"Be Of Good Cheer" Program Book December 2024

Ryan Duff Artistic Director Ryan is a 2001 graduate of Ball State University. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Choral Music Education. He also completed a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from Southern Utah University in 2017. Ryan is a proud member of American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). He has served as the Chair of the CCSD (Clark County School District) Honor Choir since 2015, and currently serves as the Nevada ACDA All-State Choir Chair. Duff has also served as the 2020 Western Region ACDA Honor Choir Chairman. He has served as President of the Nevada ACDA chapter, and currently serves as the Nevada ACDA Men’s Choir Repertoire & Resources Chairman. He was awarded a CCSD Heart of Education Award in 2017, recognizing Excellence in Teaching.

This year, Ryan is in his 17th year as a High School Choir Teacher in the Clark County School District; Duff is in his 14th year as the Choir Director at Basic Academy in Henderson, where he directs six choirs, and serves as the Department Chair for the Performing Arts. Before his career as a teacher, Ryan worked as a Professional Singer and Entertainer. Outside of Las Vegas, he worked as a Production Singer for Holland America Cruise Lines, Busch Gardens Theme Park Entertainment, Cedar Point Amusement Park Entertainment, and Harvey’s Lake Tahoe; he has also worked as Musical Director for several Professional Regional Musical Theatre Productions.

His Las Vegas performing career as a singer and musician has included “Tony & Tina’s Wedding” at the Rio Hotel & Casino, “The Can-Can Cabaret” at the Paris Hotel & Casino, and as a Singing Gondolier at the Venetian Hotel & Casino.

Ryan is proud to serve as the Artistic Director for the Las Vegas Men’s Chorus. This season, he begins his 12th year at the podium, conducting and artistically leading the organization.

He resides in Las Vegas with his husband and Las Vegas Men’s Chorus Choreographer, Justin McClendon.

From Our Artistic Director Hello and welcome to our 2024 Winter Production entitled “Be of Good Cheer.” With this concert, we begin our 32nd Season of bringing high-quality choral singing, exciting production value, and our unique entertainment to the Las Vegas community. Tonight, we will present songs that represent the best of the holidays, and hopefully inspire warm thoughts of your loved ones and fond memories of home. Our ensemble members, our staff, and our Board of Directors have worked tirelessly to put this show together and we cannot wait to share! I continue to stand in awe of the cooperative spirit of our leadership team; this show represents a colossal collaborative effort - our village is mighty!

I feel that what our organization brings to the stage is needed now, more than ever. In a world that seeks to constantly divide us, I encourage you to unplug from all of that strife, and allow us to inspire you with the sounds of your favorite holiday songs and timeless winter classics!

As always, you can expect a few surprises, and of course, exciting numbers from not only our full company of singers, but also our Featured Vocal Ensemble and Dance Line.

We are once again honored to be in our home, the beautiful Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall on the campus of UNLV, one of the finest concert halls in the state! My sincere hope is that our show kicks off your best winter holiday season yet; we are so thrilled to be celebrating all of the joy and wonder of the holidays with you tonight - enjoy the show!

Ryan Duff Artistic Director

Jonathan Tuala Collaborative Pianist

Jonathan is a pianist, singer, actor, and educator. He began piano lessons at age five, competed in regional competitions in grade school, and started playing for church services in middle school. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Vocal Performance from the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University in Chicago, IL. In the Las Vegas Valley, he has been musical director and keyboardist for various churches, schools, and many local musical theatre productions with companies such as Signature Productions and Super Summer Theatre. Jonathan sang with the Las Vegas Men’s Chorus for three seasons as well as serving as Member-at-Large on the Board of Directors.

Jonathan serves as Assistant Program Manager at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts focusing on providing theatre opportunities for students.

From Our President “Welcome one and all to the most wonderful time of the year!”

You’ll hear that iconic phrase in just a few minutes as the curtain opens. Welcome! LVMC’s Holiday Concert has become a tradition for thousands of folks across the Valley and beyond. We’re honored to bring you loving joy and merriment to warm your holiday season.

LVMC is 32 years young this year, yet we’re constantly finding new ways to expand our impact through our Mission: We create safe spaces for our community and allies through musical experiences which inspire all of us to be stronger together.

