Light - Tennessee Chamber Chorus

Light
ofa
Clear Blue
Morning
TENNESSEE
chamber chorus
Cameron F. LaBarr, conductor
June 19, 20, and 21, 2014
Cleveland • Chattanooga • Knoxville
Welcome to the June concert of the second season of the Tennessee Chamber Chorus.
Tonight’s program takes the listener on a journey through trial and triumph, from the
hauntingly beautiful melody of Khudaya, rahem kar (in Urdu, the national language of
Pakistan) to the triumphant joy of the late nineteenth-century gospel song Unclouded
Day. This concert is intended bring us together from our various backgrounds, cultures,
languages, and influences, uniting us in a greater sense of peace and understanding.
A major component of tonight’s program involves the fusion of old and new, evident in
many of the works on the concert. Michael McGlynn’s setting of Media Vita is based on
a medieval chant, attributed to an Irish monk, Notker Balbulus. McGlynn employs chordal drones in the
bass voices to highlight the stark and hollow quality of the melody. Harkening back to the Medieval Era,
McGlynn makes use of organum (melodic voices separated by a fourth or fifth), retaining the archaic and
austere quality of this early music.
John Tavener’s Song for Athene was written in memory of Athene Hariades, who died tragically in March
1993. Tavener captures Athene’s inner and outer beauty, which was reflected in her love of acting, poetry,
music, and the Orthodox Church. Song for Athene was performed under the title Alleluia, May Flights of
Angels Sing Thee to Thy Rest on the occasion of the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, in Westminster
Abbey in September 1997.
Estonian composer Cyrillus Kreek is widely known as one of the great masters of Estonian choral music.
He was a celebrated collector of Estonian folk music (both sacred and secular) and was a major influence
in creating a nationalistic Estonian musical style. One can hear the direct influence of Estonian folk song
in the Psalms of David.
The second half of tonight’s program opens with English composer Henry Purcell’s Hear My Prayer, which
arguably represents Purcell’s musical imagination at the highest level. He opens this Psalm verse with only
two notes (“Hear my prayer, O Lord”) followed by a steady and relentless build up of voices and texture,
culminating in spectacular dissonances and resolution at the close. Following Hear My Prayer is Craig
Hella Johnson’s arrangement of two spirtuals, Been in de Storm/Wayfaring Stranger. Johnson writes, “The
emotional directness of these songs is compelling. They exhibit an incredibly broad palette of feelings,
colors, and ideas. These songs, born from the experience of unimaginable human pain and grief, have
a depth and emotional range comparable to the song-and-text marriages found in the songs of Wolf,
Schumann, and Schubert, and in the poems of Heine, Eichendorff, and Goethe.”
Alice Parker’s arrangement of the Appalachian folk song Bright Morning Stars exists as a simple yet
profound statement, looking forward to a better time. Tennessee musician Dolly Parton’s Light of a Clear
Blue Morning is similar in its design and has been beautifully arranged for chorus by Craig Hella Johnson.
Enjoy tonight’s concert as a musical offering that looks forward to brighter days ahead, where we can be
at peace with one another and can move forward with the knowledge that through trials and triumphs we
can – and must – continue to seek the light of a clear blue morning.
-
Cameron F. LaBarr
Please silence all cell phones and other noisemaking devices.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Program
Please refrain from applause except where indicated by
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Khudaya, rahem kar..........................................................................traditional Pakistani
Beth Gibbs, mezzo-soprano, Caitlin Hammon, soprano, Laura Inman, soprano
Khudaya, rahem kar, khudaya rahem.
Masiha, rahem kar, masiha rahem.
(sung in Urdu)
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us.
Have mercy on us, Christ, have mercy on us.
Media Vita (c. 10th century).......................................................................medieval chant
arr. Michael McGlynn (b. 1964)
Alan Stevens, tenor
Media vita in morte summus.
Quem quaerimus ad iutorem nihi site domine?
Qui pro peccatis nostris
Sancte Deus Sancte fortis
Sancte misericor salvator
Amare mortis ne tradas nos.
In te speraverunt patres nostris.
Speraverunt et liberasti eos.
(sung in Latin)
In the midst of life we are in death.
What helper do we seek
except you, O Lord?
You, who for our sins,
Holy God, holy and powerful,
O holy compassionate saviour, Do not give us over to the harshness of death.
In you, our fathers placed their hopes.
