A MASTER SINGERS CHRISTMAS WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH HARRIS CENTER FOR THE ARTS 13TH AND N STREETS 21ST AND J STREETS FOLSOM LAKE COLLEGE DECEMBER 10, 2017 @ 3 PM DECEMBER 16, 2017 @ 7 PM DECEMBER 21, 2017 @ 7 PM DECEMBER 17, 2017 @ 3 PM DECEMBER 19, 2017 @ 7 PM DR. RALPH HUGHES EMILY CARBREY HEIDI VAN REGENMORTER ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & CONDUCTOR ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR ACCOMPANIST Jerusalem Luminosa INTERMISSION LYRICS BY THOMAS Á KEMPIS MUSIC BY ABBIE BETINIS Ave Generosa TEXT BY HILDEGARD VON BINGEN Noël Nouvelet MUSIC BY OLA GJEILO TRADITIONAL FRENCH CAROL Soloist: Tina Harris ARR. BY SOFIA SÖDERBERG The Midnight of Your Birth O Magnum Mysterium TEXT BY CHARLES BENNETT MUSIC BY RENÉ CLAUSEN MUSIC BY BOB CHILCOTT Soloist: Rikki Pratt Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind And Lo, the Angel of the Lord TEXT BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE MUSIC BY SIR JAMES MACMILLAN MUSIC BY JOHN RUTTER Soloist: Stephen Hill Silent Night Shepherds, Rejoice! TEXT BY JOSEPH MOHR TEXT BY ISAAC WATTS TRANSLATION BY JOHN F. YOUNG MELODY BY L. P. BREEDLOVE MUSIC BY FRANZ GRÜBER ARR. BY CAROL BARNETT ARR. BY PAUL JOHNSON Still, Still, Still Ave Maria TEXT BY MARILYN KEITH & ALAN BERGMAN FRANZ BIEBL AUSTRIAN CAROL Soloists: Thomas Voigt, Kurtis Kroon, ARR. BY NORMAN LUBOFF David Kasperik Sextet: John Masters, Thomas Voigt; O Nata Lux Byron Jackson, David Temme; MUSIC BY MORTEN LAURIDSEN David Kasperik, Anthony Tavianini Away in a Manger Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer MELODY BY W.J. KIRKPATRICK MUSIC BY JOHNNY MARKS ARR. BY PHIL MATTSON ARR. BY A. HAWLEY BARRY Soloists: Nancy Balenzano, Rikki Pratt Good Ale Christmas Medley 15TH CENTURY TEXT ARR. BY LINDA DAWSON MUSIC BY JOHN RUTTER Huron Carol White Winter Hymnal ARR. BY SARAH QUARTEL BY ROBIN PECKNOLD ARR. BY ALAN BILLINGSLEY Noel TRADITIONAL KITUBA TEXT Rise Up, Shepherd MUSIC BY TODD SMITH TRADITIONAL SPIRITUAL ARR. BY BRAD HOLMES ARR. BY STACEY V. GIBBS Duet: Chris Goff, William Zinn Soloists: Ryan De Boer, Stephen Hill; Antiphonal duet: Kurtis Kroon, David Temme Ian Tillman, Anthony Tavianini 1 The Sacramento Master Singers conductor soprano alto Dr. Ralph Hughes Angela Boardman Nancy Balenzano assistant conductor Emily Carbrey* Celia Buckley Emily Carbrey Michelle Dunnaway Lucy Bunch accompanist Caroline Firman Barbara Celli Heidi Van Jennifer Enright Katharine Hall Regenmorter Tina Harris Laurie Hanschu percussion Debbie Hill Carol Horner Thomas Voigt Julie Jenness Debra Kahan Elli Johnston Elli Johnston Laura Lofgren Michelle Miller Carol McCormick* Ivy Williams Gretchen Morgan Mary Patt Rikki Pratt Haruko Sakakibara tenor bass Stephen Hill Keith Atwater Byron Jackson Chris Dainard David Kasperik Ryan De Boer Kurtis Kroon Chris Goff Matt Metcalf John Masters Paul Miller Angelo McRath Dave Segura Andrew Smith Anthony Tavianini Ian Tillman David Temme* Damon Tribble Chris Webster* Lowell Valiant Thomas Voigt * Section Leader William Zinn* 2 Photo by Serge Kuzmin sms board of directors The Sacramento Master Singers ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Dr. Ralph Hughes The Sacramento Master numerous individuals and Singers (SMS) is a group ensembles with whom we PRESIDENT of more than forty-five have had the opportunity Laurie Hanschu singers from the greater to collaborate. These VICE-PRESIDENT Sacramento area who include the Boston Pops, Caroline Firman are dedicated to the Sacramento Philharmonic, advancement of choral Sacramento Youth TREASURER/SECRETARY Andrew Smith music. Established in 1982, Symphony, Lynn Stevens the group is known for its and the Sacramento CHORAL LIAISON commitment to delight, Children’s Chorus, James Chris Dainard challenge, and inspire Wheatley and Celebration sms business manager audiences with seasons Arts, Linda Goodrich and Julie Jenness programmed to include the Sacramento Black Art premieres, classics, and of Dance, Sacramento sms choral librarian a wide variety of musical Opera, Gershwin expert Celia Buckley periods and styles. and pianist Richard marketing intern Glazier, the Folsom Joey Tan SMS offers profound Symphony, and Celtic thanks to the numerous music duo Men of Worth. guest directors who have contact information conducted the choir. SMS has performed many P.O. Box 417997 These include Joseph area premieres such Sacramento, CA 95841 Jennings, Perla Warren, as the Robert D. Levin Moses Hogan, Maria completion of the Mozart 916.788.SING (7464) Guinand, Oscar Escalada, Requiem and the Alfred www.mastersingers.org Brian Stratton, Alice Schnittke Requiem. We Parker, and Vance George. have commissioned and We are also grateful to the performed new works 3 such as Elements by Dr. Ralph Hughes David O, If Music Be the Food of Love by Clifford Shockney, and the Sacramento-centric Where