David Johnson Memorial Chapel Thiel College Greenville, PA

PROUDLY PRESENTS

We Shall Overcome A Spring Choral Concert

FEATURING The Thiel College Choir

WITH SOLOISTS

Sierra McCorvey Chase Upchurch Max Pivik Soprano Tenor Baritone

AND The Greenville Symphony Orchestra

PERFORMING

Schubert's Mass No. 2 in G Major

AND OTHER CHORAL WORKS BY

Samuel Barber William Powell Stephen Leek Benjamin Britten Eric Whitacre Jacques Offenbach Moses Hogan Bill Withers

ASSISTED BY Kathy Miller, Piano Dan Danch, Percussion Terry McDonald, Bass Guitar

Musical Direction by Nicholas Samson

Assistant Musical Direction by Brianne Samson

The Thiel College Choir accompanied by Kathy Miller, organ and The Greenville Symphony Orchestra

Mass No. 2 in G Major, D. 167 Franz Schubert

I. Kyrie: Andante con moto II. Gloria: Allegro maestoso III. Credo: Allegro moderato IV. Sanctus: Adagio maestoso V. Benedictus: Andante grazioso VI. Agnus Dei: Lento Sierra McCorvey, soprano Chase Upchurch, tenor Max Pivik, baritone ~INTERMISSION~ The Thiel College Choir accompanied by Kathy Miller, piano

Gabi, Gabi South African Praise Song arr. by William C. Powell Dan Danch, percussion

Lift Boy Words by Robert Graves from Two Part-Songs Music by Benjamin Britten

The Seal Lullaby Words by Rudyard Kipling Music by Eric Whitacre

Ngana Stephen Leek from Songs of Passage Dan Danch, percussion

Neighbors' Chorus Jacques Offenbach from the comic opera La jolie Parfumeuse

Sure On This Shining Night Words by James Agee Music by Samuel Barber

Wade in the Water Traditional Spiritual arr. by Moses Hogan Leah Endres, Morgan Costello, Cecelia Shellenberger, & Allyson Stanley, soloists

Lean on Me (with We Shall Overcome) Bill Withers & Charles Albert Tindley arr. by Mark Hayes Sylvia Patterson & Clarence W. Kizer, soloists Terry McDonald, bass guitar Dan Danch, percussion

Sierra McCorvey, soprano Sierra McCorvey has been featured with the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra, Packard Band, and Mahoning Valley Chorale. McCorvey has sung several roles including: Iris in Marc Blitzstein’s The Harpies (Kent State University), Fiordiligi in Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte (Youngstown State University), The Fairy in Massenet’s Cendrillon, (Youngstown State University), Lily/Strawberry Woman in Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess (Cleveland Opera and Opera Western Reserve), 2nd Witch in Verdi’s Macbeth (Opera Western Reserve) and Suor Angelica in Suor Angelica (Youngstown State University). Sierra recently worked on the role of Anina in Opera Western Reserve’s latest covid-19 project, A Taste of La Traviata that aired last fall. Sierra was nominated for WKBN’s Hometown Hero award in 2018 for inspiring youth through the arts. Sierra has won the Italian Scholarship League, SAI Competition and Tozzi Award Scholarships. This year, Sierra won first place in category 15 at NATS-Ohio Chapter. Sierra is graduating with a Masters of Music degree this spring and pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in the fall at the University of North Texas. When not performing, she enjoys exposing inner-city youth to the joy of opera and teaching in the community. She serves with the educational outreach committee on the Opera Western Reserve Board of Trustees.

Chase Upchurch, tenor Chase Alexander Upchurch, tenor, graduated Summa Cum Laude from Slippery Rock University where he earned his Music Education degree and worked as a public-school teacher for a year. Currently, Chase is the Director of Music at Hope Lutheran Church in Cranberry and is the Eurhythmics instructor and part of the voice faculty for Duquesne University's City Music Center. Notably, Chase studied and performed opera in Italy, won the NATS Musical Theatre division, and has performed many times as a featured tenor soloist for many major works such as Mozart's Requiem and Orff's Carmina Burana.

