RHODES WOMEN’S CHORUS
Ding, Dong! Merrily On High Arr. by Rose Dunphey (Branle De L’Officiel; 16th Century French Dance)
Ding, Dong! Merrily on high, Even so here below, in Heav’n the bells are ringing, Let steeple bells be swinging, Ding, dong! Verily the sky and “io, io, io,” Is filled with angels singing. by priest and people singing.
REFRAIN (REFRAIN) Gloria, hosanna in excelsis! Pray you dutifully, prime Gloria, your morning chime, ye ringers; hosanna in excelsis! May you beautifully rhyme Your evening song, ye singers.
(REFRAIN)
Shelby Seese, Kathleen Whatley Heidi Frazier, Brittany Hickman & Khan Ton, soloists
Candlelight Carol John Rutter
How do you capture Shepherds and wise men The wind on the water? Will kneel and adore him, How do you count all the stars in the sky? Seraphim round him their vigil will keep; How can you measure Nations proclaim him The love of a mother, Their Lord and their Saviour, Or how can you write down But Mary will hold him A baby's first cry? And sing him to sleep.
REFRAIN (REFRAIN) Candlelight, angel light, Firelight and star glow Find him at Bethlehem laid in a manger: Shine on his cradle till breaking of dawn. Christ our Redeemer asleep in the hay. Gloria, Gloria in excelsis Deo! Godhead incarnate and hope of salvation: Angels are singing; A child with his mother The Christ child is born. That first Christmas Day.
(REFRAIN) RHODES VOICE STUDENT
L’o How a Rose E’er Blooming Arr. by Mark Hayes
Lo, how a Rose e'er blooming To show God's love aright From tender stem hath sprung! She bore to men a Savior Of Jesse's lineage coming When half spent was the night As men of old have sung This flow'r, whose fragrance tender It came a flow'ret bright With sweetness fills the air Amid the cold of winter Dispels with glorious splendor When half spent was the night The darkness ev'ry where
Isaiah 'twas foretold it True man yet very God The rose I have in mind From sin and death he save's us With Mary we behold it And lightens ev'ry load The Virgin Mother kind
Kathleen Whatley, soprano Debbie Smith, collaborative pianist
RHODES CHAMBER SINGERS
My Lord Has Come Will Todd
Shepherds, called by angels, His Love will hold me. Called by Love and angels; His Love will cherish me, No place for them but a stable. Love will cradle me. My Lord has come, my Lord has come, my Lord has come. Lead me, lead me to see Him. Sages and Shepherds and angels. Sages, searching for stars. No place for them but a stable, Searching for Love in Heaven; No place for me but a stable, No place for them but a stable. No place for me but a stable. My Lord has come, my Lord has come, my My Lord has come, my Lord has come, my Lord has come. Lord has come.
RHODES VOICE STUDENT
I Wonder as I Wander John Jacob Niles
I wonder as I wander out under the sky If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing How Jesus the Saviour did come for to die A star in the sky or a bird on the wing For poor on'ry people like you and like I; Or all of God's Angels in heaven to sing I wonder as I wander out under the sky He surely could have it, 'cause he was the King When Mary birthed Jesus 'twas in a cow's stall With wise men and farmers and shepherds and all I wonder as I wander out under the sky But high from God's heaven, a star's light did fall How Jesus the Saviour did come for to die And the promise of ages it then did recall For poor on'ry people like you and like I; I wonder as I wander out under the sky
Shelby Seese, soprano Debbie Smith, collaborative pianist
RHODES CHAMBER SINGERS
A La Nanita (Spanish Carol) Arr. by Dennis Janzer
A la nanita nana, nanita ea, nanita ea, Come, let’s sing a little lullaby, Come, let’s sing a Mi Jesús tiene suenño, bendito sea, bendito little, My Jesus is sleepy. Blessed be, blessed be. sea. Font of life ever flowing, bright clear and singing, Fuenticilla que corres clara y sonora, Nightingale of the forest, glad new is singing. Born in Ruiseñor que en la selva cantando lloras, a manger lowly, Christ child most holy. Callad mientras la cuna se balancea. Bundle of roses and violets, Manojito de rosas y de alelíes, what are you dreaming of, that makes you smile? Que es lo que estás soñando, que te sonríes? What are your dreams, tell me, o my soul; Cuáles son tus ensueños, dilo alma mia; But what are you whispering? Eucharist. Mas que es lo que murmuras? Eucaristía. Little birds and fountains, zephyrs and breezes, Pajaritos y fuentes, auras y brisas, Take care of that dream and those smiles. Respetad ese sueño y esas sonrisas, callad Hush while the cradle is rocking, mientras la cuna se balancea; que el Niño está The Child is dreaming! May he be blessed! soñando, bendito sea!
