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Our Favorites - Bel Canto Vocal Ensemble - June 2018

Past Programs with Lauren as primary conductor

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Bel Canto's 15th Anniversary season retrospective celebration

Bel Canto is an auditioned mixed-voice chamber choir.

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Program:

  • Sicut cervus - Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

  • Annie Laurie - Scottish Folksong, Alice Parker and Robert Shaw, arrangers

  • Vive L'Amour - Traditional American, Alice Parker and Robert Shaw, arrangers

    • Tenors and Basses of Bel Canto Vocal Ensemble​

    • Barry Barr, soloist

  • Audience Sing-Along: My Favorite Things - Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein​ II

  • Abendlied (No. 3 from Geistliche Gesange) - Josef Rheinberger

  • Esta Tierra - Javier Busto

  • Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy - Words and Music by Don Raye and Hughie Prince, Arranged by Ed Lojeski​

    • Sopranos and Altos of Bel Canto Vocal Ensemble

  • Bogoroditse Devo (No. 6 from "All-Night Vigil, Op. 37") - Sergei Rachmaninoff

  • The Cuckoo - American Folksong, Arranged by Robert E. Heninger

    • Conducted by Martha Mikula​

  • Rubber Duckie - Jeff Moss, Arranged by Roger Emerson

  • The Argument - Francis Nesta

  • Shenandoah - American Folksong, Arranged by Jay Althouse

  • Audience Sing-Along: Linger - Traditional Camp Song

  • Over the Rainbow - Music by Harold Arlen, Lyrics by E.Y. Harburg, Vocal Arrangement by Robert P. Johnson

  • May You Always - Words and Music by Larry Markes and Dick Charles, Kirby Shaw, arranger

Comfort and Consolation - Madison Choral Society - April 2018

Madison Choral Society's first collaboration with the Rapidan Orchestra, prepared by Dr. Benjamin Bergey

Madison Choral Society is a non-auditioned choir that performs sacred music, often large masterworks.

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Program:

  • Requiem, Op. 48 - Gabriel Faure

    • Suzanne Risk, soprano

    • Brad Jackson, baritone

  • The Lord is My Shepherd (Psalm 23) - Howard Goodall

    • Suzanne Risk, soprano

  • Come, Ye Disconsolate - Music by Terre Johnson, Words by Thomas Moore

  • Audience Sing-Along: A Mighty Fortress is Our God

  • Audience Sing-Along: O God Our Help in Ages Past

  • The Lone, Wild Bird - Arranged by David N. Johnson

    • Suzanne Risk, soprano

  • Audience Sing-Along: Dona Nobis Pacem

  • The Storm is Passing Over - Charles Albert Tindley, Arranged by Barbara W. Baker

Love, Snow, & Stars - Bel Canto Vocal Ensemble - February 2018

Bel Canto Vocal Ensemble's winter and Valentine's Day program

Bel Canto is an auditioned mixed-voice chamber choir.

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Program:

  • Annie Laurie - Scottish Folksong, Alice Parker and Robert Shaw, arrangers

  • Weep, O mine eyes* - John Bennett

  • Ubi Caritas (I. from Quatre Motets sur des themes grégoriens, Op. 10) - Maurice Duruflé

  • If Ye Love Me* - Thomas Tallis

    • Performed by a quartet: Cathy ter Weele, soprano, Jennifer Wheelock, alto, Robert Johnson, tenor, and Joe Parker, bass

  • Audience Sing-Along: Let Me Call You Sweetheart - Music by Leo Friedman, Lyrics by Beth Slater

  • I love my love - Cornish Folksong, Gustav T. Holst, arranger

  • Audience Sing-Along: When You Wish Upon a Star - Leigh Harline and Ned Washington

  • Stars - Music by Ä’riks Ešenvalds, Words by Sara Teasdale

    • Andrew Everton, Robert Myers, Barbara Nye, Cathy ter Weele, Fay Utz, and Rahima Wagner, water glasse​s

  • Land of Crystal Dreams - Music by Stanley M. Hoffman, Words by Erica L. Hoffman and adapted by Stanley M. Hoffman

  • Winter - Music by Albert Gumble, Words by Alfred Bryan, verse arranged by Robert Johnson

  • Audience Sing-Along: Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! - Music by Jules Styne, Lyrics by Sammy Cahn

  • The Winter's Night - Words and Music by Nicholas Myers

  • The Snow (No. 1 from 2 Part Songs, Op. 26) - Music by Edward Elgar, Words by Alice Elgar

    • Rahima Wagner and Andrew Everton, violin

  • The Seal Lullaby - Music by Eric Whitacre, Lyrics by Rudyard Kipling

  • May You Always - Words and Music by Larry Markes and Dick Charles, Kirby Shaw, arranger

Christmas Around the World - Madison Choral Society - December 2017

Madison Choral Society's annual Advent and Christmas performance

Madison Choral Society is a non-auditioned choir that performs sacred music, often large masterworks.