They placed their hopes and you freed them.
Song for Athene (1993)......................................................Sir John Tavener (1994-2013)
Alleluia.
May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.
Remember me, O Lord, when you come into your Kingdom.
Give rest, O Lord, to your handmaid who has fallen asleep.
The Choir of Saints have found the wellspring of life and door of paradise.
Life: a shadow and a dream.
Weeping at the grave creates the song: Alleluia.
Come, enjoy rewards and crowns I have prepared for you.
Alleluia.
-from Shakespeare’s Hamlet and the Orthodox Funeral Service
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Psalms of David (1923)...........................................................Cyrillus Kreek (1889-1962)
Psalm 104
Psalm 141
Psalm 121
Õnnis on inimene
Psalm 104
Kiida, mu hing, Issandat! Kiidetud oled Sina!
Bless the Lord, O my soul! Praise the Lord!
Issand, mu Jumal, Sa oled suur.
O Lord my God, Thou art very great.
Kui suured on Sinu teod, Issand!
O Lord, how manifold are thy works!
Sa oled kõik targasti teinud.
In wisdom hast thou made them all.
Au olgu Sulle, Issand, kes Sa kõik oled teinud!
Glory be to Thee, O Lord, who has made all things!
Au olgu Isale, Pojale, Pühale Vaimule au,
Glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
nüüd ja igavest. Aamen.
now and evermore. Amen.
Psalm 141
Issand, ma hüüan Su poole, kuule mind, oh Issand!
Lord, I cry unto thee, hear me, O Lord!
Kuule mu palve halt, kui ma Su poole hüüan. Hear my prayer, when I call unto thee.
Olgu mu palve kui suitsetamise ro hi Su palge ees,
Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense,
mu käte ülestõstmine kui õhtune ohver.
and the lifting of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Kuule sa mind, oh Issand, kuule mind!
Hear me, O Lord, hear me!
Psalm 121
Päeval ei pea päikene sind vevama, The sun shall not smite thee by day,
ega öösel kuu.
nor the moon by night.
Ma tõstan oma silmad üles mägede poole.
I will lift up mine eyes to the hills.
Mu abi tuleb Jehoova käest,
My help cometh from the Lord,
kes kõik on teinud, koik taeva, maa, on teinud.
which made the heaven and earth.
Jehoova on kes hoiab sind.
The Lord watches over you.
Jehoova on su vari sinu paremal käel.
The Lord is your shade at your right hand.
Õnnis on inimene Õnnis on inimene kes ei käi
Blessed is the man that walketh not
õelate nõu järele. Halleluuja!
in the council of the wicked. Hallelujah!
Sest Issand tunneb õigete teed,
For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous,
aga õelate tee läheb hukka. Halleluuja!
but the way of the ungodly shall perish. Hallelujah!
Teenige Issandat kartusega Serve the Lord with fear
ja olge rõõmsad värisemisega. Halleluuja!
and rejoice with trembling. Hallelujah!
Väga õndsad on kõik kes Tema juure kipuvad.
Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
Halleluuja!
Hallelujah!
Tõuse üles, Issand, pasta mind, my Jumal.
Arise, O Lord, save me, O my God.
Halleluuja!
Hallelujah!
Au olgu Isale, Pojale, ja Pühale Vaimule,
Glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
nüüd ja igavest.
now and forever.
Halleluuja! Aamen.
Hallelujah! Amen.
-from Psalm 1, 2, and 3
(sung in Estonian)
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Intermission
Hear My Prayer (c. 1680).........................................................Henry Purcell (1659-1695)
Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my crying come unto thee.
-Psalm 102: 1
Been in de Storm/Wayfaring Stranger (c. 19th century).................traditional Spirituals
arr. 2011 Craig Hella Johnson (b. 1962)
Andrea Dismukes, mezzo-soprano, Caitlin Hammon, soprano
I’ve been in de storm so long. I’ve been in de storm so long, children.
I’ve been in de storm so long. Oh, give me little time to pray.
Oh, let me tell my mother how I come along, Give me little time to pray.
With a hung down head and an aching heart, Give me little time to pray.
Oh, when I get to heaven gonna walk all about, Give me little time to pray.
There’ll be nobody there to turn me out, Give me little time to pray.
I know dark clouds will gather ‘round me, I know my way is rough and steep,
But golden fields lie out before me where God’s redeemed shall ever sleep.
