When the Violin Sings

WHEN THE

Violin Sings 28 Saturday

SEPTEMBER

29 Sunday

SEPTEMBER

FEATURING: Beth Johnson, Violinist • Barbara George, Cellist Richard Bjella, Artistic Director

Proudly presents

WHEN THE

Violin Sings SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2024 • 7:30PM First Presbyterian Church - Kerrville

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2024 • 3:00PM Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower FEATURING Richard Bjella, Artistic Director Dr. Eric Thompson collaborative pianist Beth Johnson, violinist Barbara George, cellist

Through exquisite music and innovative programming, the San Antonio Chamber Choir elevates the spirit, enlightens the mind, and nurtures the soul.

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San Antonio Chamber Choir • WHEN THE VIOLIN SINGS

PROGRAM Prologue Hands Opening

Jocelyn Hagen (b. 1980) I

Voices of Earth** Smile Thy Shores**

Mark Sirett (b. 1952) Andrea Clearfield (b. 1960) II

The Lark Ascending

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958) / arr. Steve Bjella III

Chaconne*

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) / arr. Richard Bjella IV

When the violin (violin) Reena Esmail (b. 1983) When the violin (cello and choir)

Soloists: Lindsey Johnson, Hillary Schranze, Jennifer Root, & Michael Zuniga V

Vocalize

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873–1943) VI

Serenade to Music

R. Vaughan Williams

Soloists: Lindsay Selli, Seth Lafler, Sarah Davis, Crystal Jarrell Johnson, Cassidy Wallace, & Michael Zuniga VII

La Muerte del Ángel

Astor Piazzolla (1921–1992) arr. José Bragato, choral parts by R. Bjella Epilogue

Hands**

Soloists: Crystal Jarrell Johnson & Seth Lafler

Jocelyn Hagen

Allan Ross and Eva Laporte, storytellers Script written by John Silantien from notes by Rick Bjella *World Premiere **Texas Premiere

San Antonio Chamber Choir • WHEN THE VIOLIN SINGS

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PROGRAM Voices of Earth We have not heard the music of the spheres, The song of star to star, but there are sounds More deep than human joy and tears, That Nature uses in her common rounds; The fall of streams, the cry of winds that strain The oak, the roaring of the seas’s surge, might Of thunder breaking afar off, or rain That falls by minutes in the summer night.

These are the voices of earth’s secret soul, Uttering the mystery from which she came.

To him who hears them grief beyond control, Or joy inscrutable without a name, Wakes in his heart thoughts bedded there, impearled, Before the birth and making of the world.

The Lark Ascending He rises and begins to round, He drops the silver chain of sound, Of many links without a break, In chirrup, whistle, slur and shake.

George Meredith’s (1828–1909)

Section of his poem that

RVW quotes at the beginning of the work.

Archibald Lampman (1861–99)

Smile Thy Shores Maine Far in the sunset’s mellow glory, Far in the day-break’s pearly bloom, Fringed by ocean’s foamy surges, Belted in by woods of gloom, Stretch thy soft, luxuriant borders, Smile thy shores, in hill and plain, Flower-enameled, ocean-girdled, Green bright shores of Maine.

Bright from many a rocky headland, Fringed by sands that shine like gold, Gleams the light-house, white and lonely, Grim as some baronial hold.

Bright by many an ocean valley Shaded hut and village shine; Roof and steeple, weather-beaten, Stained by the ocean's breath of brine.

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For singing till his heaven fills, 'Tis love of earth that he instills, And ever winging up and up, Our valley is his golden cup And he the wine which overflows to lift us with him as he goes.

Till lost on his aerial rings In light, and then the fancy sings.

Chaconne (She) was my North, my South, my East and West, My working week and my Sunday rest, My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song; I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong.

W.H. Auden (1907–73) Third verse of Stop All the Clocks Pronoun changed from ‘he’ to ‘she’

Isaac McLellan (1806–99) (first and last stanzas)

San Antonio Chamber Choir • WHEN THE VIOLIN SINGS

PROGRAM When the violin When The violin Can forgive the past

Serenade to Music How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank!

