American Voices

AMERICAN VOICES

John Alexander Singers John Alexander, conductor

Lauridsen • Dello Joio • Whitacre Warland • Muehleisen Gregorio • Rickelton • Orfe

1 0 13491 347325

AMERICAN VOICES

On the Beauty of Song: On Nature: DALE WARLAND: NORMAN DELLO JOIO: 1. Always Singing (2:42) 10. The Bluebird † (4:41)

MORTEN LAURIDSEN: JOHN MUEHLEISEN: 2. Chanson Éloignée (5:20) Two River Nocturnes Aram Barsamian, baritone 11. Prairie Waters by Night (5:44) 12. River Moons (7:00) On Love and Loss: ERIC WHITACRE: MORTEN LAURIDSEN: 13. Little Birds † (3:26) 3. O Love, Be Fed With Apples 14. Water Night (4:31) While You May † (2:10) On the Adventure of Life: JOSEPH GREGORIO: Love, thricewise § JOHN ORFE: 4. Liquor and lacquer (1:28) 15. Fire! * § (5:28) 5. An amethyst remembrance (2:24) Carver Cossey, bass; Maria Cristina 6. Kinsfolk (1:50) Navarro, soprano MICHAEL RICKELTON: NORMAN DELLO JOIO: 7. Pentecost § (6:12) 16. Song of the Open Road * † (8:40)

JOHN MUEHLEISEN: Total time: 77:11 8. Snow (The King’s Trumpeter) * (5:02) 9. When All Is Done * (9:28) John Alexander Singers John Alexander, conductor § World Premiere Recordings Barry Perkins, trumpet * David Clemensen, piano † 24 — On the Beauty of Song — sure. But I have forgotten one thing—the singing. So I lie; I have had pleasure. I have Always Singing had singing.” The piece is also reflective of Dale Warland (b. 1932) the composer’s early life; growing up on a farm in Iowa, Warland identifies with sing- Singing, I have had singing, ing as part of daily life, in school, church such a lot of singing, (listen for O God Our Help in Ages Past, the and this was my pleasure too. chime of the chapel bells in Akenfield), and The boys all sang in the fields, and at as a family. This composition is a reminder night we all sang. of the importance of building community The chapels were full of singing. through singing together. It was singing all the time. — Dale Warland I have had pleasure. I have had singing. Always Singing is published by Graphite Pub- Text by Fred Mitchell, paraphrased by the lishing. www.graphitepublishing.com composer Chanson Éloignée The text of Always Singing is a paraphrase Morten Lauridsen (b. 1943) (by the composer) of a quote found in Ronald Blythe’s 1969 bestseller Akenfield: Ce soir mon coeur fait chanter Portrait of an English Village. The book con- des anges qui se souviennent… sists of interviews with the townspeople of Une voix, presque mienne, a village in East Suffolk, 90 miles north of par trop de silence tentée, London, including an 85-year-old retired farmer named Fred Mitchell. As a pov- monte et se décide erty-stricken horseman, his life was very à ne plus revenir; difficult, even to the point of being forced tendre et intrépide, to choose between feeding or clothing his à quoi va-t-elle s’unir? children. He said, “There was nothing in Ô chant éloigné, suprême lyre, my childhood, only work. I never had plea- qui ne se donne qu’à celui qui ardemment 2 et sans repos supporte et endure Text by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875–1926); de son effort le long et doux martyre, translation by Diana Rand Fairclough Ô chant qui naît le dernier pour conclure l’enfance non terminée, le coeur d’antan. When Maestro Alexander and his mag- nificent Pacific Chorale, who have cham- Où je ne voulais que chanter, pioned my work over the years, asked il m’a été accordé if I would compose a short a cappella l’honneur de la vie… piece celebrating music for the inaugu- ral concert in the new Renée and Henry Tonight my heart makes Segerstrom Concert Hall, I once again angels sing, remembering… turned to the poetry of Rainer Maria Ril- A voice, nearly mine, ke. While known principally for his Ger- enticed by too much silence, man poems, including the astonishing Duino Elegies and the Sonnets to Orpheus, rises and decides Rilke also composed over 400 French po- never to return; ems, most written in the Swiss village of tender and brave, Muzot during the last two years of his with what will it unite? life, from 1924–1926. I previously chose five of these poems for my choral cycle, O distant song, lyre supreme, Les Chansons des Roses, and also includ- giving itself only to one who fervently ed his poem, Sa Nuit d’Été, as the first of and without rest bears and endures my recent Nocturnes. Rilke’s stunningly the long sweet martyrdom of your endeavor, beautiful texts for Chanson Éloignée will O song born last to complete resonate deeply with all singers every- the unended childhood, yesterday’s heart. where—the yearning of a heart for song and for love, and what it means to be giv- When all I wanted was to sing, en the gift of singing. I was granted — Morten Lauridsen the honor of living. Chanson Éloignée is published by Peermusic Classical. www.peermusicclassical.com. 3 — On Love and Loss — sion of my Mid-Winter Songs on Poems by Robert Graves, commissioned by the Uni- O Love, Be Fed with Apples While versity of Southern California to celebrate You May its centennial in 1980. Maestro Alexander, Morten Lauridsen the Pacific Chorale and Pacific Symphony Orchestra brilliantly performed the full cy- O Love, be fed with apples while you may, cle at Segerstrom Hall some years ago. Re- And feel the sun and go in royal array, quiring a very skilled pianist, this exuber- A smiling innocent on the heavenly ant, jazz-tinged and highly canonic setting causeway, of “O Love” has been recorded by the San Francisco Symphony Chorus under the ba- Though in what listening horror for the ton of Vance George. cry — Morten Lauridsen That soars in outer blackness dismally, The dumb blind beast, the paranoiac fury: O Love, Be Fed With Apples While You May is published by Opus Music Publishers. www. Be warm, enjoy the season, lift your opusmusicpublishers.com. head, Exquisite in the pulse of tainted blood, That shivering glory not to be despised. Love, thricewise Joseph Gregorio (b. 1979) Take your delight in momentariness, Winner, Pacific Chorale’s Young Walk between dark and dark—a shining Composers Competition (2010) space With the grave’s narrowness, though not I. Liquor and lacquer its peace. If I were only dafter Text by Robert Graves (1895–1985) I might be making hymns To the liquor of your laughter “O Love Be Fed With Apples While You And the lacquer of your limbs. May” is a movement from the original ver- 4 But you turn across the table Was’t so with you, O Love and Scorn? A telescope of eyes, And it lights a Russian sable Sweet eyes that smiled, Running circles in the skies… Now wet and wild: O Eye and Tear — mother and child. Till I go running after, Obeying all your whims — Well: Love and Pain For the liquor of your laughter Be kinsfolk twain; And the lacquer of your limbs. Yet would, Oh would I could love again.

