and complex environment. While third movement operates in broad strokes from a distance, the fourth zooms in on the map so far that we see the intimate scene of an old woman in her home, maybe setting the table for dinner alone. Who is she, where has she been, whose lives has she left? This simple image melts into a meditation on the words in caverna from the Song of Solomon, found in Buxtehude’s fourth section, Ad latus.

In the fifth movement the harmony is passed around from one string instrument to another, overlapping only briefly, while numerical figures are spoken by the choir. These are global figures of internally displaced persons, by country, sourced from the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) data reported in May 2015 (accessed on 0/03/2016 at www. internal-displacement.org). Sometimes data is the cruelest and most honest poetry.

The sixth and final movement unfolds the words in caverna into the tumbling and comforting promise of “ever ever” – “ever ever will I hold you, ever ever will I enfold you”. They could be the words of Christ, or of a parent or friend or lover, or even of a nation.

The Pairing: Across Three Centuries When experienced together, these works create a powerful dialogue across more than three centuries. Buxtehude's intimate, devotional meditation on Christ's wounded hands finds new resonance in Shaw's expansion of the theme to encompass broader human suffering and response. Both composers use similar musical forces to create works of profound emotional impact, demonstrating how sacred musical traditions can evolve while maintaining their essential

spiritual core. In juxtaposing these works, we are invited to consider how contemplation of suffering – whether Christ's or humanity's – might move us toward compassion and action. The hands – wounded, outstretched, questioning, and potentially healing – become powerful symbols that transcend time and speak to the enduring human capacity for both cruelty and care.

Australian-American composer Melissa Dunphy has emerged as one of the most compelling voices in contemporary choral music. Known for works that engage with social and political themes, Dunphy combines classical training with a passion for creating music that speaks to urgent contemporary issues.

Her compositions frequently incorporate texts that challenge listeners to consider questions of identity, citizenship, and social justice. Born in Brisbane, Australia, Dunphy moved to the United States in 2003 and became an American citizen in 2011.

Her personal journey through immigration has profoundly influenced her compositional output, particularly in works that explore themes of national identity and belonging. She holds a Ph.D. in composition from the University of Pennsylvania and has received numerous awards for her innovative vocal writing.

"N-400 Erasure Songs" (2016) Represents one of Dunphy's most personal and politically charged compositions. The work derives its text from the N-400 Application for Naturalization – the form that immigrants must complete to become U.S. citizens. Dunphy, who underwent this process herself, transforms the cold, bureaucratic language of the form into a poignant meditation on identity, belonging, and the complicated nature of becoming American. The composition consists of three movements, each employing the technique of erasure poetry – selectively removing words from an existing text to create new meaning from what remains. Through this process, Dunphy extracts haunting poetry from questions about "good moral character," "allegiance," and other aspects of the citizenship application.

Musically, the work employs a varied palette of contemporary choral techniques – close harmonies, spoken text, aleatoric elements, and moments of stark unison – to highlight the emotional undercurrents beneath bureaucratic language.

Dunphy's setting moves between clinical detachment and profound emotional resonance, creating a powerful sonic representation of the immigrant experience. By transforming the N-400 form into art, Dunphy invites listeners to reconsider what citizenship means and to empathize with those who seek to become Americans. The work stands as both a personal testament to her immigration journey and a broader commentary on American identity in an era of contentious debates about immigration and belonging.

N-400 form: https://w w w.uscis.gov/sites/default /f iles/ document/forms/n-400.pdf N-400 instructions: https://w w w.uscis.gov/sites/default /f iles/ document/forms/n-400instr.pdf

"Songs for the People" (2021) "When I was asked to write a new song for Seattle Pro Musica, I jumped at the opportunity to set a poem by Francis Ellen Watkins Harper (1825-1911), an extraordinary Black writer, abolitionist, suffragist, and progressive activist from the 19th Century who ought to be a household name alongside figures such as Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass. Songs for the People, from an 1895 poetry collection, is a hymn to the power of music to energize, heal, and bring communities together; I could not resist adding music to these words, which are just as relevant today as we face our modern struggles as they were during the turmoil of Reconstruction and the inequalities of the Gilded Age." – Melissa Dunphy Dunphy's setting embraces the inspirational quality of Harper's text, which calls for artistic creation that serves humanity and speaks to universal experiences. The composition opens with gentle, flowing lines that gradually build in intensity as the text explores the poet's vision of art that can "gild the darkness of the night" and "flood with light the valleys of despair."

The musical structure follows the emotional contours of Harper's poem, with subtle shifts in harmony and texture highlighting key textual moments. Dunphy's characteristic sensitivity to textual rhythm and meaning is evident throughout the work, as melodic phrases rise and fall in response to the natural cadences of Harper's language. The piece builds to a powerful climax as the text affirms the transformative potential of art that speaks to and for "the people."

In choosing this particular text, Dunphy connects her compositional practice to Harper's vision of socially engaged art. The piece stands as both a beautiful choral work in its own right and a statement about the purpose of artistic creation in addressing human suffering and aspiration.

"City Called Heaven" "City Called Heaven" is a powerful African American spiritual arranged by Josephine Poelinitz. This soulful piece captures the longing and hope central to the spiritual tradition, expressing the yearning for transcendence and ultimate peace. Poelinitz's arrangement respects the call-and-response structure typical

PROGRAM NOTES of spirituals while adding rich harmonic textures that enhance the emotional impact. The piece features moments of both quiet contemplation and powerful, full-voiced declarations, creating a moving journey from desolation to hope.

