

“Hitting the right note” is important in our business, too.



“Hitting the right note” is important in our business, too.
Dr. Timothy Jon Tharaldson (baritone) is the Director of Choral Activities and Chair of the Department of Music at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. He conducts four choral ensembles and teaches private voice, conducting, and vocal pedagogy. Dr. Tharaldson is also the Artistic Director of the St. Joseph Community Chorus. Prior to his current appointments, he taught at Rocky Mountain High School, Smoky Hill High School, and Ponderosa High School in Colorado. He has sung with Te Deum of Kansas City and was a member of the nationally acclaimed Kantorei of Denver for ten seasons.
Active as a composer, Dr. Tharaldson has received recent commissions from a variety of ensembles, including the Minnesota Sinfonia, Central Lakes Symphony Orchestra of Minnesota, University of Notre Dame Magnificat Choir, Wartburg College Ritterchor, The Longmont Chorale, and Kantorei. His composition Missa Brevis No. 1 was premiered during a Solemnity at the Papal Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome. His composition Rest was featured by the 2015 Colorado All State Mixed Choir and was also the contest piece performed by seven different choirs as part of the 122nd Queensland Eistedfod in Brisbane, Australia.
Dr. Tharaldson’s compositions are published through MusicSpoke, Hal Leonard, and Santa Barbara Music Publishing. He is a member of the American Choral Directors Association, American Composers Forum, Colorado Music Educators Association, and the Kansas Music Educators Association.
Dr. Tharaldson holds degrees from St. Cloud State University, The University of Northern Colorado, and The University of Kansas.
Saturday, March 22, 2025 7:00 p.m.
The Missouri Theater
Saint Joseph Symphony
Christopher Kelts, music director / conductor
Benedictine College Chamber Singers
Saint Joseph Community Chorus
Timothy Jon Tharaldson, music director
Stacey Uthe, soprano
Elise Hepworth, mezzo
Donovan Jones, tenor
Timothy Jon Tharaldson, baritone
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Requiem Mass in D minor, K. 626
Introitus
- Requiem aeternam
Kyrie
Sequentia
- Dies irae
- Tuba mirum
- Rex tremendae
- Recordare
- Confutatis
- Lacrymosa
Offertorium
- Domine Jesu
- Hostius
Sanctus
Benedictus
Agnus Dei
Communio
- Lux aeterna
- Cum sanctis tuis
Scan the code for our digital program
The use of cameras and/or audio video recording devices is strictly forbidden. The Saint Joseph Symphony reserves the right to make changes in programs and artists without prior notice. Please turn off all cell phones and pagers during the concert.
First Violin
Chun-Chien Chuang, concertmaster
Andrew Holmes
Teresa Edgar
Jami Bale
Second Violin
Rob Patterson, principal
Rachael Berg
Dima Estanbuli
Isaac Villaroya
Viola
Monty Carter, principal
Noel Good
Cello
Dana Woolard, principal
Janelle Clark
Double Bass
Kristoffer Nagy, principal
Melissa Hile
Clarinet
Randall Cunningham, principal
Chris Gibson
Bassoon
Claudia Risebig, principal
Andrew West
Trumpet
William Richardson, principal
Steve Molloy
Trombone
Chris White, principal
Michael Dragen
Will Sutton
Timpani
Bryan Busby, principal
1. Requiem aeternam
Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Te decet hymnus, Deus, in Sion, et tibi reddetur votum in Jerusalem. Exaudi orationem meam, ad te omnis care veniet.
Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis.
2. Kyrie
Kyrie, eleison. Christe, eleison. Kyrie, eleison.
3. Dies irae
Dies irae, dies illa solvet saeclum in favilla, teste David cum Sibylla. Quantus tremor est futurus, quando judex est venturus, cuncta stricte discussurus!
4. Tuba mirum
Tuba mirum spargens sonum per sepulcra regionum, coget omnes ante thronum.
Mors stupebit et natura, cum resurget creatura, judicanti responsura.
Liber scriptus proferetur, in quo totum continetur, unde mundus judicetur.
Judex ergo cum sedebit, quidquid latet, apparebit, nil inultum remanebit.
Quid sum miser tunc dicturus? quem patronum rogaturus, cum vix justus sit securus?
5. Rex tremendae
Rex tremendae majestatis, qui salvandos savas gratis, salve me, fons pietatis.
