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02-17 DCINY_Shawnee_Press_CH Rental 2/3/14 12:54 PM Page 1 Monday Evening, February 17, 2014, at 7:00 Isaac Stern Auditorium / Ronald O. Perelman Stage / Carnegie Hall Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) Iris Derke, Co-Founder and General Director Jonathan Griffith, Co-Founder and Artistic Director presents Shawnee Press: Celebrating 75 Years in Music Distinguished Concerts Orchestra Distinguished Concerts Singers International TIM SEELIG, Conductor Laureate SHAWN BERRY, Accompanist BATES/WARD America the Beautiful arr. Gaspard GREG GILPIN Live Your Dream IRVING BERLIN Give Me Your Tired Your Poor arr. Ringwald JOSEPH M. MARTIN The Awakening MARK HAYES, Composer/Conductor SHAWN BERRY, Accompanist MARK HAYES The Glorious Music of Life STEPHEN FOSTER Oh! Susanna arr. Hayes PAUL SIMON Bridge Over Troubled Water arr. Hayes WITHERS/HAMILTON/ Lean On Me/We Shall Overcome CARAWAN MARK HAYES Swingin’ with the Saints Intermission PLEASE SWITCH OFF YOUR CELL PHONES AND OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES. 02-17 DCINY_Shawnee_Press_CH Rental 2/3/14 12:54 PM Page 2 GREG GILPIN, Composer/Conductor BEN COHN, Accompanist GREG GILPIN Why We Sing HOWE/STEFFE Battle Hymn of the Republic arr. Ringwald HUGHIE CANNON Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please Come Home? arr. Gilpin TRADITIONAL The Wayfaring Stranger arr. Gilpin GREG GILPIN Hope JOSEPH M. MARTIN, Composer/Conductor HEATHER SORENSON, Accompanist J. PAUL WILLIAMS/ Shout to God JOSEPH M. MARTIN GRAHAM/LOVLAND You Raise Me Up arr. Martin SUE MARTIN and TIM SEELIG, Soloists HEATHER SORENSON God of Heaven JOSEPH M. MARTIN Come to the Music (World Premiere) J. PAUL WILLIAMS/ Goin’ to the Holy City JOSEPH M. MARTIN IRVING BERLIN God Bless America arr. Martin 02-17 DCINY_Shawnee_Press_CH Rental 2/3/14 12:54 PM Page 3 Notes ON THE PROGRAM BATES/WARD, arr. Gaspard America the Beautiful The lyrics to this beloved piece were was inspired to compose his tune on a written by Katherine Lee Bates and the leisurely day in 1882 while he was on a music was composed by church organist ferryboat trip from Coney Island back and choirmaster Samuel A. Ward. Bates to his home in New York City. In the originally wrote the words in 1893 as a more than 100 years since the song’s poem, “Pikes Peak,” on a train trip from composition, there have been efforts to her teaching position at Wellesley give “America the Beautiful” legal status College to Colorado Springs. The words either as a national hymn or as a nation- came to her as she stood on that majes- al anthem equal to, or in place of, “The tic peak and she wrote them down upon Star-Spangled Banner,” but so far this returning to her hotel that night. Ward has not succeeded. GREG GILPIN Live Your Dream This extraordinary piece weaves the (1817–1862). While the three may not texts from an impressive trio of poets appear to have much in common, at spanning almost 3,000 years. The first is least as far as time and location are con- the Chinese philosopher and founder of cerned, they are most definitely tied Taoism, Laozi (or Lao Tzu, 604 B.C— together through their interest in philos- 531 B.C.) The second is Jalal ad-Din ophy and reaching beyond the physical Muhammad Rumi (1207–1273), the to achieve new heights of consciousness. 13th-century Persian poet, jurist, theolo- Greg Gilpin composed this musical trib- gian and Sufi mystic. The final is the ute for Tim Seelig upon his departure American author, poet, transcendentalist after 20 years as the conductor of the and philosopher, Henry David Thoreau Turtle Creek Chorale in Dallas, Texas. BERLIN, arr. Ringwald Give Me Your Tired Your Poor The poem “The New Colossus” was York harbor. In 1903 a plaque bearing written in 1883 by Emma Lazarus as a the text of the poem was mounted on donation to an auction of art and liter- the inner wall of the pedestal at the ary works that raised money for the base of the Statue of Liberty. Irving Bartholdi Pedestal Fund which was Berlin was convinced to set the text to necessary for completing the construc- music in 1949 after many had wit- tion of the Statue of Liberty. Lazarus nessed the impact that seeing the statue was at first dubious of the project and had on GI’s returning from World War refused to contribute to the event, but II. He included it in a musical, Miss she was eventually convinced that Liberty, about the construction of the the statue would be of great signifi- statue. The song has become a true cance to immigrants sailing into New American classic. JOSEPH M. MARTIN The Awakening This inspiring work was composed in anniversary of the Texas Choral 1995 by Joseph Martin for the 40th Directors Association. It immediately 02-17 DCINY_Shawnee_Press_CH