The text of "City Called Heaven" speaks to the universal human experience of feeling lost and alone while searching for meaning and belonging. In our modern world characterized by disconnection, social isolation, and digital fatigue, the spiritual's plaintive cry resonates deeply: The narrator's sense of being a "poor pilgrim of sorrow" wandering through a difficult world mirrors many people's experience of navigating life's challenges without adequate support systems. This feeling of being alone in one's struggles has only intensified in contemporary society, where traditional community structures have often fragmented.

The spiritual's yearning for a "city called heaven" where the singer can "make it their home" speaks to our fundamental human desire for belonging and peace. In today's world of increasing displacement, migration, and housing insecurity, the concept of finding true "home" carries profound significance across cultural and socioeconomic boundaries.

"The Road Home" Stephen Paulus's "The Road Home" features text by Michael Dennis Browne that directly addresses modern concerns about identity, direction, and finding one's path in a complex world: The piece asks searching questions about belonging and purpose, themes that have particular resonance in our era of career uncertainty, shifting social structures, and widespread questioning of traditional life paths. The imagery of being called home by a "mysterious voice" speaks to the intuitive sense many people experience that there is something more meaningful beyond the daily grind.

In a time when many feel overwhelmed by information and choices, the simple invitation to "come home" represents the appeal of authenticity and groundedness. The text suggests that wisdom often comes not from external sources but from reconnecting with one's own deeper values and sense of purpose—a message particularly relevant in our externallyfocused culture. Composed by the late American composer Stephen Paulus (1949-2014), "The Road Home" is a contemporary piece with a timeless quality. Paulus adapted a melody from "The Lone Wild Bird," found in the 19th-century collection Southern Harmony, and created a new composition that feels both fresh and familiar.

The piece speaks to universal themes of belonging, seeking, and finding one's way back to a place of comfort and peace.

Its accessible melodic line is supported by warm harmonies that create a sense of gentle assurance, making it a favorite for choirs and audiences alike. Paulus was known for his lyrical sensibility and gift for text setting. In "The Road Home," he achieves a remarkable balance between simplicity and depth, allowing performers to bring considerable emotional nuance to the piece.

"Precious Lord" "Precious Lord, Take My Hand" stands as one of the most beloved gospel songs of all time. It was written by Thomas A. Dorsey (1899-1993), often called the "Father of Black Gospel Music," following the tragic deaths of his wife and newborn child in 1932. From this profound personal grief, Dorsey created a song of uncommon spiritual power and resilience.

Arnold Sevier's arrangement expands on Dorsey's original, incorporating rich choral textures while preserving the song's essential character. The arrangement employs skillful voice leading and harmonic development that builds to emotional climaxes while maintaining the intimate prayerlike quality of the original.

Thomas A. Dorsey's "Precious Lord" addresses the universal human experience of suffering and the need for guidance through difficult times: The prayer for divine guidance – "take my hand, lead me on" – resonates profoundly in our age of anxiety, uncertainty, and rapid change. The request for support through darkness toward light reflects the universal human need for hope during challenging circumstances, whether personal tragedy, social upheaval, or global crisis.

The imagery of weariness, weakness, and the fear of standing alone speaks directly to contemporary experiences of burnout, compassion fatigue, and the isolation many feel even amid our connected world. The song's acknowledgment of human frailty provides a counterbalance to cultures that often prize self-sufficiency and strength above all else. In an era where many people report feeling adrift without traditional religious frameworks but still hunger for meaning and transcendence, this song offers a model of vulnerable prayer that can speak to believers and spiritual seekers alike.

Each of these three works, though rooted in specific religious traditions, addresses fundamental human needs and questions that transcend time and cultural context – finding home, seeking guidance, and maintaining hope in difficult circumstances – making them as relevant today as when they were first created.

summers of 2021 and 2022. More recently, he conducted Kantorei along with the Canadian Brass in December of 2022, and commissioned and prepared Kantorei for the world premiere of the string orchestra version of Eric Whitacre’s The Sacred Veil, conducted by the composer, and guest conducted The Sacred Veil with the Washington (DC) Choral Arts Society in May of 2023.

A passionate advocate for the professional choral art form, Joel frequently consults with choral arts organizations around the country. Because of his leadership in his field, he received the Louis Botto Award for “Innovative Action and Entrepreneurial Zeal” from Chorus America, the industry’s advocacy, research, and leadership development organization for choruses, choral leaders, and singers.

Photo courtesy of Williams Pérez

JOEL M. RINSEMA Managing Artistic Director

Joel M. Rinsema joined Kantorei (Denver, Colorado USA) in 2014, becoming the second conductor in its 25-year history.

During his tenure, Kantorei has experienced tremendous audience growth, nearly tripled its budget, and launched an ambitious recording strategy. A frequent collaborator and champion of new works for chorus, Joel has commissioned and premiered works by many of today’s leading composers, including Kim André Arnesen, Mason Bates, René Clausen, Jean Belmont Ford, Ola Gjeilo, Jocelyn Hagen, Mark Hayes, Cecilia McDowall, Sarah Quartel, Jake Runestad, Christopher Tin, and Eric Whitacre.

In the summer of 2022, Joel conducted the Central American premiere of Jake Runestad’s El Último Hilo (The Last Thread) in Guatemala City and Antigua, Guatemala with Kantorei and the Guatemalan choir Vocalis. He returned in May of 2023 to conduct Eric Whitacre’s The Sacred Veil and serves as Artistic Advisor and Principal Guest Conductor of Vocalis.

Under Joel’s direction, Kantorei has released two recordings on the Naxos label. Sing, Wearing the Sky: Choral Music of Jake Runestad (2020) was the #3 best-selling classical album on iTunes, reached #4 on the Traditional Classical Billboard Charts, and was in the top ten in both the best-selling classical album and new classical release categories on Amazon.