Grant them eternal rest, O Lord and let perpetual light shine on them. You are praised, God, in Zion, and homage will be paid to You in Jerusalem. Hear my prayer, to You all flesh will come. Grant them eternal rest, Lord, and let perpetual light shine on them.
Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.
Day of wrath, day of anger will dissolve the world in ashes, as foretold by David and the Sibyl. Great trembling there will be when the Judge descends from heaven to examine all things closely.
The trumpet will send its wondrous sound throughout earth’s sepulchres and gather all before the throne.
Death and nature will be astounded, when all creation rises again, to answer the judgement.
A book will be brought forth, in which all will be written, by which the world will be judged.
When the judge takes his place, what is hidden will be revealed, nothing will remain unavenged.
What shall a wretch like me say? Who shall intercede for me, when the just ones need mercy?
King of tremendous majesty, who freely saves those worthy ones, save me, source of mercy.
Recordare, Jesu pie, quod sum causa tuae viae; ne me perdas illa die.
Quaerens me, sedisti lassus, redemisti crucem passus; tantus labor non sit cassus.
Juste judex ultionis, donum fac remissionis ante diem rationis.
Ingemisco, tamquam reus: culpa rubet vultus meus; supplicanti parce, Deus.
Qui Mariam absolvisti, et latronem exaudisti, mihi quoque spem dedisti.
Preces meae non sunt dignae, sed tu, bonus, fac benigne, ne perenni cremer igne.
Inter oves locum praesta, Et ab haedis me sequestra, Statuens in parte dextra.
7. Confutatis
Confutatis maledictis, flammis acribus addictis, voca me cum benedictus.
Oro supplex et acclinis, cor contritum quasi cinis, gere curam mei finis.
8. Lacrimosa
Lacrimosa dies illa, qua resurget ex favilla judicandus homo reus. Huic ergo parce, Deus, pie Jesu Domine, dona eis requiem. Amen.
Domine Jesu Christe, Rex gloriae, libera animas omnium fidelium defunctorum de poenis inferni et de profundo lacu. Libera eas de ore leonis, ne absorbeat eas tartarus, ne cadant in obscurum. Sed signifer sanctus Michael repraesentet eas in lucem sanctam. Quam olim Abrahae promisisti et semini ejus.
Remember, kind Jesus, my salvation caused your suffering; do not forsake me on that day.
Faint and weary you have sought me, redeemed me, suffering on the cross; may such great effort not be in vain.
Righteous judge of vengeance, grant me the gift of absolution before the day of retribution.
I moan as one who is guilty: owning my shame with a red face; suppliant before You, Lord.
You, who absolved Mary, and listened to the thief, give me hope also.
My prayers are unworthy, but, good Lord, have mercy, and rescue me from eternal fire.
Provide me a place among the sheep, and separate me from the goats, guiding me to Your right hand.
When the accused are confounded, and doomed to flames of woe, call me among the blessed.
I kneel with submissive heart, my contrition is like ashes, help me in my final condition.
That day of tears and mourning, when from the ashes shall arise, all humanity to be judged. Spare us by Your mercy, Lord, gentle Lord Jesus, grant them eternal rest. Amen.
Lord Jesus Christ, King of glory, liberate the souls of the faithful, departed from the pains of hell and from the bottomless pit. Deliver them from the lion’s mouth, lest hell swallow them up, lest they fall into darkness. Let the standard-bearer, holy Michael, bring them into holy light. Which was promised to Abraham and his descendants.
10. Hostias
Hostias et preces tibi, Domine, laudis offerimus.
Tu sucipe pro animabus illis, quaram hodie memoriam facimus. Fac eas, Domine, de morte transire ad vitam, Quam olim Abrahae promisisti et semini ejus.
11. Sanctus
Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth.
Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua. Hosanna in excelsis.
12. Benedictus
Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Hosanna in excelsis.
Agnus Dei
13. Agnus Dei
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona eis requiem. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona eis requiem.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona eis requiem sempiternam.
Communion
14. Lux aeterna
Lux aeterna luceat eis, Domine, cum sanctis tuis in aeternum, quia pius es.
Requiem aeternum dona eis, Domine, et Lux perpetua luceat eis, cum Sanctus tuis in aeternum, quia pius es.
Sacrifices and prayers of praise, Lord, we offer to You.
Receive them in behalf of those souls we commemorate today. And let them, Lord, pass from death to life, which was promised to Abraham and his descendants.