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Program:

  • On Christmas Night (No. 1 from "Christmas Joy") - Tune Sussex Carol, Arranged by Dan Forrest

  • The Silver Stars Are in the Sky - Music by William G. James, World by John Wheeler

    • Jayne Jackson, soprano

    • Jayne Jackson, Belly Rollins, and Jonathan Hawkins, trio

  • Wonderful Peace (Jul, Jul) - Music by Gustaf Nordqvist with English Text by Norman Luboff

  • Audience Sing-Along: Joy to the World - Isaac Watts

    • William Drake, organ

  • Carol of the Bells - Music by Mykola Leontovych, words and arrangement by Peter J. Wilhousky

  • Huron Carol - French Canadian Melody ("Twas in the Moon of Wintertime"), Words by Jesse Edgar Middleton, Arranged by Mark Burrows

    • Don Aittamava, flute

  • Audience Sing-Along: It Came Upon the Midnight Clear - Edmund Sears, melody ("Carol") by Richard Storrs Willis

    • William Drake, organ

  • Ave Maria - Franz Biebl

    • Zan Thomas, Bernice Walker, and Barry Barr, trio

  • Glory to God (from "Messiah") - Georg Frideric Handel

    • William Drake, organ

  • Noel Nouvelet! - Traditional French Carol arranged by Vicki Tucker Courtney

    • Don Aittamava, Lynne Stockton, and Pam Mason, flute

  • Fum, Fum, Fum - Traditional Catalan Carol arranged by Howard Helvery

    • William Drake and Fay Utz, piano

  • The Wexford Carol - Traditional Irish Carol arranged by Howard Helvey

  • Audience Sing-Along: Lo, How A Rose E'er Bloming - Harmonization by Michael Pratorius, English translation by Theodore Baker

    • William Drake, organ

  • Riu Riu Chiu - Traditional Spanish Carol, original English text and arrangement by Linda Spevacek

  • Still, Still, Still - Traditional Austrian Carol, Lyrics by Marilyn Keith and Alan Bergman, arranged by Norman Luboff

  • Betelehemu - Nigerian Carol Via Olatunji and Wendell Whalum, arranged by Barrington Brooks

True Colors - Bel Canto Vocal Ensemble - June & September 2017

Bel Canto Vocal Ensemble's summer program of colorful song

Bel Canto is an auditioned mixed-voice chamber choir.

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Program:

  • Blue Moon - Richard Rodgers with words by Lorenz Hart; Jay Althouse, arranger

  • Il bianco e dolce cigno - Jacques Arcadelt

  • And the Green Grass Grew All Around - Harry von Tilzer with words by William Jerome; as sung by the American Quartet

    • Barry Barr, First Tenor; Robert Johnson, Second Tenor; Bert Nye, Baritone; Brad Jackson, Bass

  • Orange Colored Sky - Milton DeLugg & Willie Stein; Deke Sharon, arranger; Anne Raugh, editor

    • Patricia von Petner, soloist

  • Tangerine - Victor Schertzinger with lyrics by Johnny Mercer; Kirby Shaw, arranger

  • Greensleeves - Traditional; Bob Chilcott, arranger

  • Audience sing-along: Yellow Submarine - John Lennon & Paul McCartney

  • Deep Purple - Peter de Rose with lyrics by Mitchell Parish; Hugo Frey, arranger

    • Barry Barr, tenor

  • Red is the Rose - Traditional; Larry Minton, arranger

  • Fields of Gold - G.M. Sumner; Roger Emerson, arranger

    • Cathy ter Weele and Joe Parker, soloists

  • The Trail of the Lonesome Pine - Harry Carroll with lyrics by Ballard MacDonald; Robert Johnson, arranger