Max Pivik, baritone Acclaimed for his "extraodinary, pure and resonant voice," baritone Max Pivik has been called "a joy to experience." A native of Pittsburgh, Mr. Pivik has appeared in productions throughout Northeastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania. Max is the former Director of Education and Outreach for Opera Western Reserve in Youngstown, Ohio. Max attended the Dana School of Music at Youngstown State University where he also served as a teacher for the Dana Vocal Performance Clinic. As a successful competitor, Max has won numerous NATS competitions including the Dana Concerto Competition, as well as First Place at the Great Lakes Region NATS competition.

Mass No. 2 in G Major, D. 167 Franz Schubert (1797-1828)

Schubert’s masterful setting of the traditional Mass texts in Mass No. 2 in G Major pushes the boundaries of traditional Mass settings from the Baroque and Classical eras. Orchestrated for strings, trumpets, timpani, and organ, this thin yet compelling texture supports the vivacious choral texture above it. Uniquely, Schubert begins the Kyrie with only choir and strings without an introduction, setting a tranquil tone for the Mass. This, however, quickly changes when the soprano enters with the “Christe eleison”, desperately pleading “Christ, have mercy upon us.” The choir’s entrance relaxes into the final “Kyrie eleison,” closing the movement with a peaceful plea for mercy.

This peace is quickly disrupted by the fiery opening arpeggio of the Gloria, leading into a fortissimo choral entrance. This exclamation of “Glory to God in the highest” from the choir is quickly followed by a tender duet between the soprano and the baritone. The choir softly cries “Miserere nobis” underneath, gently praying for mercy until Schubert returns to the proclamatory opening of the movement to close.

The “Credo” that follows, colloquially known as “The Nicene Creed,” features a peaceful walking bass to compliment the soft choral texture above. The longest of the movements, this “Credo” presents the foundations of the Christian faith, and Schubert masterfully translates these beliefs into music. Through a tumultuous middle and proclamatory climax, the “Credo” finally returns to the peaceful tones of its opening.

Similarly to the “Kyrie,” this peace is disrupted by the “Sanctus” that follows, using another declamatory arpeggio to begin the movement. This slow, powerful opening is followed by the first and only fugue in the piece: “Hosanna in excelsis." Schubert’s fugue is unconventionally short and simple in nature; where other composers use the fugue to highlight the complexity of the piece, Schubert uses the fugue as a means to drive the orchestration to a powerful end of the “Sanctus” movement.

This leads to Schubert’s elegant setting of the “Benedictus,” featuring a gorgeous trio with soprano, tenor, and baritone. This rather romantic setting utilizes more ornamentation and expression than previous solo appearances in the Mass, and therefore provides the most abruptly beautiful answer to the fiery “Sanctus” that precedes it. This magnificent trio finally finishes with the sudden return of the fugue from the “Sanctus” in the choir—an exact repetition of the fugue. The fugue closes and Schubert presents the final movement of his mass setting: the “Agnus Dei."

Marked Lento in the orchestration, this slow, dramatic closing movement features powerful solos from both the soprano and the baritone. Each soloist cries out “Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world!," to which the choir quietly responds “Have mercy on us." This is coupled with a beautiful duet between the first and second violins, which Schubert composes to highlight the more extreme highs and lows of the instrument’s range. The final soprano entrance changes with the first iteration of the text “Dona nobis pacem”, or “Grant us peace." This is echoed by the choir in the same way that the previous text was stated, however, here we have finally returned to the key of G major. The strings softly echo the choir’s soft pleas before tenderly closing the movement with three soft chords.

Schubert’s Mass in G Major, while utilizing quite a few loud and fiery passages of text and orchestration, ultimately retains a soft and peaceful quality that evokes a prayer- like mindset in the listener.

I. Kyrie

Kyrie eleison. Lord, have mercy. Christe eleison. Christ, have mercy, Kyrie eleison. Lord, have mercy.

