ST. OLAF CHOIR ANTON ARMSTRONG, CONDUCTOR Tuesday, February 11, 2020, at 7:30pm Foellinger Great Hall PROGRAM ST. OLAF CHOIR Anton Armstrong, conductor Charles Gray,

SONGS OF PRAISE AND REJOICING Johann Michael Haydn Laetatus Sum (1737-1806)

Salamone Rossi Elohim Hashivenu (c. 1570-c.1630)

Johann Sebastian Bach Der Geist hilft unsrer Schwachheit auf (BWV 226) (1685-1750)

SONGS OF ADORATION Ralph Vaughan Williams Gloria (Mass in G Minor) (1872-1958)

Woldemar Voullaire Selig sind, die reines Herzens sind (1825-1902)

Ralph M. Johnson On Horizon’s Brim (b. 1955)

Matthew Peterson Adoramus Te (b. 1984)

Jake Runestad Alleluia (b. 1986)

20-minute intermission

2 SONGS OF JUSTICE AND COMPASSION Rosephanye Powell Sorida (b. 1962)

Alexander Gretchaninov Our Father (1864-1956)

Mari Esabel Valverde When Thunder Comes (b. 1987)

Jayne Southwick Cool When Memory Fades (b. 1947) arr. Eric Nelson

Robert V. Scholz Set Me As A Seal (b. 1939) arr. David Scholz

Christoph E.F. Weyse O Day Full of Grace (1774-1842) arr. F. Melius Christiansen

SONGS OF LOVE AND HOPE arr. Shireen Abu-Khader Lammaa Badaa Yatathannaa (b. 1972) arr. Joseph Flummerfelt Danny Boy (1937–2019)

René Clausen O My Luve’s Like A Red, Red Rose (b. 1953) arr Harry T. Burleigh My Lord, What A Mornin’ (1866–1949) arr. Josephine Poelinitz City Called Heaven (b. 1944) arr. Moses G. Hogan Jr. My Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord (1957–2003)

OPTIONAL SELECTIONS arr. F. Melius Christiansen Beautiful Savior (1871-1955)

3 THANK YOU FOR SPONSORING THIS PERFORMANCE With deep gratitude, Krannert Center thanks all 2019-20 Patron Sponsors and Corporate and Community Sponsors, and all those who have invested in Krannert Center. Please view their names later in this program and join us in thanking them for their support.

This event is supported by: THE ACT OF GIVING OF ACT THE

Krannert Center honors the legacy of Endowed Underwriter Valentine Jobst III. His enthusiasm and commitment to the performing arts ensure that the intense beauty of classical music will continue to resonate in central Illinois.

4 THE ACT OF GIVING

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Through their previous sponsorships, Endowed Sponsors Helen & James Farmer continue to ensure that the performing arts play a vital role in the cultural life of central Illinois. Krannert Center appreciates their generosity and their investment in our community.

Through their previous sponsorships and this year’s support, Endowed Sponsors Carole & Jerry Ringer continue to share their passion for the beauty and emotion of classical music with our community. Krannert Center is grateful for their ongoing support and dedication to the performing arts.

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MICHAEL & MARGARET MARLYN W. RINEHART ROSSO GROSSMAN Twelve Previous Sponsorships Four Previous Sponsorships THE ACT OF GIVING OF ACT THE

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CYNTHIA SWANSON ART & SHIRLEY TRAUGOTT First-Time Sponsor Twenty Previous Sponsorships Two Current Sponsorships Two Current Sponsorships

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YVETTE & HERBERT SARAH & CHARLES WISSEMAN WHITELEY Three Previous Sponsorships Three Previous Sponsorships

CORPORATE & COMMUNITY SILVER SPONSOR

*PHOTO CREDIT: ILLINI STUDIO

HELP SUPPORT THE FUTURE OF THE ARTS. BECOME A KRANNERT CENTER SPONSOR BY CONTACTING OUR ADVANCEMENT TEAM TODAY: KrannertCenter.com/Give • [email protected] • 217.333.6700

