MILLIKIN UNIVERSITY® 2 0 2 0 ALL IS BRIGHT MUSIC GUIDE VESPERS MEANS ‘EVENING’ AND IS ONE OF THE SEVEN CANONICAL HOURS OF PRAYER. MILLIKIN UNIVERSITY | SCHOOL OF MUSIC BELL CAROL (2017 All Choirs) William Mathias “AlltheBellsonEarthShallRing”wastheVespersthemeinMathias’compositionwastheperfect openingTheprocessionendeavorstorevealtoaudiencemembersthatbellsaregiftssounds(musicifyou will)oeredtothemangerIndeedtheremainderoftheprogramdisplayedbellsinbothcelebratoryand reflectivemomentsThepiecewascomposedforSirDavidWillcocksthechoirmasterwhobroughtsomuch attentiontotheLessonsandCarolsofKing’sCollegeCambridge ALLELUIA(2018 University Choir) Fredrik Sixten “SingAlleluia”wasthethemeofVespersinandSixten’sreflectivesettingcameearlyintheprogram givingthiswordusuallyconsideredfestiveinmoodasenseofadventhope LAUDATE DOMINUM (2015 Millikin Women) Gyöngyösi Levente LaudateDominumhasservedmanycomposersinincludingMozartwhouseditinhiswellknownSolemn VespersContemporaryHungariancomposerGyöngyösicombinesanincessantmantraonasinglenotewith complexrhythmsforthissettingofPs(“OPraisetheLordallyenations”)Harmonicdensityincreasesand joinstherhythmicdrivetothefinalAlleluiawheretheadditionofatambourineaddsafinalcelebratorynote MAGNIFICAT(2017 Collegiate Chorale) Bryan Kelly EvensongtheAnglicanversionofVespersalwaysincludesasettingoftheMagnificatEventhough thisiscomposedforEnglishearsBryanKelly’senthusiasmforLatinAmericanmusicisclearlyevident inthissettingfromthes GLORIA PATRIMAGNIFICAT (2019 All Choirs) John Rutter ThefinalmovementofRutter’sMagnificatgathersmanyofthework’sthemesintoatriumphantfinale StillitseemstostandonitsownasananthemofpraiseThesopranosolosareinterpolationsofMarian textsfromotherliturgicalmomentsareminderoftheoriginalvoiceofthe‘SongofMary’ HODIE CHRISTUS NATUS EST (2019 Millikin Women) Kelly-Marie Murphy “ThisdayChristisborn!”Theexuberantproclamationismatchedbytempoandshiftingmeters Theinterplayofbothmelodicandrhythmicmotivesbuildstotheclimactic‘Alleluia’sungbythe chorusoftheangelsIntricatecomplexitydissolvesasthechoirconcludesonaCmajorcadence MILLIKIN UNIVERSITY | SCHOOL OF MUSIC O SING TO THE LORD (2015 Millikin Men) Dan Davison SyncopatedandupliftinginanalternatingtorhythmDavisonchoosesafourhandaccompanimenttocarrythemood WE PRAISE THEE O GOD TE DEUM(2019 Collegiate Chorale) George Frideric Handel TeDeumisanancienthymnofthanksgivingandpraiseusedbycomposersovertheagesforcelebratoryeventsto commemoratevictoriesortoinaugurateroyaltyThechoiropenswithblockchordsthatevolveintofuguettosofpraise TheusualtrumpetsanddrumsofHandel’sfestivecompositionalarsenalarespectacularlyovershadowedbytheornaments ofthepiccolotrumpet ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH(2018 All Choirs) Arr. Mack Wilberg TheconclusionoftheconcertMackWilberg’sarrangementhasbeenfeaturedinseveralpreviousVespersatMillikin Triumphantthroughoutevenitsfourfoldmodulationseemsappropriatetothegrandeurofthemoment INTERMISSION (Interview with the conductors) GLOW (2016 All Choirs) Eric Whitacre Whitacre’seasyharmoniespairwellwiththefollowingSilentNightThewarmthofasinglecandleshinesbrightlyinthedark SILENT NIGHT(2020 All Choirs) Michael John Trotta ThiswellknowntextissettonewmusicbycomposerMichaelJohnTrottaThewordsprovideourthemeforthisyear’s Vespers“AllisBright”isnotmerelyayearningforapostvirusworldItisanacknowledgementthatmuchofourcurrent conditionisworthembracingThereislightmidstthedarknessWenoticeblessingspreviouslyunseenintheglareofst centurylivingAsourpupilscontractasimpleglowbecomessignificantOurincessantsearchingshutteredbyourpresent