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‘Tis Winter Now ..................................... traditional English tune, arr. Paul Halley (b. 1952)

The Holly and the Ivy .............................. traditional English carol, arr. Ola Gjeilo (b.1978)

There Is No Rose ......................................................................... Melinda Bargreen (b.1947)

Lullay my Liking ............................................................................. Gustav Holst (1874-1934) Soloists: – Frank Trujillo, Kris Bryan, Jeff Pierce (12/12)

Mike Grube (12/18, 19), Sarah MacDonald

O Be Joyful ................................................................................................ Jeffrey Van (b.1941)

Sonata in A, K.208 ............................................................... Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1750) Michael Nicolella, guitar

Winter Sun ....................................................................................... Don Macdonald (b.1966)

Birthday Carol ............................................................................ David Willcocks (1919-2015)

INTERMISSION

Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind ..................................................... Stephen Chatman (b. 1950)

Resonet in laudibus ...................................................................... Jacobus Gallus (1550-1591)

Octet - Debra Defotis, Sarah MacDonald, Melanie Grube, Susan Liechty Mike Grube, Jeff Pierce, James McTernan, Frank Trujillo

Lute-book Lullaby .................................................................. arr. Geoffrey Shaw (1879-1943)

En natus est Emmanuel ......................................................... Michael Praetorius (1571-1621)

The Rune of Hospitality ....................................................................... Alf Houkum (b.1935)

El Noi De La Mare ........................ traditional Catalan carol, arr. Miguel Llobet (1878-1938)

Torre Bermeja ................................................................................ Isaac Albéniz (1860-1909) Michael Nicolella, guitar

Hanukkah Blessings (Baruch Atah) ........................................................ Ron Jeffers (b.1943)

Make we joy now in this fest ......................................................... Malcolm Archer (b.1952)

BELLEVUE CHAMBER CHOBELLEVUE CHAMBER CHOBELLEVUE CHAMBER CHORUSRUSRUS Fredrick Lokken, director Fredrick Lokken, director Fredrick Lokken, director

presentspresentspresents

Season of Wonder

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Program Notes

W elcome to “Season of Wonder”, our program of glorious music for winter, Christmas, and the holiday season, that special time of year full of wondrous sights, sounds, stories and traditions. We’re excited to share with you many splendid pieces by living composers, including several from the Pacific Northwest. And we’re

thrilled to have virtuoso guitarist Michael Nicolella as our musical guest, bringing his own special artistry to our seasonal celebrations.

We begin with a traditional English melody given a haunting arrangement by Paul Halley, who lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The text of ‘Tis Winter Now is a stark, yet picturesque and hopeful description of winter by American clergyman and hymn writer Samuel Longfellow (1819-1892), younger brother of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Norwegian-born composer Ola Gjeilo has taken the choral world by storm in recent years with his remarkable original compositions. His sumptuous arrangement of the well-known carol The Holly and the Ivy shows he is equally adept at bringing new life to traditional musical works.

‘Tis winter now; the fallen snow Has left the heavens all coldly clear;

Through leafless boughs the sharp winds blow,

And all the earth lies dead and drear.

And yet God’s love is not withdrawn; His life within the keen air breathes; His beauty paints the crimson dawn,

And clothes the boughs with glittering wreaths.

And though abroad the sharp winds blow, And skies are chill, and frosts are keen, Home closer draws her circle now, And warmer glows her light within.

O God! who gives the winter’s cold, As well as summer’s joyous rays, Us warmly in thy love enfold, And keep us through life’s wintry days.

The holly and the ivy, when they are both full grown Of all the trees that are in the wood the holly bears the crown.

O the rising of the sun and the running of the deer, The playing of the merry organ, sweet singing in the choir

The holly bears a blossom as white as lily flower, And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ to be our sweet Savior.

The holly bears a berry as red as any blood And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ to do poor sinners good

The holly bears a prickle as sharp as any thorn And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ to be our sweet Savior.

The holly bears a bark as bitter as any gall, And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ on Christmas Day in the morn.

The holly and the ivy, now both are full well-grown Of all the trees that are in the wood the holly bears the crown.

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Northwest music lovers are familiar with the name of Melinda Bargreen as long-time music critic/journalist for the Seattle Times. Fewer, perhaps, are aware of her fine work as a composer, particularly of well-crafted and sensitive choral music. We are pleased to present her exquisite setting of a 15th century text in praise of the Virgin Mary, There Is No Rose.

British composer Gustav Holst’s simple and lovely setting of another 15th-century Marian text, Lullay My Liking, has become a modern classic, tenderly depicting Mary and the newborn Christ child.