7 ST. OLAF CHOIR SINGERS Amanda Goldberg, Pompano Beach, Fla. music education Katherine Hagaman, Bettendorf, Iowa SOPRANO I Natalie Brandt, Eugene, Ore. music education music education Paige Romero, Frisco, Texas Thea Brenner, Ames, Iowa music music Maggie Stock, Philadelphia, Pa. Grace Brigham, Washington, D.C. English music Helena Webster, Oak Harbor, Wash. Elsa Buck, Rosemount, Minn. music performance music Emma Chambers, Orlando, Fla. ALTO I music performance Emily Albrecht, Neenah, Wis. Shae Lime, Treasure Island, Fla. music education music performance Alden Bostwick, Northfield, Minn. Hannah Liu, Shoreline, Wash. music music, political science Emma Bergman, La Grange Park, Ill. Marianne Peterson, Duluth, Minn. music education French, physics Hannah Chapman-Dutton, Round Bronwyn Redvers-Lee, Takoma Park, Md. Mountain, Nev. | environmental science music Hannah Hasseler, Columbus, Ohio Mara Tostengard, Roseville, Minn. economics, psychology economics Jessica Hoyt, Foxboro, Mass. music education Emi Kaliski, St. Charles, Ill. SOPRANO II Ann Ambach, Garden City, N.Y. music music, psychology Amalie Kvam, Jar, Norway Emma Arachtingi, Burnsville, Minn. musicology music performance Emily Thompson, Fremont, Ind. Lily Askegaard, Eden Prairie, Minn. music education music education Maddie Smoot, Longmont, Colo. Lucas Brazeau, Sycamore, Ill. music music Marisabel Cordova, Chambersburg, Pa. music education

8 ALTO II TENOR II Caroline Allessi, Stillwater, Minn. Eli Aronson, Minneapolis, Minn. music music performance Felisa Armitage, Portland, Ore. Mason DeGrazia, Iowa City, Iowa music education psychology Emily Chmielewski, Hales Corners, Wis. Alexander Famous, Princeton, N.J. music education computer science, Latin Emily Geiger, Andover, Minn. Lucas Jimenez-Kloeckl, Staples, Minn. music education music Audrey Lane-Getaz, Northfield, Minn. Gabriel Maxwell, Isanti, Minn. music undeclared major Hannah Pahs, Northfield, Minn. Samuel Rivera, Windsor, Conn. undeclared major music Meg Swanson, St. Paul, Minn. Michael Tiede, Avon, Minn. chemistry religion Courtney Talken, Pleasant Hill, Mo. Alexander Williams, New York, N.Y. music undeclared major Sophie Vogel, Stillwater, Minn. music education BASS I Nicholas Hinson, Tampa, Fla. TENOR I music Michael Terry Caraher, Eau Claire, Wis. Simon Hoehn, Waseca, Minn. American studies, church music music performance Logan Combs, Haysville, Kans. Hunter Friesen, Sioux Falls, S.D. church music biology Kyle Dacon, Garland, Texas Lukas Jaeger, Ixonia, Wis. music performance music performance Noah Han, Staples, Minn. Isaac Lynch, Rochester, Minn. music education music Jonah Herzog, Champaign, Ill. Tony May, Woodbury, Minn. music music, psychology Samuel Long, Rutland, Mass. Noel Patterson, Central Islip, N.Y. church music music David Ortiz, Houston, Texas Lars Kjell Redpath, Minneapolis, Minn. music political science Jonah Schmitz, Rogers, Minn. Eugene Sandel, Browns Mills, N.J. music music

9 BASS II VIOLA Jonah Berthelsen, Northfield, Minn. Joshua Head, Colorado Springs, Colo. political science music performance Luke Bultena, Arlington, Va. Alex Long, Worthington, Ohio economics, history, religion biology, chemistry Jonathan Madden, Rochester, N.Y. composition Simon Malotky, Greensboro, N.C. Cameron Gray, Northfield, Minn. biology, medieval studies biology David McGowan, Nichols, Iowa mathematics BASS Blake Northrup, Minnetonka, Minn. Beatrice Hammel, Omaha, Neb. economics, political science psychology, Spanish Morgan Penk, Portland, Ore. music Cees Postema, Fargo, N.D. OBOE English, music performance Landry Forrest, Oak Creek, Wis. Ian Schipper, Portland, Ore. music economics, music Carter Kuehn, Owatonna, Minn. Evan Strong, Fairfax, Va. chemistry undeclared major Colin Lang, Boxborough, Mass. Cole Thompson, St. Louis Park, Minn. French economics BASSOON ADDITIONAL MUSICIANS Jonah Schmitz, Rogers, Minn. music VIOLIN Clara Brown, Indianapolis, Ind. PIANO music performance Emily Albrecht, Neenah, Wis. Jessica Folson, Grand Forks, N.D. music education music performance Jonathan Madden, Rochester, N.Y. Meredith Maloley, Omaha, Neb. composition music performance Madeline Miller, Grand Rapids, Mich. music performance Annika Seager, Minnetonka, Minn. music performance, Russian

