2 SCU•PRESENTS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER Land Acknowledgement | We pause to acknowledge that Santa Clara University sits on the land of the Ohlone and Muwekma Ohlone people. We pay respect to their Elders and to people of the past and present and extend that respect to their descendants and all Indigenous people. Late Seating | Late patrons cannot be seated until intermission or a designated break in the performance. Patrons returning late from intermission will be seated at the discretion of the House Manager. Emergencies | In the event of a medical emergency, please locate the nearest usher and inform them of the situation to summon medical help. In the event of an evacuation, please gather in front of the theatre so we may ensure that all patrons have been cleared from the building, as well as provide any additional information. Additional Needs | In compliance with the ADA/504 please direct your accommodation requests to the SCU•Presents Box Office at (408) 554-4015 or call TTY-California Relay at 1 (800) 735-2929 at least 72 hours prior to the event. FOR YOUR INFORMATION SCU•Presents Performing Arts Center is about Arts Connecting Community with live events at Santa Clara University. From academic performances, to film showings, and visual arts exhibitions, our Arts for Social Justice program, and Visiting Artist Series, SCU•Presents invites you to experience the diverse and unique offerings of our 2023-2024 Season! Gather with our vibrant community this season to connect with the arts! Our mission is to Engage, Educate, and Entertain you.Sit back, relax, and enjoy a unique experience that only live performances can provide. Butch Coyne Director, SCU•Presents Performing Arts Center
3 THE DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS Santa Clara University Concert Choir; Jason Gallardo, conductor Santa Clara University Chamber Singers; Scot Hanna-Weir, conductor Dan Cromeenes, piano; Carolyn Guggemos, lighting design SCU CHAMBER SINGERS Joy Never Leaves (2022) Christopher H. Harris (b. 1985) from Carmina mei cordis (2004) Abbie Betinis (b. 1980) Aeterna lux, divinitas Allyson Bell, soloist Lao Rahal Soti (2021) Samih Choukeir (b. 1957) arr. Shireen Abu-Khader (b. 1972) SCU CONCERT CHOIR Jesus Christ the apple tree (1967) Elizbeth Poston (1905-1987) O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (15th C.) Plainchant with Organum Music of Life (2022) B. E. Boykin (b. 1989) SCU CHAMBER SINGERS O Magnum Mysterium (1572) Tomás Luis de Victoria (1548-1611) O Magnum Mysterium (1952) Francis Poulenc (1899-1963) Liebst du um Schönheit (1841) Clara Schumann (1819-1896) arr. James McCullough Good King Kong Looked Out (1977) P. D. Q. Bach (1807-1742)? ed. Peter Schickele Lullay My Liking (c. 1400 | 2011) Traditional English arr. Stephen Chatman (b. 1950) COMBINED CHOIRS In the Night We Shall Go In (1997) Imant Raminsh (b. 1943) John Paul Kraus, cello Sure on this Shining Night (1968) Morten Lauridsen (b. 1943) Silent Night (1818 | 2013) Franz Gruber (1787 - 1863) arr. Scot Hanna-Weir
4 CONCERT CHOIR & CHAMBER SINGERS Oshiozokhai Abu ’26 Neuroscience and Music Jacklyn Alonzo Heredia ‘26 History and Political Science, Emphasis in International Relations Janiella Andrada ‘25 English *Allyson Bell ‘26 Civil Engineering, Music Minor *Kylie Bennett ‘27 Communications and Political Science *JP Best ‘25 Philosophy, Music Minor *Mary Clare Broyles ‘26 Math, Music and Sustainability Minors *Riley Carpenter ‘25 Engineering Physics, Math and Ancient Studies Minors *Katie Castillo ‘26 Political Science Mikaela Cerda ‘26 Bioengineering, Music Minor *Gordon Chan ‘24 Management Information Systems, Music and Business Analytics Minors *Sydney Chao ‘27 Biology Xingsi Chen ‘26 Computer Science Haipeng Chen ‘26 Economics Xingsi Chen ‘26 Computer Science *Garrett Clark ‘24 Law *Kate Cocales ‘24 Accounting Pietra Curro ‘25 Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering Minor *Keanu Dayton ‘24 Mechanical Engineering Ayden Eways ‘27 Music and Political Science, Spanish Minor Ally Flinn ‘25 Bioengineering Camille Hardie ‘25 Public Health and Society, Biology Minor *Darren Inouye ‘24 Computer Engineering Cheryl Jenkins ‘26 Psychology and Child Studies *Lindsey Kendall ‘26 Psychology, Music Minor Sahana Kumar ‘26 Computer Science and French Charlie Lai ‘27 Physics Jojo Lampka ‘25 Biology, Biotech Minor
