Music for Our Time and Place #Inspired! Virtual Choral Collaboration Cherokee Traveler’s Greeting Kevin A. Memley

Montclair State University Singers Dr. Heather J. Buchanan, conductor Steven W. Ryan, accompanist

Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School Select Choir Jan Allen, conductor

Nutley High School Chamber Singer Honors Stephone Gaines ‘15, conductor

Recording Artists: Q Furnald (Graduate Assistant), audio & video engineering Rob Davidson Photography

Friday, March 26th, 2021 7:00 pm Program Note #Inspired! is a 170-voice virtual choral collaboration featuring the Montclair State University Singers with two New Jersey High School choirs: Scotch Plains-Fanwood HS Select Choir, and Nutley HS Chamber Singers. The choirs' performance of Cherokee Traveler's Greeting composed by Kevin Memley conveys the shared human values of compassion, honor, and mutual respect which we celebrate as allies of Indigenous Americans.

The virtual performance will feature visual elements developed by MSU students Eric Van Hoven (group leader), Ethan Smith, Eliza Arnone, Melissa Hughes, Nathan Mahon, and Hannah Ranzan.

ABOUT THE PERFORMERS

Dr. Heather J. Buchanan, Conductor Australian-born conductor Heather J. Buchanan, PhD, is Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at Montclair State University (MSU) where she conducts choirs ranging in size from 24 – 175 voices. Choirs under her direction have won critical acclaim for their “heartfelt conviction” “grace and precision,” “vibrant sound,” “eloquence”, and for singing with the “crispness and dexterity of a professional choir.” During her 18-year tenure, MSU choirs have collaborated with a variety of renowned national and international performing artists, perform masterworks regularly with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, and have sung on commercially produced recordings with Meredith Monk (Songs of Ascension) and the NJSO (Carmina Burana and Verdi Requiem). In March 2020, the MSU Singers released their first solo CD recording I Sing Because… which is also available for digital download on Spotify and iTunes. Dr. Buchanan holds degrees from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music (Australia), Westminster Choir College of Rider University (U.S.), and the University of New England (Australia). A licensed Body Mapping Educator since 2022, Dr. Buchanan specializes in the teaching of this neuro-anatomical educational technique that trains musicians to attain freedom of expression through effective movement. A vibrant teacher, dynamic performer, and passionate musicians’ health advocate, Dr. Buchanan is in demand as a guest conductor, somatic educator, and choral clinician in the U.S. and abroad.

Steven W. Ryan, Pianist Pianist Steven W. Ryan joined the Cali School faculty in 2005. He has performed as an orchestral keyboardist with most of the major orchestras in , including members of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. He has played celesta with the legendary Berlin Philharmonic at ; piano, harpsichord, and portative organ with the Dessoff Choirs; and synthesizer with the Moody Blues rock band. He has collaborated with conductors such as , , Neeme Järvi, Bernhard Haitink, Gerard Schwarz, and Maxim Shostakovich, among others. Mr. Ryan took first place in the 2001 Concours des Grands Amateurs de Piano. At the close of this international competition he was engaged to perform Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-Flat Minor at the Sorbonne in Paris. In addition to winning the French competition, Steven took second prize in the 2000 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs. In 2012 Steven was a featured artist in The Dessoff Choir’s first Midwinter Festival, performing Robin Holloway’s Gilded Goldbergs at Weill Recital Hall. In 2011–12 he also appeared on the Stamford Symphony recital series, performed Grammy Award-nominated composer Robert Aldridge’s Piano Trio, and toured in Austria. Mr. Ryan is the accompanist for the MSU choral program and is also a collaborative artist for faculty and student recitals in the Cali School of Music.

Montclair State University Singers 2020-21

Since 2003 the Montclair State University (MSU) choral program has been recognized for its successful collaborations with world-renowned artists and celebrated professional musicians in national and international venues. The Montclair State University Singers is the University’s flagship choir - a mixed-voice elective ensemblecomprising undergraduate and graduate students who are experienced musicians. Students from all schools/colleges in good academic standing may audition. University Singers performs a variety of sacred and secular repertoire, genres and styles, with special interest in contemporary composers.

Previous season highlights include New York Choral Festival Showcase Concerts performances at Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall, their ACDA Eastern Division Convention debut performance in Providence, RI (2012), their NAfME All-Eastern debut in Atlantic City, NJ (2017), Mid-Atlantic tour of the USA (May 2013), and collaborating with the esteemed American composer Morten Lauridsen on his Nocturnes during his November 2013 MSU residency. The choir has also toured Central Europe and Russia with performances in Prague, Budapest, Bratislava, Debrecen, Moscow, Pushkin, and St. Petersburg. An important ensemble in the NJ arts community, the University Singers perform regularly with the NJSO, presenting Handel’s Messiah annually since 2014. They have also performed Mozart’s Requiem under Jacques Lacombe (2013) and Xian Zhang (2018). In October 2018 they gave the US Premiere performance of Speak Out! by Kate Whitley (UK), an inspiring work based on texts by Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala, for the NJSO’s 2018-19 season opening.