Minnesota guitarist Jeffrey Van had a long association with The Dale Warland Singers as a featured performer and a commissioned composer. Among the pieces he wrote for and premiered with that group is both text and music of O Be Joyful, which alternates between meditative reflection and spirited celebration.

There is no rose of sych vertu as is the rose that bare Jesu, For in this rose contained was Heaven and earth in lytle space, By that rose we may well see that He is God in persons three:

The aungels sungen the shepherds to: Gloria in excelsis Deo! [Glory to God on high!] Leave we all this wearldly mirth, and follow we this joyful birth,

Alleluia, res miranda [a wonderful thing] Pares forma [of the same form], gaudeamus [let us rejoice.],

Transeamus [let us go].

When the King of Heaven came to earth so fair, There was none to greet him, just a stable bare.

There was none to greet him; O that we were there.

Angels in the heavens, singing of his birth, Shepherds in the darkness, did they see his

worth? As the prince of heaven lay his glory by for earth?

Born to conquer Satan, sin and death to bind, All God’s love and power now in him we find; Freedom for the captives, vision for the blind.

As the king of heaven comes to earth so fair, May we rise to greet him in the stable bare; As he comes to meet us O may we be there.

O be joyful all ye lands for the Savior is at hand. Sing we now Alleluia.

Lullay my liking, my dear Son, my Sweeting, Lullay my dear heart, mine own dear darling.

I saw a fair maiden sitten and sing: She lulled a little child, a sweete Lording.

That Eternal Lord is He that made alle thing; Of alle Lordes he is Lord, of every King He’s King.

There was mickle melody at the childes birth; Though the songsters were heavenly

they made mickle mirth.

Angels bright they sang that night and said unto that Child: “Blessed be Thou, and so be she that

is so meek and mild.”

Pray we now to that Child, as to his mother dear, God grant them all His blessing that now maken

cheer.

Lullay my liking, my dear Son, my Sweeting, Lullay my dear heart, mine own dear darling.

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Domenico Scarlatti was born in Naples, Italy, the same year as Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel, but spent much of his career in the service of royal families in Spain. It was there that he fell under the spell of Spanish folk music, in particular the guitar, which influenced many of the 555 keyboard sonatas for which he is best known, among them the Sonata in A, K.208.

The marvelous text of Winter Sun by Canadian poet Malca Litovitz (1952-2005) presents a magical expression of the wonders of the winter landscape, both external and internal. British Columbia composer Don Macdonald’s music, composed in 2014, captures those images in music that seems to shimmer like reflected light. To the best of our knowledge, our performances represent the Seattle-area premieres of this stunning piece.

Sir David Willcocks, who passed away this past September, held a preeminent position in contemporary British choral music due to his over 60-year career as organist, conductor, composer, and music educator at many English cathedrals and choral societies, most especially the London Bach Choir, and King's College Choir Cambridge, whose annual broadcasts of “A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols” were heard worldwide. His numerous arrangements of traditional carols are sung by countless choirs every year. Sir David’s original Birthday Carol, with its constantly shifting meters and keys, exudes the joyous energy of the angels’ annunciation of the nativity.

INTERMISSION

Shakespeare’s familiar text Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind comes from Act II of As You Like It, where it is sung by a character bitterly comparing the ravages of winter weather to his betrayal and exile by a supposed friend. Vancouver, B.C., composer Stephen Chatman provides a delightful setting that expresses both the melancholy and the ironic wit of the bard’s words.

Blow, blow, thou winter wind, Thou art not so unkind As man’s ingratitude. Thy tooth is not so keen, Because thou art not seen, Although thy breath be rude.

Freeze, freeze thou bitter sky; That does not bite so nigh As benefits forgot. Though thou the waters warp, Thy sting is not so sharp, As friend remembered not.

Heigh ho! Sing heigh ho, unto the green holly! Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly.

Then heigh ho the holly! This life is most jolly.

To light, to water, and the flow of birds

through ancient stars. To the wild sun of winter

startling the dark green trees: Giants of majestic silence.

To snow on roofs and the peace of Sunday. To quiet and certitude,

to breathing, to air. To acceptance, to dreams.

To disclosures of the sleeping heart, for air, for light.

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Lo! Born is Emmanuel, the Lord. As foretold by Gabriel, Christ the Lord.

The Lord is our Savior.

He lies in a manger, Christ the Lord. Adorable child, Christ the Lord.

The Lord is our Savior.