Text by Witter Bynner (1881–1968) Text by Sidney Lanier (1842–1881)

II. An amethyst remembrance Love, thricewise illuminates three moods of a lover. The first movement, “Liquor I held a jewel in my fingers and lacquer,” sets Witter Bynner’s “Opus 6” And went to sleep. and musically depicts infatuation through The day was warm, and winds were prosy; flighty changes of meter and sudden shifts I said: “‘T will keep.” of mode. The second, entitled “An amethyst remembrance” and based on a poem I woke and chid my honest fingers, — by Emily Dickinson, is regretful, slowly The gem was gone; building to an anguished climax and wist- And now an amethyst remembrance fully fading away. Finally, “Kinsfolk” takes Is all I own. Sidney Lanier’s “A Song of Love” as its text. It is both a lighthearted reflection on the Text by Emily Dickinson (1830–1886) paradoxical and complementary relation- ship between love and pain, and a pining III. Kinsfolk for love. The first two stanzas of “Kinsfolk” pit the tenors and basses, who deliver the Hey, rose, just born first stanza’s melody, against the sopranos Twin to a thorn; and altos, who answer in the second stanza with the same melody in a key a tritone 5 away from that of the first. The third stan- Comfort me with stones. Quench my za is a fugato on the same melody, culmi- thirst with sand. nating in a fervid fortissimo. I offer you this scarred and guilty hand — Joseph Gregorio Until others mix our ashes.