I’m goin’ there to see my mother, She said she’d meet me when I come,
I’m just a-goin’ over Jordan, I’m just a-goin’ over home.
I’m goin’ there to see my Savior, to sing His praise forevermore.
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Bright Morning Stars (c. 19th century).............................................traditional American
arr. 2009 Alice Parker (b. 1925)
Susan LaBarr, mezzo-soprano
Bright morning stars are rising, and day is a-breaking in my soul.
O where are our dear mothers? They are sowing seeds of gladness.
O where are our dear fathers? They have crossed the river shouting.
Bright morning stars are rising. They are all by the streams a-dancing.
Light of a Clear Blue Morning (1977)............................................Dolly Parton (b. 1946)
arr. 2010 Craig Hella Johnson
Rachel Cooke, soprano
It’s been a long dark night, and I’ve been waiting for the morning.
It’s been a long hard fight, but I see a brand new day a-dawning.
I’ve been looking for the sunshine ‘cause I ain’t seen it in so long.
Everything’s gonna work out fine. Everything’s gonna be alright, it’s gonna be okay.
I can see the light of a clear blue morning. I can see the light of a brand-new day.
Everything’s gonna be alright, it’s gonna be okay.
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Unclouded Day (1885).......................................................Rev. J.K. Alwood (1828-1909)
arr. 2010 Shawn Kirchner (b. 1970)
O they tell me of a home far beyond the skies,
They tell me of a land far away,
And they tell me of a home where no storm-clouds rise:
O they tell me of an unclouded day.
O the land of cloudless days, O the land of an unclouded sky,
O they tell me of a home where no storm-clouds rise:
O they tell me of an unclouded day.
O they tell me of a home where my friends have gone,
They tell me of a land far away,
Where the tree of life in eternal bloom
Sheds its fragrance through an unclouded day.
They tell me of a King in his beauty there,
They tell me that mine eyes shall behold
Where he sits on a throne that is bright as the sun
In the city that is made of gold!
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Personnel
Soprano 1
Julianna Emanski
Caitlin Hammon
Laura Inman
Alto 1
Kaylee Gallagher
Emily Halbert
Susan LaBarr
Tenor 1
David Stanley
Alan Stevens
Dana Wilson
Bass 1
Daniel Elder
Brent Wells
Scott Willis
Soprano 2
Rachel Cooke
Carly Wingfield
Kristen Wiram
Alto 2
Andrea Dismukes
Beth Gibbs
Meg Granum
Tenor 2
Noah DeLong
Russell Draeger
Phillip Haynie
Bass 2
Charles Boone
Korre Foster
Michael Payne
Cameron F. LaBarr, conductor
Meg Granum, executive director
Mary Beth Wickes, rehearsal pianist
Board ofDirectors
Mike R. Leuze, president
Tom Wickes, treasurer
Andrea Dismukes, secretary
Susan LaBarr
Martha Lessig
Nancy Scrugs
About
The Tennessee Chamber Chorus is an ensemble of professional singers dedicated to
innovation and artistic excellence in choral music. Founded in 2012 under the artistic direction
and leadership of Cameron F. LaBarr, the choir exists to artfully promote and perform choral
music, connecting with the emerging generation of arts supporters and enthusiasts, while
maintaining a base of support from long-standing arts patrons. The Tennessee Chamber
Chorus specializes in high quality programs, exploring thematic and historical links in vocal
music from the Medieval Era through the 21st century. The singers are primarily based in
Tennessee, although some are from other parts of the country, forming a stunning palette of
vocal color and musical expression. In 2013, Meg Granum was named executive director of
the Tennessee Chamber Chorus. For more information, visit tennesseechamberchorus.org.
Cameron F. LaBarr, a native of Richmond, Missouri, is the founding artistic director and
conductor of the Tennessee Chamber Chorus. Cameron will begin as director of choral
studies at Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri, in August 2014. Cameron has
held university choral positions at Lee University (Cleveland, Tennessee) and the University
of North Texas. He holds a Bachelor of Music from Missouri State University, where he
studied with Dr. Guy B. Webb, and he earned a Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts
from the University of North Texas, where he studied choral and orchestral conducting with
Dr. Jerry McCoy and Maestro David Itkin. In the summer of 2012, Cameron was awarded
conducting fellowships at the Yale International Choral Festival and the Sarteano (Italy)
Chamber Choir Workshop. In April 2014, Cameron was named a Salzburg Global Fellow
and attended the Salzburg Seminar: Conflict Transformation through Peace-Building and the
Arts. Upcoming conducting engagements include the International Conductor’s Exchange
Program in Wenzhou, China, and serving as the artistic director for the 2015 Prague Mozart
Festival.