Infinity: Choral Works of Kim André Arnesen (2018) climbed to the #2 best-selling classical album on iTunes, #6 on the Traditional Classical Billboard Charts, and #19 on the overall Classical Billboard charts. Santa Barbara Music Publishing Inc., publishes the Joel Rinsema / Kantorei Choral series.

Joel led Kantorei in performances at the 2019 National Convention of the American Choral Directors Association, and has prepared Kantorei as the primary chorus for the Aspen Music Festival, with Maestro Robert Spano conducting, in the

Joel is an accomplished conductor of major works for choir and orchestra and was one of eighteen conductors chosen nationally through audition to participate in master classes and workshops presented by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association and Chorus America. As a tenor soloist, Joel performed across the United States as well as in Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic.

Joel also serves as Director of Music and Technology in Worship at First Plymouth Congregational Church in Cherry Hills Village, Colorado. He was also the North American Choral Promotion Manager for Oxford University Press based in Oxford, England from 2017 to 2020, a tenure during which he worked closely with and represented roster composers John Rutter, Mack Wilberg, Bob Chilcott, Sarah Quartel, Cecilia McDowall, Gabriel Jackson, and Will Todd among others.

He holds music degrees from Arizona State University and Whitworth University and is a member of the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (Grammys), and the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA).

Joel came to Kantorei from the Grammy Award-winning Phoenix Chorale. Throughout his 23-year tenure with the Phoenix Chorale, he served in nearly every capacity with the organization, including his last 15 years as President & CEO and Assistant Conductor. He negotiated an ongoing recording contract with the prestigious U.K.-based Chandos Records, and Phoenix Chorale recordings received a total of eight Grammy nominations and two Grammy awards during his tenure. Joel appears on all Phoenix Chorale recordings and was a soloist on the Grammy Award-winning “Spotless Rose: Hymn to the Virgin Mary.” In addition to his work with the Phoenix Chorale, Joel served as the Director of Music at Church of the Beatitudes United Church of Christ in Phoenix for 15 years, and he was the founding chorus master of the Arizona Musicfest Chorus.

He and his wife Sarah Branton (Choir Director at Cherry Creek High School) and stepson Simon Harrison live in Centennial, Colorado along with their miniature Dachshund Lucia. They enjoy all that Colorado has to offer outdoors, including camping, fishing, golfing, and snow skiing.

Kantorei is a Denver-based, choral ensemble comprised of volunteer singers under the direction of Managing Artistic Director Joel M. Rinsema.

Formed in 1997 under the leadership of six friends and artistic director Richard Larson, Kantorei has established itself as one of the nation’s premier choral ensembles.

Our choral artists have studied at schools with strong music programs across the United States such as Baylor University, Brigham Young University, Eastman School of Music, Indiana University, St. Olaf College, Wartburg College, and Westminster Choir College. Kantorei’s singers reside throughout the greater Denver area. Some serve as choral music educators, church choir conductors, and vocal instructors. Others are doctors, social workers, optometrists, counselors, clinical psychologists, accountants, realtors – all brought together in weekly rehearsals for shared artistic excellence and community.

Kantorei has performed for major choral conventions across the U.S. and with The Aspen Music Festival, toured the world, and has commissioned and premiered new choral works from such renowned composers as Kim André Arnesen, Eric William Barnum, Abbie Betinis, René Clausen, Ola Gjeilo, Jocelyn Hagen, Sarah Quartel, Jake Runestad, Joshua Shank, and Eric Whitacre. In the summer of 2022, Kantorei performed the Central

American premiere of Jake Runestad’s “El Último Hilo” in Guatemala City and Antigua, Guatemala, along with Guatemalan choir Vocalis. In the fall of 2021, Kantorei began its three-year collaboration with M. Roger Holland, II as Artist-in-Residence.

Kantorei has released two recordings on the Naxos label. “Sing, Wearing the Sky” (2020) choral music of Jake Runestad reached the #3 best-selling classical album on iTunes, #4 on the Traditional Classical Billboard Charts, and the top ten in both the best-selling classical album and new classical release categories on Amazon. “Infinity: Choral Works of Kim André Arnesen” (2018) climbed to the #2 best-selling classical album on iTunes, #6 on the Traditional Classical Billboard Charts and #19 on the overall Classical Billboard charts. Santa Barbara Music Publishing Inc. publishes the Kantorei Choral series. In January 2025, Kantorei once again joined forces with Grammy-winning producers Soundmirror to record choral works of Grammy-winning composer Christopher Tin, this time on the Decca label.

Kantorei’s vision is “to elevate the human experience through choral excellence.”

“Thank you for the joy you have brought into my life.”

“I've been smiling all day long. I'm so glad I got to experience the beauty of Kantorei's performance. It was truly heartwarming.”