Love, thricewise is published by the National Col- Text by Dana Gioia (b. 1950) legate Choral Organization, www.ncco-usa.org Gioia’s work has become a great source of personal inspiration. His texts are Pentecost often engaging accounts of the human Michael Rickelton (b. 1983) experience, expressing universal and Co-winner, Pacific Chorale’s Young complex emotions expertly captured in Composers Competition (2012) verse. Gioia’s “Pentecost,” written after the death of his young son, is a gripping Neither the sorrows of afternoon, waiting reflection on tragedy and loss. Supremely in the silent house, painful and heartrending, this poem is Nor the night no sleep relieves, when filled with powerful imagery and pointed memory text. As in many of his works, the sound Repeats its prosecution. of Gioia’s word choice and phrasing lends itself to a musical pairing. Nor the morning’s ache for dream’s — Michael Rickelton illusion, nor any prayers Improvised to an unknowable god Can extinguish the flame. Snow (The King’s Trumpeter) John Muehleisen (b. 1955) We are not as we were. Death has been our pentecost, Thaw every breast, melt every eye with And our innocence consumed by these woe, implacable Here’s dissolution by the hand of death! Tongues of fire.

6 To dirt, to water, turned the fairest Snow. second passage appears in reaction to the O! The king’s trumpeter has lost his phrase, “the king’s trumpeter has lost his breath. breath.” This passage is a transformation and a kind of musical “dissolution” of the Anonymous English epitaph opening soliloquy and represents Snow in Snow (The King’s Trumpeter) was written his last hours of life. After a final farewell as a musical memorial for Roy Cum- by the choir, the trumpeter poignantly mings (a University of Washington breathes his last breath. Professor of Trumpet and Jazz Studies), — John Muehleisen whose untimely death in January 2000 Snow (The King’s Trumpeter) is published by shocked the Seattle musical community Colla Voce Music, LLC. www.collavoce.com. and left a great void in many lives, particularly those of his family and students. When All Is Done The individual referred to as “Snow” in the text is most likely Valentine Snow, John Muehleisen the 18th-century English trumpeter who succeeded three generations of the Shore When all is done, and my last word is family in the post of Sergeant Trumpeter said, (the lead Royal Trumpeter in the English And ye who loved me murmur, “He is court). The solo trumpet parts in many dead,” of Handel’s later orchestral works and Let no one weep, for fear that I should operas were written specifically for Snow. know, And sorrow too that ye should sorrow so. The central features of this setting are the two prominent trumpet soliloquies, When all is done and in the oozing clay, which represent the beloved court trum- Ye lay this cast-off hull of mine away, peter referred to in the text. The first so- Pray not for me, for, after long despair, liloquy appears shortly after the opening, The quiet of the grave will be a prayer. and represents Snow in his prime; the