The University Singers has also had an exciting performance relationship with renowned composer-artist Meredith Monk beginning with their historic collaboration in December 2006 and continuing with the critically acclaimed March 2009 performances of Ascension Variations at the Guggenheim Museum. They recorded the CD Songs of Ascension with Meredith Monk and Vocal Ensemble on the prestigious European label ECM Records under the legendary producer Manfred Eicher, released May 2011. This collaboration was included in the Producer of the Year section of the 2012 Grammy nominations.

2019-20 saw the choir return to the NJSO for two Messiah performances under the baton of guest conductor Roderick Cox, with a life broadcast from the Cathedral Basilica, Newark on WQXR. The Basilica performance was rebroadcast in December 2020 on the National Public Broadcast network during the COVID pandemic. I Sing Because, the choir’s first solo CD recording, was released in March 2020 and is also available for digital download on Spotify and iTunes.

During 2020-21, and in the face of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic, the University Singers continued to function in the vanguard of best choral practices, with socially distanced outdoor rehearsals and innovative recording projects. The choir’s activities received widespread regional and national media attention, including TV appearances on The today Show, NBC Nightly News, The Kelly Clarkson Show, and News 12 NJ in addition to print and digital media stories. During the Fall semester 2020 their social media outreach included 99,591+ views. The University Singers’ video performances are broadcast on the Cali YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkBxfcRmuw2kHzJ8Bi7BSGw/videos Jan Allen is the choral director at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School, working in the Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District since 2001. Ms. Allen earned her undergraduate degree in Music Education from Westminster Choir College and her Masters degree in Music Education from Boston University, graduating summa cum laude. At SPFHS, Ms. Allen directs five choral ensembles, including Chamber Choir, Concert Choir, Select Choir, Men's Choir, and Sensations. She is also the producer of the theatre program and additionally the music director for the musical. Ms. Allen’s choirs have been selected to perform at Carnegie Hall, the Westminster Choir College Choral Invitational, the New Jersey American Choral Director’s Association Choral Festival, the Montclair Choral Invitational, and at the National Association for Music Education convention. These choirs have also participated in yearly adjudications, with Festivals of Music in Philadelphia, Virginia Beach, Washington D.C., Boston, and Disney World, consistently receiving superior rankings. This year, Ms. Allen was also selected as the 2020 Region II Honors Mixed Choir Conductor and as the Governor’s 2020 Educator of the Year at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School.

Stephone Gaines is Director of Choral Activities at Nutley High School where he conducts the Chamber Singers Honors Ensemble, Concert Choir, Choralettes, and Men’s Chorus. He also teaches advanced humanities, survey of popular music, and co-directs the Nutley Youth Ensemble. A native of New Jersey, Stephone received his Bachelor of Music degree from Montclair State University (2015) as a music education major with a concentration in voice. His teaching career has included general music, choral, and instrumental education in both the Newark and Nutley school districts. An active member of ACDA and NAfME, Stephone has served as an adjudicator for the county, regional, and state-level choral ensembles. In addition to his experience in choral education, Stephone has previously served as a theory instructor for New Jersey Symphony Orchestra CHAMPS (Character, Achievement and Music Project) in Newark, New Jersey; an intensive education program seeking to develop students’ social and academic success in urban areas through learning the intricacies of playing a string instrument. Stephone is a professional bass-baritone and has cantored for local churches in Westfield and Basking Ridge, New Jersey for over 8 years and his passion for music not only exudes through his performance, but through the performance of his students.

Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School enjoys a well-established vocal music department under the direction of Ms. Jan Allen. There are six active choirs at the high school: Chamber Choir, Concert Choir, Select Choir, Men's Choir, Las Cantadoras and Sensations. Additionally, the choir students participate in many choir festivals, performances, competitions, and have also been able to work with living composers. They regularly support the communities of Scotch Plains and Fanwood, being part of many town and school events. Recently, the SPFHS choirs’ fundraising choral performance of “Cabaret for a Cause” was able to raise over $2500 to support the Long-Term Care Unit of the Children’s Specialized Hospital in Mountainside, NJ. The Select Choir is an auditioned, mixed voice ensemble of 50 students. In spring of 2020, they were part of a virtual choir premiere work by composer Michael John Trotta, and they are eager to participate in this virtual performance in partnership with the Montclair choral program.

