Meet the Composers

Born in Locarno Switzerland in 1963, Ivo Antognini obtained his degree in piano in 1985 at Lucerne, studying with Nora Daollo. A self-taught composer, he developed an interest in writing music at a very early age. Since 1989 he has composed a multitude of music for television and film. A meeting with Mario Fontana, the director of Coro Calicantus, inspired him to begin writing choral music in 2006. Shortly thereafter, he became the world class children's choir's composer-in-residence. Since 1987 he has been Professor of ear-training and piano in the professional training level of the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana in Lugano where he regularly holds masterclasses on improvisation for pianists.

A native of Southern California, Matthew Brown completed his masters and doctoral studies in music composition at the USC Thornton School of Music, where he studied with , Frank Ticheli, Donald Crockett, Frederick Lesemann, Randy Newman, and Tamar Diesendruck. His awards include the 2003 Hans J. Salter Endowed Music Award, the 2007 Jimmy McHugh Composition Prize, the 2007 VocalEssence Welcome Christmas! Carol Contest, and the 2010 VocalEssence Essentially Choral Commission. His works have been performed throughout the United States and internationally, by groups such as VocalEssence, the Antioch Chamber Ensemble, the Young New Yorker’s Chorus, the Cincinnati Boychoir, the Los Angeles Gay Men’s Chorus, Midnight Winds, the USC Chamber Choir, the Los Robles Master Chorale, the De Angelis Vocal Ensemble, the USC Thornton Symphony, and the C4 Ensemble.

Paul Mealor is described in the New York Times as, ‘one of the most important composers to have emerged in Welsh choral music since … A real and original talent.’ Mealor’s compositions have rapidly entered the repertoire of choirs and singers around the world. His music has been described as having, ‘serene beauty, fastidious craftsmanship and architectural assuredness… Music of deep spiritual searching that always asks questions, offers answers and fills the listener with hope…’ His sacred motets, songs and cycles have been performed, broadcast and recorded by artists in the UK, USA and much further afield. Born in St. Asaph, North Wales, UK in 1975, Paul Mealor studied composition privately from an early age with John Pickard, at the with Nicola LeFanu (1994-2002) and in Copenhagen with Hans Abrahamsen (1998-99). Since 2003 he has taught at the , where he is currently Reader in Composition, and has held visiting professorships in composition at institutions in Scandinavia and the United States. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and his music is published by Novello & Co Ltd. Program Antioch Chamber Ensemble i thank You God for most this amazing day Eric Whitacre Soprano!!!!! Alto Stabat Mater Paul Mealor ! Martha Cluver!! ! ! ! Luthien Brackett I. Stabat Mater Dolorosa ! Amy Goldin!! ! ! ! Rebecca Oehlers II. Eia Mater, fons amoris ! Michele Kennedy III. Virgo virginum praeclara ! Molly Quinn IV. Christe, cum sit hinc exire ! Kristin Sands Tenor! !!!!!Bass Drop, Drop, Slow Tears* ! Matthew Hughes!! ! ! ! Raymond bailey ! James Kennerley!! ! ! ! Brian Ming Chu ~ Pause ~ Serving Sizes ! Stephen Sands!! ! ! ! Joshua Copeland !!!!!!!Jeremiah Goldovitz Another Lullaby for Insomniacs * Matthew Brown Piano Faces* Ivo Antognini ! Christine Chang

Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal Paul Mealor Widely regarded as one of the finest professional choral music ensembles in the United States, The Antioch Chamber Ensemble is currently celebrating its 15th season of I. Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal! exceptional music-making, having made its debut at the gala opening of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in 1997. Under the leadership of founding Artistic Director Joshua ! II. Lady, when I behold the roses sprouting Copeland, the ensemble strives to present as diverse a program as possible of the world’s greatest choral literature, both sacred and secular, and has performed works ranging from ! III. Upon a bank with roses set about Renaissance polyphony to contemporary masterpieces with a core group of ten to twelve of the New York metropolitan area’s finest singers. In 2008, Antioch was awarded first-place ! IV. A Spotless Rose honors in the highly prestigious Tolosa International Choral Competition in Spain, establishing them among the top rank of professional choirs in the world. In recent seasons, Antioch has been called “stellar,” “flawless,” “an exceptional group,” and “a spectacular example of what a classical choir should sound like” by the national press. The city and the sea Eric Whitacre Antioch’s past performance highlights include feature performances for Carnegie Hall’s ! I. i walked the boulevard Neighborhood Concert Series, the Trinity Wall Street “Noon-Day” Concert Series, the American Choral Directors Association Eastern National Conference and the Nautilus Music ! II. the moon is hiding in her hair Festival in Nova Scotia. In 2010, Antioch performed at the Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New ! III. maggie and millie and molly and may York, hailed by the New York Times as a “technological pleasure dome for the mind and senses.” Also in 2010, the ensemble premiered a piece by composer Bruce Adolphe at the ! IV. as is the sea marvelous Metropolitan Museum of Art as part of a special exhibition of works by the Renaissance painter Agnolo Bronzino, and was featured at Musique en Morvan and the Festival des ! V. little man in a hurry Choeurs Laureats in France. They return to the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, South Carolina for their eleventh consecutive performance in the Choral Artists Series this May. * World Premiere i walked the boulevard as is the sea marvelous i walked the boulevard as is the sea marvelous i saw a dirty child from god’s skating on noisy wheels of joy hands which sent her forth Texts & Translations pathetic dress fluttering to sleep upon the world behind her a mother-monster and the earth withers i thank You God for most this Eia, Mater, fons amoris with red grumbling face the moon crumbles amazing day O thou Mother! fount of love! cluttered in pursuit one by one i thank You God for most this amazing Touch my spirit from above, pleasantly elephantine stars flutter into dust day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees make my heart with thine accord: and a blue true dream of sky; and for while nearby the father but the sea everything which is natural which is Make me feel as thou hast felt; a thick cheerful man does not change infinite which is yes make my soul to glow and melt with majestic bulbous lips and she goes forth out of hands and with the love of Christ my Lord. and forlorn piggish hands she returns into hands (i who have died am alive again today, joked to a girlish whore and this is the sun's birthday; this is the Holy Mother! pierce me through, with busy rhythmic mouth and is with sleep…. birthday of life and of love and wings: and in my heart each wound renew and silly purple eyelids of the gay great happening illimitably of my Savior crucified: of how she was with child love, the breaking of your soul upon my earth) lips Let me share with thee His pain, who for all my sins was slain, the moon is hiding in her hair how should tasting touching hearing who for me in torments died. the moon is hiding in her hair. little man in a hurry seeing breathing any--lifted from the no The lily of heaven little man of all nothing--human merely being Virgo virginum praeclara full of all dreams, (in a hurry doubt unimaginable You? draws down. full of an (now the ears of my ears awake and Virgin of all virgins blest!, important worry) now the eyes of my eyes are opened) Listen to my fond request: cover her briefness in singing halt stop forget relax let me share thy grief divine; close her with the intricate faint birds Stabat Mater Dolorosa Let me, to my latest breath, by daisies and twilights wait At the Cross her station keeping, in my body bear the death Deepen her, stood the mournful Mother weeping, of that dying Son of thine. (little child close to her Son to the last. Recite upon her flesh who have tried Wounded with His every wound, the rain’s pearls singly-whispering. who have failed Through her heart, His sorrow sharing, steep my soul till it hath swooned, who have cried) all His bitter anguish bearing, in His very Blood away; lie bravely down now at length the sword has passed. maggie and milly and molly and Be to me, O Virgin, nigh, may O how sad and sore distressed sleep lest in flames I burn and die, maggie and milly and molly and may was that Mother, highly blest, in His awful Judgment Day. went down to the beach (to play one day) of the sole-begotten One. big rain Christe, cum sit hinc exire big snow and maggie discovered a shell that sang Christ above in torment hangs, big sun Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence, so sweetly she couldn't remember her she beneath beholds the pangs bug moon by Thy Mother my defense, troubles, of her dying glorious Son. (enter by Thy Cross my victory; Is there one who would not weep, and milly befriended a stranded star While my body here decays, us) whelmed in miseries so deep, whose rays five languid fingers were; Christ's dear Mother to behold? may my soul Thy goodness praise, Safe in Paradise with Thee. and molly was chased by a horrible thing Can the human heart refrain e.e cummings (1894-1962) which raced sideways while blowing from partaking in her pain, bubbles: in that Mother's pain untold? For the sins of His own nation, and may came home with a smooth round She saw Jesus wracked with torment, stone All with scourges rent: as small as a world and as large as alone. She beheld her tender Child, For whatever we lose (like a you or a me) Saw Him hang in desolation, it's always ourselves we find in the sea Till His spirit forth He sent. Texts & Translations