II. Gloria

Gloria in excelsis Deo, Glory to God in the highest, Et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis And peace on earth to men of good will. Laudamus te, benedicimus te, We praise You, we bless You, Adoramus te, glorificamus te. We worship You, we glorify You. Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam. We give You thanks for Your great glory. Domine Deus, Rex coelestis, Lorg God, King of Heaven, Deus Pater omnipotens. God the Father Almighty, Domine Fili unigenite, Jesu Christe. Lord only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris. Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father. Qui tollis peccata mundi, You who take away the sin of the world, Miserere nobis. Have mercy on us. Qui tollis peccata mundi, You who take away the sin of the world, Suscipe deprecationem nostram. Hear our prayer. [Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris,] [You who sit at the right hand of the Father,] miserere nobis. have mercy on us. Quoniam tu solus sanctus, For You alone are holy, Quoniam tu solus altissimus, You alone are the Most High, Quoniam tu solus Dominus, [Jesu Christe.] You alone are the Lord, [Jesus Christ.] Cum Sancto Spiritu With the Holy Spirit in gloria Dei Patris, Amen. in the glory of God the Father, Amen

III. Credo

Credo in unum Deum, Patrem omnipotentem, I believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, factorem coeli et terrae, maker of heaven and earth, visibilium omnium et invisibilium. of all that is, seen and unseen. [Et] in unum Dominum Jesum Christum, [And] in one Lord Jesus Christ, Filium Dei unigenitum, the only Son of God, [et] ex Patre natum ante omnia saecula, eternally begotten of the Father, Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine, God from God, light from light, Deum verum de Deo vero, genitum non factum, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantialem Patri; of one being with the Father; per quem omnia facta sunt. through Him all things were made. Qui propter nos homines et [propter] nostram For us and [for] our salvation salutem descendit de coelis. He came down from heaven: by the Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto, power of the Holy Spirit He became incarnate ex Maria Virgine; et homo factus est. from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato, For our sake He was crucified under Pontius passus et sepultus est. Pilate; He suffered death and was buried. Et resurrexit tertia die On the third day He rose again in accordance secundum Scripturas, with the Scriptures; et ascendit in coelum, He ascended into heaven, sedet ad dexteram Patris, and is seated at the right hand of the Father; et iterum venturus est cum gloria, He will come again in glory judicare vivos et mortuos, to judge the living and the dead, cujus regni non erit finis. and His kingdom will have no end.

III. Credo (continued)

Credo, credo in Spiritum Sanctum Dominum, And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, et vivificantem, qui ex Patre et Filio procedit, the giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father qui cum Patre et Filio simul and the Son; with the Father and the Son He adoratur, conglorificatur, is worshipped and glorified. qui locutus est per Prophetas. He has spoken through the prophets. [Et unam sanctam [I believe in one holy catholicam et apostolicam Eccelsiam.] catholic and apostolic Church;] Confiteor unum baptisma I acknowledge one baptism in remissionem peccatorum, for the forgiveness of sins; [et expecto resurrectionem] mortuorum, [I look for the resurrection] of the dead, et vitam venturi saeculi. Amen. and the life of the world to come. Amen.

IV. Sanctus

Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts. Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua. Heaven and earth are full of your glory, Hosanna in excelsis. Hosannah in the highest.

V. Benedictus

Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in excelsis. Hosannah in the highest.

VI. Agnus Dei

Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi, Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, miserere nobis. have mercy on us. Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi, Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, miserere nobis. have mercy on us. Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi, Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, dona nobis pacem. grant us peace.

Gabi, Gabi South African Praise Song arr. by William C. Powell (b. 1963)

Gabi, Gabi, arranged by William C. Powell, is a South African hymn in the Zulu language. Historically, the traditional song was likely banned during the apartheid regime in South Africa, since the singing of hymns and freedom songs was not permitted. The piece is featured on the album Freedom Is Coming: Songs of Protest and Praise from South Africa (1986). The English lyric is not an exact translation of the Zulu lyric because Zulu uses many idiomatic expressions which are literally lost in translation. The following is a composite translation of the original text, courtesy of Dr. Alvin Petersen of North-West University in South Africa, based upon consultation with two Zulu speakers.

Gabi, Gabi Rejoice, rejoice [Gabi is an expression of praise] bash' abazalwan' The Christians say. Siyoshiywa khona Here in our midst Sidal' ubuzalwan We will spread the Good News.

Praise the Father, praise the Father Liberator, Lord! He frees all the captives and gives the hungry bread.