This year, we’re on track to give 13,000 community service hours to the Las Vegas Valley. We’ll perform for 5,000+ patrons across our Mainstage Concerts and expanded free Community Concert Series. We inaugurated the Ryan L. Duff Music Library, a bequest enabling Ryan Duff to arrange and create new works for LVMC to premier here with you prior to publishing for the world. We represented Las Vegas and Nevada at GALA Festival in Minneapolis where a sobbing patron shared LVMC inspired them to return to therapy.

When we say this is lifesaving work, we mean it! None of this would be possible without you. If the music moves you today, consider giving a tax deductible donation. Ticket sales account for less than half of our annual budget so every gift enables us to reach more folks in need.

We are thrilled to kick off Season 32 with you, which is shaping up to be our largest season yet. Thank you for being part of our LVMC family!

Ryan Miller President & Producer

About the Las Vegas Men’s Chorus….

Our Mission: The Las Vegas Men’s Chorus creates safe spaces for our community and allies through musical experiences which inspire all of us to be stronger together.

Community | Harmony | Opportunity | Respect | Unity | Service The Las Vegas Men’s Chorus (LVMC) was founded in 1993 by a small group of men who simply wanted to sing.

Over the next 30 years, the LVMC found itself providing much more than music: a place to create and foster community and safe spaces through live performances. Social justice, inclusion, diversity, and equity are now at the forefront of LVMC’s programming. From humble beginnings of 10 members and 30 patrons, we now boast 100+ active members and 2,000+ patrons in the audience annually at three fully-produced Mainstage Concerts with our free Community Concert Series benefitting thousands more. Patrons describe attending an LVMC concert as “experiencing joy”.

Although not specifically a “gay” chorus, ~85% of members identify as LGBTQIA2+. ~40%+ of members have or are currently experiencing homelessness, addiction, mental and physical health issues, abuse, or incarceration. ~40% of members identify as BIPOC with age diversity ranging from 18 to 76. Membership has grown +300% since 2021 from 32 to 100+ members with consistent double-digit growth each concert cycle.

We extend safe spaces to the Las Vegas Valley with members giving 13,000+ community service hours annually.

We ensure we “use our voices for good” through Community Outreach events including World AIDS Day, Las Vegas Aviators Pride Night, Latin Grammy Awards “Los Producers” benefitting the Michael J. Fox Foundation, Las Vegas Pride, Ribbon of Life benefitting Golden Rainbow HIV/AIDS fund, Aid for AIDS of Nevada, Sin Sity Sisters, Las Vegas Prime Timers, Las Vegas Clark County Library District benefits, Christ Church Episcopal Community Concerts, Arthur Murray Las Vegas Showcases, Harry Reid International Airport Showcases, and Gateway Arts Foundation. Each year in partnership with the Clark County School District, we co-produce “Sing Out: A Tenor/ Bass Choral Festival” intended to bolster confidence and lifelong love of singing in our community’s young people. As a GALA (Gay and Lesbian Choruses of America) Chorus, we represent Las Vegas and Nevada at GALA Festival alongside 15,000+ singers in five days of singing, education, connecting, and creating at the largest LGBTQ choral event in the world.

Our in-person impact is typically conducted in Southern Nevada, specifically the Las Vegas Valley, although performance and community event requests are regularly submitted from the broader Southwestern U.S.. Our patrons are increasingly diverse ranging across income, age, sexual orientation, race, religion, and education.

Our impact is amplified across the globe through digital channels including YouTube where viewers watched our inspiring content ~32,000 times across 15+ countries this past year alone. The LVMC is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

Auditions for our Spring Concert Cycle will be held on Saturday, January 4, 2025, with rehearsals beginning on Sunday, January 5, 2025. Please follow us on all of our social media, reach out to a current member, or visit the website for more information. We would LOVE to have you add your talents to our ensemble.

On behalf of our Artistic Staff, Board of Directors, and our entire ensemble, we want to thank you for spending your Sunday evening with us and we sincerely hope that you enjoy tonight’s concert, a cheerful holiday celebration that is certain to warm your heart! We are so excited to have you with us today in our beautiful home, UNLV’s Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall, as we continue our musical excellence and commence our 32nd Season! Your support here today means everything to us all; we hope that you enjoy the concert. Have a wonderful and restful holiday, we will see you back here for our Spring Concert “The Ladies We Love” on Sunday, March 23, 2025!

