Northwestern Chamber Choir

NORTHWESTERN CHAMBER CHOIR

Southern Region 2024 American Choral Directors Association Conference Thursday, February 22, 2024 Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts Louisville, Kentucky 1

Northwestern State University Chamber Choir Dr. Nicholaus B. Cummins, Conductor

¡Canta!

Guido López-Gavilán Edition Ferrimontana GL4904

Trilo

Bengt Ollén Cadence Carpio, Mezzo-Soprano Gehrmans Musikförlag GE 13057

Kondairaren Ihauterian Soinu eta Dantza Panamusica GB 9151 Nkosi Sikelela iAfrika

Javier Busto

arr. André van der Merwe Manuscript

*My Old Kentucky Home arr. Richard Burchard Gentry Publication JG2695 Leron, Leron

arr. Saunder Choi Earthsongs, S-395

*commissioned work

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American Choral Directors Association Southern Region Conference Northwestern State University Chamber Choir Program Notes Name

Section

Hometown

Class

Major

Brooke Jones

AI

St. Rose, LA

JR

BM- Vocal Performance

Cadence Carpio

AI

Harlingen, TX

SO

BME- Vocal Music Education

Maddie Horton

AI

Kilgore, TX

SO

BME- Vocal Music Education

Meredith Corrales

AI

San Pedro Sula, Honduras

GR

MM- Instrumental Education

Lillie Cloudet

AII

Baton Rouge, LA

SR

BA- Criminal Justice & CIS

Allison Flores

AII

San Pedro Sula, Honduras

JR

BME- Instrumental Education

Rebekah Hall

AII

Shreveport, LA

GR

MM- Vocal Music Education

Jelsson Flores

BI

San Pedro Sula, Honduras

JR

BM- Instrumental Performance

Carlos Diaz del Valle

BI

San Pedro Sula, Honduras

JR

BM- Music Business

Nathan Gay

BI

Shreveport, LA

GR

MM- Vocal Music Education

Jacob Webb

BII

Haughton, LA

SR

BM- Music Business

Dominick Hector Saldivar

BII

Brownsville, TX

SO

BME- Vocal Music Education

Clairie Parent

SI

Shreveport, LA

FR

BM- Vocal Performance

Eileen Ashley

SI

Maurice, LA

SO

BME- Vocal Music Education

Malaina Aultman

SI

Ball, LA

GR

MM- Vocal Performance

Khuyen Tran

SII

Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

JR

BFA- Musical Theatre

Dorcia Gillam

SII

Marksville, LA

FR

BME- Vocal Music Education

Emilie Comeaux

SII

Lafayette, LA

SR

BME- Vocal Music Education

Madison Anderson

SII

Houma, LA

SR

BME- Vocal Music Education

Douglas Flores

TI

San Pedro Sula, Honduras

SR

BM- Instrumental Performance

Josias Ramos

TI

San Pedro Sula, Honduras

SR

BM- Instrumental Performance

Luke Niedens

TI

Queen City, TX

JR

BME- Instrumental Education

Joel Ramos

TII

San Pedro Sula, Honduras

SO

BM- Instrumental Performance

Gabriel Polo

TII

Turbaco, Colombia

SO

BM- Vocal Performance

Josue Bustillo Aguero

TII

San Pedro Sula, Honduras

JR

BME- Instrumental Education

Alexander Haynes-Villarreal

TII

Alvin, TX

JR

BME- Vocal Music Education

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American Choral Directors Association Southern Region Conference Northwestern State University Chamber Choir Program Notes Translations & Program Notes

¡Canta!

Sing, but Sing! Sing girl, sing! Sing boy, sing!

He who does not sing does not enjoy singing! Sing for enjoyment!

Sing for enjoyment, sing it! Yes, please enjoy yourself, sing! And enjoy!

Trilo Trilo, here he is he is near!

Kondairaren ihauterian (Festival of Legends) Soinu (the sound) Water from above, water from below fountain of the moon, with form of akelarre* from Saint Johns’ night, that it comes into this house with the water the health, with the water the health, in this house the freedom *-witches sabbath Danza (the dance) Singing water, dancing fire, both must embrace each other.

Nkosi, sikelela i Afrika! (God Bless Africa) God Bless Africa! Raise high her Glory!

Hear our Prayers! To be united in one spirit!

Even through hard times in the world! When we are painfully abused!

Lord, give us strength for victory! To Fight the Devil!

