Confounded Anthems
of Great Britain and the United States of America
Westminster Symphonic Choir
Donald Nally, conductor
Michael Diorio, organ
Seth Trumbore, collaborative keyboardist
Juliana Rappaport, graduate assistant conductor
James T. Moyer, graduate assistant conductor
Saturday, October 4th at 5 p.m.
Trinity Episcopal Cathedral
801 W. State Street
Trenton, NJ 08618
Please note the unauthorized use of any recording device, either audio or video is prohibited by law. Out of courtesy to the performers and everyone in the audience, please refrain from using cell phones and electronic devices
Conductor’s Note
In this advent of the 100th Season of choral singing at Westminster Choir College, Symphonic Choir explores literature which has long been associated with our unique school. To the more traditional 20th-century works of Howells, Finzi, Bairstow, Hurford, we add the composing voices of todayLang, Weir, Bingham, Whitacre - as we look toward the future, embracing Arnold Schoenberg's observation that "music evolves, just like humanity." While the program sung today may seem to escape "the news" and the stresses of living in a divided world, we hope that in these composers' perspectives on ancient, sacred texts, we will be reminded of our humanity and connect with the messages of truth, invitation, and community that are indeed a way forward.
Welcome, life!
- Donald Nally, October 2025 Program
Welcome, Sweet and Sacred Feast
A New Song
Gerald Finzi (1901-1956)
James MacMillan
Occuli omnium Eric Whitacre
Alexa Farah, soprano
My Lovely One Finzi
sleeper’s prayer
God be in my Head
Jesu, the Very Thought of Thee
David Lang
Judith Bingham
Edgar Bairstow (1874-1946)
James T. Moyer, graduate student conductor
I Love All Beauteous Things
Litany to the Holy Spirit
Te Deum (Collegium Regale)
Judith Weir
Peter Hurford (1930-2019)
Herbert Howells (1892-1983)
Texts
Welcome, Sweet and Sacred Feast
Welcome sweet and sacred feast; welcome life!
Dead I was, and deep in trouble;
But grace and blessings came with thee so rife That they have quickened even dry stubble
Thus souls their bodies animate
And thus, at first, when things were rude
Dark, void and crude
They, by thy Word, their beauty had and date; All were by thee
And still must be;
Nothing that is, or lives
But hath his quick’nings and reprieves
As thy hand opes or shuts:
Healings and cuts
Darkness and daylight, life and death
Are but mere leaves turn’d by thy breath
But that great darkness at thy death
When the veil broke with thy last breath
Did make us see
The way to thee
Was’t not enough that thou hadst paid the price And given us eyes
When we had none, but thou must also take Us by the hand And keep us still awake
When we would sleep Or from thee creep
Who without thee cannot stand?
Was’t not enough to lose thy breath And blood by an accursed death
But thou must also leave
To us that did bereave
Thee of them both, these seals, the means That should both cleanse and keep us so
Who wrought thy woe?
O rose of Sharon! O the lily
Of the valley!
How art thou now, thy flock to keep
Become both food, and Shepherd to thy sheep.
– Henry Vaughan (1621-1695)
A New Song
O, sing unto the Lord
Unto the Lord a new song
Sing unto the Lord
All the whole earth
Sing unto the Lord and praise His name
Be telling of His salvation from day to day
O, sing unto the Lord
Unto the Lord a new song
Sing unto the Lord
All the whole earth
For he cometh to judge the earth
And with righteousness to judge the world and the people with his truth
O, sing unto the Lord
Unto the Lord a new song
Sing unto the Lord
All the whole earth.
– Psalm 96: 1-2
Occuli omnium
Oculi omnium in te sperant, Domine: et tu das escam illorum in tempore opportuno. Gloria tibi Domine, Amen.
All eyes look to you, Lord: and you give them food in due time. Glory to you, Lord, Amen. Psalm 145: 15
My Lovely One
My Lovely One, I fain would love thee much
But all my Love is none at all I see Oh! let thy Beauty give a glorious tuch Upon my Heart, and melt to Love all mee Lord melt me all up into Love for thee Whose Loveliness excels what love can be – Edward Taylor (c. 1642-1729)
sleeper’s prayer when sleep falls upon my eyes let me lie down in peace let me rise up again in peace no evil dreams no sleep of death no snare no sorrow no terror by night no arrow by day no thousand at my left no ten thousand at my right let me lie down in peace let me rise up again in peace let me find my better self when I go out when I come in when I lie down
when I rise up in life in peace now and forever by day by night when I lie down when I rise up let me lie down in peace let me rise up again in peace at my right hand at my left hand before me behind me above me
– words by the composer
God be in my Head God be in my head, And in my understanding; God be in mine eyes, And in my looking; God be in my mouth, And in my speaking; God be in my heart, And in my thinking; God be at mine end, And at my departing.
