Field of Dreams

Music Director

Beth Preston holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Brigham Young University and a Master of Music in Vocal Pedagogy from University of Southern Maine. In her role as Music Director for Tapestry Singers she has become known for championing the works of living composers. She directed Tapestry during 1998-2006 and then returned to the group in 2014. She was a founding member of the critically acclaimed, Brunswick-based Vox Nova Chamber Choir. She currently sings in its newer iteration, Una Voce Chamber Choir. She was a member of the chorus of Opera Maine in productions of La Bohème, Lucia di Lammermoor, Faust, Roméo et Juliette, and part of a small women’s choir that performed with Midcoast Symphony Orchestra for Debussy’s Nuages and Holst’s The Planets.

She was awarded “Distinguished Choral Director of the Year 2010” by Maine American Choral Directors Association, “Music Educator of the Year 2013” by Maine Music Educators District 3, and “Maine Music Educator of the Year 2019” by Maine Music Educators Association. She is actively involved with the Maine Chapter of National Association of Teachers of Singing, is a member of the VoiceCare Network, and a member of the National Association for Music Education. In June 2019 Preston retired from a 37-year career in the public schools where she conducted award-winning choirs and directed musical theater productions of the highest caliber. She teaches privately, coaching singers who win awards, scholarships, and acceptance into prestigious post-secondary programs.

Tapestry Singers continues its commitment to performing the music of current composers by offering traditional carols and contemporary classics of the festive seasons of Christmas, Hanukkah, and the Winter Solstice. We are happy to feature as soloists two Tapestry Singers and Lincoln Academy alumni, Kayleigh Tolley and Brennan Cruz, “ home for the holidays.”

A few notes about the program selections:

“See, Amid the Winter's Snow,” is an arrangement of the hymn tune “Humility,” composed by John Goss with text by Edward Caswall which swells with emotion as the lyrics unfold. Arranger Dan Forrest has been described as having “an undoubted gift for writing beautiful music….that is truly magical” (NY Concert Review), with works hailed as “magnificent, very cleverly constructed sound sculpture” (Classical Voice), and “superb writing…full of spine-tingling moments” (Salt Lake Tribune). His music has sold millions of copies and has become well established in the repertoire of choirs in the U.S. and abroad.

“Carillon on a Ukrainian Carol,” played by the incomparable Sean Fleming, is familiarly known as “Carol of the Bells,” music by Mylola Leontovych and lyrics by Peter Wilhousky. The conductor of the Ukrainian Republic Choir, Oleksander Koshyts, commissioned Leontovych to create the song based on traditional Ukrainian folk chants. The original folk story related in the song was associated with the coming New Year, which, in pre-Christian Ukraine, was celebrated with the coming of spring in April. The song was first performed by students at Kyiv University in December 1916, but the song lost popularity in Ukraine shortly after the Soviet Union took hold. It was introduced to Western audiences by the Ukrainian National Chorus during its 1919 concert tour of Europe and the Americas, where it premiered in the United States on October 5, 1922, to a sold-out audience at Carnegie Hall.

Accompanied by solo cellist, April Reed-Cox, “Serenity” is a soundscape on the traditional “O Magnum Mysterium” text and has long phrases that seem to suspend the listener in space. The text is from a responsorial chant from the Matins of Christmas in the Catholic liturgy. It has been the source text for many classical choral arrangements for centuries. Norwegian composer Ola Gjeilo is one of the most frequently performed composers in the choral world. His 14

Director’s Notes (cont.)

evolving style is often described as cinematic and evocative, with a lush, harmonious sound.

“O Holy Night,” originally "Minuit, chrétiens! c'est l'heure solennelle" was adapted into English by Unitarian minister John Sullivan Dwight in 1855. His version became popular in the United States, especially in the North, where the third verse, “chains shall He break for the slave is our brother and in His name all oppression shall cease,” resonated with abolitionists, including Dwight himself. Originally written for classical soprano, the wide vocal range of the song makes it one of the more difficult Christmas songs to perform. We are so pleased to have Kayleigh Tolley perform this new arrangement by John Leavitt.

“Al Hanisim” is a special addition on Hanukkah and Purim to the daily prayer of thanksgiving. Hanukkah 2022 will begin in the evening of Sunday, December 18 and end in the evening of Monday, December 26. Often called the Festival of Lights, the holiday is celebrated with the lighting of the menorah and sharing of traditional foods, games, and gifts. The holiday celebrates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem in the second century B.C. Hanukkah is the Hebrew word for “dedication.” The history of the holiday is tied to the time when Israel was struggling for existence. It is believed that after a successful revolt against a tyrannical monarch, the victorious Jewish community could find very little pure olive oil to light the Menorah, only enough for one day. However, the oil lasted for eight days, long enough to purify more oil. Jewish people light a candle on each of the eight evenings in remembrance of God’s provision.

Tapestry Singers has a tradition of including wassail songs in the December concerts. During the gloom of midwinter, people went through the villages from door to door, singing songs to get some reward of drink or money. The “Somerset Wassail” song accompanies the parading of a wassail bowl, filled with drink, from house to house. Listeners would be invited to drink from the bowl for good luck and in return make a contribution of money, or more drink, or, preferably, both. The “Apple Tree Wassail” is from the cider-making regions of southern and western England, where people would gather around a big, old apple tree and sing traditional songs. They made noise through the branches to scare away spirits and toasted the tree’s health with warm cider passed around in a bucket. The word “Wassail” comes from the Anglo Saxon expression “wes hal,” meaning “be of good health.” Tapestry Singers wish you good health for the coming year! 15

Program

Audience is kindly requested to turn off cell phones. There will be no intermission.

See Amid the Winter’s Snow Dan Forrest (b. 1978)

Carillon on a Ukrainian Bell Carol Gerald Near (b. 1942) Organ solo: Sean Fleming

Poem: The Snowfall Is So Silent Miguel de Unamundo, Translated by Robert Bly

Reader: Jenny Brown

Serenity (O Magnum Mysterium) Ola Gjeilo (b. 1978)

Poem: We Shall Forever Celebrate Light, Suzanne Sabransky Reader: Zora Margolis

Season of Light Jacob Narverud (b.1986)

Al Hanisim Paul Shoenfield (b. 1947)

Glow Eric Whitacre (b. 1970)

O Holy Night John Leavitt (b. 1956) Kayleigh Tolley, soloist

Stille Nacht Arr. Chip Davis (b. 1947)

Somerset Wassail Traditional Soloists: Gordon Clark, Franklin Holland, Don Osier, John Strong, Paul Velleman

Apple Tree Wassail Arr. Stephen Hatfield (b. 1956)

What Child Is This? Arr. Vince Guiraldi (1928-1976)

Glory Glory Glory to the Newborn King Arr. Moses Hogan (1957-2003)

Brennan Cruz, soloist

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Arr. Mark Hayes (b. 1953)

Kayleigh Tolley

A Holiday Sing-Along (lyrics in program) Arr. Bruce Healey (b.1950)

Auld Lang Syne Arr. Mairi Campbell, David Francis, Michael Hanawalt, Justine Sasanfar Kayleigh Tolley, soloist

There’s No Place Like Home Arr. Greg Gilpin (b. 1964) for the Holidays Kayleigh Tolley and Brennan Cruz, soloists

Instrumentalists

Carol Preston, Violin Julia O’Brien-Merrill, Violin Jeanie Wester, Viola April Reed-Cox, Cello Nan White, Flute Kristen Fox, Oboe Sean Potter, Clarinet Carolyn Kanicki, Horn Quinn Gormley, Mallets and Percussion