Even through hard times in the world! When we are painfully abused!

Lord, give us strength for victory! To Fight the Devil! God Bless!

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American Choral Directors Association Southern Region Conference Northwestern State University Chamber Choir Program Notes Leron, Leron Sinta Leron, Leron, my love, Papaya sprouts above.

Take up, take up a basket, oh! To hold the fruit, my love, Upon reaching the top, oh! The branch broke What bad luck I’ll find someone else.

Come on now Neneng, let’s pick tamarind, oh!

Carry your basket to hold the ripe fruit, Upon reaching the top, oh!

The branch sways you hold on Neneng, Lest you fall off. ¡Canta! By Guido López-Gavilán is an Afro-Cuban choral work telling everyone to sing and enjoy life. It is a short, but complex rhythmic piece using frequent ostinato patterns in each voice. Cuban dance styles are frequently infused in the music of Gavilan, including canción, bolero, chachachá, conga, guajira, and habanera among others. Dr. Jose Rivera says “The rich music of Cuba is a result of a merger of two distinct and influential cultures from the Old World on an island in the New World. African rhythms and Spanish melodies merged to create an extraordinary musical tapestry immersed in the island’s history and folklore.” Others works include El Guayaboso, Que Rico E, Pa kin kin, and Conga.

Trilo is a Swedish folk arrangement by conductor Bengt Ollén. The opening fifths, combined with wind and sea noises, resemble the sounds of the fishing boats arriving back at port after long voyages away from home. The soloist at the beginning awaits the return of her husband, Trilo, and is eventually joined by other women awaiting their own husbands and sons returns as well. It is a haunting and beautiful tribute to the dangers that fisherman and their families have experienced throughout history.

Kondairaren ihauterian (Carnival of History) is by Basque composer, Javier Busto. Javier makes his primary living as a practicing medical doctor, but is also very accomplished composer in Spain. He has produced numerous choral works for competitions, conferences, symposiums, and commissions. Originally composed for the Tolosa Choral Competition, this work is a compilation of Basque folk songs.

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American Choral Directors Association Southern Region Conference Northwestern State University Chamber Choir Program Notes Nkosi, sikelela i Afrika!

This Xhosa text, God Bless Africa, was written in 1897 by Enoch Sontonga as a Methodist hymn. Sontonga was a native Xhosa and music teacher in Johannesburg during that Transvaal period of South African history. The song became an African liberation song and was later adopted as the national anthems of five countries: Zambia, Tanzania, Namibia and Zimbabwe, and finally South Africa after the end of apartheid. During apartheid, it was considered he unofficial national anthem of South Africa, representing the suffering of the oppressed indigenous masses.

Because of its connection to the African National Congress, the song was banned by the ruling white government during the apartheid era. However, with the freedom and eventual election of President Nelson Mandela in 1994, the song became the dual national anthem with Die Stem van Suid-Afrika. This arrangement by André van der Merwe was arranged for the Stellenbosch University Choir. This choir is made up of white, black, and mixed-race South Africans that inspired our choir to bring the message of uniting in one spirit. This selection is powerful and sends a message of unity in times of trouble and division.

My Old Kentucky Home “My Old Kentucky Home!” was a pivotal point in Stephen Foster’s compositions with respect to his beliefs about slavery as Foster began to abandon minstrelsy and African-American vernacular after this was written. Foster is thought to be inspired by Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin, which appeared in Foster’s hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1852. The novel, about the dangerous life of a slave in Kentucky, influenced Foster’s future songwriting by altering the tone of his music to sympathize the position of the enslaved population. This song became the state anthem of Kentucky in the early 20th century and this arrangement was specifically chosen to honor the host state of our conference. We are thrilled to share this arrangement of composer Richard Burchard. He has established himself with his innovative and unique choral compositions merging the styles of Renaissance polyphony with modern dissonance and mixed meter. His compositions are frequently performed at international choral symposiums, national and regional conferences, and choral competitions.