    • Patricia von Petner, alto; Barry Barr, tenor; George Carroll, bass

  • Mood Indigo - Duke Ellington and Barney Bigard with lyrics by Irving Mills; Ed Lojeski, arranger

    • Joe Parker, soloist

  • Blackbird - John Lennon and Paul McCartney; Mark Brymer, arranger

  • Audience Sing-Along: Over the Rainbow - Harold Arlen with lyrics by E.Y. Harburg

  • True Colors - Bill Steinberg and Tom Kelly; Deke Sharon, arranger

    • Joe Parker and Patricia von Petner, soloists

All Works of Love - Bel Canto Vocal Ensemble - February 2017

Bel Canto Vocal Ensemble's Valentine's Day weekend performances, featuring small ensembles and the full choir

Bel Canto is an auditioned mixed-voice chamber choir.

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Program:

  • My Spirit Sang All Day - Gerald Finzi​

  • All Erin is Calling Mavourneen - Katherin Ward & Geoffrey O'Hara, Robert P. Johnson, arranger

    • Barry Barr, 1st Tenor; Robert Johnson, 2nd Tenor; Howard Moore, Baritone; Brad Jackson, Bass​

  • Mon coeur s’ouvre à ta voix (from Samson et Dalila, Op. 47) - Camille Saint-Saëns

    • Judy Elias, soprano​

  • Moonlight Bay - Percy Wenrich, Robert P. Johnson & Bernice Walker, arrangers after the American Barbershop Quartet

    • Virginia "Ginny" Koontz, 1st soprano; Bernice Walker, 2nd soprano; Sallie Morgan, alto​

  • All Works of Love - Joan Szymko​

  • Audience Sing-Along: L-O-V-E - Bert Kaempfert

  • My Funny Valentine (from Babes in Arms) - Richard Rodgers, Jay Althouse, arranger

    • Jayne Jackson, soprano; Patricia von Petner, alto; Robert Johnson, tenor; Brad Jackson, bass​

  • Vive L'Amour (Long Live Love) - Traditional American, Alice Parker & Robert Shaw, arrangers​

    • Tenors & Basses of Bel Canto Vocal Ensemble​

    • Robert Johnson, soloist

  • ​Put a Little Love in Your Heart (with Love Train) - Jackie DeShannon, Jimmy Holiday & Randy Myers/Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff, Greg Gilpin, arranger

    • Barry Barr, Jayne Jackson, Virginia "Ginny" Koontz, Robert Myers, & Jennifer Wheelock, descant​

  • Greensleeves - English Folk Song, Earlene Rentz, arranger​

    • Jayne Jackson, Betty Rollins, & Zan Thomas, soprano; Patricia von Petner & Jennifer Wheelock, alto; Barry Barr, tenor; George Carroll & Robert Myers, bass​

  • West Side Story Medley ("Tonight," "One Hand, One Heart," & "Somewhere") - Leonard Bernstein, Robert P. Johnson & Fay Utz, arrangers​

    • Judy Elias, soprano & Robert Johnson, tenor​

  • And So It Goes - Billy Joel, Kirby Shaw, arranger​

    • Sopranos & Altos of Bel Canto Vocal Ensemble​

  • "The King" of Love - Guess Who?​

  • If I Loved You (from Carousel) - Richard Rodgers, William Stickles, arranger

    • Jayne Jackson, soprano; Patricia von Petner, alto; Robert Johnson, tenor; Brad Jackson, bas

  • Audience Sing-Along: My Girl - Smokey Robinson & Ronald White​

  • Love is the Water that Wears Down the Rock - Brother Sun, Geoff Gowen, arranger

    • Jennifer Wheelock, 1st alto; Sallie Morgan, 2nd alto; Geoff Gowen, 1st baritone; Robert Myers, 2nd baritone​

  • Oh When I Was in Love with You - Juli Nunlist​

    • Brad Jackson, baritone​

  • Flower of Beauty - John Clements​

Noel! A Celebration of French Carols - Madison Choral Society - December 2016

Madison Choral Society's annual Advent and Christmas performance

Madison Choral Society is a non-auditioned choir that performs sacred music, often large masterworks.