7 For I have suffered loss and grievous 1906), known to many as “the virtual father pain, of black American poetry.” The son of for- The hurts of hatred and the world’s mer slaves, Dunbar was keenly aware of the disdain, social cost and personal pain of oppression And wounds so deep that love, well-tried and hatred. and pure, Had not the pow’r to ease them or to cure. On my initial reading of the poem, I heard the voice of the poet paint a graphic picture When all is done, say not my day is o’er, of the price of hatred and of the emptiness And that thro’ night I seek a dimmer shore: of loss and the grave. Yet ultimately this Say rather that my morn has just begun,— darkness leads to the light of redemption I greet the dawn and not a setting sun, and hope. As I reread Dunbar’s poem, I had When all is done. a remarkably moving experience: Dunbar’s voice, reaching out across more than a Text by Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872–1906) century—became Matthew’s voice, speak- ing to all those who mourned for him. As When All Is Done was commissioned by the I continued to read, their voices merged University of Wyoming at the invitation of together, joining with the voices of all vic- Nicole Lamartine, Director of Choral Ac- tims of hatred and oppression, crying out tivities, for a choral work commemorating for justice, warning us of the stinging cost the 10th Anniversary of the death of Mat- of hatred, yet selflessly and compassion- thew Shepard in one of the most notorious ately redirecting us all from despair and hate crimes in modern U.S. history. The emptiness to the hope of a new morning in work was premiered at the 13th Annual which we can all greet not the “setting sun” Shepard Symposium on Social Justice at of the present day or past atrocities, but “the University of Wyoming, with Matthew’s dawn” of a new age, that great Dream of Dr. mother, Judy, in attendance. As Nicole and King, in which love rightly transcends ha- I discussed what kind of a work to create tred and oppression “when all is done.” for this occasion, and as I searched through — John Muehleisen dozens of texts, I ran across the powerful poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872– When All Is Done is published by the composer, www.johnmuehleisen.com 8 — On Nature — Bluebird who flies through the wood, Did you not see him? The Bluebird Did you not see the lad, the plaintive lad Norman Dello Joio (1913–2008) so sad? He went to pluck the sun and the moon, Bluebird who flies thru the wood, One in each hand. Singing a song so strange and wild, Teach me your wisdom, teach me to But this was something no one could do. know all that you know. Well did she know, How shall I tell my love my love? Full well she knew he’d never do, Oh, bluebird who sings of my love. bluebird. Young man so plaintive, so sad, Text by Joseph Machlis (1906–1998) Now will I teach you how to love. Shall you not take her into your arms? The late American composer and edu- Then must you whisper of your love, cator Norman Dello Joio enjoyed a ful- Young man so sad, so sad. filling career in both academia and the concert hall. His style reflects the multi- Oh, my sweet maid so fair, plicity of his interests, and often includes Hear while I tell of my true love. ingredients from a variety of musical Within your garden grows a tree, styles and historical periods. “The Blue- Now I would taste of its fruit, bird” (1950) sets playful, lovesick poetry My sweet maid so fair, so fair. by Joseph Machlis. In it, a young man pines for an unattainable woman, and Young man so plaintive, so sad, enlists the advice of a wise bluebird. Fol- I will not give you the fruit of my tree. lowing the bluebird’s goading, the young Bring me the sun, the sun and the moon, man approaches the maiden with a sug- One in each hand, gestive request. The maiden responds by Then you may taste the fruit of my tree. presenting an impossible quest. Should the young man return with the sun and moon in his hands, she promises to suc- 9 cumb. Both the maiden and the bluebird It is too much for the long willows laugh at the boy in his folly to attain her when low laughter of a red moon wishes. Dello Joio’s score is appropriate- comes down; and the willows ly melancholic, with arching, surprising drowse and sleep on the shoulders melodies supported by impressionistic of the running water. piano accompaniment. As “The Blue- bird” unfolds, listen for characteristic II. River Moons bird calls in both hands of the keyboard. — Robert Istad The double moon, one on the high back- drop of the west, one on the curve The Bluebird is published by Carl Fischer, Inc. of the river face, www.carlfischer.com. The sky moon of fire and the river moon of water, I am taking these home in Two River Nocturnes a basket, hung on an elbow, such a teeny weeny elbow, in my head. John Muehleisen I saw them last night, a cradle moon, I. Prairie Waters by Night two horns of a moon, such an early hopeful moon, such a child’s moon Chatter of birds two by two raises a night for all young hearts to make a song joining a litany of running picture of. water—sheer waters showing the The river—I remember this like a russet of old stones remembering picture—the river was the upper many rains. twist of a written question mark. I know now it takes many many years And the long willows drowse on the to write a river, a twist of water shoulders of the running water, asking a question. and sleep from much music; joined And white stars moved when the moon songs of day-end, feathery throats moved, and one red star kept burn- and stony waters, ing, and the Big Dipper was almost in a choir chanting new psalms. overhead. 10 Text by Carl Sandburg (1878–1967) River Moons was commissioned in 2005 by Choral Arts Ensemble of Rochester, Prairie Waters by Night was commissioned MN, and was premiered in May 2006. in 2003, when I was serving as compos- When CAE Artistic Director Michael er-in-residence for the Dale Warland Culloton approached me about this Singers, as one of four pieces in a suite of commission, I immediately returned to works by four different composers unified the poetry of Carl Sandburg. I had been by the theme, A River Journey. As I was considering writing a companion piece searching for a text for the commission, for my setting of Prairie Waters by Night I focused on works about rivers and wa- that would constitute a pair of River Noc- ter by poets from the Midwest and soon turnes based around the theme of water, stumbled upon my copy of The Complete and this commission provided that op- Poems of Carl Sandburg, which I had portunity. Because the two poems share owned for many years, but in which I had several similar poetic images, I created a never found inspiration until this oppor- number of musical connections between tunity arose. As I read Sandburg’s beau- the two works, which are evident in vari- tiful poem, I was struck by the peaceful, ous musical passages. As with Prairie Wa- pastoral, nocturnal quality of the text and ters by Night, I was struck by the beauty by the beauty of the colorful language of Sandburg’s language. In River Moons, Sandburg uses to describe various images he takes a simple image of the moon re- of nature. I was particularly drawn to the flected in the water of a river and turns it musical metaphors throughout the poem: into a vivid memory from youth, full of the “chatter of birds,” “a night song,” “songs the nostalgia, mystery, and wonder that of day-end,” and “the long willows” that youthful memories invoke so powerfully. “sleep from much music.” In the climax So much poetry and literature of the twen- of the poem, Sandburg unites these ele- tieth century has focused primarily on the ments of nature “in a choir chanting new dark side of humanity, while the expression psalms.” The text was so well suited for the of beauty has frequently been relegated to a occasion and for a choral work; it was a distant back seat, to an “old fashioned” and, clear choice. for many, irrelevant world. What a joy it has