SPECIAL THANKS

THE CHOIR SOPRANO

ALTO

TENOR

BASS

Victoria Bailey Beryl Fanslow Wilson Riley Jayne Gallivan Christina Graham Heather Gunnerson Stacie Hanson * Sara Michael * Lexie Orvin Martina Richardson Alicia Rigsby ◊ Becca Schjodt Christianna Sullins

Safia Ahmed Emily Alexander Lindsey Aquilina Lyn Berry-Helmlinger Sarah Branton * Desiree Deliz-Morales Erin Greenfield Chelsea Kendall Tegan Masoero-Palmer Melissa Menter Erin Meyerhoff Jennifer Moore Allison Pasternak * Kaleigh Sutula Jane Wright

Kai Berry-Helmlinger * Ben Corwyn Joshua Corwyn Matthew Eschliman Keith Ferguson Mason France Keith Harrison Bryce Kennedy Samuel Low Alex Menter Chad Nelsen Seth O'Kegley * Jonathan Von Stroh John Wright

John Bartley Michael Bizzaro * Jordan Black Michael Boender Adam Cave Garth Criswell Scott Horowitz Brad Jackson Brad Larson Bryan Lastrella John Ludwig John Schaak Kirk Schjodt * Griffin Sutherland Matt Weissenbuehler

* Section leader ◊ Collaborative Pianist

STAFF MEMBERS Sarah Branton

Becca Hyvonen

Alicia Rigsby

Courtney Huffman

Sara Michael

Ximena Wheeler

Assistant Conductor

Social Media Marketing & Communications Manager

Accompanist, Collaborative Pianist

Director of Community Engagement

Business Manager

House Manager

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Josh Corwyn

Desiree Deliz-Morales

John Bartley

Melissa Menter

President

Treasurer

Vice President

Secretary

MEMBERS AT LARGE Mark Aquilina Judy Bloomberg Schenkein

Matthew Eschliman Scott Horowitz

Daniel Paredes

TO OUR SEASON MEMBERS!

Robert Blauvelt & Michael Corrigan Judy Bloomberg Schenkein & Ed Schenkein Leslie & Eric Britton JIm & Joanie Calhoun Tom Carlock & Richard Schirrmacher David & Bonnie Carlson William & Lisa Chumley James & Jean Clark Susan Clasen Judy Douglass Elizabeth Duke Burna & David Dunn Kaye Edwards Beverly Fest Eleanor Finlay Peter Fogg Judy Fredericksen Pamela Grange Patricia Gunckel Richard Halgren Mooey & David Hammond Lynn Hardcastle Jennifer Heglin Marjorie & Preston Hofer Carolyn & Lanny Hunter Deanna Johnson Carol Lanaghen Susan Lewkow Terri Link Pamela Mahonchak Barbara McLenon Suzanne McPherson Elaine Menter Carrie Nothnagel Michelle Oliveira Ruth Peterson Fred & Rosie Pittroff Sue Rosenstein Ann Rosewall & Steven Slotter Sarah Schenkein Sue Seiler Shelly Smith Barbara Stone Alfonso Torres & Linda Story Shari Sullivan Tim and Chris Sullivan S Von Stroh Justin Whitley Clara Winter

ARTIST

TEXT & TRANSLATIONS Born in Australia and raised in an immigrant family, Melissa Dunphy herself immigrated to the United States in 2003 and has since become an acclaimed composer specializing in vocal, political, and theatrical music. She first came to national attention in 2009 when her large-scale work the Gonzales Cantata was featured in The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, National Review, Fox News, and on MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show, where host Rachel Maddow described it as “the coolest thing you’ve ever seen on this show.” Other notable works include Totality, commissioned

by The King’s Singers and VOCES8 and premiered at the BBC Proms 2024, song cycle Tesla's Pigeon, which won first place in the NATS Art Song Composition Award, and What do you think I fought for at Omaha Beach? which won the Simon Carrington Chamber Singers Competition and has been performed around the country by choral ensembles including Chanticleer, Cantus, and the St. Louis Chamber Chorus.

MELISSA DUNPHY Featured Composer

Photo courtesy of Mormolyke

In 2024, Dunphy was awarded an Independence Foundation Fellowship in the Arts. She received a 2020 Opera America Discovery Grant for Alice Tierney, a commission for Oberlin Opera Theater that premiered in 2023 and received its professional debut at Opera Columbus. She has been composer-in-residence for the Immaculata Symphony Orchestra, Volti, and the Saint Louis Chamber Chorus, and her commissions include works for the BBC Singers, VOCES8, Cantus, Mendelssohn Chorus, Seattle Pro Musica, Chor Leoni, La Caccina, Skylark, Experiments in Opera, and the Kennett Symphony. Dunphy is also a Barrymore Awardnominated theater composer and sound designer, and served from 2014-2024 as Director of Music Composition for the National Puppetry Conference at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Connecticut.

Dunphy has a Ph.D. in composition from the University of Pennsylvania and a B.M. from West Chester University and is on faculty at Rutgers University. She is president of the boards of directors for Wildflower Composers and Lyric Fest. Melissa and her husband Matt are also avid citizen archaeologists and co-hosts of the popular podcast The Boghouse about their adventures in Philadelphia colonial archaeology; they are currently developing the Necessary Museum, which they hope to open in 2026 to showcase their local discoveries.

Ad Manus

To the Hands

Arnuf of Leuven (c. 1200-1250) from “Salve mundi salutare”

I.

Prelude

"Quid sunt plagae istae in medio manuum tuarum?"

Salve Jesu, pastor bone Fatigatus in agone Qui per lignum es distractus Et ad lignum es compactus Expansis sanctis manibus Manus sanctae, vos amplector Et gemendo condelector Grates ago plagis tantis Clavis duris, guttis sanctis Dans lacrimas cum osculis In cruore tuo lotum Me commendo tibi totum Tuae sanctae manus istae Me defendant, Jesu Christe Extremis in periculis "Quid sunt plagae istae in medio manuum tuarum?"

II.

in medio / in the midst

“What are those wounds in the midst of Your hands?”

Hail, Jesus, good shepherd, wearied in agony, tormented on the cross nailed to the cross Your sacred hands stretched out.

Holy hands, I embrace you, and, lamenting, I delight in you, I give thanks for the terrible wounds, the hard nails, the holy drops, shedding tears with kisses.