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Program:

  • Messe de Minuit pour Noel ("Midnight Mass") - Marc-Antoine Charpentier

  • He Is Born - arranged by Dan Forrest

  • Noel Nouvelet! - arranged by Vicki Tucker Courtney

  • Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella - arranged by Neil Ginsberg

  • Patapan - arranged by Robert DeCormier

  • Audience sing-along: Angels We Have Heard on High

  • Audience sing-along: The First Nowell

  • O Holy Night- arranged by Rene Clausen

Over the River and Through the Wood - Bel Canto Vocal Ensemble - November 2016

Bel Canto Vocal Ensemble's travel-themed fall performances

Bel Canto is an auditioned mixed-voice chamber choir.

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Program:

  • Up Up and Away - Jimmy Webb, arranged by Lon Hayward

    • Virginia "Ginny" Koontz, soprano

  • Don't Fence Me In - Cole Porter, arranged by Norman Leyden

  • Audience sing-along: Daisy Bell (A Bicycle Built for Two) - Harry Dacre

  • The Road Not Taken (No. 1 from Frostiana: Seven Country Songs) - Randall Thompson

  • Come Fly With Me - Jimmy Van Heusen, arranged by Mac Huff

  • Audience sing-along: Row, Row, Row Your Boat - Folk Song

  • The Water is Wide (with "Shenandoah") - American Folk Songs, arranged by Gene Grier & Lowell Everson

  • Put a Little Love in Your Heart/Love Train -  Jackie DeShannon, Jimmy Holiday, & Randy Myers/Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff, arranged by Greg Gilpin

    • Barry Barr, Jayne Jackson, Virginia "Ginny" Koontz, Robert Myers, & Jennifer Wheelock, descant

  • ​When That Midnight Choo Choo Leaves for Alabam' - Irving Berlin, arranged by Robert P. Johnson

  • Nine Hundred Miles - Traditional American Song, arranged by Philip Silvey

  • Route 66 - Bobby Troup, arranged by Kirby Shaw

  • Audience sing-along: Over the River, and Through the Wood - Unknown, Words by Maria Child

  • Bridge Over Troubled Water - Paul Simon, arranged by Clyde Sechler

  • Go Where I Send Thee - Traditional African-American Spiritual, arranged by Paul Caldwell & Sean Ivory

Musical S'mores - Bel Canto Vocal Ensemble - June 2016

Bel Canto Vocal Ensemble's camping-themed summer program

Bel Canto is an auditioned mixed-voice chamber choir.

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Program:

  • Reveille - Traditional

    • Dick Stageberg and Pete Peterson, trumpet

Warnings and Advice

  • How to Survive in the Woods - Douglas J. Cuomo

  • Ronde (No. 3 from Trois Chansons) - Maurice Ravel

  • Audience sing-along: Teddy Bears' Picnic - John Bratton

Journey to the Woods

  • Audience sing-along: The Happy Wanderer - Friederich-Willhelm Möller with English lyrics by Antonia Ridge

  • Walking in the Woods (No. 2 from Bah! Wilderness: Two Songs in Praise of the Indoors) -  Robert Applebaum

Appreciation of Nature

  • Esta Tierra - Javier Busto

  • Abendlich schon rauscht der Wald (No. 3 from Gartenlieder, Op. 3) -  Fanny Hensel

  • Shenandoah -  Traditional, arranged by Bob Chilcott

Creatures Encountered

  • El Grillo - Josquin des Prez

  • The Firefly (No. 3 from Animal Crackers, Vol. I) -  Eric Whitacre

  • Mosquitoes (No. 5 from Due North) - Stephen Chatman

    • Brad Jackson, bass

    • George Carroll, percussion

Nightfall

  • By the Campfire - Percy Wenrich, arranged by Robert P. Johnson

  • Audience Sing-Along: Taps - arranged by Daniel Butterfield with lyrics by Horace Lorenzo Trim

    • Dick Stageberg and Pete Peterson, trumpet

  • Audience Sing-Along: Now the Day is Over - Joseph Barnby with words by Sabine Baring-Gould, Tune: Merrial

  • Sleep - Eric Whitacre

Warmth in Winter - Bel Canto Vocal Ensemble - January 2016

Bel Canto Vocal Ensemble's winter-themed program about how to keep warm during the coldest season

Bel Canto is an auditioned mixed-voice chamber choir.