11 been to rediscover Sandburg’s poetry, with Light unblinking, its expression of the natural world in im- time empty of minutes, ages of peace, beauty, and awe; poetry that a bird stopped short in air. uplifts, refreshes, and renews in the spirit of another of America’s greatest writers on Light flung down, nature: Henry David Thoreau. the pillars awake and, without moving, dance. The work is dedicated to my father, Gene Muehleisen, “who taught me to appreci- The time is transparent: ate the sacramental beauty of nature.” even if the bird is invisible, — John Muehleisen let us see the color of his song.

Prairie Waters by Night and River Moons are pub- Text by Octavio Paz (1914–1998); lished by Santa Barbara Music Publishing, Inc. translation by Muriel Rukeyser www.sbmp.com. Ms. Kimberly Barclay-Drusedum and I were students together at the University Little Birds of Nevada, Las Vegas. We sang in all the Eric Whitacre (b. 1970) choirs together, which basically meant that we spent 99% of all our time together. La luz no parpadea, She is a blast to be around, has a gorgeous el tiempo se vacia de minutos soprano voice, plays piano like a mani- se ha detinido un pajaro en el aire. ac, and as soon as she graduated she was snatched up by the school district and giv- Se dispeña la luz, en a brand-new high school. It came as no despiertan las columnas surprise that she built a world-class choral y, sin moverse, bailan. program in just a few short years.

La hora es transparente: Ms. Broccoli (as I love to call her) commis- vemos, si es invisible el pajaro, sioned me from her own pocket to write a el color de su canto. 12 piece for her women’s chorus, so I found a drink in your eyes, beautiful Octavio Paz poem and set it in its drink in those waters. original Spanish. The work is an homage to Gabriel Fauré, with its running piano part If you open your eyes, and fluid sensual melodies, and this version night opens, doors of musk, (SATB) was commissioned by Dr. Bruce the secret kingdom of the water opens Mayhall (again from his own pocket) for flowing from the center of night. the Delaware Junior All-State Choir. And if you close your eyes, Little Birds is dedicated to my crazy a river fills you from within, friend and fantastic conductor, Ms. Kim- flows forward, darkens you: berly Barclay-Drusedum. night brings its wetness to beaches in — Eric Whitacre your soul.

Little Birds is published by Walton Music Corpo- Text by Octavio Paz; ration. www.waltonmusic.com. translation by Muriel Rukeyser

The poetry of Octavio Paz is a compos- Water Night er’s dream. The music seems to set itself Eric Whitacre (without the usual struggle that invariably accompanies this task) and the process Night with the eyes of a horse that feels more like cleaning the oils from an trembles in the night, ancient canvas to reveal the hidden music night with eyes of water in the field asleep than composing. Water Night was no ex- is in your eyes, a horse that trembles, ception, and the tight harmonies and pa- is in your eyes of secret water. tient unfolding seemed to pour from the Eyes of shadow-water, poetry from the first reading, singing its eyes of well-water, magic even after the English translation. eyes of dream-water. Water Night is simply the natural musical Silence and solitude, expression of this beautiful poem, and is two little animals moon-led, 13 dedicated with my greatest sincerity to my Fire, Lord! friend and confidant Dr. Bruce Mayhall. Fire gonna burn ma soul! — Eric Whitacre I been [cheatin’] stealin’, Water Night is published by Walton Music Cor- Been tellin’ lies, poration. www.waltonmusic.com. Had more women Than Pharaoh had wives. — On the Adventure of Life — Fire, Fire! Fire, Lord! John Orfe (b. 1976) Fire gonna burn ma soul! Co-winner, Pacific Chorale’s Young I means Fire, Lord! Composers Competition (2012) Fire gonna burn ma soul!