Here will we sit and let the sounds of music Creep in our ears: soft stillness and the night Become the touches of sweet harmony.

It starts singing.

When the violin can stop worrying About the future You will become Such a drunk laughing nuisance That God Will then lean down And start combing you into Her Hair.

When the violin can forgive Every wound caused by Others The heart starts Singing.

Hafiz, The Gift (tr. Daniel Ladinsky)

Look how the floor of heaven Is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold: There’s not the smallest orb which thou behold’st But in his motion like an angel sings, Still quiring to the young-eyed cherubins; Such harmony is in immortal souls; But whilst this muddy vesture of decay Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it.

Come, ho! and wake Diana with a hymn!

With sweetest touches pierce your mistress’ ear, And draw her home with music.

I am never merry when I hear sweet music.

The reason is, your spirits are attentive: The man that hath no music in himself, Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, Is fit for treasons, stratagems and spoils; The motions of his spirit are dull as night And his affections dark as Erebus: Let no such man be trusted.

Music! hark! It is your music of the house.

Methinks it sounds much sweeter than by day.

Silence bestows that virtue on it.

How many things by season season’d are To their right praise and true perfection!

Peace, ho! the moon sleeps with Endymion, And would not be awaked.

Soft stillness and the night Become the touches of sweet harmony William Shakespeare’s

(1564–1616) Merchant of Venice

San Antonio Chamber Choir • WHEN THE VIOLIN SINGS

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SAN ANTONIO CHAMBER CHOIR Richard Bjella, Artistic Director Roland Barrera, Executive Director SOPRANO 1

ALTO 1

TENOR 1

BARITONE

Natalie Baker Anna Osterman Nancy Poffenbarger Lindsay Selli, M.M.

Kelly Leary Hillary Schranze Cassidy Wallace

Manny Lopez Seth Lafler, M.Ed.

Jordan Boyd, D.M.A. Andrew McNair Chaz Nailor, M.M.

SOPRANO 2 Heather Cole Sarah Davis Lindsey Johnson

TENOR 2

ALTO 2

BASS

Klint Fabian Valerie Jeannin Joseph Herron Crystal Jarrell Johnson, M.M. Richard Trammell Jennifer Root

Colin Powell Otoniel Rodriguez Michael Zuniga

UPCOMING CONCERTS

Brake for

20

Christmas

DECEMBER

Friday • 7:30PM Diane Bennack Concert Hall, University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, TX

21 DECEMBER

Saturday • 7:30PM Judson I.S.D. Performing Arts Ctr., Converse, TX

A Musical Wilderness of

MARCH

28 Saturday • 7:30PM

Alamo Heights United Methodist Church, San Antonio, TX

MARCH

29 Sunday • 3:00PM

The Chapel of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, TX

ADDITIONAL SEASON HIGHLIGHTS J.S. Bach: Easter Oratorio Bach Reflections & Reverberations

This is the inaugural program of a multi-year project in celebration of the music and influence of J.S. Bach, a composer who stands at the fountainhead of Western classical music and whose influence on the history of music is as profound as any musician who has ever lived.

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Fri., April 11 @ 7:30PM Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower

Sat., April 12 @ 7:30PM OLLU Sacred Heart Chapel

Mon., May 12 @ 7:00PM St. Mark's Episcopal Church Composer Armando Bayolo’s “Cancionero de luto” is his heartwrenching response to events at the Robb Elementary shooting in 2022 & others like it. Cancionero de luto (“Mourning Songbook”) sets six texts in as many languages with the aim to fill the need for an ecumenical music of grief that also embraces so-called freethinkers, atheists, and other non-spiritual traditions as well. Commissioned by SOLI Chamber Ensemble & Yale University, this new work is scored for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, & percussion with chorus, & will be SOLI’s second wonderful collaboration with SACC. This will be the World Premiere performance of this new work.