The Rivers Meet by Ken Medema and Finale by Larry Shackley — both of which also featured local poets. We often contract with instrumentalists Dr. Ralph Edward Hughes to provide additional has served as conductor 1992 and his Doctoral accompaniment, of the Sacramento Master Degree in Conducting in including the Sacramento Singers since 1986. His 2002 from the University State University leadership has generated of South Carolina. Percussion Group and increased recognition Grammy award winning for the group’s high Dr. Hughes is a member Native American flutist performance standards, of the California Music Mary Youngblood. innovative programming, Educators Association, the and interest in serving American Choral Director’s SMS plays a leadership the community. This is Association, and the role in bringing high- evidenced by the global International Federation quality choral music invitations extended to for Choral Music. In 1995, to area youth through these singers to perform he was recognized as outreach programs, and by the tremendous “Outstanding Music collaboration with college increase in audience Educator of the Year” choirs, scholarships attendance. Dr. Hughes’ by the California Music for young singers, direction helps fulfill the Educators Association and children’s holiday community’s need for Capitol Section. concerts. The Sacramento a professional-caliber Master Singers was one chamber choir. Dr. Hughes focuses on of three North American extending the Master choirs selected to perform Dr. Hughes received his Singers’ impact on the at the international choral Bachelor’s Degree and community through an festival America Cantat teaching credential from emphasis on multicultural in Venezuela. We have California State University, music and programming toured the Carolinas Sacramento in 1983. He designed to stimulate and participated as the taught music and drama interest among the area’s headliner choir in the Maui for seven years at Bella young people. Regular Choral Festival. SMS sang Vista High School in Fair participation in the World as the only community Oaks and, since 1990, he Symposium on Choral choir invited to perform teaches choir, voice, and Music introduces him to at the American Choral piano at American River the world’s leading choral Directors Association College. He was awarded directors and composers in Reno. We remain his Master’s Degree in of choral music, and he committed to advancing Choral Conducting from responds by programming the art and lifting the soul. California State University, many exciting new works. Sacramento in December 4 Program Notes Jerusalem Luminosa LYRICS BY THOMAS Á KEMPIS; MUSIC BY ABBIE BETINIS Betinis’ Jerusalem Luminosa is an exploration of peace, of true peace through compromise. Listen as the women’s voices ‘play tag,’ as each part constantly tries to catch up with the other, coming together occasionally. Even the 15th century text is altered or compromised as Jerusalem Luminosa becomes Luminosalem and Alleluia is added in to make Luminos’Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. Jerusalem luminosa, Jerusalem, city of light, Verae pacis visio. Vision of true peace. Alleluia. Alleluia. Totum sanctum, totum mundum, All holy, all elegant, In te quidquid cernitur. Is that which shows itself in thee. Noël Nouvelet TRADITIONAL FRENCH CAROL; ARR. BY SOFIA SÖDERBERG Exciting counter-rhythms and dynamic contrasts penned by the Swedish arranger Sofia Söderberg make this traditional French carol come alive. Söderberg contrasts homophony and polyphony, and she bounces the melody among the voices in this fresh new setting. Noël nouvelet, Noël chantons ici. Christmas comes anew, O let us sing Noel! Dévotes gens, crions à Dieu merci! Glory to God! Now leet your praises swell! Chantons Noël, pour le roi nouvelet. Sing we Noel for Christ, the newborn King, Noël nouvelet, Noël chantons ici. Christmas comes anew, O let us sing Noel! L’ange disait: “Pasteurs, partez d’ici, Angels did say, “Shepherds leave this place, L’ame en repos et le Coeur réjoui: With peaceful souls and joyful hearts: En Bethléem trouverez l’agnelet.” In Bethlehem you will find the little lamb.” Noël nouvelet, Noël chantons ici. Christmas comes anew, O let us sing Noel! En Bethléhem, étant tous réunis, When they had arrived in Bethlehem, Trouvent l’Enfant, Joseph, Marie aussi! they found the child with Joseph and Mary. La crèche était au lieu d’un bercelet, A manger, instead of a cradle. Noël nouvelet, Noël chantons ici. Christmas comes anew, O let us sing Noel! “Like” us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Sign up for emails www.facebook.com/ @SingersMaster Text MASTERSINGERS sacmastersingers to 22828 5 O Magnum Mysterium TRADITIONAL LATIN; MUSIC BY RENÉ CLAUSEN This lush, modern setting of traditional Latin lyrics features the choir initially unified on a single note. Gradually, singers