Nutley High School Chamber Singers Honors is a 27-voiced chamber ensemble for students at Nutley High School who have superior musicianship and place a high level of dedication to choral singing in their lives. Each student is selected after a carefully adjudicated audition of nearly one hundred and fifteen voices in the high school’s choral program. Many students in this ensemble pursue degrees in music education, vocal performance, and music therapy. Over the course of the last two decades, Chamber Singers has had a rich tradition of choral excellence and has performed extensively across North America and Europe, touring as representatives of Nutley, NJ. Noted as a “Best Community for Music Education,” Nutley High School has consistently provided students with the opportunities to be exposed to a plethora of performance opportunities ranging from local tree-lighting and Christmas caroling, to high school choral festivals, to Carnegie Hall performances and collegiate level collaborations. Chamber Singers has been a staple ensemble of the choral program at Nutley High School and is thrilled to be featured in this virtual choral program.

SPECIAL THANKS MSU Student Video Voice-Part Vocal Models: SI: Noelle Dadon SII: Alexa Tammone A: Casey Gorab TI: Nick Scafuto TII: Richie Cardile Bar: Harrison Smith BII: Drew Sabo

Storyboarding Group: Eric Van Hoven (leader) Ethan Smith Eliza Arnone Melissa Hughes Hannah Ranzan Nathan Mahon

High School Choral Directors: Jan Allen, Scotch Plains-Fanwood HS Stephone Gaines MSU’15, Nutley HS

Q Furnald, Choral Activities Graduate Assistant Lisa Bremer, Choral Activities Teaching Assistant Alexa Tammone, Choral Activities PR Professor Tony Mazzocchi, Director, John J. Cali School of Music Heather Kern, Graphic Design Rob Davidson Photography

Follow us on: Instagram: @Montclairstatechorale Facebook: Montclair State Chorale Activities MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY SINGERS 2020-21 SOPRANO 1 Soprano II Briana Alvarez Eliza Arnone Deonia Conquest Lisa Bremer ^^ Noelle Dadon* Christine Brower Emma DiLauro Elizabeth Caplan Sarah Doran Aleksandra Durin Anita Freedson Jackson Angela Gibilisco Maya Henry Angie Lovato Hailey LaBar Marissa Marciano Sara Pabst Christina Monticciolo Hannah Ranzan Alexandra VanderMaas Alexa Tammone + Christine Tanko

Alto I Alto II Inessa Accilien Amanda Blum Jessica Anderson Jen Chie Madison Bustamante Samantha Gerbrick Mackenzie Conaway Emma Gunther Alianna Davis Jessica Karasik Casey Gorab ** Baylee Kramer Gabrielle Guida Melissa Hughes Cristina Latino Natalia Wajda Grace Wampler ~ Lauren Wright

Tenor I Tenor II Nicholas Scafuto * Richard Cardile Eric Van Hoven Quinn Furnald ^ Stefanos Hunter Kyle Kennedy Dylan Kozlak

Baritone Bass Rashaun Ashley Christian Collazo Julian Dippolito Taylor Droege Jude Duane Sean Johnson Nathan Mahon Colin Keyes Matteo Rosales Chisom Maduakor Harrison Smith ** Drew Sabo * Ethan Smith Julio Santiago Christopher Vehmas

+Manager *Section Leader ** Alto Section Leader ~ Online Section Leader ^Graduate Assistant ^^ Teacher Assistant. Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School Select Choir 2020-2021 Soprano I Soprano II Bridget Abbott Amaya Casterlow Marissa Burton Justyanna Fortna Emma Guan Maya Handler Melanie Lowell Sherin Kachroo Kaelan Mattos Meagan Lavin Amelia Sherman Allison Lesser Hannah Solomon Nikita Sahasrabudhe Yasmin Ulerio

Alto I Alto II Amelia Collins Mandy Filipski Claire Fisher Natalie Green Olivia Gomez Emily Homer Riya Kishen Lea Oduro Rica Lopez Sydney Sprechman Alexa Vierschilling Serena Thomas Ally Vlkovic Riley Vierschilling

Tenor I Tenor II JJ Dionisio Matthew Angulo David Gomez Graeme Daniskis Chris Laino Jonathan Dickstein Roy McGowan Aditya Phatak Tucker Rose Conor Reilly

Bass I Bass II Robert Dobies Thomas Barnes Owen Donahue Mac Ferrone Emmet Fynes Jonathan Kother Gavin Lesnevich Connor Spellman Evan Libby Lucas Vega Aidan Robertson Andrew Smith Nutley High School Chamber Singers Honors 2020-2021 Soprano I Soprano II Allison Scoresone Amanda Silva Ashlyn Kurtzmann Lia De Maio Emily Ostrowski Meghan Tran* Kimberly Rabbia Samantha Daly

Alto I Alto II Arwen Cruz Emily Jablonowski Jade Giron Jessica Caraballo* Luca Blancato Mia Geraghty Victoria Alameda Naomi Franco

Tenor I Tenor II Fabian Jimenez Charlie Contini Paul Cerruto Kevin Torres Luke Surretsky* Mawutor Fiavey

Bass I Bass II Diogo Ramirez Aidan Scarpelli Robert Feldman Ethan Tran Spencer Serritella* *Section Leader