Three short Renaissance pieces comprise the next set. Resonet in laudibus is a 14th-century carol which was widely known in medieval Europe, with many variations and parodies of the Latin text found in songbooks over the centuries. This setting by the Slovenian-born, Bohemian-based Gallus (also known as Jacob Handl) features a contrast between alternating large and small choruses.

Originally found in an early 17th century book of lute songs by William Ballett, Lute-book Lullaby has become well known in the modern era through this lovely arrangement by English composer Geoffrey Shaw in 1928 for the Oxford Book of Carols.

Michael Praetorius was one of the leading composers, organists, and theorists of northern Germany during the later Renaissance period. Among the more than 1000 pieces he wrote are numerous delightful Christmas works, including the rousing En natus est Emmanuel.

This light is risen today, Christ the Lord. From the Virgin Mary, Christ the Lord.

The Lord is our Savior.

Though not a winter or Christmas piece per se, the old Gaelic text of The Rune of Hospitality might be said to describe an Advent theme: expecting the divine to appear in unexpected forms. The idea of welcoming the stranger also embodies the spirit of the holiday season. Composer Alf Houkum describes his beautifully mystical setting for guitar and chorus as “purposefully simple”; at the same time there are many moments of unusual harmonies and evocative dissonance, such as at the words “the stranger’s guise”. The piece was written in 1984 when Houkum (now living in New Mexico) was on the music faculty of Cornell College, Iowa.

El Noi De La Mare is a traditional Catalan Christmas song made famous outside of Spain through the arrangement heard here, by the Barcelona born guitarist and composer Miguel Llobet. Spanish pianist and composer Isaac Albéniz is best known for his piano works which drew heavily upon

Let praise resound with joyous acclaim: To Zion’s faithful the child born of Mary has appeared.

What Gabriel foretold has been fulfilled. Eia, a Virgin has given birth to God,

As the divine mercy willed. Today He has appeared in Israel:

From the Virgin Mary is born a King.

I saw a stranger yester e’en I put food in the eating place Drink in the drinking place Music in the listening place

And in the sacred names of the Triune He blessed me and my house My cattle and my dear ones,

And the lark said in her song: “Often goes the Christ in the stranger’s guise...”

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Spanish folk music. Like Scarlatti, his music was strongly influenced by the guitar, to the point where today, many of his works are heard more often on guitar than on their original instrument, the piano. Torre Bermeja (red tower) is written in homage to its namesake found on the Playa de la Barrosa in the Province of Cadiz.

The Jewish festival of Hanukkah (December 6-14 this year) commemorates the rededication of the temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabean Revolt in the 2nd century BCE. The festival is observed by lighting the eight candles of the menorah, one light for each night of the holiday, to remember the miracle of the temple lamp which burned for eight days on only one day’s supply of oil. Oregon composer Ron Jeffers’ Hanukkah Blessings (Baruch Atah) is a setting of three blessings that are traditionally recited as the Menorah is lit.

Blessed are you (baruch atah), Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us by your commandments,

and has commanded us to light the candle of Hanukkah.

Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has performed miracles for our ancestors in the days of this season.

Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who has granted us life and has sustained us,

And has allowed us to reach this season.

Organist, conductor, and composer Malcolm Archer was formerly Director of Music at St. Paul's Cathedral in London, and is now Director of Chapel Music at Winchester College. His vibrant setting of the medieval text of Make we joy now in this fest brings our program to a festive close. With it we wish you and yours a holiday season full of wonder!

Make we joy now in this fest! In quo Christum natus est [In which Christ is born]; Eya, eya, eya.

A Patre Unigenitus [the Only-begotten of the Father]; All through a maiden is come to us,

Sing we to her and say “Welcome!” Veni, Redemptor gencium

[come, Redeemer of the nations].

Agnoscat omni saeculum [let every age perceive (that)]. A bright star maketh three kings come

Him for to seek with their presents, Verbum supernum prodiens

[the High Word coming forth].

A sola ortus cardine [from the rising of the Sun] So mighty a Lord was none as he, For to our kind

he hath given peace, Adam parens quod polluit [which our father Adam defiled].

Maria ventre concepit [Mary conceived in her

womb], the Holy Ghost was aye herewith; In Bethlehem y born he is, Consors Paternum

luminis [sharing in the light of his Father].

O Lux beata Trinitas [O Light of the Holy Trinity]! He lay between an ox and ass,

Thou mother pure and maiden free: Gloria tibi Domine [Glory to Thee, O Lord]!

Make we joy now in this fest! In quo Christum natus est [In which Christ is born]; Eya, eya, eya.