5 CONCERT CHOIR & CHAMBER SINGERS Xuanqi Lan ‘27 Business Jihao Liu ‘26 Economics, Computer Science Minor Jenna Martinez ‘25 Mathematics, Creative Writing Minor Julissa Martinez ‘26 Political Science and Communication *Eliza Maxfield ‘27 Economics *Tasha Moorjani ‘24 Music and Political Science, Economics Minor *George Mouratoff ‘26 Computer Engineering Grace O’Brien ‘25 Economics, Spanish Minor *Nicole Poirot ‘24 Law *Gabby Rosenberg ‘24 Psychology and Child Studies *Anthony Ryan ‘24 Electrical and Computer Engineering *Saunder Salazar ‘24 Mechanical Engineering Tengrui Shan ‘26 Math, Computer Science Minor *Christina Siegel ‘25 Business Administration: Finance *Steve Suljak Chemistry Faculty Aaron Sun ‘24 Classics Tyler Sutton ‘25 Accounting and Information Systems *Kenton Swanson ‘25 Mathematics *Gabriel Symkowick ‘26 Communication and Undeclared Business Ashley Taillie ‘27 Bioengineering Daniel Tan ‘26 Psychology, Biology Minor Amber Tseng ‘26 Marketing Nathan Tu ‘27 Mechanical Engineering *Sheryl Victor ‘25 Business Management, Economics Minor Jason Xu ‘26 Sociology Qingyao Yang ‘26 Computer Science Wuqiang Yang ‘26 Physics Zhongze Zhou ‘26 Environment *Denotes Chamber Singer
6 TRANSLATIONS OF NON-ENGLISH TEXTS Aeterna lux, divinitas Eternal Light, Divinity, O Unity in Trinity, Thy holy name Thy servants bless, To Thee we pray, and Thee confess. [Alleluia!] O Father, Source of God the Word, O Word with Him co-equal Lord, O Spirit of like majesty, O Triune God, all praise to Thee. [Alleluia!] Thou First and Last, from whom there springs the Fount of all created things, Thou art the Life which moves the whole, Sure hope of each believing soul. [Alleluia!] O Verity! O Charity! O Ending and Felicity! in Thee we hope, in Thee believe, Thyself we love, to Thee we cleave. Thou who alone the world hast made, art still its one sufficing aid, The only Light for gazing eyes, and, unto them that hope, the Prize [Alleluia!] - From the Liturgia Horarum, translation by R. F. Littledale (1833-1890) Lao Rahal Soti If my voice departs, your throats (i.e. voices) will not I look unto tomorrow and my heart is with you If the singer goes (dies), the songs will remain Bringing together the broken and suffering hearts - Samih Choukeir
7 TRANSLATIONS CONTINUED O Magnum Mysterium O great mystery, and wondrous sacrament, that animals should see the new-born Lord lying in their manger! Blessed is the Virgin whose womb was worthy to bear the Lord Jesus Christ. Alleluia! - Responsory following the 4th Lesson of the II. Nocturn of Matins for Christmas Day. Liebst du um Schönheit If you love for beauty, O love not me! Love the sun, She has golden hair. If you love for youth, O love not me! Love the spring Which is young each year. If you love for riches, O love not me! Love the mermaid Who has many shining pearls. If you love for love, Ah yes, love me! Love me always, I shall love you ever more. - Friedrich Rückert (1788-1866), translation by Richard Stokes
8 Our 24th annual Festival of Lights at Santa Clara University marks the beginning of the holiday season for many in our community. And while the holidays are a time of joy and celebration for many, they also can serve as a reminder of times of hardship or of loss. Our program this evening tries to engage with all these many sides of the season, with the hope that the singing of our talented student performers will fill your evening with light and peace. The first piece on the program, Christopher Harris’ Joy Never Leaves fully embraces this dichotomy. Devondra Banks poem of the same name provides the text and begins with the lines: I am full of tears!! Tears of joy that seem to well and flow upon the thought that I carry the promise of beauty for ashes and life anew. Perhaps not the most traditional opening of a holiday concert, the piece holds together the ideas that challenge and struggle is often the birth of future joy and possibility - and that even among our moments of suffering, “joy never leaves”. Aeterna lux, divinitas, the first in a two piece set entitled Carmina Mei Cordis (songs of my heart) by Abbie Betinis, is an 18th century hymn from the Liturgia Horarum. When searching for pieces that evoke light, it’s often more challenging to find fast pieces, but the Betinis frolics from verse to verse, adding voices and complexity as it builds. According to Betinis, because the text hails the unity of the Trinity, the piece modulates between two primary modalities, which then combine to form a third. They unify into a canon which spirals on, encircling and unifying all voice parts in its course. The Alleluia refrain and the playful soprano ‘swoops’ are Betinis’ own additions to this traditional Catholic text. The Chamber Singers performed Lao Rahal Soti earlier this quarter as part of our California Catholic Collegiate Choral (C4) Festival in November, and had the privilege to work with Dr. Cari Earnhart from Fresno State University who has been a frequent collaborator with the arranger, Shireen Abu-Khader. Abu-Khader was first introduced to this piece during her work in Ramallah in 1988. Syrian composer Samih Choukier had a different take on its feel and direction. It is originally a PROGRAM NOTES