San Antonio Chamber Choir • WHEN THE VIOLIN SINGS

BIOGRAPHIES Beth Johnson, violin Beth Johnson joined the former San Antonio Symphony, now San Antonio Philharmonic, in 1994. She received undergraduate and graduate degrees from the College/Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati.

Beth previously was on the music faculty at Alamo Community Colleges and has a home teaching studio. Locally she has performed with the Cactus Pear Music Festival, The Olmos Ensemble, the San Antonio Chamber Choir, and as a soloist around the San Antonio area. She serves as a staff musician at Christ Episcopal Church.

Beth served as associate concertmaster and section violinist of the Dayton Philharmonic, the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, the West Virginia Symphony, New Haven Symphony, as a substitute musician for the Cincinnati and Columbus Symphonies, and in the winter and spring of 2003 as concertmaster for the U.S. tour of “Phantom of the Opera.” In recent summers she has performed in the St. Endellion Music Festival in Cornwall, England.

Barbara George, cello Barbara George is a San Antonio Philharmonic and Pearl Trio cellist. Before coming to Texas she was principal cellist of the Orlando Philharmonic and a member of the Orlando Philharmonic String Quartet. She was a cello professor at the University of Florida Gainesville and the University of Central Florida. Before her principal position, she was a member of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. Also, she performed, recorded, and toured with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra, and the Lyric Arts Chamber Ensemble. As a studio musician, she recorded many motion picture soundtracks, commercials, and record albums. Barbara was awarded a Master of Music degree from the University of California at Los Angeles as a student of Ronald Leonard and a Bachelor of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music as a student of Stephen Geber. She has performed at the San Luis Obispo Mozart Festival, the Spoleto Italy Festival, the Sarasota Music Festival, the Mainly Mozart Festival, the Victoria Bach Festival, the Sunflower Music Festival, and the Austin Chamber Music Center Festival. In 2019 Barbara released a solo album, Femme, of all women composers with pianist Jim James.

Allan S. Ross Mr. Ross is a Professor Emeritus of Theatre at San Antonio College where he was the Director of Theatre and a founder and Artistic Director of The Summer Company. He is a founder of The Classic Theatre of San Antonio. Mr. Ross has achieved recognition not only as an actor, but as a director and designer. This will be his third appearance with the SACC. He appeared with Anna Gangai in the concert dedicated to music inspired by Shakespeare, BITS, BALLADS, and the BARD, and as Mark Twain in the Great American Songbook concert.

Eva LaPorte Eva LaPorte (she/her) is a theatre artist working in San Antonio. She holds an acting degree from the University of Northern Colorado and studied directing, producing, and acting with the National Theatre Conservatory, National Theater Institute at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, Royal Shakespeare Theatre Academy, and the Moscow Art Theatre. Eva and her partner Zach Lewis operate a theatre project focusing on contemporary plays that build new communities around the themes seen on stage. www.thesurroundproject.com

San Antonio Chamber Choir • WHEN THE VIOLIN SINGS

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ARTISTIC BIOGRAPHIES (CONTINUED) Richard Bjella Richard Bjella has distinguished himself as a conductor, clinician, choral pedagogue, and choral arranger. In 2014 Bjella was appointed Artistic Director of the San Antonio Chamber Choir.

He retired from Texas Tech University in 2017. He previously served 25 years as Director of Choral Studies at the Lawrence Conservatory of Music, leading the Concert Choir in an acclaimed performance at the 2009 National ACDA Convention.

The Texas Tech University Choir has been celebrated for its excellence in Carnegie Hall, Orchestra Hall, at TMEA convention appearances, and at the 2013 ACDA Convention.