SAVE THE DATES: VOCAL AUDITIONS FOR SPRING 2025: Saturday, January 4, 2025 @ 1:00 pm Arthur Murray Las Vegas West 4440 S. Durango Drive • Las Vegas, NV 89147 FIRST REHEARSAL FOR SPRING 2025: Saturday, January 5, 2025 @ 1:00 pm Arthur Murray Las Vegas West 4440 S. Durango Drive • Las Vegas, NV 89147 “THE LADIES WE LOVE” SPRING CONCERT: Sunday, March 23, 2025 @ 4:00 pm UNLV’s Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS & OUR HEARTFELT THANKS! UNLV Performing Arts Center Staff Arthur Murray Las Vegas - Dance Rehearsal Space Justin McClendon - Choreographer, Arthur Murray Las Vegas Ryan Miller - Producer Jonathan Tuala - Collaborative Pianist Tim Thomas - Bass Jeremy Meronuck - Percussion Eric Fleischer - Auxiliary Keyboards Catherine Pratt - Lighting Design Erick Canfield - Head of Wardrobe & Props Master Bud Weismiller - Floral Arrangements Lamar Advertising - Billboards Kristopher Minnich - Photographer David Williamson - Videographer PDQ Printing Las Vegas - Program Book Design QVegas & Gipsy - Special Events Venue LVMC Volunteers All of our Supporters, Musicians, Current Members, & Alumni 8550 West Charleston Blvd, Suite #102–Box #106, Las Vegas, NV 89117 702.505.1886 | info@lvmenschorus.org Las Vegas Men’s Chorus is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization EIN 05-0573828 meaning that your donation is tax deductible as allowed by state and federal law.

Consult your tax professional for more information.

B r av o to O u r Sponsors

SINGALONG LYRICS SILENT NIGHT Silent night, holy night All is calm, all is bright Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child Holy Infant, so tender and mild Sleep in heavenly peace Sleep in heavenly peace.

THE CHRISTMAS SONG Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose Yuletide carols being sung by a choir and folks dressed up like Eskimos Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe help to make the season bright Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow will find it hard to sleep tonight They know that Santa’s on his way He’s loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh And every mother’s child is gonna spy To see if reindeer really know how to fly And so I’m offering this simple phrase to kids from one to ninety-two Although it’s been said many times, many ways, Merry Christmas to you.

BE OF GOOD CHEER - ACT I BE OF GOOD CHEER IT’S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!

Words & Music by Michelle Snyder & Gregory Lafollette Arranged by David Maddux

ALL THAT HOLIDAY STUFF!

Words & Music by Andy Beck Soloist: Ben Hensley Featuring: LVMC Dance Line, Choreography by Justin McClendon

HANUKKAH, SEASON OF JOY HANUKKAH, SEASON OF JOY!

Words & Music by Mark Weston

EIGHT LIGHTS FOR HANUKKAH

Words & Music by Andy Beck

THE HOLIDAYS ARE FOR DANCING! THE CHRISTMAS WALTZ

Words & Music by Sammy Cahn & Jule Styne Arranged by: Mark Hayes Featuring: LVMC Featured Vocal Ensemble

DANCE OF THE SUGAR PLUM FAIRY

Words & Music by Pyotr Tchaikovsky Recorded by Lindsey Sterling Featuring: LVMC Dance Line, Choreography by Justin McClendon

JOY, PEACE AND GOODWILL TO ALL CHRISTMASTIME

Words & Music by Michael W. Smith & Joanna Carlson Arranged by Lloyd Larson Featuring: LVMC Featured Vocal Ensemble

SILENT NIGHT (SINGALONG)

Words & Music by Franz Gruber & Joseph Mohr

BELL CAROL

Words & Music by Peter J. Wilhousky Arranged with Original Words by Heather Sorenson Featuring: Ryan Miller & Jonathan Tuala, Four-Hand Piano

DEEP PEACE

Traditional Gaelic Blessing Music by Victor C. Johnson

JOY! JOY! JOY TO THE WORLD!