9 PROGRAM NOTES protest song, fast with a march-like feel. However, the melody and the lyrics particularly, resonated with the arranger’s belief as a Jordanian of Palestinian origin; voices and songs do not depart. Abu-Khader explains that with that in mind, the “approach to the arrangement was different; calmer, quieter and more hopeful.” With a personal dedication to the Palestinian ongoing struggle for freedom and dignity, Abu-Khader hopes that the universal message of this beautiful melody resonates with everybody, reminding us that the voices of all those who have been silenced continue to resonate in our music. Eliabeth Poston attended the Royal Academy of Music in London where both Peter Warlock and Ralph Vaughan Williams encouraged her work. Her career led her to become director of music in the European Service for the BBC and then to advise on the BBC Third Programme. She composed scores for radio and television, collaborating with authors like C. S. Lewis and Dyland Thomas. Her carols remain the best known of her output, particularly Jesus Christ the apple tree. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel was originally written in Latin as part of the O Antiphons - 7 Plainchant melodies sung at Vespers in the evenings leading up to Christmas. The hymn text is likely over 1,200 years old, while the melody most often associated with the text wasn’t published until 1851 (it almost certainly had been sung regularly earlier). Here the Concert Choir sings the original plainchant along with organum - an early precursor to tonal harmony. For plainchant in the early Christian church, the words of the prayers were paramount while the melody was there to “lift up” the text. This means that the music is not in any sort of meter; rather, the ebb and flow of the words determines the rhythm of each line. Composer, conductor, and pianist Brittney Boykin (B.E. Boykin) (b. 1989) first pursued her interest in composition during her time at Spelman College, attending classes that inspired and challenged her musical imagination. After graduating with a BA in Music, Boykin continued choral composition and arrangement while attending Westminster Choir College of Rider University in Princeton, New Jersey, graduating with a MMus in Sacred Music and receiving the R & R Young Composition Prize. She obtained her PhD from Georgia State University with an emphasis in Music Education. Among her professional endeavours, Boykin has been featured as the conductor/composer-in-residence
10 PROGRAM NOTES for the 2017 Harry T. Burleigh Commemorative Spiritual Festival at Tennessee State University. She is an Assistant Professor of Music at the Georgia Institute of Technology in addition to her active commission and conducting schedule. Music of Life is an ethereal setting of a poem by George Parsons Lathrop (1851-98) that describes how music underpins all earthly life. The pulsating piano part effervesces with the life and music in ‘all growing things’. - from The Oxford Book of Choral Music by Black Composers, compiled and edited by Marques L.A. Garrett. Known sometimes as the Spanish Palestrina, owing to the likelihood that he studied with Palestrina while at the Pontifical Roman Seminary in Rome, Victoria’s style is mostly reserved, with occasional flare for dramatic effect. Throughout O Magnum Mysterium, duets and trios are a common texture, with all the voices joining in at key structural moments in the piece. For example, all four voices move homophonically on the text “O beata virgo”: “O blessed virgin”. After a thoughtful opening, the motet concludes with a much more active setting of “Alleluia”. Another O Magnum setting, this time more contemporary, is by Francis Poulenc, one of the greats of the 20th century. His O Magnum comes from a set of four motets for the time of Christmas (Quatre motets pour le temps de Noël), one of Poulenc’s most well-known sets of choral music. While Poulenc is setting the same text as Victoria, the treatment is substantially different. The lower three voices provide a consistently chordal accompaniment while the sopranos are given a lyric melody, evocative of the soprano solo from Poulenc’s Gloria or from his solo vocal writing. Clara Schumann is known as one of the finest pianists of her generation, but she was also an incredibly gifted composer. Unfortunately, she certainly felt the pressure of her era and found it difficult to make time for composing regularly. She wrote, “I once believed I possessed creative talent, but I have given up this idea; a woman must not desire to compose -- there has never yet been one able to do it. Should I expect to be the one?” Of her surviving pieces, the 1841 Op. 12 set from which Liebst du um Schönheit comes is originally a set of lieder, solo art songs for singer and piano. Here, James McCullough has adapted the original into a choral setting.