Meg Granum serves as executive director of the Tennessee Chamber Chorus. Additionally,
she is Interim Director of the School of Fine Arts and Director of Children’s, Youth, and
Handbell Music at First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta. An active singer and violist, in addition
to singing with the Tennessee Chamber Chorus, Meg sings with the Atlanta Symphony
Chorus and the First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta Chancel Choir, and plays viola with the
St. Cecilia Consort in Atlanta. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Atlanta chapter
of Choristers Guild. Meg received a Master of Music in sacred music with an emphasis in
choral conducting from Emory University and a Bachelor of Music in church music from St.
Olaf College, where she studied conducting with Dr. Anton Armstrong and church music with
Dr. John Ferguson.
The Singers
Charles Boone has been the Director of Music/Organist at Northminster Presbyterian
Church in Roswell, Georgia, for 25 years. After singing with the Atlanta Sacred Chorale
for many years, Charles now sings with the Atlanta Symphony Chorus, Atlanta
Symphony Chamber Chorus, and Atlanta-based professional chamber ensemble
Coro Vocati. He is excited to make his debut with the Tennessee Chamber Chorus.
Rachel Cooke is a native of Tennessee. She is currently pursuing a graduate
degree in vocal performance and opera from the University of North Texas where
she was recently awarded the Teaching Assistantship for Opera Theatre. Rachel
received Bachelor of Music degrees from Lee University in vocal performance and
music education. Major operatic roles to date include the Countess in The Marriage
of Figaro, Laetitia in The Old Maid and the Thief, and Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi.
Noah DeLong joined the music faculty at Milligan College in 2011, where he conducts the
Milligan Concert Choir and Heritage, a select a cappella ensemble, and teaches applied
voice, conducting, and music technology. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in music and
mathematics from Taylor University, a Master of Music in choral conducting and vocal
performance from Ball State University, and is presently completing his Doctor of Musical
Arts in choral conducting and pedagogy at The University of Iowa. Noah’s performing
credits include several operatic roles as well as solo appearances in numerous oratorios.
Andrea Dismukes made her international debut in Sofia with the Bulgarian Radio Symphony
Orchestra. She has performed in the Canterbury Cathedral (United Kingdom), the National
Cathedral (Washington, D.C.), and in concert halls worldwide. Andrea performs regularly
with the Choral Arts of Chattanooga, the Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra, and the
Chattanooga Bach Chorale. In addition to serving as professor of voice at Lee University,
Andrea serves as the NATS State Governor of Tennessee, director of music at St. Luke’s
Episcopal Church, and as a vocal consultant for the Young People’s Chorus of New York City.
Russell Draeger is a native of Owatonna, Minnesota. Russell completed a Bachelor
of Music in sacred music at St. Olaf College and a Master of Music in organ
performance and literature at the Eastman School of Music. During his time at
Eastman, Russell took part in the restoration of a 19th century American organ which
now resides in Christ Church Episcopal in downtown Rochester, New York. Russell is
currently an apprentice for Richards, Fowkes & Co. Organ Builders in Chattanooga.
Daniel Elder is a vocalist and composer originally from Athens, Georgia, now living in
Nashville, Tennessee. Daniel earned a Bachelor of Music from the University of Georgia
and a Master of Music from Westminster Choir College. Daniel has focused on performing
oratorio repertoire from the Baroque Era to the twentieth century. Daniel’s choral works
are published by GIA Publications and his instrumental works by Imagine Music. The first
comprehensive album of his choral music, The Heart’s Reflection: Music of Daniel Elder,
was released by Naxos of America in October 2013, recorded by the Westminster Choir.
For more information, visit danieleldermusic.com.
Julianna Emanski is an emerging classical soprano who specializes in baroque opera and
oratorio. Julianna recently performed the role of Diana in Charpentier’s Actéon with Queen
City Musicians, a Seattle-based group, of which she is the vice president and co-founder.
