2025 Concert Selections in Concert Order
INTRODUCTION
A BROKEN WORLD
In All Things Love - Dan Forrest
Love, in all things love, as I have loved you, so love.
Love is patient, love is kind always trusts, always hopes, always endures,
Love never fails, In all things love.
As I have loved with an everlasting love, Now abide, faith, hope and love,
but the greatest of these is love.
The Spring of Paradise/Oppenheimer's Gita - Reginald Unterseher, Lyrics by Nancy Welliver
Four rivers flow from the spring of paradise at the roots of the Tree of Life.
Plutonium is the fruit of this tree, and we have eaten of the fruit.
It has cast us out of paradise by poisoning the earth and making it possible for us to destroy
each other.
I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.
Nox (Night) - Elaine Hagenberg String Quartet: Matt Mandrones, Carol Kirkman (V), Karen Greenwalt (S), Stephen Meharg, Rachel Davis (V), Anthony Su (S) Percussion: Mike Scott, English translation from the Greek: Lord, have mercy, Christ, have mercy. From Latin: (Aurelius Prudentius Clemens of about 295 A D.) Night and darkness and fog, confused world and turmoil, Dark gloom tears the earth, beats and stabs the sun!
Sing Gently - Eric Whitacre
May we sing together, always, may our voice be soft, May our singing be music for others and may we keep others aloft. May we sing as one. May we stand always and our voice be strong. May we always sing along. Sing gently as one.
WHAT WE SEE
Both Sides Now - Joni Mitchell, Arr. Roger Emerson, Soloist: Shannon Anderson
Bows and flows of angel hair, and ice cream castles in the air, and feather canyons everywhere, I've looked at clouds that way.
But now they only block the sun, they rain and snow on ev'ryone. So many things I would have done; but clouds got in my way.
I've looked at clouds from both sides now, from up and down, and still somehow it's cloud illusions I recall, I really don't know clouds at all.
Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels, the dizzy dancing way you feel as ev'ry fairy tale comes real, I've looked at love that way.
But now it's just another show; you leave 'em laughing when you go...And if you care, don't let them know; don't give yourself away.
I've looked at love from both sides now, from give and take, and still somehow, it's love's illusions I recall. I really don't know love at all.
Tears and fears and feeling proud to say "I llove you" right out loud, dreams and schemes and circus crowds, I've looked at life that way.
But now old friends are acting strange, they shake their heads, they say I've changed.
Well, something's lost, but something's gained, in living ev'ry day.
I've looked at life from both sides now, from win and lose and still somehow, it's life's illusions I recall, I really don't know life at all.
Imaginary Creatures (5 movements) - Andrea Ramsey, Conley Bouton, age 5 1/2 narrator
They have fairy dust and fairy friends, and hair and arms and legs and little shoes. One week they wear the flats, one week they wear the high heels. They all eat at the fairy cafe, they eat lollipops, ice cream, and cupcakes...all sweet treats. They don't eat broccoli!
Mermaid - Part 2 of Imaginary Creatures - Conley Bouton, Narrator
Half human, half fish, they live in the ocean, or lakes. They wear a bra under the water. It's a seashell. And every night they spread magic across the land, And that night becomes a great night.
Unicorn - Part 3 of Imaginary Creatures by Andrea Ramsey, Conley Bouton, Narrator
A unicorn has sparkly hair and goes NAY, NAY! It has special powers for making sparkle parties.
Imaginary Friend - Part 4 of Imaginary Creatures by Andrea Ramsey, Conley Bouton, Narrator
Some people can't see them, but others can, My imaginary friend is named Fred. He has golden hair. Fred can fly!
Dragon - Part 5 of Imaginary Creatures by Andrea Ramsey, Conley bouton, Narrator
Dragons can be good or bad. Either people ride it, or it is an evil dragon and it just destroys everything. It goes hhhhhhhhhhhhah! And it breathes our fire. I would be friends with a dragon if it was a nice one. If you're friends with a dragon, you're gonna have a great time!
INTERMISSION
THIS EARTH, OUR HOME
Sacred Place - (6 Movements) - Alex Berko. Violin: Matt Mandrones, Cello: Rachel Davis (V), Anthony Su (S). Berko uses titles from the Jewish service. Lyrics are from poets and environmentalists who speak of their relationship with the earth. Movement 1 soloist: Philip Denton
In the dusk of the river, the wind gone, the leaves grow still. The beautiful poise of lightness. The heavy world rushing toward it.