11 PROGRAM NOTES P.D.Q. Bach’s (Peter Schickele) Good King Kong looked out, a parody on Good King Wenceslas, is perhaps a little less familiar to the traditional holiday concert. From a set of three carols by Shickele, under his musicologically perplexing pseudonym, he takes the traditional form and style of a Renaissance madrigal, complete with instrumental ritornello, to comment on poor King Kong, whose feet are too large, nose is too flat, and ears are too hard to see. St. Nick also makes an appearance. In contrast, Stephen Chatman’s setting of Lullay My Liking adapts a 15th C. English carol and provides a haunting contemporary setting. The piece begins with drone from the choir (a long sustained chord) while a small group of singers present the main melody of the piece -- first in unison, then in duet, and finally in three parts. Each verse takes this lilting melody and passes it between the various voice parts while the piano accompaniment depicts the rocking of the baby Jesus to sleep. In Imant Raminsh’s In The Night We Shall Go In, his sensitive setting of the Pablo Neruda poem, La Roma Robada paints the picture of an escape from the harshness of winter into the secret gardens of spring. The piece opens with solo cello, then piano, then adding the altos on the main melody, further accompanied by the sopranos on a counter melody, until at last the full chorus enters in. The middle of the piece is shrouded in darkness and mystery, but at the text “Winter is not yet gone, and the apple tree appears suddenly changed, into a cascade of fragrant stars.” the harmony and spirit of the piece dramatically shifts as if all of creation is awakening. The cello solo and initial melody return and while the piece ends in mystery, there is definitely the promise of spring. Morten Lauridsen’s setting of Sure on this shining night is a lyrical portrayal of the text most familiar from the Barber setting. The James Agee text comes from the 1934 book, Permit Me Voyage, and Lauridsen’s setting has all the hallmarks of his harmonic and melodic style with lush cluster chords and disjunct sweeping melodies that are haunting and memorable. Our final selection, Silent Night, is taken in a similar setting with harmony derived from the Lauridsen that immediately proceeds it. This particular arrangement is celebrating its tenth anniversary of closing the Festival of Lights this year.
12 DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC FACULTY & STAFF DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC DONORS DEPARTMENT CHAIR Scot Hanna-Weir MUSIC THEORY Jason Gallardo Teresa McCollough Anthony Rivera Bruno Ruviaro MUSICIANSHIP William Stevens COMPOSITION Bruno Ruviaro Jeff Hanson ELECTRONIC MUSIC Jeff Hason Bruno Ruviaro Kaori Suzuki MUSIC HISTORY/ ETHNOMUSICOLOGY Ray Furuta Scot Hanna-Weir Anthony Rivera Carl Schultz Nancy Wait-Kromm Christina Zanfagna PERFORMING ENSEMBLES CHAMBER SINGERS: Scot Hanna-Weir CONCERT CHOIR: Jason Gallardo JAZZ ENSEMBLE AND JAZZ COMBOS: Carl Schultz NEW MUSIC ENSEMBLE: Teresa McCollough ORCHESTRA: Anthony Rivera SCLORK (LAPTOP ORCHESTRA) Bruno Ruviaro WIND ENSEMBLE: Anthony Rivera WORLD MUSIC ENSEMBLE: Ráyo Furuta CONDUCTING Scot Hanna-Weir Anthony Rivera WOODWINDS Ray Furuta, Flute Adrienne Malley, Oboe Ginger Kroft, Clarinet Shawn Jones, Bassoon Anthony Rivera, Saxophone BRASS Richard Roper, Trumpet Amr Selim, French Horn Spencer Sussman, Euphonium, Trombone, Tuba PERCUSSION Jimmy Biala Frank Wyant PIANO Seba Ali Teresa McCollough Elizabeth Neff VOCAL STUDIES Leroy Kromm, BassBaritone Scot Hanna-Weir, Baritone Debra Lambert, MezzoSoprano Aimée Puentes, Soprano Michele Rivard, MezzoSoprano Nancy Wait-Kromm, Soprano STRINGS Basma Edrees, Violin Rebecca Jackson-Picht, Violin Aleksey Klyushnik, Contrabass Alexandra Leem, Viola ShenShen Zhang, Chinese Pipa Karen Thielen, Harp Katie Youn, Cello JAZZ STUDIES Kristin Strom, Saxophone Carl Schultz, Improvisation Richard Roper, Trumpet Jon Dryden, Piano William Stevens, Piano Jim Witzel, Guitar Daniel Robbins, Jazz Bass COLLABORATIVE PIANISTS Dan Cromeenes Tamami Honma Elizabeth Neff Sunha Yoon DEPARTMENT MANAGER Katie Williams DIRECTOR OF MUSICAL PERFORMANCE Debra Lambert BENEFACTOR Katherine Cramer DONOR Valerie Bright FRIEND Kristin Anderson Brent Izutsu Janet Murphy Stephen Lotz The Department of Music would like to acknowledge the Maxwell Family and JAMBAR for their support. JAMBARs are certified organic, real food energy bars. 50% of their net profits are donated to programs that support music and active living. We are deeply grateful for the continued support JAMBAR has given to our SCU Jazz Program.