Words & Music by Chad Weirick Choreography by Justin McClendon

**There Will Be One 15-Minute Intermission**

BE OF GOOD CHEER - ACT II SANTA AND HIS FRIENDS FAVORITE ONE

Music by Cy Coleman Original Lyrics by Betty Comden & Adolph Green Featuring: LVMC Dance Line, Choreography by Justin McClendon

THE MAN WITH THE BAG

Words & Music by Harold Stanley, Irving Taylor, & Dudley Brooks Arranged by Steve Milloy

RUDOLPH, THE RED-NOSED REINDEER

Words & Music by Johnny Marks Arranged by Garry Williams & Alvin Trotman

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU

Words & Music by Mariah Carey & Walter Afanasieff Arranged by David Maddux Soloists: Josh DoCanto & Masa Yamakawa

FRUITCAKE

Words & Music by Philip Hagemann & Penny Leka Featuring: LVMC Featured Vocal Ensemble

I WANT A HIPPOPOTAMUS FOR CHRISTMAS

Words & Music by John Rox Performed by Gayla Peevey Featuring: LVMC Dance Line, Choreography by Justin McClendon

DREAMING OF THE HOLIDAYS AT HOME THE CHRISTMAS SONG (SINGALONG)

Words & Music by Robert Wells & Mel Torme

WINTER DREAMS

Words & Music by PINKZEBRA Featuring: LVMC Featured Vocal Ensemble

IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK LIKE CHRISTMAS

Words & Music by Meredith Wilson Arranged by Mark Hayes

PLEASE COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

Words & Music by Charles Brown & Gene Redd Arranged by Jay Althouse Soloists: Jason Yocum & Alex Espiritu

I’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS/HOME

Words & Music by Kim Gannon & Walter Kent Words & Music by Charlie Smalls Arranged by Ryan Duff

JINGLE BELLS (SORT OF)

Words & Music by James Pierpont Arranged by Jay Althouse

Board of Directors President: Ryan Miller Vice-President: Gerry Allen Treasurer: Jamie Richards Secretary: Timothy Wells Member-At-Large: Lee New Board Member: Michael Bond Board Member: Frederick Foster tenor 1

Michael Amesquita Erick Canfield Ari Christensen Chris Doucette *James Koperski Ryan Miller David Pohl Marty Posner Jamie Richards Marco Roxas Joric Salvador Rei Sta Ana Peter Vega Sherwood Wong Masa Yamakawa

tenor 2

Gregory Acosta Jared Baker Gilbert Baltazar John Blake MK Cordova Josh DoCanto Joey Doherty Stephen Flesher Frederick Foster Ben Hensley Jeff Ip Aaron Johnson Ralph Lozano Connor Murphy *Mike Nagy Lee New Eduardo Ojeda-Passmore Christopher Smith Randee Stewart Stephen Trumble Jonathan Vargas-Ramirez

Board Member: Edwin Martinez Board Member: Tom McPherson Board Member: Eduardo Ojeda-Passmore Board Member: Marty Posner Board Member: Randee Stewart Board Member: Jim Villela Board Member: Geo Ojeda-Passmore BASS 1

Gerry Allen Juan Arriaga Marc Austin Gary Baillargeon Andres Costas Alex Espiritu Bill Gould Xavier Jackson Robert King David Lopez-Wade Edwin Martinez Cesar Meza Rick Mula Andy Phairas *Isaac Roachford-Gould Timothy Wells Jason Yocum

BASS 2

Graham Bates Cameron Beasley Michael Bond Fred Crescente Phillip Fife Dominic Gaon Frank Gregory Cherokee Hines Nelson Lucero Mark McCreery Reed Merrell Jeffrey Miller Rebecca Moore Aaron Schave *Matthew Vance

*Section Representative

dance line

Michael Bond Ari Christensen Joey Doherty Dominic Gaon Justin McClendon (Choreographer) Connor Murphy Rei Sta Ana *Stephen Trumble (Dance Captain) Peter Vega

FEATURED VOCAL ENSEMBLE Gerry Allen Marc Austin Josh DoCanto Alex Espiritu David Lopez-Wade Edwin Martinez Rick Mula Isaac Roachford-Gould Graham Bates Fred Crescente Phillip Fife Frank Gregory Rebecca Moore Matthew Vance Timothy Wells Michael Amesquita Erick Canfield Chris Doucette James Koperski Ryan Miller Jamie Richards Gregory Acosta Jared Baker Stephen Flesher Frederick Foster Ben Hensley Lee New Randee Stewart

STRENGTH • INTEGRITY • ACCOUNTABILITY

45 YEARS STRONG

BEST WISHES HAPPY HOLIDAYS & A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO

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