Rhodes Descant Soloists: Emily Hass & Georgia Winkler St. Mary’s Quartet: Naomi Kohl, Aoife Shanley, Drew Massengale, & Paul Murray Dennis Janzer, collaborative pianist
RHODES VOICE STUDENT
Gesù Bambino (Venite adoremus) Pietro Yon
When blossoms flowered 'mid the snows Again the heart with rapture glows Upon a winter night To greet the holy night Was born the Child, the Christmas Rose That gave the world its Christmas Rose The King of Love and Light. Its King of Love and Light.
The angels sang, the shepherds sang Let ev'ry voice acclaim His name The grateful earth rejoiced The grateful chorus swell And at His blessed birth the stars From paradise to earth He came Their exultation voiced. That we with Him might dwell.
Venite adoremus Venite adoremus Venite adoremus Venite adoremus Venite adoremus Dominum Venite adoremus Dominum
Abbey Alley, soprano Sarah Jean, collaborative pianist
RHODES SINGERS
Lux Aurumque Eric Whitacre
Lux, Light, Calida gravisque pura velut aurum Warm and heavy as pure gold Et canunt angeli molliter And the angels sing softly Modo natum. To the new-born baby.
Carley Jo Goggans, soprano
RHODES VOICE STUDENT
A-Rovin’ on a Winter’s Night Traditional Appalachian Folk Song
A-Rovin’ on a winter’s night, I’ll love you ‘til the sea runs dry, And drinking that good ol’ wine And the rocks all melt in the sun Dreaming about that dear little girl I’ll love you ‘til the day I die, Who stole this heart of mine Though you’ll never be my own
She is just like a budded rose A-Rovin’ on a winter’s night, That bloomed in the month of June And drinking that good ol’ wine She is just like an old instrument Dreaming about that dear little girl That’s just been lately tuned Who stole this heart of mine
Maybe I’ll take a trip to a foreign land Be it France, or Spain But if I go ten thousand miles, I’ll be back ‘round again
Jake Thomas, baritone & guitar
RHODES SINGERS
Ave Verum Corpus Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Ave verum corpus, Hail, true body, Natum de Maria virgine; Born of the virgin Mary; Vere passum immolatum Who has truly suffered, slaughtered In crucis pro homine. On the Cross for humanity. Cuius latus perforatum Whose side was pierced, Unda fluxit et sanguine. Pouring out water and blood. Esto nobis praegustatum Be a foretaste for us In mortis examine. During our ordeal of death.
RHODES VOICE STUDENT
Domine Deus Antonio Vivaldi from Gloria
Domine Deus, Rex Caelestis Lord God, Heavenly King Deus Pater omnipotens God the Father Almighty
Georgia Winkler, soprano Brian Ray, collaborative pianist
ORGAN SOLO
Toccata Noël Arr. by Dennis Janzer
The First Noël What Child Is This? Sussex Carol
Dennis Janzer, organ
RHODES VOICE STUDENT
Le sommeil de l’enfant Jesus Henri Büsser
Dormez, Petit Jésus! Dormez, doux chèrubin! Votre Sleep little Jesus, sleep sweet cherubim. mère vous garde. Et veille auprès de vous. Dormez! Your mother watches over you closely, Nos coeurs pleins d'espèrance. Ont foi dans votre sleep! Our hearts are filled with hope, faith, amour! Reposez doucement, Jésus, bien cher and love. Sweetly rest, Jesus, dear baby. enfant! Dormez! A Dieu disons notre joie! Noel! Sleep! To God we give praise! Sing Noel, Chantons Noel! Noel! Chantons tou jours Noel! sing always Noel!