Drop, drop, slow tears Faces Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal Upon a bank with roses set about Phineas Fletcher (1582-1650) Lord Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892) Sara Teasdale (1884-1933) John Ward (1589-1638) Drop, drop, slow tears, and bathe those Now sleeps the crimson petal, now the beauteous feet, People that I meet and pass Upon a bank with roses set about, white; Nor waves the cypress in the which brought from heaven the news In the city’s broken roar, Where pretty turtles, joining bill to bill, palace walk; The firefly wakens: waken and Prince of Peace. Faces that I lose so soon And gentle springs steal softly And have never found before, thou with me. murmuring out, Cease not, wet eyes, his mercies to Washing the foot of pleasure's sacred hill; Now droops the milk-white peacock like a entreat; Do you know how much you tell There little Love sore wounded lies, ghost, And like a ghost she glimmers on to cry for vengeance sin doth never In the meeting of our eyes, His bow and arrows broken, to me. Now lies the Earth all Danae to the cease. How ashamed I am, and sad Bedewed with tears from Venus' eyes, To have pierced your poor disguise? stars, And all thy heart lies open unto me. O grievous to be spoken. In your deep floods drown all my faults Now folds the lily all her sweetness up, and fears; Secrets rushing without sound And slips into the bosom of the lake: nor let his eye see sin, but through my Crying from your hiding places — So fold thyself, my dearest, thou, and slip A Spotless Rose tears. Let me go, I cannot bear The sorrow of the passing faces. Into my bosom and be lost in me. A Spotless Rose is growing, Another Lullaby for — People in the restless street, Lady, when I behold the roses Sprung from a tender root, Insomniacs Can it be, oh can it be sprouting Of ancient seers' foreshowing, In the meeting of our eyes Of Jesse promised fruit; Its fairest bud unfolds to light A.E. Stallings (1968-) That you know as much of me? Lady, when I behold the roses sprouting, Which clad in damask mantles deck the Amid the cold, cold winter, And in the dark midnight. Sleep, she will not linger: arbours, She turns her moon-cold shoulder. And then behold your lips where sweet love harbours, The Rose which I am singing, With no ring on her finger, Whereof Isaiah said, You cannot hope to hold her. My eyes present me with a double doubting; Is from its sweet root springing For, viewing both alike, hardly my mind In Mary, purest Maid; She turns her moon-cold shoulder Through God's great love and might And tosses off the cover. supposes Save the Date! Whether the roses be your lips or your The Blessed Babe she bare us You cannot hope to hold her: In a cold, cold winter's night. She has another lover. lips the roses Antioch will present their first She tosses off the cover And lays the darkness bare. “Christmas in the City” She has another lover. Her heart is otherwhere. Sunday Antioch would like to thank: She lays the darkness bare. December 16, 2012 @ 4pm • All composers on this program tonight whose music inspires our voices! You slowly realize Matt, Ivo, Paul and Eric - your works are transcendent! Her heart is otherwhere. St. Paul’s Chapel, NYC There's distance in her eyes. • Paul Mealor for traveling across the pond to attend this concert and giving us the supreme honor of premiering a new choral work dedicated to us. You slowly realize • Our generous patrons who make concerts like this possible - please consider That she will never linger, lending your support a tax-deductible gift to Antioch this season. With distance in her eyes • Trinity Church, Wall Street for lending us a superb space to sing in and And no ring on her finger. continuing to support one of the nation’s finest church music programs.