10 The renowned ST. OLAF CHOIR has brought its The choir expanded its global reach with a tour message of hope and faith to audiences around of Asia in celebration of its 75th anniversary in the world for more than a century. 1986. In 1988, it was one of only five choirs in the world—and the only non-professional one— F. Melius Christiansen founded the St. Olaf Choir invited to participate in the Olympic Arts Festival in 1912. He worked to establish the ensemble’s in Seoul, South Korea. When Anton Armstrong standard of excellence and its tradition of (1978) took the helm in 1990, his vast knowledge bringing music to audiences beyond campus. of music and his ability to articulate a vision to Christiansen chose spiritually profound music singers and audiences alike took the St. Olaf and pushed students to perfect a disciplined, Choir to the next level, adding more flavor to controlled tone that was free of excessive vibrato. its signature sound and further expanding its That sound—securely in tune, controlled in repertoire to include music of the Pacific Rim, pitch, smooth in delivery—became the choir’s Africa, and Latin America. hallmark. Olaf Christiansen (1925) succeeded his father as the choir’s conductor in 1943 and Anton Armstrong (1978) is in his 30th year as remained deeply committed to retaining the conductor of the St. Olaf Choir. The renowned ensemble’s purity of tone while exploring new ensemble has had only three other conductors: genres and interpretations of music. He added Kenneth Jennings (1968–1990, class of 1950), Olaf contemporary compositions, more Renaissance Christiansen (1941–1968, class of 1925), and F. music, and American folk hymns to the repertoire Melius Christiansen (1912–1943). Each conductor of traditional church chorales. has built upon the choir’s foundational ideals of sharing choral music that stirs the souls of In 1953, Kenneth Jennings (1950), an alumnus listeners. Over the course of the choir’s 108-year of the choir, joined the music faculty and later history, its outreach and sound has expanded became the third conductor of the choir in 1968. both globally and culturally, and today the St. Until then, the choir had largely performed Olaf Choir is a leader in the worldwide music a smaller, art song-like repertoire of motets community. The ensemble tours extensively and anthems. Jennings programmed larger throughout the and abroad, choral works, including oratorios, masses, and and collaborates with numerous professional passions, as well as more 20th-century pieces, ensembles while continuing to set the pace in focusing on historically informed renditions. He choral repertoire and pedagogy. retained much of the choir’s a cappella repertoire while introducing pieces with instrumental “The choir’s palate is broader and more colorful, accompaniment, which opened the door for full retaining its characteristic sound while adding orchestral collaborations. Jennings also changed a lot of spice,” says Armstrong, who notes the “shape” of the choir by turning students that members will occasionally sway back and toward the audience and using wider and deeper forth during certain pieces, bringing a sense of risers. One reviewer noted that the choir now movement to the ensemble. had “a more vibrant, warm tone—a resonant, lively, brilliant sound that rings with vitality and The St. Olaf Choir has toured 15 times conviction.” internationally, engaging capacity audiences in major concert halls worldwide. In 2019, the choir embarked on its eighth tour of Norway,

11 having first visited the country in 1913. In solo While Armstrong embraces the choir’s rich legacy concerts and joint performances with the St. and tradition, his eyes are firmly fixed on the Olaf Orchestra—the first of which was attended future. As technology advances and audiences by King Harald V—the choir sang new pieces connect with choral music in new ways, he’s by Norwegian composers, as well as African- confident that the St. Olaf Choir will remain American spirituals and beloved choral works at the forefront of choral singing. “We seek from masters such as Bach, Mendelssohn, and to be a transforming force in society through Grieg. The St. Olaf Choir also recently traveled to choral performance, bringing understanding, Asia in 2017. The choir traveled throughout Japan mercy, justice, peace, and hope to a world that and South Korea, presenting an eclectic program desperately cries out for these things.” of regional folksongs, American music, and traditional pieces by Bach and Brahms.

The St. Olaf Choir’s many honors include being chosen as American Public Media’s sole American representative at the prestigious European Broadcasting Union’s Choral Competition, at which it was named one of four finalists. The choir’s 2013 PBS Christmas special, filmed in Norway, won two Upper Midwest Regional Emmy awards. In 2017, the St. Olaf Choir was among six St. Olaf ensembles invited to perform the St. Olaf Christmas Festival program at the National Conference of the American Choral Directors Association, held at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis.