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of they glory. Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, grant them eternal rest. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Grant them eternal rest. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, grant them eternal rest forever.
Let eternal light shine on them, Lord, as with Your saints in eternity, because You are merciful. Grant them eternal rest, Lord, and let perpetual light shine on them, as with Your saints in eternity, because You are merciful.
Dr. Timothy Jon Tharaldson, Artistic Director
Christie Huber Ottinger, Assistant Conductor
Lorrie Dixon, Collaborative Pianist
Soprano
Laura Barger
Brenda Bass
Martha Chesney
Victoria Clibon
Caitlin Glore
Sharon Gray
Stephanie Hamilton
Sarah Heerboth
Sherril Lewis
Cynthia Morehead
Christie Huber Ottinger
Regina Riviello
Joyce Schuster
Alda Sommer
Kaitlin Sutton
Janelle Torres y Torres
Nancy Vanover
Annija Veitnere
Jamie Wilkins
Alto
Jennifer Binder
Melinda Cordell
Janice Costanzo
Alena Evans
Rhonda Forsberg
Brenda Foster
Christina Hazelwood
Jaidyn Johnson
Mary Jo Laupp
Sara Markt
Karen McClellan
Luci McDaniel
Pam Miller
Judy Mullins
Jennifer Newton
Mari Ann Parker
Cheryl Rasmussen
Linda Riddle
Kathleen Schmidt
Janet Steury
Carolyn Sutton
Leslie Thompson
Rhonda Zeilinger
Tenor
Dennis Abernathy
James Beesley
David Bezona
John Cool
Timothy Ellis
Fred Hannah
Ted Markt
Larry Ruggeri
Bass
Paul Cockram
Greg Dixon
Jeremy Elliott-Winberry
Jeremy Glenn
Nicholas Gnuschke
Carter Hewins
John Kreipe
David Lewis
Bill McMurray
George Mereness
Mark Mills
Paul Modlin
Karl Morris
Anthony Nelson
James Sanders
Tom Wilcoxson
Bauer, Andre
Bergman, Ryan
Bezdak, Sam
Brune, Nathan
Buchanan, Paula Carr, Grace
Carr, Ruby
Estrada, Madison
Fenner, Jazlyn
Finken, Andrew
Dr. Timothy Jon Tharaldson, Director of Choirs
Glynn, Ellen Hall, Alyssa Howard, Luke
Kasprzak, Timothy Lerner, Andrew
Magistro, Braden
Mercer, Felicity
Most, Isabelle
Nacanaynay, Mary Ritchie, Finn
Schulte, Anita Simpson, Alison
Sutherland, David
Tarrant, Zavier Williams, Lee
The mission of St. Joseph Community Chorus is to foster the enjoyment and appreciation of good choral music among its membership and the community at large by providing an organization of the highest musical caliber to present quality performances of choral literature.
Founded in 1980, the St. Joseph Community Chorus under the artistic direction of Frank D. Thomas, presents interesting, challenging and diverse programs of choral music from the classical to contemporary throughout the Midwestern United States. The Chorus enjoys a rich history of outstanding choral performances in many beautiful settings. The Chorus strives to adhere to its mission statement to foster the enjoyment and appreciation of good choral music among its membership and the community at large by providing an organization of the highest musical caliber to present exceptional performances of choral literature.
The Chorus has performed with the St. Joseph Symphony such works as the Haydn Creation, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Britten’s War Requiem, Vaughan Williams’ Sea Symphony, Verdi’s Requiem, and Orff’s Carmina Burana. The Chorus has also performed exchange concerts with other community choruses and for other Performing Arts Series. In 1997, the St. Joseph Community Chorus toured England and Wales and in 2002, Eastern Europe participating in the Innsbruck International Choral Festival. The Chorus has been invited to perform at state and regional conventions and has premièred commissioned works by internationally known composers.
From within the Chorus, a select Chamber Choir was created in 1987. The chamber ensemble, invited to perform at public and private events during the year, traveled to France in 2005 as part of a choral exchange with the Chorale Divertimento of Lille. The Saint Joseph Community Chorus Artistic Director is Dr. Timothy Jon Tharaldson. For season information visit: stjoechorus.org.