Rental 2/3/14 12:54 PM Page 4 resonated with all present and soon imagine what the world would be like became one of the most performed without music. The piece then assures choral pieces around the world. The us that music will live on and on, bring- text was also penned by Mr. Martin ing the work to a glorious end with the and brings us all to a moment where we exhortation “Let music live.” MARK HAYES The Glorious Music of Life One of Hayes’ inspirations to write this dance to the glorious music of life. The commissioned work was an art piece syncopated and rhythmic main theme, that contained many poetic sayings contrasting lyrical section and colorful about music. Using that as a catalyst, orchestration truly illuminate the inspi- he crafted a text that is an exuberant rational spirit of this song. invitation to dream, sing, love, cry and STEPHEN FOSTER, arr. Hayes Oh! Susanna This beloved piece by Stephen Foster is fragments of several folk songs inter- a slice of 19th-century Americana. This woven into the choral texture. The lively arrangement is at times both banjo and fiddle accompaniment gives whimsical and somber and contains it just the right homespun spirit. PAUL SIMON, arr. Hayes Bridge Over Troubled Water Undoubtedly one of Paul Simon’s most You Weep.” Mark Hayes’ new setting enduring and most recorded songs, has a distinctively percussive, almost “Bridge Over Troubled Water” was tribal groove, yet retains the sweeping, penned in 1969 and partially inspired epic flavor that has inspired listeners by a Claude Jeter’s song “Mary, Don’t for decades. BILL WITHERS Lean on Me/We Shall Overcome A theme song for the civil rights move- this soulful anthem with a popular ments of the 1960s, “We Shall song penned by Bill Withers in 1972 Overcome” was inspired by African- that calls us to lean on one another American Gospel Singing, members of when we’re not strong. Each song is a the Food and Tobacco Workers Union, powerful reminder that when we help Charleston, SC, and the southern Civil each other, we shall truly overcome Rights Movement. Hayes has paired anything. TRADITIONAL SPIRITUALS, arr. Hayes Swingin’ with the Saints Combining “Swing Low, Sweet black gospel idiom and classic up- Chariot” and “When the Saints Go tempo jazz feel with a walking bass line Marching In,” this medley has been in the accompaniment. Hayes’ use of featured at All-State festivals around scat singing, call and answer response, the country, on international choir and ingenious counter-melodies make tours, and even at the cathedral in this a delightful challenge for choral Coventry, England. It incorporates a singers. 02-17 DCINY_Shawnee_Press_CH Rental 2/3/14 12:54 PM Page 5 GREG GILPIN Why We Sing This contemporary Shawnee Press a sound of peace, a sound that cele- Classic has become an anthem for choirs brates and speaks what we believe.” across the U.S. and internationally since Beginning with simple unison, it builds its publication. Powerful in both lyric to an ending of full choral presence and and song, it sings of “a sound of hope, moving descant. HOWE/STEFFE, arr. Ringwald Battle Hymn of the Republic This rousing patriotic/sacred standard work has thrilled audiences for decades by Roy Ringwald is a true Shawnee and continues to be a part of the Press classic. Bold and triumphant American choral library. from beginning to end, this famous HUGHIE CANNON, arr. Gilpin Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please Come Home Hughie Cannon wrote this popular will not disappoint. Layers of rhythmic melody that has become a standard for singing with three-part harmony in the jazz and Dixieland bands. Greg Gilpin upper voices keep that Dixieland style has now created a novel and musically in check and make a fun vocal setting humorous a cappella choral setting that for the concert. TRADITIONAL, arr. Gilpin The Wayfaring Stranger This popular spiritual sings of the plain- mournful violin solo. This version for tive soul on the journey through life. mixed choir is new to the Shawnee Press Beautifully arranged by Greg Gilpin library and will receive its premiere per- with striking vocal writing, it features a formance on this evening’s concert. haunting piano accompaniment and GREG GILPIN Hope For tonight’s world premiere perform- and the quiet comfort of a dream. ance, Greg Gilpin has set the words of With haunting and dynamic-filled Pamela Stewart and created an inspira- music, the work comes to a moving tional choral work that sings of “hope” conclusion by stating “Hope is not lost, as seen in the various phases of life: a hope is not gone. It is not dead; it still newborn’s cry, the laughter of children, lives on. Hope will arise!” the ashes of a fiery love that has died J.

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