Noel! Noel! Noel, Fète bénie! O jour de delivrance! Noel, Noel, Noel. A blessed celebration! A Un Sauveur vient de naitre, Nous voici tous à ses day of deliverance, our Savior is born! We genoux. Noel! Minuit tout est mystère! Tout dort bow down. Noel! Midnight, all is a mystery. autour de nous! Reposez doucement, O Jésus! Bien All are asleep. Sweetly rest O Jesus, dear cher enfant! Dormez! Dormez, doux chérubin. Que Baby. Sleep! Sleep sweet cherubim. The de leurs blanches ailes. Les anges, croisant leurs angels shelter and watch over you. Sleep! mains frèles, abritent votre front divin! Dormez! Sleep! Dear cherubim. Noel, Noel, Noel! Dormez, doux chérubin! Noel! Noel! Noel!
Carley Jo Goggans, soprano Joyce Timmons, harp RHODES SINGERS
Gaudete Traditional English Carol Arr. by J. David Moore Translation by Dr. Walter L. Moore, Jr.
Gaudete, gaudete, Christus est natus Rejoice! Rejoice! Christ is born Ex Maria virgine, gaudete. of the Virgin Mary. Rejoice!
Tempus adest gratiae hoc quod optabamus, The time of grace that we desired is here. Carmina laetitiae, devote redamus. Let us reverently render songs of joy.
Deus homo factus est, natura mirante, While Nature wondered, God has been made human. The Mundus renovatus est, a Christo regnante. world has been restored by Christ’s reigning.
Ezekelis porta, clausa pertransitor, The closed gate of Ezekiel is crossed. Unde lux est orta, salus invenitor. Salvation is found in the place from which the light came.
Ergo nostra contio, psallat jam in lustro, So let our assembly now sing [psalms] in offering. Benedicat Domino. Salus regi nostro. Let it bless the Lord. Hail to our king!
Milan Mistry & Carley Jo Goggans, soloists James Oliver, percussion
RHODES VOICE STUDENT
Snow Song (It’s Coming Down) GrooveLily from Striking 12
Snowflakes fall like velvet It’s coming down and all my blues disappear From iron-colored skies And this old town is young again—roll back the years Somehow I can’t help it Because the world looks like new I feel my spirits rise Or at least that’s the view from here... Streetlamps a glow Time to take it slow It’s cold here by the river It’s coming down But I don’t feel it much The moon’s a silver sliver Crystal branches glisten Close enough to touch Like diamonds over me Storm clouds drift away Frozen in position A star comes out to play A silent symphony And it’s coming down Sidewalks white and clean Perfect and pristine It’s coming down
Rachel Bates, soprano Kim Bates, collaborative pianist
RHODES SINGERS
O Lux Beatissima Howard Helvey
O lux beatissima, O Light most blessed, reple cordis intima Fill the inmost heart tuorum fidelium. Of all thy faithful.
Sine tuo numine, Without your grace, nihil est in homine, There is nothing in us, nihil est innoxium. Nothing that is not harmful.
COMBINED CHOIRS AND RHODES ALUMNI
Ave Maria Franz Biebl
Angelus Domini nontiavit Mariae, The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary, et concepit de Spiritu sancto. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum; Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with benedicta tu in mulieribus,et benedictus thee; Blessed art thou among women, fructus ventris tui, Jesus. and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Maria dixit: Ecce ancilla Domini, Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord, fiat mihi secomdom verbum tuum. Be it done unto me according to thy word.
Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum; Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with benedicta tu in mulieribus, thee; Blessed art thou among women, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesus. and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Et verbum caro factum est et habitavit in And the word was made flesh and dwelt nobis. among us.
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, Holy Mary, Mother of God, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, pray for us sinners nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen. now, and at the hour of our death.
Wade Wright, Jared Smith, & Robert Boren, soloists
Rhodes Choral Personnel
Rhodes Singers originated in 1937 under the direction of Professor Louis Nicholas (‘34), who organized the first choral ensemble at Rhodes College in 1934. Burnet C. Tuthill, co-founder of the National Association of the Schools of Music (NSAM), formalized choral music performance with the establishment of the Rhodes Singers as the concert choir for the college. Rhodes Singers is a select, auditioned mixed choir of 44 Singers, and serves as a flagship ensemble for Rhodes College. They perform a variety of mostly small-form choral works. Rhodes Singers may be heard in many concerts locally, on tours throughout the United States, and on international tours every few years. In 2010, they performed in the Rome International Choral Festival, and performed concert tours in Italy and France. They recently performed, by invitation, at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. for the Presidents’ Day Choral Festival, and in concert, by adjudicated invitation, at the National Cathedral. In recent years they have toured Arkansas, Missouri, Georgia, Texas, and Louisiana. In 2017, the choir performed a concert tour around the New York area that culminated in a standing ovation presentation at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
Rhodes Women’s Chorus was founded by Dr. Diane Clark and is currently under the direction of Dr. Ellen Koziel. Under her leadership, the Chorus has participated in the Fall Choral Showcase Concerts and the Homecoming Collage concerts at Rhodes. The Chorus has also enjoyed collaborations with adult and children’s choirs as well as local choral and instrumental ensembles. They recently performed with the Rhodes MasterSingers Chorale and Memphis Symphony Orchestra in the World Premiere of Robert G. Patterson’s Requiem. They have collaborated with the choirs of Church of the Holy Communion to perform the Fauré Requiem in November 2018 and Forrest’s Requiem for the Living in November 2017. The Women’s Chorus has been privileged to participate in master classes with noted American composers such as Stephen Paulus and Libby Larsen, and with internationally acclaimed recording artists Anonymous 4.
Chamber Singers William Skoog, Director Tingting Yao, Collaborative Pianist
Abbey Alley – Dyersburg, TN Abigail Sweeney – Lexington, MA Liana Feronti – Yukon, OK Jacob Thomas – Mount Juliet, TN Carley Jo Goggans – Siloam Springs, AR Mary Thomas – Memphis, TN Emily Haas – Dallas, TX Rachel Ward – Weatherford, TX Tyler Kirk – Olive Branch, MS Molly Webster – Cleveland, OH Milan Mistry – Apex, NC Georgia Winkler – Brentwood, TN Jared Smith – Oakland, TN Wade Wright – Rock Hill, SC
Rhodes Women’s Chorus Ellen Koziel, Director Debbie Smith, Collaborative Pianist & Organist