Sacred Place - Movement 2 - Amidah (Lyrics, John Muir in a letter to Theodore Roosevelt recommending Yosemite as a national park)
How softly these mountain rocks are adorned, and how fine and reassuring the company they keep...their brows in the sky, their feet set in groves and gay emerald meadows, a thousand flowers leaning confidingly against their adamantine bosses, while birds bees butterflies help the river and waterfalls to stir all the air into music...things frail and fleeting and types of permanence meeting here and blending as if into this glorious mountain temple Nature had gathered her choicest treasures, whether great or small to draw her lovers into close confiding communion with her.
Sacred Place - Movement 3 - Shema (Soloists: Jacqueline Green, Ben Bouton)
The earth says have a place, be what that place requires; hear the sound the birds imply and see as deep as ridges go behind each other. The earth says every summer have a ranch that's minimum: one tree, one well, a landscape that proclaims a universe...sermon of the hills, hallelujah mountian, highway guided by the way the world is tilted, reduplication of mirage, flat evening: a kind of ritual for the wavering. The earth says where you live wear the kind of color that your life is and by listening with the same bowed head that sings, draw all thing into one song, join the sparrow on the lawn, and row that easy way, the rage without met by the winds within that guide you anywhere the wind blows. Listen, I think that's what the earth says.
Sacred Place - Movement 4 - Mi Shebeirach
May the source of strength Who blessed the ones before us Help us find the courage to make our lives a blessing And let us say Amen. Bless those in need of healing with r'fuah sh'leimah The renewal of body, the renewal of spirit. We say Amen.
Sacred Place - Movement 5 - Kaddish, Soloists: Ben Bouton, Meg Stohlmann, Nelson Green, and Alison Askeland
Let my thoughts come to you, when I am gone, like the afterglow of sunset at the margin of starry silence.
Sacred Place - Movement 6 - Closing Prayer, Soloist: Philip Denton
In the dusk of the river, the wind gone, the leaves grow still...The beautiful poise of lightness, The heavy world pushing toward it.
yôtin (The Wind) - Sherryl Sewepagaham (Woodland Cree Y-dialect of the Little Red River Cree Nation.
The English translation: The wind carries songs to me. The wind carries my prayers to you. Creator, I am thankful for this wind.
THE LIGHT OF STARS
Nearer, My God, to Thee - Arr. James L. Stevens, Soloist: Mike Scott and TTBB voices of Chor Anno
Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee...E'en though it be a cross that raiseth me. There let teh way appear, Steps unto heav'n. All that Thou sendest me, in mercy giv'n. Still all my song shall be Nearer my God, to Thee. Though like the wanderer, The sun gone down, Darkness be over me, My rest a stone,
Angels to beckon me Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Or if on joyful wing, Cleaving the sky, Sun, moon, and stars forgot, Upward I fly. Excelsior!
Latin translation: At the point of death, give us strength, With God's help, I fear not.
I shall be lifted higher than the stars.
The Last Light - Shara Nova, Stephen Meharg, Viola and SSA voices of Chor Anno
The last star...light to appear in the night, above the top of the trees, Shines to tell me I have made it the long way home.
North - Ryan O'Neal, Arr. George Chung, Soloists: Kimberly Claassen and Mike Scott
We will call this place our home, the dirt in which our roots may grow.
Though the storms will push and pull, we will call this place our home.
We'll tell our stories on these walls. Ev'ry year measure how tall.
And just like a work of art, We'll tell our stories on these walls.
Let the year we're here be kind,
Let our hearts like doors open wide, Settle our bones like wood over time,
Give us bread, give us salt, give us wine.
A little broken, a little new. We are the impact and the glue, capable more than we knew.
We'll call this fixer-upper home. With each year our colour fades, Slowly our paint chips away.
But we'll find the strength and the nerve it takes to repaint, and repaint, and repaint.
Give us bread, give us salt, give us wine.
Smaller than dust on this map lies the greatest thing we had,
the dirt in which our roots may grow, and the right to call it home.
Shine Like Stars - Pink Zebra, Soloist: Rhonda Catchpole
What are we waiting for? It seems we still want more. No one can take away the dream we have today. You can go with the flow. There's a light, let it burn inside you. You can shout, let it out. This is it, let the moment guide you. I want you to know. Oh, yeah! We shine like stars!