Chamber Singers and University Chorale: “Fields and Fences"

The Chamber Singers (Geoffrey Boers) and University Chorale (Giselle Wyers, director) present “Fields and Fences,” featuring works exploring the duality of liberation and constraint.

 Program

University Chorale
Giselle Wyers, director
Serena Chin, piano

Fences: Andre Thomas
At the Round Earth's Imagined Corners: Williametta Spencer
Drottin einn akur á (The Lord has a Field): Hildigunnur Runarsdóttir
A Field of Hosannas: Giselle Wyers
Meliza Redulla, soprano
Rosas Pandan: Visayan folk song, arr. George Hernandez
Akhila Narayanan, soprano

Combined Choirs
Crowded Table: The Highwomen (Hembry, McKenna and Carlile) arr. Ramsey
Charlie Dawson, guitar; Jessica Thaxton, violin; Hannah Carpenter, percussion

Chamber Singers
"Little Songs of Life: Paradox and Possibility"
Geoffrey Boers, director
Serena Chin, piano

Notes and Translations

Little Songs of Life: Paradox and Possibility

Storytellers are an essential part of culture as they gently weave tales that lead us to think about ourselves, our place in the story, the truths we discover, and that we are closely knit to others in these truths. Choirs are storytellers. Tonight’s second half is a series of songs that revolve around the paradoxes of life: finding love in unexpected places, lifting up the lowly, putting down the mighty, wrestling and healing in mental health, being grateful when things look bleak. We will retell old stories such as Mary’s song from the Bible and the poetry of Walt Whitman, as well as tell new stories and recent poetry. As we have read, sung, and wrestled with these stories, we will in turn weave these together into our own story to share with you tonight.                                                                        

A Little Song of Life:  Reginald Unterseher
Evan Norberg, conductor 

Reginald Unterseher, “Reg” is a Washington State composer and beloved music educator, conductor and singer. His “little song” urges us to find beauty in just being alive and seeing joy in small things.

In Profundum Maris: Richard Nance
Composer Nance and poet Kathryn Sparks, both Washington residents, collaborated on this profound and picturesque piece. The title is in Latin and translated as “Into the Depths of the Sea.” In Sparks’ words “the heart of this text simply reflects a sense that no matter how far I think I may have fallen…if I let myself be still enough to hear the melody of the universe it can rescue and revive me. Music has healing - perhaps even saving - power. The music undulates with waves and sinks to the depths; and when peace is found, the music rises in joy.

We are Held:  Jessica French
Larke Witten, conductor

Seattle composer and musician Jessica French composed this work after the pandemic, set to a poem penned by choral conductor Robert Bode. The text is a tender set of pairs - pictures representing experiences and times of life - all of which are surrounded by the comforting words “we are held.” Comfort and reassurance, the composer French sees each of these pairs in different colors or emotions which lead to the final proclamation “We are bold to sing again.” 

Magnificat:  Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Magnificat, literally “to Magnify,” is a Latin setting of the Hebrew poem referred to as the Song of Mary. It appears in the Biblical gospel of Luke, as Mary meets her cousin Elizabeth and announces that she is miraculously pregnant by God. Typical of Hebrew poetry, the “rhymes” are pairs of lines of poetry, at times restating a thought twice “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my Spirit rejoices…”, or at times a pair of opposites “He has put down the mighty…and exalted the humble and meek.” 

For us in twenty-first century Seattle, and students from many faith and cultural traditions, we seek what we all can share from these texts. Bach’s beautiful and dramatic music paints emotional pictures of being lifted up, helping the poor and hungry, empowering a woman who in that time would have been punished for pregnancy out of wedlock. Each of these concepts embedded in Magnificat ring loudly in today’s time of social justice.

I. Magnificat Anima Mea (Chorus)
My soul magnifies the Lord

II. Et exsultavit (Mavis Chan)
And my Spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour

III. Quia respexit (Larke Witten)
For He has respected the lowly estate of his handmaiden (Mary, Mother of Jesus)

IV. Omnes generationes (Chorus)
Behold! All generations will call me blessed.

V. Quia fecit mihi magna Justin Birchell
For He that is mighty has done great things for me, and Holy is His name.

VI. Et misericordia (Chorus)
His mercy is on them that fear Him: throughout all generations

VII. Fecit Potentiam (Chorus)
He has shown strength with His arm, He has dispersed the crowd in the imagination of their hearts.

VIII. Deposuit potentes (Zachary Fitzgerald)
He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the humble and meek.

IX. Esurientes implevit (Cee Adamson)
He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty.

X. Suscepit Israel Chorus Trebles
He has been true to his covenant of mercy, and has lifted up his servant Israel.

XI. Sicut locutus est (Chorus)
As He promised to our forefathers, Abraham, and to all generations, forever.

XII. Gloria Patri/Sicut erat (Chorus)
Glory to the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, Amen.

All Seems Beautiful to Me: Eric Whitacre

Walt Whitman penned his famous “Song of the Open Road” in the second edition of his Leaves of Grass, long considered one of the great collections of American poetry. All Seems Good to Me is a portion of this “song” which uses active verbiage, “I ordain myself… I am better than I thought…I will inhale deep draughts…I will scatter…” to paint an inspiring picture of possibility and freedom. However, this cannot be heard today without us looking back into the racism, manifest destiny, and the inequities that occurred that surround these words.

As we are a group of musicians from many cultural traditions, spanning the globe but including the indigenous peoples of America, our choir looked at these words seriously and found ways to address historic (and present) concerns honestly and begin to recontextualize to find Whitman’s love of humanity and call for freedom for today’s world.

One student wrote “it is essential to remember that this is a work of westward expansion propaganda. In lines such as “the east and the west are mine and the north and the south are mine” we see the colonial trick of land ownership, the plethora of broken land agreements with indigenous nations, the systematic eradication and relocation of indigenous tribes, and the invalidating of indigenous sovereignty and self-governance. These processes were the backbone of manifest destiny, but they are also all processes that still occur in the United States today…(and) we do hope that it will provoke questions about the country we are in, the displacement that has led to this moment, the university that we sing for, and the communities that remain vibrant and healing.”

Another student offered “This piece, written by Whitacre in honor of such a military leader, took on special poignance for me. The Military leaders I have watched closely do not take lightly their duty to their country or to those they serve. For many, there is deep love of humankind at the core of their decision making. Duty and service are their higher call. They put their lives in the hands of others to serve and defend. Their families bid them farewell to contribute to a cause greater than themselves. And yet, we live in a world full of paradoxes…Can we live in this place of duality? Can we honor those who serve and question the decisions they are being ordered to fulfill? Can we acknowledge numerous poor decisions, bad actors, and failed initiatives while not vilifying those doing the best they could-–giving life and limb in the named cause of freedom and the individual hope of peace? Can we say never again to atrocities committed in the name of democracy? I believe we can.” 

As we discussed current and very different issues such as the Israeli-Hamas war— seeing innocent people killed, atrocities by leadership and groups, and unthinkable loss on both sides, the students recognized that, as artists and storytellers, we work to be comfortable with the uncomfortable, sitting in between the now and the not-yet.

Love Poetry: Matthew Lyon Hazzard
We close this program of “little songs” with “Love Poetry”. The poet, dear friend and choral conductor Jonathan Talberg writes this poetry of his partner—composer Hazzard. The poet says, “I want to write…, but instead I stand there and watch your breath, knowing that I love you…more than I ever thought I could.” 

Full of surprises, opposites, in-betweens, may these “little songs of life” offer hope, strength, and peace.
--Geoffrey Boers and 2023 UW Chamber Singers

Biographies