Soprano I Alto I Chloe Bishop – Meridianville, AL Brittany Hickman – Atlanta, GA Shelby Seese – Olive Branch, MS Tierra Hobbs – Franklin, TN Eva Marie Spencer – Cleveland, OH Kylee LaGrange – Paris, TN Kathleen Whatley – Potomac, MD Samantha Patterson – Memphis, TN
Soprano II Alto II Mary Patton Day – Birmingham, AL Asya Bray – Chicago, IL Heidi Frazier – Denver, CO Carolina Smith Cavalcante – Recife, Brazil Chinnu Alli – Memphis, TN Keidreanna Garrett – Little Rock, AR Garrinecia Singleton – Baton Rouge, LA Khanh Ton – Hue, Vietnam
Rhodes Singers William Skoog, Conductor Tingting Yao, Collaborative Pianist
Sopranos Tenors
Abbey Alley – Dyersburg, TN Robert Boren – Atkins, AR * Veronica Cain – Knoxville, TN Harrison Dircks – Larchmont, NY Carley Jo Goggans – Siloam Springs, AR * John W. Howell – Metairie, LA + Emily Haas – Dallas, TX Tyler Kirk – Olive Branch, MS Rose Hutcheson – Chattanooga, TN + Milan Mistry – Apex, NC Sofia Karabell – Germantown, TN Elijah Wilkerson – Cordova, TN Anna Lebrun – Rockville, MD Brianna Rempe – Omaha, NE Basses Abigail Sweeney – Lexington, MA Jacob Ackerman – Andover, MN Mary Thomas – Memphis, TN Will Davis – Birmingham, AL Rachel Ward – Weatherford, TX John Harris – Charlotte, NC Georgia Winkler – Brentwood, TN Brian Hill – Atlanta, GA Owen Lubinski – Ogden, UT Altos Jared Smith – Oakland, TN Jacob Thomas – Mount Juliet, TN Rachel Bates – Belton, TX Wade Wright – Rock Hill, SC * Julianne Chung – Little Rock, AR* Adam Wyatt – San Antonio, TX Ava Crofford – Dallas, TX Catheryne Cunningham – Pittsburgh, PA Caroline Farrell – Germantown, TN Liana Feronti – Yukon, OK * denotes section leaders Rachel Fort – Albuquerque, NM + denotes assistant section leader Abigail Lidoski – Wilmington, MA + ^ ^ denotes choir officers Camille Montoya – Houston, TX Caroline Mukerjee – Mc lean, VA Megan Patterson – Olive Branch, MS Zoe Scott – Memphis, TN ^ Molly Webster – Cleveland, OH ^
Ellen Koziel is the director of the Rhodes Women’s Chorus. She has conducted treble ensembles as part of the West Tennessee Festival Chorus as well as the Memphis Orff All-City Concert. Dr. Koziel’s elementary school choirs were selected to perform for the Tennessee Music Education Association’s State music conference, “Spotlight on the Arts” for the Memphis School Board and the “Festival of the Arts” sponsored by Memphis City Schools. She was the first General Music Chairperson for the Tennessee Music Education Association where she proposed, developed and chaired the Tennessee Treble Choir. While president of the West Tennessee General Music Education Association in 1993, she spearheaded the establishment of the West Tennessee Festival Chorus. She most recently earned her PhD in Music Education from the University of Memphis and currently serves as Associate Minister of Music at the Church of the Holy Communion, Episcopal, in Memphis where she directs the children’s choirs.
A charter member and former president of the Rhodes MasterSingers Chorale, she has performed with this ensemble in Carnegie Hall, Rome, Salzburg, Vienna and the Czech Republic. She was awarded the “Hall of Fame Award” from TnMEA in 2017 and the Rotary Award for Teacher Excellence in 2007. She teaches the Level II Orff Certification Course at the University of Memphis and Virginia Commonwealth University. Dr. Koziel is a member of the National Association for Music Education and the American Orff-Schulwerk Association and has served as president of the West Tennessee General Music Association and the Memphis Chapter of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association.