Leron, Leron Sinta “My Dear, Little Leron,” is a popular Filipino folk song from the Tagalog region. It is traditionally a work song, representing those who are in the fields harvesting fruits, though the origin is unclear due to the lack of scholarly literature that examines Philippine folk music. It is often presented as a children’s song, though some parts of the text may have been meant for a more mature audience. Some sources also refer to it as a courtship song.1

https://www.saunderchoi.com/project/leron-leron-sinta/

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American Choral Directors Association Southern Region Conference Northwestern State University Chamber Choir Program Notes

Alto Section

Tenor Section

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American Choral Directors Association Southern Region Conference Northwestern State University Chamber Choir Program Notes

Soprano Section

Bass Section

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American Choral Directors Association Southern Region Conference Northwestern State University Chamber Choir Program Notes Dr. Nicholaus B. Cummins is Associate Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at Northwestern State University, in Natchitoches, Louisiana, where he conducts the Chamber Choir and founded the Cane River Singers in 2019. In addition, he teaches graduate courses, choral conducting, choral literature, and vocal music education methods courses.

The Northwestern Chamber Choir, conducted by Dr. Cummins, have recently worked with composers Michael Trotta, Richard Burchard, and Vytautas Miškinis premiering new choral works and producing recordings for iTunes and Naxos. They were invited to perform at the 9th National Collegiate Choral Organization National Conference at the University of Maryland and were invited to perform at the Night of Churches in Prague, Czechia in 2019. Additionally, the choir has placed and won significant awards in several international choral competitions including the Laurea Mundi Choral Competition in Budapest, Hungary, the Ave Verum Competition in Baden, Austria, and the Leonardo da Vinci Choral Competition in Florence, Italy. Additionally, they have produced two recordings: For a Breath of Ecstasy & The Silver Swan available on iTunes.

Dr. Cummins has presented topics at state and regional conferences about technology in the choral rehearsal, assessment in choral ensembles, Performance Practices of the Renaissance, and choral music of the Baltics. He was named an ACDA International Conducting Fellow to Brazil in 2017.

Prior to his tenure at Northwestern State University, Dr. Cummins was Director of Choral Activities at Delta State University, and a Graduate Teaching Fellow at Louisiana State University where he conducted the LSU Treble Chorale. He also taught public school choral music in Alabama and Texas. He has been involved in church music for over twenty years and is currently the music director at First United Methodist Church in Natchitoches. Additionally, he has served as a clinician for Honor Choirs and secondary and university choirs in the southeast and southwest.

He is a member of the American Choral Director’s Association, the National Association for Teachers of Singing, the National Collegiate Choral Organization, College Music Society, National Association for Music Education, and International Choral Music Federation. His wife Whitney is an elementary music educator in the Natchitoches Parish schools, and their daughters are Emma and Addison.

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American Choral Directors Association Southern Region Conference Northwestern State University Chamber Choir Program Notes Vocal Faculty: Dr. Nicholaus Cummins- Director of Choral Activities & Associate Professor of Music Adam Philley- Associate Director of Choral Activities & Assistant Professor of Music Dr. Terrie Sanders- Department Chair, Instructor of Vocal Pedagogy & Professor of Music Dr. Marcy McKee- Applied Instructor of Voice & Associate Professor of Music Dr. Robert Cardwell- Director of Opera & Assistant Professor of Music Juliana Handy- Applied Instructor of Voice & Instructor of Music

Special Thanks: • The 2019-2022 Northwestern Chamber Choir Members for their hard work in creating the recordings that earned us a place in this conference.

• Dr. Marcus Jones, President of Northwestern State University, for providing the funding for this ACDA Southern Region Performance • Northwestern State University Student Government Association for their Organizational Relief Grants to help provide funding.

• Brothers of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia for sponsoring a dinner during our ACDA Tour.

• Northwestern State University Department of Music Faculty for allowing us to miss courses and rehearsals during this conference.

• Professor Adam Philley for all his hard work and dedication to the Northwestern Chamber Choir in preparing for this performance.

• Dr. Terrie Sanders, Dr. Marcy McKee, Dr. Robert Cardwell, and Ms. Juliana Handy for their support of the choral program at Northwestern State University and the Chamber Choir in preparing for this performance.

• Professor Scott Burrell, Director of the School of Creative and Performing Arts, for providing funds for performance apparel.

• My friends and mentors for their support and guidance in preparing for this and every other performance in my career:  Dr. Ken Fulton  Dr. Philip Copeland  Dr. Gary Packwood  Dr. Melinda Doyle  Dr. William Plummer  Dr. Shannon Jeffries  Dr. Susan Brumfield • My wife, Whitney, who is a tireless supporter of me and the choirs at Northwestern State University.

You have been my biggest supporter through this and every part of my career. Thank you!

• Kelly Krouse for all continued collaboration and dedication to making travel happen.

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