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Program:

  • Hanover Winter Song - Frederic Field Bullard

  • Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Winter Wind (from When Icicles Hang) - John Rutter

  • The Snow - Sir Edward Elgar

    • Sopranos and Altos of Bel Canto

    • Elizabeth Wagner and Ariela Haber, violin

  • To Shorten Winter's Sadness - Thomas Weelkes

  • Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening (No. 6 from Frostiana: Seven Country Songs) - Randall Thompson

    • Tenors and Basses of Bel Canto

  • The Winter's Night - Nicholas Myers

  • Java Jive - Milton Drake and Ben Oakland, arr. Kirby Shaw

    • Soloists: George Carroll and Brad Jackson, bass; Barry Barr, tenor; Patricia von Petner, alto

  • Beautiful Soup - Irving Fine, arr. John Hopkins

  • Blow the Candles Out - Traditional, arr. Gregg Smith

  • Audience sing-along: Winter Wonderland - Felix Bernard and Richard B. Smith

  • I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm (Medley) - arr. Ed Lojeski

    • Brad Jackson and Jayne Jackson, duet

Glorious Sounds of Christmas - Madison Choral Society - December 2015

Madison Choral Society's annual Advent and Christmas performance

Madison Choral Society is a non-auditioned choir that performs sacred music, often large masterworks.

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Program:

  • Gloria - Antonio Vivaldi

    • William Drake, organ

    • Berta Storey, alto

    • Paula Durbin-Westby, alto

  • O Come, All Ye Faithful - arranged by Dan Forrest

  • A Hymn of Peace - John Purifoy

  • There is Faint Music - Dan Forrest

  • Fum, Fum, Fum - arranged by Howard Helvey

  • Jesus Christ the Apple Tree - arranged by Elizabeth Poston

    • Quartet: Jayne Jackson, soprano, Paula Durbin-Westby, alto, Bert Nye, tenor, and Rick Johnson, bass

  • Audience Sing-Along: Hark, the Herald Angels Sing - Felix Mendelssohn

  • Audience Sing-Along: The First Noel - John Stainer

  • Audience Sing-Along: Silent Night - Franz Gruber, Joseph Mohr

  • Do You Hear What I Hear? - arranged by Emily Crocker

Birdsong - Bel Canto Vocal Ensemble - June 2015

Bel Canto Vocal Ensemble's spring/summer program featuring all things avian

Bel Canto is an auditioned mixed-voice chamber choir.

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Program:

  • May no rash intruder (The Nightingale Chorus from "Solomon") - George Frideric Handel

  • The Mavis - Henry Purcell

  • Sechs Lieder im Freien zu singen, Op. 59: 4. Die Nachtigall - Felix Mendelssohn

  • Sechs Lieder im Freien zu singen, Op. 48: 4. Lerchengesang - Felix Mendelssohn

  • The Silver Swan - Orlando Gibbons

  • Le chant des oiseaux - Clement Janequin

  • Be Like the Bird - Abbie Betinis

    • Virginia "Ginny" Koontz, soloist

  • Abendfriede - Josef Rheinberger

  • The Blue Bird - Sir Charles Villiers Stanford

  • The Turtle Dove - Ralph Vaughan Williams

    • Brad Jackson, baritone

  • More Madrigals: 1. I Know A Bird - Emma Lou Diemer

  • The Little Red Lark - Graham Godfrey, arranger

  • Blackbird - John Lennon and Paul McCartney, Mark Brymer, arranger

  • Blue Skies - Irving Berlin, Steve Zegree, arranger

    • George Carroll, soloist

Shining Winter Night - Bel Canto Vocal Ensemble - December 2014

Bel Canto Vocal Ensemble's winter/holiday program for December

Bel Canto is an auditioned mixed-voice chamber choir.

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Program:

  • Nocturne - Felix Mendelssohn, Don Wright, arranger

  • Vier Quartette, Op. 92 - Johannes Brahms

    • 1. O schöne nacht

    • 3. Abendlied

    • 4. Warum

  • You that wont to my pipes sound (Lirum, lirum) - Thomas Morley

  • Carol of the Bells - Mykola Leontovych, Peter Wilhousky

  • Throw the Yule Log On, Uncle John - P.D.Q. Bach

  • The Twelve Days After Christmas - Frederick Silver

  • Audience Sing-along: Jingle Bells

  • Audience Sing-along: Frosty the Snowman

  • Audience Sing-along: Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!

  • There is no Rose - John Joubert

  • Sure on this Shining Night - Morten Lauridsen

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