Washed in Your blood I wholly entrust myself to You; may these holy hands of Yours defend me, Jesus Christ, in the final dangers.

“What are those wounds in the midst of Your hands?”

(No text)

text from Buxtehude’s Ad manus – Zechariah 13:6 – adapted by Caroline Shaw, with the addition of in medio manuum nostrarum (“in the midst of our hands”)

quid sunt plagae istae quid sunt plagae istae in medio manuum tuarum in medio quid sunt plagae istae quid sunt plagae istae in medio manuum nostrarum what are those wounds what are those wounds in the midst of your hands in the midst what are those wounds what are those wounds in the midst of our hands III. Her beacon-hand beckons

text by CS, responding to the 1883 sonnet “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus, which was mounted on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty in 1903

Her beacon-hand beckons: give give to me those yearning to breathe free tempest-tossed they cannot see what lies beyond the olive tree whose branch was lost amid the pleas for mercy, mercy give give to me your tired fighters fleeing flying from the from the from let them i will be your refuge i will be your refuge i will be i will be we will be we will

TEXT & TRANSLATIONS

N-400 Erasure Songs I.

Form N-400 Erasures

Niina Pollari

IV. ever ever ever

text by Caroline Shaw – the final line, in caverna, is from Buxtehude’s Ad latus — the line from the Song of Songs, in foraminibus petrae, in caverna maceriae, or “in the clefts of the rock, in the hollow of the cliff”

ever ever ever in the window sills or the beveled edges of the aging wooden frames that hold old photographs hands folded folded gently in her lap ever ever in the crevices the never-ending efforts of the grandmother's tendons tending to her bread and empty chairs left for Elijah where are they now in caverna in caverna V.

Litany of the Displaced

The choir speaks global figures of internal displacement, sourced from the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (http://www.internal-displacement.org/global-figures — accessed 01/03/2016). The numbers spoken are the numbers of internally displaced persons by country, in ascending order.

These are people, some of whom may have legal refugee status, who have been displaced within their own country due to armed conflict, situations of generalized violence or violations of human rights.

VI. i will hold you

text by CS — The final line is a reprise from the Zechariah text

i would hold you i would hold you ever ever will i hold you ever ever will i enfold you in medio in medio in medio in medio in medio manuum tuarum

Do you Have awful association s Have you been in total terror Yes/No If you EVER claim in writing or any other way to have no country are you confined II.

N-400 (an erasure)

Laurel Chen

i. notice: any immigration notice: hearing notice: see notice: you ii. to the immigrant: homeland is a process delayed. iii.

iv.

v.

fingerprints disposable a number unpermitted immigrants: are all of the above about the United States: do not support the criminal history you are what you have abandoned

vi. identify: alien copy: self vii.

separate your open wounds in the process viii. verify: all has been destroyed ix. naturalization can not capture your free can not level your personal for political

simplified x. this application is persecution of your own safety to ensure social security

Songs for the People

xi. reschedule reschedule reschedule reschedule a time time time again time time date and time xii. resubmit resubmit resubmit xiii. please xiv. you will never belong

Let me make the songs for the people, Songs for the old and young; Songs to stir like a battle-cry Wherever they are sung.

Not for the clashing of sabres, For carnage nor for strife; But songs to thrill the hearts of all With more abundant life.

Let me make the songs for the weary, Amid life’s fever and fret, Till hearts shall relax their tension, And careworn brows forget.

Let me sing for little children, Before their footsteps stray, Sweet anthems of love and duty, To float o’er life’s highway.

I would sing for the poor and aged, When shadows dim their sight; Of the bright and restful mansions, Where there shall be no night.

Our world, so worn and weary, Needs music, pure and strong, To hush the jangle and discords Of sorrow, pain, and wrong.

Music to soothe all its sorrow, Till war and crime shall cease; And the hearts of all grown tender Girdle the world with peace.

III. Change [y]our Country Melissa Dunphy

you Are Home this IS where you live now Home your space Your Time Your History How many have been persecuted occupied arrested detained charged Have Been Failed lied to removed, excluded deported but you did not f al t e r you are willing you are true release re form prepare S t a n d Firm

you

are the best of u s you will b re a the free

Songs for the People

Francis Ellen Watkins Harper - from “Poems”, published 1895

City Called Heaven Traditional Spiritual

I am a pilgrim, a pilgrim of sorrow I'm left in this wide world, this wide world alone Ain't got no hope, got no hope for tomorrow Trying to make it, make heaven my home Sometimes I'm tossed and I'm driven, Lord Heard of a city, a city called heaven Trying to make it, make heaven my home

TEXT & TRANSLATIONS

DONORS

The Road Home

Precious Lord

Tell me, where is the road I can call my own, That I left, that I lost So long ago?

All these years I have wandered, Oh when will I know There’s a way, there’s a road That will lead me home?

After wind, after rain, When the dark is done, As I wake from a dream In the gold of day, Through the air there’s a calling From far away, There’s a voice I can hear That will lead me home.

Rise up, follow me, Come away, is the call, With the love in your heart As the only song; There is no such beauty As where you belong; Rise up, follow me, I will lead you home.

Precious Lord, take my hand, Lead me on, let me stand, I am tired, I am weak, I am worn; Through the storm, through the night, Lead me on to the light.