13 SCU•PRESENTS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER STAFF Butch Coyne Director Tina Sciolla Business Manager Carolyn Guggemos Production Manager Danielle Foster Marketing and Communications Assistant Armida Robles Patron Services Manager SCU•PRESENTS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER DONORS PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE Melanie Brace J. Gerald & Mona Clements SPONSOR Charles Barkis Mona-Lisa Blouin Puja Bohacek Debra Demartini Chris Esteban Claire Hawley Theresa Ruby-Percell John Lewis Pamela Allston Madden Craig Nairn Lawrence Nelson Laurie Poe Hudson Washburn Lizabeth Yee Barbara Murray DONOR Andre Abrahamians Jayne Booker Phyllis Brown Patricia Cain Barbara Colyar Leana Dalton Ann Digioia Krys Frank Farris Judy Foot Tuyet Giles Esther Goes Claire Hawley Julie Henriques Keith Inouye Lauren John Janet Kleinhofer Ann Krys Bette Linderman Maria Longsworth Ian Mccamey Tully Moxness Susanne Mulcahy Darryl Noda Charles Noya Jeff And Penny Osorio Katie Peuvrelle Henry & Catherine Ricardo Anna Rutter Anthony Sampson Dianne Stauffer Nick Steiner Leslie Stobbe Jill Stolarik Barbara Wadors FRIEND Chase Abrams Beverly Acuna Molly Aufdermauer Robert Baines Judy Boccignone Alina Borchardt Lisa Bowden Christella Burton Greg Callaghan Patricia Cargnoni Karen Carter Loyace Clegg Jennifer Couture Patricia Curia Sharon Dahnert Sandra De Alcuaz Henry Dearborn Michael Digioia Jack Dubin Eric Eklund Lottie Esteban Seiko Fujii Ellyn Gaich Gregory Galati Bonnie George Catherine Giberson Susan Griffin Djuwita Harjadi Claire Hawley Diane Heerwagen Judy Hodkiewicz Viki Inouye Patricia Irwin Wendy Jolles Tracey Kahan Wayne Kamiya Joey Kipp Dave Land Laura Lenza Bruce Lescher Bette Linderman Maureen Locke Ted Lorraine Hannah Luscher James Mar Kathy Mattingly Mike Metcalf Carl Miya Joanne Miyahara Lan Nguyen Ronald Ogi Lorette Pirio Marianne Poblenz Jenn Poret Katherine Sampson William Santos Pam Saunders Cindie Simms Tobie Smith Anne Marie Starr Julia Sullivan Weston Tierney Richard Upton Betty Verhoeven Tamara Welsh Kimber Wood Jane Wu Erica Yee Barbara Zinicola ARTS FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE DONORS PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE Esther Rechenmacher BENEFACTOR Katherine Mattingly Melinda & Stephen Scherr SPONSOR Kristen Brown Derrick & Tricia Carpenter Andrew Chai William & Kris Coyne Rebecca Cushman Ken & Judy Foot Barbara Murray Dante Nomellini, Jr Hyman Yip Manju Kumar DONOR Andre Abrahamians Katherine Almazol Dawn Burton Patricia Cain Lucy Hsu Erica Mikesh Alicia Ortiz Patti Simone Patricia Tennant Richard Upton Juley Yakominich Jason Yee FRIEND Nicole Banks Julie Garcia Anupam Goyal Barbara Green-Ajufo Freya Helton Sandra Howard Donna Johns Ashley Lucas Roslyn Lyons Ruth Mikusko Mary Miller Barbara Murray Lan Nguyen Marianne Poblenz Jenn Poret Lisa Reyes Tara Steele Norma Welles J Wentworth Jillian Yakominich