Julianna is also the founder of the Sing Academy voice studio. She received a Bachelor of
Music in music education from Temple University, a Master of Music in vocal performance
from the University of North Texas, and an Artist Diploma in early music from Cornish College
of the Arts. Julianna will begin her doctoral studies in vocal pedagogy at the University of
North Texas in the fall of 2014. She currently resides in Seattle, Washington, with her beloved
23-year-old cockatiel, Walter T. Bird.
Korre D. Foster, originally from the Chicago area, began his education at Millikin University
where he received a Bachelor of Arts in French education and a Bachelor of Music in vocal
music education. He earned a Master of Music in choral conducting at the University of
Arizona. As a recipient of the Harriet Hale Woolley Scholarship from the Fondation des ÉtatsUnis, Korre moved to Paris, France, where he conducted the choirs of Le Palais Royal and
L’Académie de Musique. Korre attended the University of Miami for his doctoral studies. At
Austin Peay State University, he leads the Chamber Singers, Governor Singers, and University
Choir, in addition to teaching choral literature, choral techniques, choral conducting, and
supervising graduate students.
Kaylee Gallagher has been a singer and soloist with the Tennessee Chamber Chorus since
the ensemble’s inaugural performance. She recently completed Bachelor of Music degrees
in vocal performance and music education at Lee University. In January 2013, Kaylee
performed as a soloist on national television in the 57th Presidential Inauguration with the
Lee University Festival Chorus. She received the Weeks-Holden Scholarship for her work
as a choral student teacher and the Outstanding Vocalist award within the Lee University
performance department. Kaylee will pursue a Master of Music in opera and voice at McGill
University (Montreal, Quebec) in the fall of 2014.
Beth Gibbs is the director of choral studies at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida.
She earned a Doctor of Musical Arts in choral conducting from the University of Miami in
Coral Gables, Florida, Master of Music degrees in choral conducting and vocal performance
from East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina, and a Bachelor of Music in
music education from Stetson University in DeLand, Florida. Beth spent six years teaching
at the high school level in Atlanta. She has recently conducted in the Chartres Cathedral
in France, St. Paul’s Cathedral in Vatican City, and at the International Festival of Choirs in
Santiago de Cuba. Beth has been a member of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus and
Chamber Chorus, the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, and sang under the batons of Michael Tilson
Thomas and Helmuth Rilling.
Emily Halbert, a native of Nashville, Tennessee, is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music in
music education at Lee University where she has been a member of Choral Union, Chorale,
and Ladies of Lee, holding various leadership positions with each ensemble. Halbert served
as a student conductor for Choral Union and as assistant conductor for the Lee University
Chamber Choir. In the fall of 2014, she will be the assistant conductor of Ladies of Lee. Upon
graduating from Lee University in 2015, she plans to continue her education by pursuing a
graduate degree in choral conducting.
Caitlin Hammon, a native of Chattanooga, continues to return to her home state of
Tennessee to perform with such groups as the Tennessee Chamber Chorus and Voci Virili.
Recent engagements for Caitlin include Helena in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream with
Opera McGill and soprano soloist in Poulenc’s Gloria for “A Classic Christmas” in Cleveland,
Tennessee. In the fall of 2014, Caitlin will debut with Seattle-based group The Choral Pickup
and with Queen City Musicians. Caitlin received a Master of Music in opera performance
from McGill University and Bachelor of Music degrees in vocal performance and music
education from Lee University.
Phillip Haynie, a native of Hendersonville, North Carolina, holds both a Master of Music
and Bachelor of Music in vocal performance from Lee University. Phillip currently serves as
the choral conductor, musical director and conductor for all spring musicals, and coaches
the color guard at AC Reynolds High School in Asheville, North Carolina. Phillip serves
as chorister and section leader at St. James Episcopal Church in Hendersonville. He has
performed with Choral Arts of Chattanooga, the Asheville Choral Society, the Transylvania
Choral Society (Brevard, North Carolina), Spire Chamber Ensemble (Kansas City, Missouri),
the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, the Early Music Festival (Asheville), and the Asheville Lyric
Opera. Phillip has been a featured soloist for numerous concert works, oratorios, and operas.
Laura Inman, based in New York City, is a member and the founding Executive Director
of the Manhattan Chorale, which recently performed the world premiere of Ola Gjeilo’s
Dreamweaver in Carnegie Hall. Laura is also a member of the Irish choral ensemble Anúna.