Lift Boy Words by Robert Graves (1895-1985) from Two Part-Songs Music by Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)

Lift Boy sets a nonsense poem by Robert Graves about a boy who starts life as a knife-boy, moves on to become a lift boy and then a lift man. Preached damnation by "Old Eagle" one day, he cuts the lift cables and down they all go. But Graves ends by saying: "Can a phonograph lie? A song very neatly contriv’d to make you and me laugh." Curious indeed. But Britten obviously sees the humor in it with a busy piano part accompanying straightforward choral passages which have nothing of the complexity of meter of the previous song. The message of damnation is delivered in suitably solemn tones before the piece dances off to its laughing ending.

Let me tell you the story of how I began: I began as the knife-boy And ended as the boot-man, With nothing in my pockets but a jack-knife and a button, With nothing in my pockets but a jack-knife and a button, With nothing in my pockets.

Let me tell you the story of how I went on: I began as the lift-boy And ended as the lift-man, With nothing in my pockets but a jack-knife and a button, With nothing in my pockets but a jack-knife and a button, With nothing in my pockets.

I found it very easy to whistle and play, With nothing in my head or my pockets all day, With nothing in my pockets

But along came Old Eagle, Like Moses or David. He stopped at the fourth floor And preached me damnation:

“Not a soul shall be saved, Not one shall be saved. The whole first creation shall forfeit salvation: From knife-boy to lift boy, From ragged to regal, Not one shall be saved, Not you, nor Old Eagle, No soul on earth escapeth, Even if all repent.”

So I cut the cords of the lift And down we went,

With nothing in our pockets.

Can a phonograph lie? A song very neatly contrived to make you and me laugh.

The Seal Lullaby Words by Rudyard Kipling (1865-1946) Music by Eric Whitacre (b. 1970)

In 2004, Eric Whitacre was encouraged by mentor and friend, Stephen Schwartz, to compose music for an animated film about Rudyard Kipling’s The White Seal. The first poem of Kipling’s features a mother seal singing softly to her baby pup. She expresses her love to her baby by assuring him protection and safety from any of the world’s harms. Whitacre was immediately inspired by the imagery and beauty of the text and poured out The Seal Lullaby quickly. Excited about the prospect of a full- length animated film, he submitted his composition to the studio right away. Unfortunately, the animated film never came to be, but Whitacre’s charming lullaby was born out of this attempt and is admired by audiences and choristers alike.

Oh! Hush thee, my baby, the night is behind us, And black are the waters that sparkled so green. The moon, o’er the combers, looks downward to find us, At rest in the hollows that rustle between.

Where billow meets billow, there soft be thy pillow, Ah weary wee flipperling, curl at thy ease! The storm shall not wake thee, nor shark overtake thee, Asleep in the arms of the slow swinging seas!

Ngana Stephen Leek (b. 1959) from Songs of Passage

Australian composer and conductor Stephen Leek wrote Ngana in 1994. The text itself only contains four words (ngana, mangana, lina, and yah), but the challenge of the work comes from the rhythmic complexity. Different sections of the work showcase rhythmic unison lines, tight canons, syncopations, and shifting meters. The opening of the piece presents the main theme in unison. The final section of the work uses all three themes in an overlapping canon.

"Ngana" is an indigenous Australian word meaning shark. "Lina" is a word for water. "Mangana" is a word for fish. "Yah" is a welcome greeting.

Neighbors' Chorus Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880) from the comic opera La jolie Parfumeuse

Offenbach was a German-born French composer and cellist of the Romantic era and one of the originators of the operetta form. Of German-Jewish ancestry, he was one of the most influential composers of popular music in Europe in the 19th century. He composed over 100 stage works, yet only a fraction of Offenbach’s output is regularly performed today. Offenbach’s composing life was driven by commercial success. He desperately wanted to be taken seriously by the musical establishment, although he wrote many opera bouffes that poked fun at the leading figures of his day. Most experts agree that his last work, Les contes d'Hoffmann, was his only grand opera. La jolie Parfumeuse was composed in 1873. It is an opera bouffe (light, farcical, burlesque opera) in three acts. The story concerns a virtuous perfume salesgirl fighting to maintain her purity in wicked Paris. At the same time, it’s about a young married woman seduced by a rich financier whose mistress manages to have her sent back to house and husband.

Please, excuse us, mister We don’t want to bother, We only want to know. All of us are neighbors, So we’re very curious. Why do you look so low?

Give us all the low-down, Did you reach a show-down With your last lady love? Give us all the low-down, Do you feel a let-down ‘cause you’ve lost your love? Oh!