Stacey Uthe (soprano)
Honored to sing with the Saint Joseph Symphony, Stacey has made an impact as a leading artist in opera, oratorio and in concert. Her highly acclaimed portrayal as Senta in Der fliegende Holländer with Opera Siam in Thailand led to an additional appearance in the same role with South Dakota Symphony Orchestra, and she recently had the honor of portraying the title role in the world premiere of Mother Noah by local composer, Dale Ramsey. Some of Stacey’s past engagements include the title role in Tosca and Countess in Le nozze di Figaro with West Bay Opera, Erste Dame in Die Zauberflöte with Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Minnie in La fanciulla del West with Apotheosis Opera in New York; Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus with the Bar Harbor Music Festival, soloist in Brahms’ German Requiem with Joplin Symphony, Musetta in La bohème with Wichita Grand Opera, soloist in Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 with Bozeman Symphony and the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra; the title role in Viktoria und Ihr Hussar with Vlaamse Opera in Belgium; Micäela in Carmen with Lawrence Opera Theatre, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni with South Dakota Symphony; soloist in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Quad City Symphony and Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass with Missouri Southern Symphony; Mimì in La bohème with Heartland Opera Theater; two appearances with Varna International: soloist in Beethoven’s Mass in C and Magda in La rondine; a Holiday Pops concert with Jackson Symphony (TN); and Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 with South Dakota Symphony Orchestra. Stacey most recently appeared as soloist with OUTSide Voices KC in the Kansas City debut of Kathleen McGuire’s Mass, Street Requiem, In June 2022, Stacey appeared as Gertrude Stein with the Heartland Men’s Chorus in Andrew Lippa’s masterwork, UNBREAKABLE with a repeat performance of the role in her debut with the River City Mixed Chorus in April 2024. Stacey earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Vocal Performance, as well as two Master of Music degrees in Vocal Performance and Choral Conducting from University of Missouri, Kansas City, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education from Augustana College in Sioux Falls, SD. She is the Assistant Professor of Voice and Director of Vocal Studies at MWSU, and lives happily in Kansas City with her husband, Reed Uthe, and three cuddly cats.
Dr. Elise Hepworth (mezzo-soprano)
Dr. Elise Hepworth is Dean for the College of Arts and Sciences at Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, MO. Previous to the dean’s appointment, she was employed at Missouri Western State University for ten years where she served as a tenured full professor leading the choral music program of the School of Fine Arts and subsequently served as Assistant Vice President and Vice Provost for Academic Affairs. Prior to Missouri Western, she served as an associate professor in the Department of Music at Wayne State College in Nebraska.
Dr. Hepworth is a graduate of Northwest Missouri State University (B.S.Ed.), The University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music (M.M.E.), The University of Mississippi (D.A.), and the New Zealand School of Music (G.Dip.). Additionally, she is nationally certified in the pedagogies of Orff Schulwerk and Zoltan Kodaly. She continues to serve as a guest conductor, clinician, and vocalist for numerous choral groups throughout the region.
She lives in Saint Joseph with her husband, Matt, and their three cats, Murphy, Meredith, and Maggie.
Donovan Jones, was born and raised in Tarkio, MO, and began his musical training at the age of 12 with the piano. He continued his studies in piano, organ, oboe, and voice at MWSU starting in the fall of 2011. Over time, he developed a passion for church music, opera, and art song. In August 2012, Donovan officially declared his major as Vocal Performance with a minor in French, studying under Dr. Susan Carter, DMA. He also studied piano with Jerry Anderson, Dr. Nathanael May, and Dr. T. Mathew Edwards and pipe organ with Bill McMurray. As a lyric tenor, Donovan has competed both regionally and nationally, earning several prestigious awards. In 2012, he won first place at the National Opera Association’s opera scenes competition in Memphis, TN, and first place in his division of the National Association of Teachers of Singing competition. The following year, in 2013, he placed second in the same competition and was also selected as a finalist in the Classical Singer competition in Chicago, IL. In 2014, he reclaimed first place in the National Association of Teachers of Singing competition. In 2012, Donovan performed for the inauguration of Missouri Governor Jay Nixon. The following yea rs, in May of 2013 and 2014, he toured Southern Colorado, performing an original musical by Dr. Laurel Vartabedian.
His professional experience includes serving as a music intern at First Presbyterian Church in 2011 under the mentorship of Jerry L. Anderson. He later became the Worship Team Director at First Lutheran Church and the Music Director at St. Francis Xavier. In the summer of 2013, Donovan performed both leading and chorus roles at Opera in the Ozarks in Eureka Springs, AR, appearing in Madama Butterfly, L’elisir d’amore, The Pirates of Penzance, and Cinderella. Additionally, he has portrayed “Tamino” in The Magic Flute and “Don José” in Carmen.