Take my hand, Lord, and lead me home When my way grows drear, Precious Lord, linger near, When my life is almost gone, At the river, Lord, I stand Guide my feet and hold my hand: Take my hand, Lord, and lead me home

Michael Dennis Browne

Thomas A. Dorsey

Congratulations to the 2025 recipients of the Alison N. Roman Memorial Scholarship: Abril Franco - Denver Children's Choir Sovereign Walker - Cherry Creek High School

Donors who contributed $100 or more between April 1, 2024 and March 31, 2025 are recognized in this progam * Singers ^ Board & Staff ~ Volunteers

DIAMOND BATON $50,000 - $99,000

ARIA $500 - $999

SCFD - Arapahoe County SCFD - Denver County

John Bartley*^ Kai* & Lyn* Berry-Helmlinger Beatriz Bonnet Constance Branton Rebecca Caldwell Colorado Gives Foundation Linda & Kees Corssmit Landon Covington & Jason Hindman Marilyn Dana Desiree Deliz Morales*^ Deb & Don Felio Nancy Gallivan Elaine & Michael Gardner Google Larry Graham Jason Gruhl Patricia Gunckel Annette & Jim Gunnerson Jason & Stacie* Hanson Alan & Shirley Horowitz Deanna & Kathryn Johnson Gordon & Liz Anne Johnson Chelsea Kendall* & Andrew Quinlan Marcia Jory & Ray Kennedy Roberta Larson Brad Larson* Mark Leichthammer Samuel Low* Ann Ludwig Elaine Menter Mary Rollar Carol Roman & Robert Kihm Renee McClaugherty & John Schaak* Judy Bloomberg Schenkein^ & Ed Schenkein Terry Schlenker Chris & Keri Sexton Lois Siegel~ Keith Small Donald Branton & David Smith Barbara & Erik Stone Cynthia & David Susser Christina Von Stroh Theresa Wallace Andrea & Patrick Ware-Medina Joan Winstein

GOLD BATON $15,000 - $24,999 Olson-Vander Heyden Foundation SILVER BATON $10,000 - $14,999 Linda & Randall Chilcote Judy Fredericksen Lynn Hardcastle Bryce Kennedy* & Joshua Larson BRONZE BATON $7,500 - $9,999 Lindsey* & Mark^ Aquilina Keith* & Sue Ferguson SCFD - Adams County DIRECTOR'S CIRCLE $5,000 - $7,499 Virginia W Hill Foundation Pamela Mahonchak Joel Rinsema^ & Sarah Branton*^ VIRTUOSO'S CIRCLE $2,500 - $4,999 Susan Lewkow~ Alex* & Melissa*^ Menter Scott Horowitz*^ & Leah Weinberg Michael* & Donna Boender Lindsey Family Charitable Fund SOLOIST'S CIRCLE $1,000 - $2,499 William Blyth Leslie & Eric Britton Garth Criswell* & Mark Kraft Dwayne Dickerson Elizabeth Duke Matthew Eschliman*^ Heather* & Kevin Gunnerson Marjorie & Preston Hofer C. Stephen & Gracie Hooper Brad Jackson* & Mark Jennison Eric & Karen Johnson David Jory King Soopers Community Rewards John Ludwig* David~ & Jennifer* Moore Kathy Osvog U.S. Bank Foundation Patrice Von Stroh Jennifer & Jonathan* Von Stroh Jane* & John* Wright

CANTATA $200 - $499 Safia Ahmed* Jennifer Allen Jason Anderson John Artley Nancy Atkinson Lizabeth Barnett Jill & Robin Beemer Boyd & Sharon Berry Robert Blauvelt & Michael Corrigan Gordon & Terry Bloomberg Kathy Bollhoefer Paul Boulis Judy Bowman

Tom Carlock & Richard Schirrmacher Justin Cave Kate Criswell Leslie Eber Randi Ellefson Scott Elrod~ & Shannon Lemmon-Elrod* Beverly & Bruce Fest Don & Lil Filegar Sara Fischer & John Cannon Marilyn & Wilbur Flachman Peter Fogg Mary Beth & Roger France Richard & Mary Gallivan Ann Gallivan Genentech Paul Gilbertson Christina Graham* Pamela & James Grange Ankush Gupta Brenda Bailey-Hainer & Eugene Hainer Keith* & Julie Harrison Debora Jerome Geoffrey Johnson Edi King Brett & Tami Krichiver Anker Lerret Albert & Terri Link Mary Luellen Betsy & Tad Lyle Eric & Sharon Martin Eric Matthys Carol & Jerry Mayer Laura McCleary Erin Meyerhoff* Sara Michael*^ Reuben N Donald & Sharron Neufeld Randy Nicholas Elizabeth & Theodore Obenchain Allison* & Timothy Pasternak William Peck Erin Pettitt Judd & Linda Rinsema Michael Rogers Pearl Rutherford* Christine Schaefer Trysten Schlottmann Lisa Schrader Dean Schramm Terri Schwartz Paul & Cass Seely Tony Silvestri Shelly Smith Kelley Southerland Noble Spencer Jayne Sullivan Peter Sutherland Karen Sutherland Christopher Tin Julia Toll Sherry & Stephen Treat Marjory Ulm Stephen Van Hooser Deborah & Larry Weinberg

Donors who contributed $100 or more between April 1, 2024 and March 31, 2025 are recognized in this progam * Singers ^ Board & Staff ~ Volunteers