Laura’s career as a professional singer includes eleven seasons and solo features on all six
albums with the 2009 Grammy award-winning Phoenix Chorale. She was recently featured on
the Kansas City Chorale’s 2012 Grammy award-winning album Life and Breath, Choral Works
of René Clausen. A native of Arkansas, Laura holds degrees in voice and music education
from the University of Louisville and Arizona State University, where she completed a Doctor
of Musical Arts in conducting. This is her first concert with the Tennessee Chamber Chorus.
Susan LaBarr attended Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri, where she received
a Bachelor of Arts in music and a Master of Music in music theory. While at Missouri State,
Susan sang in the Concert Chorale under the direction of Dr. Guy B. Webb. Susan is an active
composer, with works published through Santa Barbara Music Company and Morningstar
Music. She served as the Missouri Composer Laureate for 2012 and 2013. Susan worked for
four years as the choral editor for Choristers Guild, a sacred music publisher for children’s
and youth choirs, and in January 2014, began as editor of Walton Music, a leading publisher
of choral music for high school, college, and professional choirs.
David Stanley, a native Arkansan, has shown himself to be a versatile singing artist in both
the tenor and countertenor repertoire. David received a Bachelor of Music from Ouachita
Baptist University and a Master of Music from Southern Methodist University, both in voice
performance. He is currently completing a Doctor of Musical Arts in voice performance
at the University of North Texas. A district winner and regional finalist in the Metropolitan
Opera National Council Auditions, David has been in demand as a soloist and chorister with
various ensembles throughout the United States. He currently serves on the voice faculty of
Ouachita Baptist University where his primary teaching responsibilities include studio voice
and the Ouachita Opera and Music Theatres.
Alan Stevens is currently the associate director of choral activities at East Tennessee State
University. Previously, Alan was the Assistant Director of the Tucson Chamber Artists and
sang for two seasons with the Grammy award-winning Phoenix Chorale. Alan spent 2007
to 2009 as a freelance musician in New York City, performing in a variety of opera, theatre,
and choral productions. He taught middle and secondary vocal music in Illinois for six
years. Alan is passionately devoted to researching early-American music, presenting on this
topic at the 2013 National Conference of the American Choral Directors Association. Alan
received Bachelor of Music degrees in music education and vocal performance from Millikin
University, a Master of Music from Northern Illinois University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts
from the University of Arizona.
Michael Payne holds a Bachelor of Music in vocal performance from Lee University where
he was a featured soloist in various concerts. Most recently, he was the baritone soloist
in the Fauré Requiem and the bass soloist in the Beethoven Choral Fantasy. He plans on
attending graduate school beginning in the 2015-2016 academic year. Michael is also an
accomplished composer. Many of his arrangements of hymn tunes have been performed
around the Chattanooga area.
Brent Wells is the director of choral activities at the College of Idaho in Caldwell, Idaho. In
addition to the Tennessee Chamber Chorus, Brent has sung professionally with the Santa
Fe Desert Chorale, Redlands Choral Artists, Mount Marty Choral Scholars, and performed
the Berlioz Grande Messe des morts with the Carnegie Hall Festival Chorus under the
direction of Robert Spano. He received a Doctor of Musical Arts in choral conducting at
Michigan State University, and a Master of Music in choral conducting and Bachelor of
Music in music education from Brigham Young University. His publications include a series
of articles appearing in the Choral Journal discussing the folk-song collecting methodology
and compositions of Percy Grainger.
Scott Willis, a native of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, holds a Master of Music in vocal
performance from East Carolina University and a Bachelor of Music in vocal performance
from Middle Tennessee State University. He currently sings with the Nashville Opera while
maintaining a private voice studio in the area and working with various local theatres as a
music director and vocal coach. Some recent and upcoming performances include Guglielmo
in Cosi fan tutte, Dr. Neville Craven in The Secret Garden, bass soloist for Mozart’s Missa
brevis et solemnes in C at the 2013 Piccolo Spoleto Festival, and Peter in Humperdinck’s
Hänsel und Gretel this August in Vancouver. For more information, visit scottewillis.com.