– Sarum Primer, 1558
Jesu, the Very Thought of Thee Jesu, the very thought of thee With sweetness fills my breast; But sweeter far thy face to see, And in thy presence rest.
– St. Bernard of Clairvaux (attr.; 1090-1153), trans. Edward Caswall (1814-1878)
I Love All Beauteous Things I love all beauteous things, I seek and adore them; God hath no better praise, And man in his hasty days Is honoured for them. I too will something make And joy in the making! Altho' tomorrow it seem' Like the empty words of a dream Remembered, on waking.
– Robert Bridges (1844-1930)
Litany to the Holy Spirit
In the hour of my distress, When temptations me oppress, And when I my sins confess, Sweet Spirit, comfort me!
When I lie with my bed, Sick in heart and sick in head, And with doubts discomforted, Sweet Spirit, comfort me!
When the house doth sigh and weep, And the world is drown’d in sleep, Yet mine eyes the watch do keep, Sweet Spirit, comfort me!
– Robert Herrick (1591-1674)
Te Deum (Collegium Regale)
We praise thee, O God; we acknowledge thee to be the Lord. All the earth doth worship thee; the Father everlasting. To thee all angels cry aloud' the Heavens and all the powers therein.
To thee Cherubim and Seraphim continually do cry, Holy, Holy, Holy; Lord God of Sabaoth; Heaven and earth are full of the Majesty of thy glory. The glorious company of the Apostles praise thee. The goodly fellowship of the Prophets praise thee.
The noble army of Martyrs praise thee.
The holy Church throughout all the world doth acknowledge thee; The Father of an infinite Majesty; Thing honourable, true and only Son; Also the Holy Ghost: the Comforter.
Thou art the King of Glory: O Christ. Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father.
When thou took'st upon thee to deliver man: thou didst not abhor the Virgin's womb. When thou hads't overcome the sharpness of death: thou didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers.
Thou sittest at the right hand of God: in the Glory of the Father. We believe that thou shalt come to be our Judge. We therefore pray thee, help thy servants: whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.
Make them to be numbered with thy Saints: in glory everlasting.
O Lord, save thy people: and bless thine heritage. Govern them: and lift them up for e'er.
Day by day we magnify thee; And we worship thy Name ever, world without end.
Vouchsafe, O Lord: to keep us this day without sin.
O Lord, have mercy upon us: have mercy upon us.
O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us: as our trust is in thee.
O Lord, in thee have I trusted: let me never be confounded.
– Ambrosian Hymn (c. 6th c.)
About the Artists
WESTMINSTER SYMPHONIC CHOIR
Long recognized as one of the world’s leading symphonic choral ensembles, the Westminster Symphonic Choir has recorded and performed with major orchestras under virtually every internationally acclaimed conductor of the past 90 years.
The choir first performed in 1934 when it joined The Philadelphia Orchestra and Leopold Stokowski to perform Bach’s Mass in B Minor in the Princeton University Chapel to celebrate the move of Westminster Choir College to New Jersey.
Since then, the list of renowned conductors–Abbado, Bernstein, Giulini, Kubelik, Masur, Mehta, Muti, Tilson-Thomas, Nézet-Séguin, Shaw, and, of course, Flummerfelt–as well as orchestras –New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Gewandhaus, Vienna, Berlin, L.A., Atlanta, National–has grown to establish Westminster Symphonic Choir as the most uniquely sought-after collaborator on the East Coast of the United States. The Choir’s extensive discography includes premiere recordings of works of Kaija Saariaho, Messiaen’s Le Transfiguration de Notre Seigneur Jesus Christ (winner of Le Prix du President de le Republique), and ground-breaking recordings with Leonard Bernstein and the NY Philharmonic, including a Grammy-winning recording Haydn’s Lord Nelso Mass and Bernstein’s definitive Deutcshe Grammophon recording of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2
Under its current conductor, four-time Grammy winning expert in new music and opera, Donald Nally, Westminster Symphonic Choir continues to mine new directions in choral singing.