Bjella has presented workshops at several ACDA national and regional conventions and has been a headliner for countless events from Alaska to Florida for teachers and students alike. It has also been his honor to conduct and present masterclasses worldwide and at over 400 festivals and workshops in 34 states, including several appearances at Lincoln Center, Orchestra Hall, and Carnegie Hall. He has presented workshops and conducted in South Korea, England, France, Switzerland, Lithuania, Columbia, Haiti, Estonia, Latvia, Austria, Hungary, and Italy. He led the European tour for the Texas Choral Directors to Vienna, Prague, and Budapest in June and July. He is also deeply honored to be the 2025 Texas All-State Mixed Choir conductor, performing in San Antonio at the TMEA Convention and the national ACDA convention in Dallas. He is also actively promoting creative choral programming and a writer for The Oxford Handbook of Choral Pedagogy (2017) with his chapter, The Art of Successful Programming: Study, Selection, and Synthesis.

Bjella received a ‘2017 Professing Excellence Award’ at Texas Tech University and the Lawrence University Teaching Award in 2008. This award is given to outstanding faculty who go “above and beyond,” both inside and outside the classroom, to impact student learning and academic success. He was also honored to receive the ‘Morris Hayes Lifetime Achievement Award’ from the Wisconsin Choral Directors.

Eric Thompson Eric Thompson was born and raised in San Antonio, graduated from John Jay High School and received degrees in piano performance from UTSA and The University of Texas. He has been employed at Texas State University-School of Music since 2006 and currently holds the position of Program Faculty of Collaborative Piano.

SACC COMMUNITY CONNECTION PROGRAMS Alamo City Street Choir Tracy Bjella Powers, Director Started in 2019, The Alamo City Street Choir offers a musical outlet for those experiencing homelessness and severe disadvantage. Their voices of hope and wisdom will bring the community to a higher level of beauty through the art of singing. ACSC meets weekly at Travis Park Church in partnership with Corazon San Antonio. H-E-B generously underwrites this program. Contact Tracy Bjella Powers, Director for more information please email - tracy@sachamberchoir.org.

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San Antonio Chamber Choir • WHEN THE VIOLIN SINGS

SACC BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kelly Ranson, President

Adam Cason

Kay Sherrill, Vice President

Carol Gamble

James Reed, Treasurer

Norbert Gonzales, Jr., C.P.A., J.D.

Angus McLeod, Secretary

Natalie Luna Kuhn, C.P.A. & C.F.E.

Sarah Brandt

Kit Powers, M.D.

President, Ranson Properties

Director of Product Marketing, Futurex

Retired High School Choir Director, Judson I.S.D. Claims Replacement Manager, USAA Retired Music Educator, Alamo Heights I.S.D. Senior Director of Prospect Management & Research, University of Texas at San Antonio

Volunteer Coordinator, Corazon San Antonio Owner & President, The Gonzales Group, CPA Director of Audit Services, Randy Walker & Co. Cardiologist, University Medical Associates

John Silantien, D.M.A.

Choral Studies Professor Emeritus University of Texas at San Antonio

AD HOC MEMBERS (NON-VOTING) Rick Bjella, Artistic Director San Antonio Chamber Choir & Retired Director of Choral Studies Texas Tech University Roland Barrera, Executive Director San Antonio Chamber Choir & Director of Music & Worship Arts Tarrytown United Methodist Church (Austin, TX) Tracy Bjella Powers Alamo City Street Choir Director

SACC CIRCLE OF SUPPORTERS (based on cumulative gift totals of sustained givers since January 2023)

Maestro’s Circle: $25,000 and above H-E-B Grocery Co. Kelly Ranson Mary Ann Winden

Sponsor’s Circle: $10,000–$24,999

Bexar County Caritas Concert Series City of San Antonio Dept. of Arts & Culture Kronkosky Foundation Bonnie Mutt Estate Edith De Lay, executor Becky & Jeffrey Nodland San Antonio Symphony League

Composer’s Circle: $5,000–$9,999

Corazon San Antonio Jennifer & Scott Rose Texas Commission on the Arts

Diamond Level: $2,500 to $4,999

Linda & Rick Bjella Sarah Brandt & A. Thomas Papagiannakis Adam & Mollie Cason Cynthia I. Gonzales Norbert Gonzales Jr. San Antonio Area Foundation The Gonzales Group CPA Firm Tracy Bjella Powers & Kit Powers, MD Randy Walker & Co.