William Skoog is Professor of Music at Rhodes, where he served as Chair of the Department of Music from 2009-2018, and continues as Director of Choral Studies. He conducts the Rhodes Singers, Chamber Singers, and the MasterSingers Chorale, conducting them with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. Works he has conducted with them include Requiems by Brahms, Faure, Verdi, Mozart, and DeMars, Bach’s Mass in B Minor, Britten’s War Requiem, and Handel’s Messiah and Israel in Egypt, to name a few. He also teaches conducting at Rhodes, and serves as founding Artistic Director for BealeCanto, a professional Men’s Chamber Ensemble in Memphis. Dr. Skoog previously served as Director of Choral Activities at Bowling Green State University; Indiana/Purdue University in Fort Wayne, Indiana; and Southwestern Michigan College in Dowagiac, Michigan. Dr. Skoog is frequently invited to conduct state, regional, national and international choral festivals, and has conducted honor choirs in several states. He had his conducting debut in Carnegie Hall in 2017. He has served as Artistic Director/Conductor for International Choral Festivals in Dublin, Paris, Salzburg (Mozart Festival), Vienna, Rome, Lucerne, and Prague in the prestigious Dvorak Festival. Internationally, he has conducted the Dom Orchestra in Salzburg, the Tuscan Chamber Orchestra (Florence, Italy), the Santa Maria Orchestra (Switzerland), the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Moravian Symphony Orchestra, and the Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra (Ireland). His publishing credits include several articles in Choral Journal, Music Educators Journal, and the Cambridge Scholars Press. Skoog holds a Doctor of Arts Degree in Music from the University of Northern Colorado, Master of Arts degrees in Conducting and Vocal Performance/Pedagogy from the Lamont School of Music, Denver University (CO), and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music and Theatre from Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minnesota. Tingting Yao, pianist joined the Rhodes College Piano staff in the fall of 2019. She is also a Staff Pianist at the University of Memphis, Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music. Before joining the staff of the University of Memphis, she was a freelance pianist in the Oklahoma City area, as well as at the University of Oklahoma, and the University of Central Oklahoma.
Ms. Yao is a collaborative pianist and chamber musician with singers and instrumentalists throughout North America, the United Kingdom and China. Since moving to the United States in 2016, she has performed in the Mid-South Flute Festival at the University of Memphis, Mid-South Horn Workshop at the University of Central Arkansas and the NASA Regional IV at Oklahoma State University. She has worked as a collaborative pianist at the Interlochen Center of the Arts, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp and various national and international festivals including SongFest, Oxford International Piano Festival (UK), Cadenza International Summer Music School (UK), and Lake District Summer Music International Festival (UK). She will be joining the Collaborative Piano Institute and Pittsburgh Festival Opera in summer 2019 as a collaborative pianist.
Tingting holds an Advanced Postgraduate Diploma (APD) in Collaborative Piano, a Master of Music in Piano Accompaniment (with Distinction) in Birmingham Conservatoire, United Kingdom, a Master of Music from The University of Melbourne, Australia, and a Bachelor’s degree from Tongji University, China.
Debbie Smith is the collaborative pianist for Rhodes Women’s Chorus and has been an applied instructor of piano at Rhodes College since 2005. Ms. Smith received her B.M. in Organ Performance from Mississippi College and her M.M. in Organ Performance from the University of Memphis. Since 1980, she has been active as a teacher, recitalist, accompanist, singer, and choral director in the Mid-south. Most recently, Ms. Smith has collaborated with our Musicology professors to provide early music classes for preschoolers at the Memphis Hope House. In addition to teaching at Rhodes College, Ms. Smith is the Music Associate at Grace-St. Luke's Episcopal Church. In Debbie’s spare time, she enjoys attending live music events; particularly at the Levitt Shell, spoiling her granddaughter, and she is also an avid connoisseur of craft style beers.
Dennis Janzer is the applied instructor of organ at Rhodes College and is also an award-winning composer with over 200 individual organ and choral compositions in publication. Dr. Janzer holds several degrees including a master’s degree in Bio-Medical Engineering from Marquette University and a Doctorate of Musical Arts from Miami University. As a composer, Dr. Janzer is one of the House Composers for Wayne Leupold Editions, where he primarily composes solos for organ. He has also had compositions published for organ with instruments, choral and other voicings through a number of publishing houses including Morningstar Music Publications, (Birnamwood Publications), Vivace Music Press, H.W. Gray Company, and Colla Voce Music. Dr. Janzer is also an award-winning composer, being a recipient of such honors through the International Trumpet Guilds Composition Contest, the Milwaukee Master Singers Choral Composition Contest, and the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra's Fanfare Composition Contest. Along with maintaining a very active career as a composer, performer, and educator, Dr. Janzer is also the Director of Music at St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral in Memphis, TN.