~Program notes by Fredrick Lokken

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With a repertoire spanning from J.S. Bach and Domenico Scarlatti

to Jimi Hendrix and Elliott Carter, Michael Nicolella is recognized as one of America’s most innovative classical guitar virtuosos. He has received wide critical acclaim for his performances, recordings and compositions. As a concert artist, Michael has performed throughout North America, Europe and Japan as solo recitalist, chamber musician and soloist with orchestra.

Nicolella has collaborated and performed with a wide range of artists including: the Seattle Symphony, Merce Cunningham Dance Company, Northwest Symphony Orchestra, jazz singer Johnaye Kendrick, Seattle Chamber Players, Charanga Danzon, prog rock legend Jon Anderson, Seattle Modern Orchestra, Broadway stars Bernadette Peters and Brian Stokes Mitchell, classical music comedians Ingudesman and Joo, violinist Gil Shaham and the Seattle Guitar Trio which performed Michael’s groundbreaking

arrangement of Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring.” As a performer and composer, he has received awards from ASCAP, the American Composers Forum, 4Culture, Wisconsin Arts Board, Washington State Arts Commission, Seattle Arts Commission and was first prize winner of both the Portland and Northwest solo classical guitar competitions.

Michael is a graduate of Yale University, Berklee College of Music and the Accademia Chigiana in Siena, Italy. He is on the faculty of Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle.

GUEST ARTIST

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Come Sing With Us! Bellevue Chamber Chorus will be holding auditions again in early January 2016!

Visit our website or call (425) 881-0445 to let us know of your interest!

OUR DIRECTOR

Conductor of collegiate, community, and church choirs in Minnesota,

California, and the Seattle area for over twenty-five years, Dr. Fredrick Lokken is in his sixteenth season as music director and conductor of the Bellevue Chamber Chorus. Under his direction the Chorus has gained a growing reputation for exciting performances of diverse and innovative programs from the traditional classics to contemporary music from around the world. He received his doctoral degree in choral conducting from the University of Washington, where he studied under Abraham Kaplan and Joan Catoni Conlon. He has done further study with renowned choral conductors Joseph Flummerfelt, Helmuth Rilling, and Jon Washburn, and spent several years in the Netherlands doing choral research and writing. Dr. Lokken also holds a degree in vocal performance from the University of Wisconsin and sang with the professional Dale Warland Singers. In addition to his work with the Bellevue Chamber Chorus, Dr. Lokken is head

of the Choral and Vocal Music program at Shoreline Community College, and is in frequent demand as a choral/vocal adjudicator throughout the region.

Kristine Anderson, piano: Kristine Anderson graduated with a music degree from the University of Montana at Missoula. She is well-known in the Puget Sound region for her artistic and sensitive work with singers as well as instrumentalists ranging from tuba to piccolo. Equally at home with jazz, pop, and classical, she can adjust her style from Sondheim to Gershwin to Strauss. Her clients include winners in local and national competitions, including the Seattle Young Artist Music Festival, Metropolitan Opera semifinals, and concerto contests. Kristine also serves as accompanist for the Flute and Piccolo Forum, hosted by Seattle Symphony flutist Zart Dombourian Eby. In the fall of 2010, Kristine accompanied a former Flute Forum attendee Justin Lee on his

Western Washington tour, after he won the Ladies Musical Club contest. In addition to holding two church-pianist positions in Seattle, she was music director for the Seattle Musical Theater, formerly known as Civic Light Opera, during their production of High Society, and the pianist for the Seattle Opera Guild’s Preview shows. She has been the accompanist for Bellevue Chamber Chorus for the past eight seasons.

OUR ACCOMPANIST

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Bellevue Chamber Chorus, founded in 1984, performs three major concerts each season, encompassing a variety of choral lit-erature from the classical standards and con-temporary works to “world music”, Broad-way hits, and vocal jazz. The Chorus often joins other ensembles in performances of major choral/orchestral works, such as Mo-zart’s Vespers, Faure’s Requiem, Verdi’s Req-

uiem, Handel’s Messiah, Orff’s Carmina Burana, and, most recently, Brahms’ Requiem with the Kirkland Choral Society. The ensemble has premiered works by regional composers, in-cluding commissioned works for the Washington State Centennial Celebration, the grand opening of the Theatre at Meydenbauer Center, and a special 20th anniversary season com-missioned piece, That Music Always Round Me, by Seattle composer, John Muehleisen. The Chorus has released three CDs, “Timeframes” and “Retrospective”, and our 2013 holiday CD, “Christmas Visions, Winter Dreams”.