Did she keep you waiting? Did she break your date? Please elucidate, please elaborate! Did she treat you badly? Was she very bad? Did she make you mad? Are you very sad?

Did she keep you waiting? Did she treat you very badly? Are you really sad, are you so very sad?

Was she a very rich man’s daughter Who showed that she was not all you thought her? When with your songs of love you sought her, Were you dowsed with water poured down from above?

Did you beat her, try to choke her 'til you made her pout? Did her father take a poker, did he throw you out? Did you beat her and choke her and knock her all about? Ah!

[Refrain]

Please elucidate, did she make you mad? We are curious, indeed! Did she make you mad? Was she very bad? We are curious, indeed! Was she bad? Are you sad? Did she make you mad?

Sure On This Shining Night Words by James Agee (1909-1955) Music by Samuel Barber (1910-1981)

One of the most eclectic and well-known American composers of the 20th century was Samuel Barber, whose operas, art songs, instrumental works, and choral music have all taken a prominent place in the concert repertory. He famously adapted some of his most beloved pieces from one genre for another, resulting in the choral arrangements of his Adagio for Strings (itself a rearrangement of his String Quartet, Op. 11) and Sure on This Shining Night. The original art song (from Four Songs, Op. 13) sets James Agee’s melancholic and reverent text simply yet poignantly, with a gentle interplay between the soloist and the piano. Barber’s choral arrangement develops this relationship further, maintaining the solo line in the soprano part but relocating the original canon in the piano to the tenors and altos, while allowing the expressive dynamic capabilities of the human voice to enhance the drama of the original setting.

Sure on this shining night Of star-made shadows round Kindness must watch for me This side the ground. The late year lies down the north. All is healed, all is health. High summer holds the earth. Hearts all whole. Sure on this shining night I weep for wonder Wand’ring far alone Of shadows on the stars. On this shining night.

Wade in the Water Traditional Spiritual arr. by Moses Hogan (1957-2003)

Wade in the Water is a traditional spiritual that tells of the Jewish people’s escape from Egypt. Through God’s power, Moses parted the Red Sea, allowing the Jews to cross safely before the waters returned and swallowed their captors. For enslaved African Americans, both song and story carried a message of courage and faith that their suffering too would soon end.

The late Moses Hogan was one of the leading forces of his generation in promoting the spiritual around the world. From his home base in New Orleans, he was a prolific arranger, conductor, pianist, and recording artist. He also toured around the globe with his group, the Moses Hogan Chorale. His settings are among the best-selling arrangements of spirituals ever published.

Hogan's setting of Wade in the Water contrasts a quicker-pulsed, almost liquid choral accompaniment with a smoother, slower melody, taken here by four mezzo- sopranos. Hogan also makes a specific instruction about dialect, namely that the choir should articulate the “t” in the word “water,” evidently for purposes of rhythmic propulsion, while the soloist should sing the word more fluidly, with a “d” instead of the “t.” As with most of Hogan’s charts, the setting mostly repeats the same material for each verse, then takes off with a flourish at the end.

God's a gonna trouble the water. Wade in the water, wade in the water, children. Wade in the water, wade in the water, children.

Wade in the water, Wade in the water, children. Wade in the water, God's gonna trouble the water.

[Refrain]

See that host all dress in white. The leader looks like an Israelite.

[Refrain 2x]

See that band all dressed in red. Well it looked like the band that Moses led.

[Refrain 2x]

Wade in the Water (continued)

God's a gonna trouble the water. Wade in, children, wade in, children, All God's children in the water. Oh children, God's a gonna trouble the... Wade in the water.

Lean on Me (with We Shall Overcome) Bill Withers (1938-2020) Charles Albert Tindley (1851-1933) arr. by Mark Hayes (b. 1953)

Lean on Me was recorded by American singer-songwriter Bill Withers. It was released in April of 1972 as the first single from his second album, Still Bill. It was a number one single on both the soul singles and the Billboard Hot 100. Billboard ranked it as the No. 7 song of 1972. It is ranked number 208 on Rolling Stone's list of "The Greatest Songs of All Time." Bill Wither's childhood in the coal mining town of Slab Fork, West Virginia was the inspiration for "Lean on Me," which he wrote after he had moved to Los Angeles and found himself missing the strong community ethic of his hometown.