Fire, Text by Langston Hughes (1902–1967) Fire, Lord! Fire gonna burn ma soul! Langston Hughes’ poem, written in ver- nacular idioms, leapt off the page for me. I ain’t been good, Inspired by the Last Judgment in the Book I ain’t been clean— of Revelation, where every thought, word, I been stinkin’, low-down, mean. and deed will be given its ultimate reward, Fire, “Fire!” deals with themes of justice, mercy, Fire, Lord! guilt, hope, fairness, and accountability. Fire gonna burn my soul! Since the poem is structured as a Spiritual, I took the opportunity to set it as such and Tell me, brother, in so doing pay tribute to the rich tradi- Do you believe tions of African-American choral singing. If you wanta go to heaben — John Orfe Got to moan an’ grieve? Fire,

14 Song of the Open Road Sing a song of the open road, Norman Dello Joio for here is space and here a great deed has room. Hello! Hello! Whoever you are, Sing a song of the highway I travel, Come, travel with me, whoever you are. for here is the test of a wisdom that is of We will sail pathless and wild seas, the soul. We will go where waves dash and winds Take warning of those who would hold you, blow. The mocking and bat-eyed men. Come on! Come on! Wherever you are, Take your love on the road with you, Look around! You will find what never Take your love on the road, tires. Gather the minds of men out of their Come on! Come on, and join hands, brains, gather love out of men’s hearts, Know what it is as you pass to be loved The universe is a path that is endless, by strangers. the universe itself is a road. Take to the open road, healthy and free, Take the long path leading wherever I Come forth, my call is the call of battle. choose, Going with me you must go well armed. I travel the wide world before me, Come forth, come forth and travel with The earth expanding, the music sounding. me. I give you my hand. I give you my love. Hello! Hello! Whoever you are, wherever I give you myself. Will you give me you are, yourself? Come on! Come on! Whoever you are, Will you travel with me? Join hands and travel with me. The road is before us, I give you my hand. I ordain myself loosed from imaginary Shall we stick to each other as long as limits. we live? From this hour I shall live as my own Hello! Whoever you are, wherever you master, are, Searching and listening, Come on and travel with me. Hello! Breaking the bonds that would hold me. 15 Text adapted from Walt Whitman (1819– as a martial prologue for trumpet and pia- 1892) no initiates the closing section, in which the chorus’s opening call for travelers to join in “Song of the Open Road,” which Dello Joio fellowship is renewed triumphantly. called a “choral proclamation,” was com- — Gordon Paine missioned in 1952 by the Crane Depart- ment of Music at SUNY Potsdam. While Song of the Open Road is published by Carl Walt Whitman’s work of the same name Fischer, Inc. www.carlfischer.com was his inspiration, the full poem was impossible to set as an eight-minute choral work, comprising as it does more text than the libretto to Bach’s two-hour-long St. John John Alexander Passion. Dello Joio edited Whitman’s poem Artistic Director of Pacific Chorale since mercilessly, slashing nearly ninety percent 1972, John Alexander is one of America’s of the original. The brief snippets he re- most respected choral conductors. His in- tained he reworked into a new, concentrat- spired leadership both on the podium and ed poem glued together with material he as an advocate for the advancement of the himself added—among which are the sev- choral art has garnered national and inter- eral references to song, singing, and music. national admiration and acclaim. He nonetheless preserved Whitman’s mes- sage: There is nothing in life more satisfy- Alexander’s long and distinguished career ing, salutary, and enlightening than mak- has encompassed conducting hundreds ing friends and wandering the world with of choral and orchestral performances them in the freedom of God’s open air. nationally and in 27 countries around the globe. He has conducted his singers with The composition is in three sections, the orchestras throughout Europe, Asia, the first a piano-accompanied exhortation former Soviet Union and South America; and exultation. The solo trumpet then in- and, closer to home, with Pacific Sympho- troduces and accompanies the more intro- ny, Pasadena Symphony, Musica Angelica spective middle section. The mood changes and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra.