circumstancecannowfocusondetailsofthelessHerewefindmeaninginsilenceconnectioninrelationshipspurposein helpingothersThelightweseekcomesfromthemostunusualplaceslikeamanger ThevirtualchoirpresentationrequiredeachsingertounifyinterpretiveelementsinisolationAlterationsofdynamicsand tempowereexecutedbyindividualswithnoreferencetoothersingersMikeEnglehardt(audio)andAndreRhoden(video) builtthewholefromtheseseparatefilesThisisourwayofbridgingthesediculttimesandsaying“VesperslivesOn! Wewillsingtogetheragain!” MILLIKIN UNIVERSITY | SCHOOL OF MUSIC FESTIVAL FIRST NOWELL(2017 All Choirs and Audience) Arr. Dan Forrest EveryVespersincludesthreeorfouraudiencecarolsStudentsoftenspeakofthesemomentswithamazementasevery voiceinthehalljoinswithonespiritinasingularpurposeWehaveincludedForrest’sarrangementofthiscarolforseveral yearsrunningWhetheritisbecauseofthesolemnundergirdingoflowbrassatthestartorthefloridfanfaresandsoaring descantattheconclusionhisarrangementneverfailstomoveus“Thenletusallwithoneaccordsingpraises” EIT BARN ER FODT I BETHLEHEM(2018 University Choir/Collegiate Chorale) Orjan Matre LargelyunknowninourcountrythiscarolfrequentsScandinaviancelebrationsItsfolksyandmysticalquality providesuniquevariationinmood BRIGHTEST AND BEST(2019 Millikin Men) Arr. Shawn Kirchner ShawnKirchnerrecaststhisEarlyAmericantunewithfiddlesinafolklikesettingwellsuitedformen’svoices CAROLS AROUND THE WORLD Natufurahi Siku Ya Leo (Kenya) (2019 Collegiate Chorale) Llega La Navidad! (Domnican Republic) (2015 Millikin Women) Suo Gan (Wales) (2017 University Choir) Alilo (Republic of Georgia) (2019 Millikin Men) AlwaysafavoritemomentinVespersthequickgeographicaljumparoundtheworldremindsusoftheunique waysdierentculturescelebratetheseason SOMBODY TALKIN’ ‘BOUT JESUS (2015 University Choir) Stacey Gibbs ArrangerStaceyGibbsisarguablythemostprolificarrangerofSpiritualslivingtodayHisrecastingofthese wellknowntunesalwaysseemsfresh O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL(2020 One Voice) Take 6 OneVoiceperformsthechallengingvoicingsofTakeThoughthegrouphasalonghistoryofsuccessand thoseattunedtothevocaljazzgenreknowthemwellthisistheirfirstappearanceonVespers MILLIKIN UNIVERSITY | SCHOOL OF MUSIC NOEL(2015 All Choirs) Arr. B. Holmes WrittenbythechildofmissionaryparentsNoeldrawsonthesoundslearnedbyToddSmithwhileliving amongtheCongolese STILL STILL STILL (2016 All Choirs) Arr. Norman Luboff Oneofthe‘standards’ofseasonalrepertoireinthisAustriancarolbecameareflectivemomentjust beforethetriumphantfinaleItoccupiesthesamepurposehere DONA NOBIS PACEM(2019 All choirs) Z. Randall Stroope RandallStroope’ssettingofDonaNobisPacem(GrantUsPeace)hasbothstartedandconcludedseveralpast VespersperformancesThesolosopranoisjoinedbyfullchoirimploringtheAlmightyforpeaceThenin angularanddiscordantharmonythechorusrecitestheprophetIsaiah’svisionofpeaceThedreamhasyet toberealizedButtheclosinghymntune(Hyfrodol)isbothpropheticandtriumphantpleadingandhopeful presentandfuture“AllIsBright” PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING TO THE SCHOOL OF MUSIC HistoricallyticketsalesfromperformanceslikeVespersprovidevitalincometo helposetthecostsofproductionWithoutliveaudiencemembersMillikin Universityisoperatingatadeficittobringthesevaluableculturalexperiencesto thecommunityandPerformanceLearningopportunitiestoourstudents PleaseconsidermakingagifttodaytosupporttheMillikinSchoolofMusic bytexting“@MUvespers”to orvisitinghttpbitlymuvespers YourgenerositythisholidayseasonnomatterthesizewillhelpMillikin’sstudents andfacultycontinuetosharethegiftofmusicuntilwecanbetogetheragain.