We Shall Overcome is a gospel tune which became a protest song and a key anthem of the American civil rights movement. The song is most commonly attributed as being lyrically descended from I'll Overcome Some Day, a hymn by Charles Albert Tindley that was first published in 1901. The song became associated with the civil rights movement during the 1960s when artists such as Pete Seeger and Joan Baez sang the song at rallies, folk festivals, and concerts throughout the country.

We shall overcome. We shall overcome. We shall overcome some day. Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe, We shall overcome some day.

Sometimes in our lives, we all have pain, we all have sorrow. But, if we are wise, we know that there's always tomorrow.

Lean on me when you're not strong and I'll be your friend. I'll help you carry on, For it won't be long 'til I'm gonna need somebody to lean on.

Please swallow your pride if I have faith you need to borrow. For no one can fill those of your needs that you won't let show.

You just call on me, brother, when you need a hand. We all need somebody to lean on. I just might have a problem that you'll understand. We all need somebody to lean on.

If there is a load you have to bear that you can't carry, I'm right up the road. I'll share your load if you just call me.

(Call me) If you need a friend, if you need somebody just call me. Just lean on me. We can work it out.

We shall overcome some day (You got to lean on me). Yes, we shall overcome (yes we can) some day (we shall overcome), Some day!

The Thiel College Choir Nicholas Samson, conductor Kathy Miller, accompanist

Soprano Michaela Brown, Martinsburg, PA Alexia Catalone, Weedville, PA Morgan Costello, Brockport, NY Megan Everett, Parma, OH Sylvia Patterson, Greenville, PA Cecelia Shellenberger, Northumberland, PA Allyson Stanley, Oil City, PA *

Alto Dara Grachman Pauletta Edwards, Salix, PA Leah Endres, Titusville, PA * Jacqueline Galford, Meadville, PA Kinsey Lowers, Jamestown, PA Brittany Moon, Sandy Lake, PA

Tenor Roman Booth, Columbiana, OH * Joshua V. Christner, Greenville, PA Jonathan Russell, DuBois, PA

Bass Clarence W. Kizer, Bangor, PA Joshua Miller, Greenville, PA Jacob Orczeck, Martinsburg, PA

Key

* denotes member of Performing Arts Honor Society

Ensemble members are listed alphabetically to emphasize the importance of each individual to the group's success.

Members of The Greenville Symphony Orchestra

Violin Viola Brendan Considine, concert master Jim Dunlap Dena Miller Stephanie Nicole Cary Cooper Jane Gregg Cello Michael Gelfand Bass Bill Cooper Terry McDonald Trumpet Timpani Andy Erb Tom Fleet Tim Winfield

Nicholas Samson – a native of Greenville, PA - currently serves as the Director of Bands and Choirs at Thiel College. He holds a Bachelor of Music (education) degree and a Master of Music (performance) degree from Youngstown State University. His major teachers include Dr. Christopher Krummel of Youngstown State University and Susan Sexton of Grove City College. Mr. Samson has also studied with Dr. Stephen Hawk of Slippery Rock University, Dr. Hae-Jong Lee of Youngstown State University, and Dr. Michael Bray of Thiel College.

During his graduate studies at Youngstown State University, Mr. Samson performed as a member of the Dana Faculty Brass Quintet and provided musical direction for the YSU Tuba & Euphonium Ensemble. As an undergraduate, Mr. Samson was awarded seats in numerous musical ensembles including the YSU Symphonic Wind Ensemble, YSU Jazz Ensemble I, and the YSU Dana Chorale. He is a brother of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity, having served as Chapter President and Province Music Director. Outside of the collegiate environment, Mr. Samson has performed with numerous professional musical ensembles including the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra, the Warren Philharmonic Orchestra, the Greenville Symphony Orchestra, the Ashtabula Symphony Orchestra, and the Panyard Steel Orchestra.