Beyond singing, Donovan has accompanied numerous productions at the Missouri Theater in Saint Joseph as a rehearsal and performance pianist. Currently, he serves as the Organist and Musical Director at Francis Street First United Methodist Church in Saint Joseph, MO.
In July 2024, Donovan began his first contract as a solo pianist with Princess Cruise Lines, aboard their newest ship, the Sun Princess. In December 2024, he performed as the solo pianist on the Majestic Princess, sailing from Los Angeles, CA, around the entire coast of South America, and concluding in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. In March 2025, Donovan will return to the Sun Princess as it sails from Florida across the Atlantic to Southern Europe.
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Bach to Mendelssohn
April 19th, 2025
7:00 p.m.
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Tona Williams
Music notation is not truly music until it is in the ear and in the air. Great artists can have much in common, but no two create in exactly the same way. While Beethoven often developed his masterworks through furious cross-out’s and re-do’s in his sketchbooks, the handwritings of Bach and Mozart were more often a “copy job,” placing thoroughly conceived works on the page.
Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Gottlieb Mozart (he’d be fine with us referring to him as “Amadè”) could be quite a multitasker. Constanze, his wife, told another couple later in life that her hubby actually penned a string quartet while nervously tending to her as she gave birth to their first child! A far greater challenge, though, was committing his Requiem to the page: just weeks shy of his 36th birthday, Amadè was losing his own life.
Fewer than half of the entire work’s music notes found their way to the page at all! The opening Introitus is the sole movement completely written. Amid intense physical turmoil, Mozart sang vocal passages of other movements to his young composition student Franz Xaver Süssmayr (1766-1803) to write down for him. But regardless of details of the Requiem for which we’ll never know what Mozart specifically intended (or would have chosen), it is an enthralling masterpiece of both traditional Baroque counterpoint and nearly Romantic-era emotional drive.
Soprano, contralto, tenor and bass vocal soloists and full choir are joined by two basset horns (siblings of the clarinet), two bassoons, two trumpets, three trombones (alto, tenor and bass), timpani, violins, viola, and basso continuo consisting of cello, double bass and organ.
I. Introitus. Woodwinds gently introduce the Requiem. Eight measures later, the trombones open the door to the choir’s pleading, “Grant them eternal rest, O God,” with the dark minor key brightening into “and may perpetual light shine upon them.”
II. Kyrie. In tribute to Johann Sebastian Bach, an austere fugue directs and interweaves “Lord, have mercy upon us; Christ, have mercy upon us.”
III. Sequentia. This is the most intensively emotional part of a Requiem, set by Mozart in a sixmovement cantata of alternating solo and chorus voices. Dies Irae (Day of Wrath) is an eye- and ear-widening storm of terror and fury, followed by Tuba mirum (wondrous trumpet), featuring one of the earliest unforgettable trombone solos in classical repertoire, along with each vocal soloist summoning those who are to be judged. The choir returns, begging Rex tremendae (tremendous King) for salvation from hell, followed by Recordare (to remember), with soloists giving intimate pleadings of individual souls. Confutatis (confounded) souls kneel in prayer amid thundering consignment of flames of hell. Lament for humanity, Lacrimosa, is exquisitely expressed by grieving chorus and violins.
IV. Offertorium. The Requiem mass Offertory links Domine Jesu to the Hostias (victims), and here an amazing choral fugue equally portrays the horror of hell and the bliss of eternal light in a reminder of God’s promise to Abraham.
V. Sanctus. Sanctus means “holy,” and this movement is WHOLLY joyful, with chorus and orchestra beaming together, including a fugue on the words, “Hosanna in the highest.”
VI. Benedictus. In this canticle, the four vocal soloists proclaim the blessedness of those “who come in the name of the Lord,” followed by a restatement of the Sanctus theme.
VII. Agnus Dei. The “Lamb of God” approaches us in a return of the darker theme of the opening movement, leading to:
VIII. Communio. A return of the opening Requiem aeternam (eternal rest), concluding with a restatement of the Kyrie fugue, but now with the words, cum sanctis tuis in aeternam: “with Thy saints forever.”
Annotator: Monty Carter