Bellevue Chamber Chorus tours often and has performed in Carnegie Hall, various loca-tions in Europe, the International Music Festival (2000) in Sydney, Australia, and twice at the invitational Kathaumixw International Choral Festival in Powell River, British Columbia, where they won first place in 2008 in the adult mixed chorus category. Other performances include the Leavenworth International Choral Festival, the international “Rolling Requiem” in memory of September 11th, as one of the regional choruses in the NEA sponsored Ameri-can Masterpieces Choral Festival in Seattle, and in Kelowna, B.C. as part of the Okanogan Choral Society Series.

Bellevue Chamber Chorus is a non-profit organization, which receives its support from the generous donations of people interested in fine musical experiences on the Eastside.

Bellevue Chamber Chorus

Tenor ** Frederic DeWulf

* Mike Grube ** Andy Haslam

Mark Liebendorfer Jeff Pierce

David Williams

Soprano * Maria Bayer

** Kristine Bryan Debra Defotis

Shannon Houghlum Shadia Kawa

Sarah MacDonald Marci Melvin Kathie Patten

Alto Louise Baldwin

** Barbara Bridge * Melanie Grube Mindy Larrison ** Susan Liechty Karen Swanson

Bass ** Allan Chartrand

Jan DeWulf ** Don Jones

James McTernan * Frank Trujillo

* Denotes Section Leaders. ** Denotes Board Member.

Personnel

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Executive Director ...................................................................................................... Debra Defotis

Costuming ................................................................................... Melanie Grube, Mindy Freeland

House Manager/Volunteer Coordinator ............................................................. Karen Swanson

Graphic Design ................................................................. Chris Meierding / Meierding Designs

Photography ................................................................................................................. Bob Swanson

PR Committee ............................................................................. James McTernan, Kristine Bryan

Program Ads Coordinator ...................................................................................... Barbara Bridge

Score Management/Music Librarian ....................................................................... Kathie Patten

Sound Engineer & Recording ........................................................................................ Kim Hofer

Stage Manager ........................................................................................................ David Williams

Ticket Coordinator.............................................................................. Mike Grube, Andy Haslam

Website Design and Management ............... Plumtree Communications (Jen and Kim Hofer)

Additional Credits

Ushers and House Attendants: (see insert)

Community Board Member/Box Office: Richard Bulpin

Thank you to our Volunteers!

KEEP IN TOUCH!!! Join our email list and receive notifications of upcoming concerts

and events! Just visit www.bellevuechamberchorus.org and

click on "Join Email List" on the left-hand side.

You can also follow our updates on Facebook or Twitter!

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Seattle Tree Preservation Inc.

13350 Lake City Way NE 206-367-4048 Seattle, WA 98125 Fax: 206-367-0502

www.seattletree.com

Copies of Bellevue Chamber Chorus’ first holiday CD,

Christmas Visions, Winter Dreams

are available for purchase in the lobby!

Pricing: At the concert: $14 each Buy 5 or more: $12 each

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Thank you to our Generous Donors

Crescendo - $2500 to 5000 Bellevue Arts Commission

Louise Baldwin Maria and Doug Bayer

Michael and Melanie Grube

Virtuoso - $1000 to 2499 4Culture

** Barbara Bridge Rick Bulpin and Kris Bryan

* Microsoft Corporation * Nordstrom Corporation

J. Frank Trujillo Jim and Vicki Walch

Diva - $500 to 999

James and Amelia Bryan Fred Lokken and Marsha Thomas

Mindy Larrison

Aria - $250 to 499 ** Debra and Dennis Defotis

** Frederic DeWulf Sean/Kathie Patten

Bravo - $100 to $249 Anonymous

Allan Chartrand Mary Griffin

Susan Liechty James McTernan

Leslie Moore Scott/Meredith Selfon

Seattle Foundation/GiveBIG **Bob and Karen Swanson

Tutti - Up to $99 Anonymous

Linda Andersson Robert and Sue Betts Kathleen Chartrand

Margaret Curtin Jan DeWulf

Shaindell Goldhaber Nancy Kirkland

Norma Lowenson George and Linda Tady

David Williams

* indicates corporate matching grants

** indicates in-kind donations

Bellevue Chamber Chorus is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, which means that all

donations to the chorus are tax-deductible.

Donations are accepted at performances, online, or via mail at:

Bellevue Chamber Chorus P.O. Box 1714

Bellevue, WA 98009-1714

(425) 881-0445

www.bellevuechamberchorus.org

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Support Eastside Choirs!

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