As a trumpet soloist, Mr. Samson has been a semi-finalist in solo competitions on the national level including the National Trumpet Competition, in Fairfax, Virginia. Additionally, he has performed as a featured soloist with the Greenville Symphony Orchestra and the Mercer County (Pennsylvania) Community Band. As a commercial musician, he has performed with entertainers including Yo-Yo Ma, The O’Jays, The Tokens, Peter Tork of The Monkees, Dee Snider of Twisted Sister, Martha Reeves of Martha and the Vandellas, Sam Moore of Sam & Dave, and Jay Harmon of Sly & the Family Stone. As a member of the Youngstown Saxon Band, Mr. Samson performed while on a tour of Europe, which included concerts in Vienna and Salzburg, Austria, as well as Munich, Nurnberg, Heidelberg, and Stuttgart, Germany.

Mr. Samson has provided musical direction for and conducted numerous musical theater productions, having held the position of Resident Music Director of the Youngstown Playhouse in Youngstown, Ohio and the James E. Winner Jr. Arts and Culture Center in Sharon, Pennsylvania. As a music educator, Mr. Samson has taught professionally in both the private and public sectors. While employed by the Southington Local School District in Southington, OH, he served as the Director of Bands and Choirs, as well as a general music education teacher for grades kindergarten through eight. Following his tenure at Southington Local Schools, he and his future wife, Brianne, established Maestro Arts Performing Arts Academy, a private music education studio where he taught band, choir, music theory, and musical theatre classes to area young people. Mr. Samson currently performs primarily with his steel pan trio PanTropix. He resides in Sharon, Pennsylvania with his wife, Brianne, and their three sons, Alexander, Brian, and Andrew.

Brianne Samson – formerly Brianne Kochunas of Warren, OH – currently serves as the Assistant Director of Choirs at Thiel College. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree (education) from Youngstown State University's Dana School of Music, and is currently pursuing a Master of Music degree (choral conducting) from the same institution. In addition to her responsibilities at Thiel College, she also serves as the music director and choir conductor for Grace Lutheran Church in Austintown, OH, having held this position since her appointment in 2005. She currently enjoys an active schedule as a freelance musician and music educator. As a stage actress, Samson has performed numerous lead roles, including the title role in The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Kate Monster/Lucy in Avenue Q, Brooke Wyndham in Legally Blonde, The Musical, Mother Goose in A Pocketful of Rhymes, Suzy in The Marvelous Wonderettes, Luisa in The Fantasticks, Laurey in Oklahoma, and June in The Musical of Musicals, The Musical.

As a lyric soprano, Samson’s opera credits include Mabel in Pirates of Penzance, Penelope in The Golden Apple, Giovanna in Rigoletto, and Madame Herz in Der Schauspieldirektor. As a commercial musician, she is currently the lead singer and front woman of PanTropix Steel Drum Band in Sharon, PA, and has fronted numerous other show bands including The Youngstown Brass Company from Youngstown, OH, the Dickey White Band from Canfield, OH, and Second Avenue Project from Hermitage, PA. In addition to performing in the theatre and commercial music circuit, Samson has been featured multiple times as a guest soloist with the Mercer Community Band in Mercer, PA, and has performed as the soprano soloist for numerous performances of Handel’s Messiah and Faure’s Requiem with the Stambaugh Chorus and Warren Civic Chorus. Samson's competition winnings include being a finalist in the Boston Pops Orchestra-sponsored “POPsearch” vocal competition, where she was awarded the opportunity to collaborate with musicians in the Boston Pops Orchestra. Additionally, she has auditioned for the United States Army Field Band, with whom she was a finalist on two occasions. Samson’s primary vocal coaches include Dr. Misook Yun of Youngstown State University and Rosemary Raridon, formerly of Youngstown State University.

In addition to her active performance schedule, Samson also enjoys teaching private voice, piano, and flute lessons out of her home studio in Sharon, PA. Prior to moving her studio to her house, she co-owned and operated Maestro Arts Performing Arts Academy, where she taught and coached award-winning vocal and instrumental ensembles, as well as musical theatre classes, camps, and fully-staged theatre productions. In addition to her roles on stage, she has numerous directing credits that include productions of Les Misérables, Curtain Going Up!, and Once On This Island, as well as musical direction credits that include productions of Godspell, West Side Story, and a debut production of Flop, an original musical written by Cortland, OH natives, Tom Hitmar and Fred Burazer. Mrs. Samson currently resides in Sharon, PA, with her husband, Nicholas, and their three sons, Alexander, Brian, and Andrew.