16 Equally versatile whether on the podium or behind the scenes, Alexander has prepared choruses for many of the world’s most outstanding orchestral conductors, including Zubin Mehta, Pierre Boulez, Seiji Ozawa, Michael Tilson Thomas, Leonard Slatkin, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Gustavo Dudamel, Lu- kas Foss, Max Rudolf, Carl St.Clair, Gerard Schwarz, Marin Alsop, John Mauceri, John Williams, and Keith Lockhart.

A proponent of contemporary American music, Alexander is noted for the strong representation of American works and composers in his programming. He has conducted many premieres of works by composers such as Jake Heggie, Morten Lauridsen, Eric Whitacre, Frank Ticheli, and James Hopkins.

Alexander is nationally recognized for his leadership in the musical and organi- zational development of the performing arts. He is a board member and former president of Chorus America, the ser- Arts, the California Arts Council, and the vice organization for choruses in North Los Angeles County Arts Commission. America. Alexander also has served on artistic review panels for national, state- Alexander retired in spring 2006 from his wide and local arts organizations, in- position as Director of Choral Studies at cluding the National Endowment for the California State University, Fullerton, hav-

17 ing been awarded the honor of Professor standing Individual Artist Award (2000) Emeritus. From 1970 to 1996, he held the from Arts Orange County; the Gershwin position of Director of Choral Studies at Award (1990), presented by the county of California State University, Northridge. Los Angeles in recognition of his cultural Alexander continues his involvement in leadership in that city; and the Outstand- the pre-professional training of choral ing Professor Award (1976) from Califor- conductors. He is in demand as a teacher, nia State University, Northridge. clinician, and adjudicator in festivals, sem- inars and workshops across the United States. In 2003, Chorus America honored John Alexander Singers him with the establishment of the “John The John Alexander Singers, Pacific Alexander Conducting Faculty Chair” for Chorale’s professional chamber choir, is their national conducting workshops. a 24-voice ensemble of outstanding choral musicians from throughout Southern Alexander is a composer of many works California. While most of these singers and serves as the editor of the John Al- also serve as part of the paid core to Pa- exander Choral Series with Hinshaw Mu- cific Chorale’s 140-voice ensemble, their sic, as well as the John Alexander Singers work with the John Alexander Singers Choral Series with Pavane Publishing. focuses on specialized repertoire appro- His numerous tributes and awards in- priate for a professional chamber chorus. clude the Michael Korn Founders Award for Development of the Professional The Pacific Chorale regularly presents Choral Art from Chorus America (2008); the John Alexander Singers in concert The Distinguished Faculty Member venues throughout Southern California. award from California State University, The Singers have collaborated extensively Fullerton (2006); the Helena Modjeska with Musica Angelica, Southern Califor- Cultural Legacy Award (2003), presented nia’s premier period instrument orches- in honor of his lifetime achievement as tra. Other notable collaborations include an artistic visionary in the development performances with the Los Angeles Phil- of the arts in Orange County; the Out- harmonic on their new music “Green Umbrella” series, and performances with 18 the Kronos Quartet, Mark Morris Dance as the resident chorus for the California Company, The Royal Ballet of Covent State University Summer Arts Festivals at Garden, Los Angeles Chamber Orches- Humbolt State University and CSU Long tra, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Beach. They also served as resident pro- and Pacific Symphony. fessional choir for the California Con- ducting Symposium, co-sponsored by The John Alexander Singers’ first recording, Chorus America and CSU Fullerton. Sweet Harmony, contained music by Lili Boulanger, Benjamin Britten, Cecil Effinger and Frank Ticheli, and featured the world Barry Perkins premiere recordings of John Alexander’s Barry Perkins has been the Principal compositions “Sweet Harmony” and “In Trumpet