Dana Wilson performs repertoire extending from early renaissance music to contemporary
jazz. Dana completed his education at the Loyola College of Music and Fine Arts in his
native New Orleans. Dana has appeared with many regional symphonies and orchestras and
has recorded with leading ensembles such as Grammy-nominated Conspirare, the Santa
Fe Desert Chorale, Carmel Bach Festival, and Yale Choral Artists. Dana is an active voice
instructor and has held faculty positions at The University of Mobile and Delgado Community
College in New Orleans. In addition to his work in music, Dana is a collegiate baseball umpire
and enjoys wildlife and wildlife conservation efforts.
Carly Wingfield, a native of Knoxville, Tennessee, is in her senior year of study at Lee
University working towards her Bachelor of Music degrees in vocal performance and music
education. Carly is a member of the Lee University Opera Theatre and Choral Union, and is
a former member of the Lee University Chorale. This year, Carly performed as the soprano
soloist for the Fauré Requiem and the Beethoven Choral Fantasy with the Lee University
Choral Union. In Opera Theatre, she performed the role of Casilda in The Gondoliers and
sang the part of Le Feu in L’enfant et les sortileges.
Kristen Wiram earned a Bachelor of Music in music education from the University of
Tennessee-Chattanooga and a Master of Music in choral conducting from Emory University.
Kristen has been a featured soloist with the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera, Choral Arts
of Chattanooga, and the Atlanta Sacred Chorale. Previously the choral director at Ooltewah
High School, she is currently working as the choral director at Red Bank Middle School in
Chattanooga and as associate director of the Chattanooga Boys Choir.
Founding Partners
Ruth and Warren Beeler
Sherry Brown
Jack and Vicky Byrd
Darlia and Paul Conn
Ronald and Norma Cooke
Suzy and Tony Deaton
Mike and Necia Dexter
Andrea Dismukes
Ann Duncan
Donald and Susan Garrett
Joy and Tim Gibbons
Meg Granum
William and Twyla Green
The Grega Family
Alice Hairrell
Dr. Jim and Jill Hammon
Dr. Randy Hammon
Pat Henley
Tomás C. Hernández and
Keith S. Reas
Sherry and William Johnson
Dr. and Mrs. William F.
Johnson, II
David and Mary Ketchersid
Larry and Roseanne Killen
Susan Lackey and
John Thomas
Ed and Diane LaBarr
Susan and Cameron LaBarr
Martha and George Lessig
Michael R. Leuze
Chris and Lamprini Lindeman
Jerry Lowery
Doug Marek
Sherre Marek
Ann McCoin
Charlie and Martha McDowell
Nancy A. Neal
Laurel and John Niemeyer
Maurine and George Olin
David and Ann Almond Pope
Larry and Patty Puckett
Mike and Melissa Quayle
Rachel Savage and
Don Ritzhaupt
Crystal Rymer
Nancy Scruggs
Mr. and Mrs. Lester T.
Simerville
Marty Songer
Helen Louise Stout
Linda Thompson
Tim and Karen Viser
Alan and Barbara Voss
Linda Watson
Barbara and Guy Webb
Mary Beth and Tom Wickes
Amy and Jim Wilson
Merry Lee Wilson
Tim and Joy Wingfield
J. Grady Worley
Dawn Rogers Wyse and
Eric Wyse
DRW Financial
Lee University
Perkins, Dexter, Sinopoli,
& Hamm, PC
Poppler’s Music
Southern Heritage Bank
Supportthe Chorus
The Tennessee Chamber Chorus salutes the individuals, businesses, institutions, and foundations whose
generosity makes this arts organization possible. Please consider becoming a supporter at one of the
following levels.
• Underwriter: $10,000+
• Benefactor: $5,000 - 9,999
• Patron: $2,000 - 4,999
• Sponsor: $1,000 - 1,999
• Contributor: $500 - 999
• Partner: $300 - 499
• Donor: $100 - 299
• Friend: $1 - 99
Please mail donations, payable to: Tennessee Chamber Chorus, 5 Acorn Lane NE, Cleveland, TN, 37312
I’ve learned that no matter what happens,
or how bad it seems today,
life does go on,
and it will be better tomorrow.
Maya Angelou
(April 4, 1928 – May 28, 2014)
TENNESSEE
chamber chorus
Thursday, June 19, 2014, 7:30 pm
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church • Cleveland, Tennessee
Friday, June 20, 2014, 7:30 pm
Christ Episcopal Church • Chattanooga, Tennessee
Saturday, June 21, 2014, 7:30 pm
St. John Neumann Catholic Church • Knoxville, Tennessee
tennesseechamberchorus.org