WESTMINSTER SYMPHONIC CHOIR
Donald Nally, conductor
Seth Trumbore, collaborative keyboardist
Juliana Rappaport and James. T. Moyer, graduate assistant conductors
Nidhi Advani, Columbus, NJ
Joshua Bacomo, West Babylon, NY
Emilie Beals, Carlisle, PA
Jessica Bella, Naperville, IL
Kenzie J. Bella, Wood River, NE
Elizabeth Berger, Herford, MD
Katie Blowitski, Southampton, PA
Connor Bowden, Washington Crossing, PA
Esther Brodsky, Baltimore, MD
Jacqueline Burkholder, Philadelphia, PA
Evan Courtney, Asbury Park, NJ
Chloe A. Davis, Lawrence, NJ
Casey E. Decker, Edison, NJ
Xavier Desrosiers, Southampton, PA
Jonah DeVinney, Boca Raton, FL
Daniel C. Erdozain, New Orleans, LA
Alexa Farah, Northvale, NJ
Sarah Febonio, Flemington, NJ
Ronan Flynn, West Babylon, NY
Brendan M. Fritz, Elizabethtown, PA
Claire Fritz, Elizabethtown, PA
Jiayun Gao, Shanghai, China
Julia N. Gerst, West Milford, NJ
Benjamin Glick, Lancaster, PA
Haley Goodfellow, Mineola, NY
Lauren Gregorovic, Hamilton, NJ
Sean D. Haugh, Point Pleasant, NJ
Lucas Heredia, East Brunswick, NJ
Oliver Hu, Doylestown, PA
Grisha P. Ivanov, Brooklyn, NY
Jess Koscak, Tamaqua, PA
Cameron Krauss, Langhorne, PA
Kole Lawrence, Lancaster, PA
Alyssa M. Lester, Monroe Twp., NJ
Duomi Liu, Beijing, China
Aaron Lynch, Rochester, NY
Anna Maher, Ipswitch, MA
Sela McMullen, Towson, MD
Tyler Miller, Frederick, MD
Kianna Mitchner, Groton, CT
James Moyer, Yardley, PA
Briseis Munoz, Phoenix, AZ
Samantha Murphy, Washington Township, NJ
Alivia G. Nawrocki, Marlton, NJ
Sarah Ounsworth, Pottstown, PA
Daniel J. Piver, East Hampton, NY
Ariel F. Roycroft, Cochecton, NY
Juliana Rappaport, Frederick, MD
Dari Russoniello, Somerset, NJ
Ricky Sazon Salazar, Queens, NY
Bailey Shay, Matamoras, PA
Lloyd P. Silikovitz, Randolph, NJ
Haley Soule, Middleboro, MA
Alastair Stewart, Quebec, Canada
Elena C Trapasso, West Milford, NJ
Jameson Van Horn, Ivyland, PA
Sarah Vawdrey, Teaneck, NJ
Shaye Walker, Old Bridge, NJ
Julia Wilder, Carmel, NY
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
Senior Associate Dean, College of Arts and Sciences Jason Vodicka Chair, Department of Performance Studies Margaret Cusack Director of Choir Studies Donald Nally Director of Performance Management Kristen Rodgers
Associate Director of Performance Management Leandra Acosta
Performing Arts Coordinator Zach Kent
Rider University gratefully acknowledges the generous support of: Michael T. '89 and Susana Santaguida '89 Gummel for their support of our Rider Friend of the Arts patron program.
About Rider University & Westminster Choir College
Located in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, Rider University is a private co-educational, student-centered university that emphasizes purposeful connections between academic study and real-world learning experience. Rider prepares graduates to thrive professionally, to be lifelong independent learners, and to be responsible citizens who embrace diversity, support the common good, and contribute meaningfully to the changing world in which they live and work.
The College of Arts and Sciences is dedicated to educating students for engaged citizenship, career success, and personal growth in a diverse and complex world. The college cultivates intellectual reflection, artistic creativity, and academic maturity by promoting both broad academic inquiry and in-depth disciplinary study, while nurturing effective and ethical applications of transferable critical skills. The College consists of four schools: the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, the School of Communication, Media, and Performing Arts, the School of Science, Technology, and Mathematics, and Westminster Choir College.
Culturally vibrant and historically rich, Westminster Choir College has a legacy of preparing students for thriving careers as well-rounded performers and musical leaders on concert stages, in schools, universities, and churches, and in professional and community organizations worldwide. Renowned for its tradition of choral excellence, the college is home to internationally recognized ensembles, including the Westminster Symphonic Choir, which has performed and recorded with virtually all of the major orchestras and conductors of our time. In addition to its choral legacy, Westminster is known as a center for excellence in musical pedagogy and performance.
Upcoming Performances
LOST GIRL
Friday, October 10, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 11, 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, October 12, 2 p.m.
Yvonne Theater
WESTMINSTER FACULTY RECITAL SERIES: JOURNEY OF LIEDER
Sunday, October 12, 3 p.m.
Gill Chapel
KEMP CHURCH MUSIC SYMPOSIUM
Saturday, October 18, 9 a.m.
Gill Chapel
WORLD SINGING DAY COMMUNITY SING
Saturday, October 18, 12 p.m.
Bart Luedeke Center Plaza
VISITING ARTIST ORGAN MASTERCLASS WITH NICOLE KELLER
Thursday, October 23, 11:30 a.m.
Gill Chapel
TWELFTH NIGHT
Friday, October 24, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 25, 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, October 26, 2 p.m.
Bart Luedeke Center Theater
WESTMINSTER CHAPEL CHOIR: WHAT GIVES PEACE
Saturday, October 25, 7:30 p.m.
Gill Chapel
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON UPCOMING PERFORMANCES, SUBSCRIPTION AND PATRON PROGRAM OPTIONS, VISIT RIDER.EDU/ARTS.