DONORS Matt* & Annell Weissenbuehler Pam & Stan Whitaker Justin Whitley John Wilson Austin Wintory OPERETTA $100 - $199 Margaret & Norman Aarestad Diana Aberchah John & Priscilla Adams Paul Adams Emily* & Zach Alexander James & Laurie Alexander Emily Anderson Georgia & Jorge Arribau David & Lori Bailey Norm Barber Carol Bartley & Meredith Peters Brian & Elizabeth Bauer Dianne Betkowski Carly & Jordan* Black Christy Boyle Howard & Kathleen Brand Ken Brewster Adam Bruttell George Chrest Carl Burgchardt Sharon Butz Jim & Amy Calhoun Craig Campbell Adam* & Emily Cave Ted & Elizabeth Cave Lisa & William Chumley James & Jean Clark Susan Clasen Linda Coombe Benjamin* & Joshua*^ Corwyn Brian Crooks John Culshaw and Michael Marucs Chris Dearden Lee Dehmlow Linda Dey Steve & Vicki Doty David Doty Judy Douglass Lisa Dudek Jamie Duncan Kristin Eck Mary Kaye Edwards Don Eisenberg Marilyn Elrod EOG Resources, Inc. Debra & Paul Eschliman Steve Eschliman Robert & Ruth Fanslow Joan Finnegan Karen & William Fisher Lani & Richard Fletcher Mason France* & Samantha Garrett Karen & Bill Gallivan Craig & Cynthia Garrett Barbara Garson Kristin Gildersleeve Mary Gill

Diane Goodwin Michael Greenfield Nancy Gregory Kaycie Grigel Mysti Christensen-Gulsrud & Tim Gulsrud Lisa Gumerman Gurr Family Charitable Fund Carol Hainsey Andrew & Rachel Halladay Mooey & David Hammond Carolyn & Vaughn Hanson George Haskins Jennifer Heglin Suzanne & Will Helmlinger Wil Henderson Daniel Herman Brent & Connie Holtzen Antoinette Hubbard Courtney Huffman^ Lara Lee Hullinghorst Lisa Hutchings Trudy Boulter -Hynes & Patrick Hynes Winston Ian Intel Foundation Lucretia Jackson Kelly Jarmuzek Jessica Johnson Katherine Johnson Shelley & Dan Kauffman Steve & Traci Kegley Greg & Rebecca Kendall Tyler Kendall Bill Kisselburgh Nancy Knoll Kelli Kubala Karen Lafferty Dick & Judy Larson Lori & Paul Lastrella Jack & Jean Lindsey Dennis & Nancy Lintvedt Allen Lintvedt Curtis Lintvedt Matt Lintvedt Dean & Sara Lund William Martinez Anthony Martini Roberta McGann Elle McMahon Lisa Medina Brenda & Mark Mehos Paul Meissner Pat Moore Edwin Deliz & Nancy Morales Kent Mueller Kayla Munoz Ruth Neil Chad Nelsen* Denise Nelsen Nancy Calkins & Lise Nelson Ladean Nuanes Jason & Lexie* Orvin D R & Katie Palmer Jo Alyson Parker Roberta Pepper Marc Petersen & Nathaniel Hess Mick & Monica Peterson

Mike & Patricia Petraglia Leah Porter Tracy* Sydney Purfield Cindy & George Quinlan Kate Raabe Philip Read James & Martina* Richardson Margaret Richardson Rick & Jan Rodabaugh Jerry Roemer Giovanna Romero Jake Runestad Vicki Sakata Jo-Michael and Mary Scheibe Becca*^ & Kirk* Schjodt Lynne Scholfield Roger Kleckner & Lynn Selby John & Mary Shark Debbie Smith Austen & Christina Smith Susanne Smith Mike Spencer Susan Spencer Rose Martinez & Melvin D Stolzenburg Christianna* & Jeff Sullins Tim & Chris Sullivan Lynn & Steve Sutherland Judi Thomas Mom and Dad Tracy Tom Trenney James Vardas Janice Vlachos Robert & Jill von Trebra Laura Waligorski Tom Walsh Lynn Wearden Tom Westbrook Edwin & Kathleen Whitney Bruce & Julien Wiley Mark Winemiller Karen Witt Tammy Wright Karen & Scott Yarberry David Spear Susan Spencer Rose Martinez & Melvin D Stolzenburg Mary Sutula Jeff & Lisa Swenson Leah Tracy* Jason Tracy Laura Tribby Danielle Truesdale Valerie Watkins Lynn Wearden Dr. Charles & Patricia Wheeler Edwin & Kathleen Whitney Bruce & Julien Wiley Shelly Winemiller Karen Witt James & Marcie Wolff Becki Woodbury Mindi Wright

In Memoriam and Honorarium Nancy Atkinson, in memory of Ken Atkinson Andrew & Rachel Halladay, in memory of Alison Roman C. Stephen & Gracie Hooper, in memory of Karl Johnson Deanna & Kathryn Johnson, in memory of Karl Johnson Eric & Karen Johnson, in memory of Karl Johnson Shelley & Dan Kauffman, in menory of Allen & Grace Martin Eric & Sharon Martin, in memory of Grace Martin Sara Michael, in memory of Allen & Grace Martin Kathy Osvog, in memory of Karl Johnson Michael Clohesy & Oliver Scofield, in memory of Gede Sukertia Alice & Andy Weydt, in memory of Karl Johnson

Jory Education Fund David Jory Bryce Kennedy & Joshua Larson

Legacy Society

Lynn Hardcastle Bryce Kennedy & Josh Larson John Ludwig Joel Rinsema Judd & Linda Rinsema Andrea Ware-Medina

In Kind

Safia Ahmed* Kai Berry-Helmlinger* Steve Cearley Cherry Creek High School Joshua Corwyn*^ First Plymouth UCC Susan Lewkow~ John Schaak*

Elevate Classroom Grant John & Priscilla Adams Georgia & Jorge Arribau Robert Blauvelt & Michael Corrigan Elizabeth Duke Leslie Eber Barbara Garson Kaycie Grigel