12 PROFILE ANTON ARMSTRONG (conductor) (1978), Tosdal The St. Olaf Choir and the Saint Paul Chamber Professor of Music at St. Olaf College, became Orchestra will join forces to present performances the fourth conductor of the St. Olaf Choir in 1990 of the Mozart Requiem in May 2020 at the after 10 years in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where Cathedral of St. Paul and the Ordway Concert he served on the faculty of Calvin University Hall, St. Paul, Minnesota. and led the Calvin University Alumni Choir, the Grand Rapids Chorus, and the St. In March 2017, The St. Olaf Christmas Festival, Cecilia Youth Chorale. He is a graduate of St. one of the oldest musical celebrations of Olaf College and earned advanced degrees at Christmas in the United States begun in 1912 the University of Illinois (MM) and Michigan State by F. Melius Christiansen, founder of the St. University (DMA). He is editor of a multicultural Olaf College Music Department, was featured choral series for Earthsongs Publications and by invitation in two major performances at co-editor (with John Ferguson) of the revised the National Conference of the American St. Olaf Choral Series for Augsburg Fortress Choral Directors Association at Orchestra Publishers. In June 1998, he began his tenure as Hall, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Since 1990, Dr. founding conductor of the Oregon Bach Festival Armstrong has served as Artistic Director of Stangeland Family Youth Choral Academy. the St. Olaf Christmas Festival which features nearly 600 student musicians who are members During the 2019-20 season, Dr. Armstrong will of five St. Olaf choral ensembles and the St. Olaf serve as Conductor of the Indonesia Youth Choir Orchestra. and a member of the Choral Jury for the 8th Bali International Choir Festival, in Bali, Indonesia. Dr. In January 2006, Baylor University selected Dr. Armstrong has been selected as Conductor of the Armstrong from a field of 118 distinguished 2019 Utah All-State Choir and will be a featured nominees to receive the Robert Foster Cherry clinician at the 2020 ACDA North Central/Central Award for Great Teaching. He spent February- Conference, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Additionally, June 2007 in residency at Baylor University as a he will lead choral festivals at Carnegie Hall, New visiting professor. In March 2007, Dr. Armstrong York, New York; Schermerhorn Symphony Center, was the first recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Nashville, Tennessee; and Davies Symphony Award from the American Boychoir School and Hall, San Francisco, California. Other guest in October 2009, he received the Distinguished conducting/lecturing engagements in 2019- Alumni Award from Michigan State University. 20 include appearances at Westminster Choir In June 2013, Dr. Armstrong received the College, Princeton, ; guest conductor Saltzman Award from the Oregon Bach Festival. of the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple The festival’s highest honor, the Saltzman Square; Headline Clinician for the Michigan Award is bestowed upon individuals who have ACDA in Kalamazoo, Michigan; Trinity Christian provided exceptional levels of leadership to the College, Palos Heights, Illinois; California Baptist organization. In the fall of 2014, The St. Olaf Choir University, Riverside, California; and further and Dr. Armstrong received a Regional Emmy for appearances in Tennessee and North Carolina. the PBS television program Christmas in Norway with the St. Olaf Choir. 13 CHARLES GRAY (violin) is Professor of Music the Cleveland Quartet. Gray was violist of the at St. Olaf College, where he is in his 35th year Casella , winner of the Cleveland of teaching violin, viola, and chamber music. Quartet Competition, and the top prize at the He is the rehearsal assistant in charge of the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition. He has chamber orchestra that accompanies the St. performed as a solo recitalist at the Ravinia Olaf Choir on tour. He was a regular performer Festival in Chicago and the Aspen, Steamboat with the Minnesota Orchestra from 1991-2010. Springs, and Breckenridge Music Festivals in Gray is the director of the annual St. Olaf Colorado. He has given solo performances at the Summer Music Academy and was named 2008 National American Choral Directors and National “master string teacher of the year in MN” by American Guild of Organists conventions and the American String Teachers Association. He has appeared numerous times as violin soloist on attended Wheaton College, The University of NPR’s Performance Today. Gray often tours with Michigan, and The Eastman School of Music. the St. Olaf Choir and has performed with them His major teachers include Paul Makanowitzky, over 350 times as violin/viola soloist. Sylvia Rosenberg, Atar Arad, and members of

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