Platinum Level: $1,000 to $2,499 Roland Barrera Cristian Cantu Frost Bank

Frances & Jim Garner Hope House Ministries Natalie Luna Kuhn & Frank Kuhn Cathy & James Reed Beverly Roth Kay Sherrill Jill & David Trawick Jennifer Whatley

Gold Level: $500 to $999

Carol & Bruce Cauley Daniel Diller Lamont Jefferson Nancy & Cliff Jenkins Ann & Carl Leafstedt Gwen & Angus McLeod Renee Meriwether Angus Ranson Terri Peña & Allan Ross Harold Sager Caroline Vickrey

Silver Level: $250 to $499

Rosalinda & Pedro Barrera Carol Gamble Janice Grantz Mildred & James Harnish Anna & Bruce Liesman Anne Mulligan Patrice & Joey Oliver Pathways of Hope Adrienne P. Bingamon University Methodist Church Alice & Sergio Viroslav

Bronze Level: $100 to $249

Calhoun Law Firm Shirley Coffman Nancy Cook-Monroe Denise Doyle Klint Fabian

Lynne & Merlin Gackle Alex Gmeinder Mary Greer Valerie Jeannin Joan Kearl Kevin Meidl Joseph Milligan Paul Myers Warren Neisler Anna & Joe Osterman Diane Persellin Ladawn Petersen Karen Pfefferle Lars Ranson James Rodde Kimberly Sherrill John Silantien George Spencer Joy & William Surbey Ana M. Valadez Sharon Wallace Mary Walsh

Friends: up to $99

Daryl Anderson Alyssa Avenatti Gabriela Barba Rachel Benefiel Diane Burchers Karla Busch-McEwen Joan Carlson Regina Chew Juliette Conte Nancy Cook-Monroe Ms. Mary Cowart Robert Dalglish Dean David John Debner Denise Doyle Mary Esther Escobedo Cass Everitt Debra Faszer-Mcmahon Jaimes Flores Donald Frantz Jesus Garcia

San Antonio Chamber Choir • WHEN THE VIOLIN SINGS

Melissa Garza Mireya Garza Darrell Gerik Laura Giacomoni Gary Goethe Billie Gonzales Ms. Mary Greer Tom Grothues Debra Habingreither Jerry Hamilton John Hammer Jean Henslee Barry Hubbard Crystal Jarrell Johnson Carrie Jasso Denise Kellum Stephanie Key Minji Kim Rebecca Krogness Elizabeth Lampright Debra Lolmaugh Gary Mabry Susan McAllister Laura McDaniel Melie McIntosh Kevin Meidl Patricia Morgan Mr. Paul Myers Elizabeth Nabutovsky Dena Orth Marianne Orton Casey & Maureen Papovich Melissa Peck Josep-Maria Peralba Diane Persellin Lauren Phillips Richard Reams Harriet Redman Keith Riggle Christina Rivera Maryann Robledo Kelly Robles Beverly & Dennis Schaffer Kathy Scruggs Lindsay & Vello Selli

Linda Smith Raul Soria Aimee Stead Cathy Talcott Irma Taute Maria Velasco Margi Wallace Nicki Weaver Gayle Weinraub Judith York & Richard Tye

Tribute Giving:

In memory of Len Bjella In memory of Mimi Gonzales In memory of Brian Halverson In memory of Muriel Leafstedt In memory of Art Winden In honor of Roland Barrera In honor of David Beck In honor of Richard Bjella In honor of Edith DeLay In honor of Alyx Gonzales In honor of Kelly Ranson In honor of Kay Sherrill In honor of Valerie Jeannin In honor of Tracy Bjella Powers & the Alamo City Street Choir In honor of Jennifer Whatley In honor of Mary Ann Winden

Special Thank You:

Sophia Balmer Jadin Blanchard Sarah Brandt Seth Lafler Angus McLeod Tracy Bjella Powers & Kit Powers Kelly Ranson John Silantien

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