Kelli Chan, in honor of Jennifer Moore Marilyn Elrod, in honor of Shannon Lemmon-Elrod Judy Fredericksen, in honor of Alex & Melissa Menter Elaine & Michael Gardner, in honor of Alicia Rigsby Annette & Jim Gunnerson, in honor of Kevin & Heather Gunnerson Roberta Larson, in honor of Bryce Kennedy Basil LeBlanc, in honor of Brad Larson Donald & Sharron Neufeld, in honor of Judy Fredericksen Roberta Pepper, in honor of Ximena Wheeler Jerry Roemer, in honor of John Ludwig Christopher Von Stroh, in honor of Jonathan Von Stroh Rev. Dr. S. Patrice Von Stroh, in honor of Jonathan Von Stroh

Jason Gruhl Lisa Hutchings Jessica Johnson Gordon & Liz Anne Johnson Tegan Masoero-Palmer Laura McCleary Erin Meyerhoff Carol Roman & Robert Kihm Christine Schaefer Terry Schlenker Shelly Smith Judi Thomas Sherry & Stephen Treat Mark Winemiller

Alison N. Roman Memorial Scholarship William Blyth Grace Bowen Linda & Randall Chilcote Judy Douglass Amanda Duncan Jamie Duncan Judy Fredericksen C. Stephen & Gracie Hooper Dennis & Nancy Lintvedt Pamela Mahonchak Carol Roman & Robert Kihm Christine Schaefer Sarah Schenkein Karen Sutherland

See below for organizations that support immigrants & refugees in Colorado: Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMIAN), which provides free legal services to individuals detained in ICE custody through a network of staff and volunteer attorneys. They also run a children's program for immigrant youth.

Learn more here.

Casa de Paz, an organization that provides emergency shelter and logistical support (travel and communication) for individuals immediately upon release from ICE detention.

Learn more here.

Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition (CIRC), who do community organizing and lobbying to make policy and legislative change for the benefit of the immigrant community.

Learn more here.

African Community Center, who work with refugees and other immigrants primarily on resettlement/community integration.

Learn more here.

Bequests Making a gift to Kantorei through your will or estate is a beautiful way to create a lasting legacy and to ensure that our music and our mission will live on well into the future.

A bequest is generally a revocable gift, which means it can be changed or modified at any time. You can choose to designate that a bequest be used for a general or specific purpose so you have the peace of mind knowing that your gift will be used as intended. Bequests are exempt from federal estate taxes. If you have a taxable estate, the estate tax charitable deduction may offset or eliminate estate taxes, resulting in a larger inheritance for your heirs.

For questions, or to request a Bequest Intention Form, please contact Courtney Huffman, Director of Community Engagement, courtney@kantorei.org.

International Rescue Committee (IRC), who provide support and legal services primarily for refugees, asylum seekers, and survivors of torture. They have a Denver office and have been heavily involved in Afghan refugee resettlement.

Learn more here.

Lutheran Family Services, who provide legal services for immigrants already present in the US, as well as refugee resettlement services.

Learn more here.

Catholic Charities, who provide a variety of immigration services, and have a specific Afghan resettlement project.

Learn more here.

Jewish Family Service (JFS), who provide resettlement services for refugees of all backgrounds in Colorado.

Legacy society Joel Rinsema

Bryce Kennedy and Josh Larson

Judd & Linda Rinsema

Andrea Ware-Medina

John Ludwig

Lynn Hardcastle

Learn more here.

American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), who organize immigrants and allies striving for immigrant justice in Colorado.

Learn more here.

DENVER’S HOME MARKET IS MOVING! ARE YOU? Garth was a pleasure to work with when we bought our first home in Denver more than five years ago, and was the natural choice when the time came to sell that home and buy again. His knowledge of the Denver metro area, experiences, professionalism, and responsiveness made him a real pleasure to work with during our last three real estate transactions.

-Matt & Crystal L. ~Parker

Garth Criswell 303.669.0252 garth.criswell@coloradohomes.com garthcriswell.com

The members of Kantorei are still singing because we were fortunate to have received a solid choral foundation in high school and college. Kantorei’s vision is that one day every music student in Colorado will have this solid foundation. In order to help achieve this goal we have created the Elevate Classroom Grant and the Alison N. Roman Memorial Scholarship Fund.

ALISON N. ROMAN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP Alison Roman was a beloved member of the Kantorei family and a fiercely dedicated music educator.

She touched countless lives, and for this reason, with the blessing of Alison’s family, the Kantorei board of directors has named the Individual Scholarship the Alison N. Roman Memorial Scholarship.

In this spirit, the Alison N. Roman Memorial Scholarship is dedicated to assisting a talented senior BIPOC, Asian, or Latinx student in pursuing their musical dreams. This scholarship offers a minimum award of $1000 to cover expenses related to choral ensemble participation, such as membership fees, uniforms, and private lessons.

ELEVATE CLASSROOM GRANT The Elevate Classroom Grant supports underfunded high school choral programs by offering classroom grants to teachers to be used for expenses such as sheet music, uniforms, festival attendance costs, etc.

On sale now at kantorei.org/recordings

WANT TO HELP?

KANTOREI.ORG/SUPPORT

MARK YOUR CALENDARS KANTOREI UPCOMING CONCERTS

ASPEN MUSIC FESTIVAL SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 2025 @ 8:00 PM KLEIN MUSIC TENT 960 N 3RD STREET, ASPEN

2025-26 SEASON October 4 & 5, 2025 Dececember 5-7 & 19-20, 2025 February 28 & Mar 1, 2026 May 16, 17 & 30, 2026

Kantorei would like to thank our sponsors for your generous and ongoing support!