of the Pacific Symphony Or- Praise of Music,” as well as James Hopkins’s chestra since 2004. He began playing the cycle The Rossetti Songs, commissioned by trumpet at the age of five under the in- Pacific Chorale. The Singers’ second CD, struction of his father, William Perkins. Shenandoah: Songs of the American Spirit, Barry received his formal education at which focuses on American folk song, is The New England Conservatory of Music available on the Gothic label. The group and soon after his stay in Boston, won his can be heard alongside Pacific Chorale in first orchestra position with the Mexico Delos’ 2013 recording Frank Ticheli: The City Philharmonic in 1990. Shore and Other Choral Works. Throughout his career, Barry has per- The John Alexander Singers have ap- formed with many great orchestras, fa- peared as a featured chorus at confer- mous classical and jazz artists as well as ences of the American Choral Directors esteemed conductors. He has performed Association, Chorus America’s national on the world’s most prestigious concert conference in Los Angeles, and the As- stages including those of Munich, Frank- sociation of California Symphony Or- furt, London, Paris, Lucerne, Hannover, chestras’ annual conference in Costa Cologne, Dusseldorf, Essen, and Vienna, Mesa in August 2007. They have served as well as those of the United States. 19 In addition to his live orchestra career, Rubenstein, the late Howard Swan, James Barry is an active studio musician in the Vail, Perla Warren and Loren Wiebe. He Hollywood studios. He has participated is in demand throughout Southern Cal- on the film scores of John Williams, James ifornia as a collaborator and coach. Dr. Newton Howard, James Horner, Alexan- Clemensen has taught at Biola University dre Desplat, John Debney, Hans Zimmer, and Orange Coast College, and main- Christophe Beck, Bear McCreary, Danny tains a private studio as an accompanist Elfman, Thomas Wander, Harold Closer, and teacher. He served for four years as Ramin Djawadi, Marco Beltrami, Alan coach and pianist for the Intimate Op- Silvestri, Rupert Gregson-Williams, Hen- era of Pasadena’s Summer Vocal Work- ry Jackman and Joel Mcneely. shop. Often called upon to lead music for events of the C. S. Lewis Foundation, in Barry is a member of the music faculty at 2002 he directed the Service of Dedica- California State University Fullerton and tion for the Study Center at Lewis’ home, founder of the Barry Perkins Trumpet the Kilns, at the Sheldonian Theatre in Academy, which has reached hundreds Oxford, England. A lifelong church mu- of young musicians throughout Southern sician, he currently serves as accompa- California. nist for Irvine United Church of Christ. His compositions have been performed David Clemensen by many choirs throughout the U.S. In David Clemensen is active as a pianist, 1995 he won the American Orff-Schul- teacher, church musician and composer. werk competition for his William Blake A native Californian, he holds degrees setting, The Tyger and the Lamb. from Chapman University, CSU Fuller- ton, and USC. He has been the principal accompanist for Pacific Chorale and the John Alexander Singers since 2002. He has worked with many conductors, including William Hall, Robert Istad, Michael Lancaster, Richard Raub, Eliza 20 Choral Performers: SOPRANO TENOR Kellee King Daniel C. Babcock, Roger W. Johnson Maria Cristina Navarro Memorial Chair Sandy Rosales Joseph Cruz Katharin Rundus Jason Francisco Sarah Thompson Nicholas Preston Lorraine Joy Welling John St. Marie Gregorio Taniguchi ALTO Maya Guerrero BASS Laura Harrison Aram Barsamian I-Chin Lee Carver Cossey Kathleen Preston Gordon LaCross Jane Shim Ricardo V. McKillips, Jr. Yilin Hsu Wentlandt Emmanuel Miranda Thomas Ringland

21 Executive Producer: Carol Rosenberger Producer: Richard Messenger Associate Producers: Brian Sullivan & Ryan McSweeney Recording Engineer: Ted Ancona Editing, Mixing & Mastering: Matthew Snyder Project Administrator: Dana Ramos Booklet Editor: Lindsay Koob Art Design & Layout: Lonnie Kunkel Photo Credits: Stan Sholik

Recorded in Meng Concert Hall, Clayes Performing Arts Center, California State University, Fullerton on March 13, 14 and 18, 2012.

This recording has been funded in part through the Pacific Chorale Recording Endowment Fund, and by Trish and John O’Donnell.