Wish Fulfillment

Last year, six people tried out for the ACDA All-State Honor Choir and one went.  She had such a great experience with the highly skilled, highly prepared All-State honorees that we HAD to try again, so try again we did.  This year, five SRYC members were accepted, and four attended the gruelling rehearsals that culminated today on stage at Galloway Methodist in front of a packed crowd of parents, choir directors, and choral students.  The conductor, Dr. Kevin Fenton, did an exemplary job preparing the choir, and the concert was especially nice. 

Below, please enjoy the six songs  recorded live at the concert.  There is a CD on its way with seriously good audio quality, but these are a fair representation of the live sound, and will certainly make you smile.

What do they bring home to St. R's from this? 

The guys bring back a HUGE self esteem boost, and a whole new repertoire of man voice skills that they gained while standing in those giant sections FULL of really good singers.  Alone no more, our lone Bass James kept saying "I'm not alone! I'm not alone!"  He will return better equipped to sing confidently as new guys rise up from sixth grade, through their various voice changes, and he will be able to lead them into their new voices.  The tenors have learned to "relax" and keep their chins down, rounding out their tone and giving them glorious resonance.  As they stand toe to toe with the new guys next year, the skills will spread like wildfire.  I can't wait.

So, here are the six songs:

Cantate Domino, by Croce
-available through G. Schirmer HL50313370

Cantate Domino, cantate domino omnis terra.
Cantate Domino, et benedicite nomini ejus.
anuncia te de die in diem, salutare ejus.

O sing ye to the Lord,
Sing ye a new song.
O sing ye to the Lord all the earth.
O bless His Holy Name,
O bless ye His Name.
Sing tot he whole world from this day
through all the days.  His salvation for us.


Bogoroditse Devo by Rachmaninov
-available through earthsongs

Virgin Mary, Mother of God, rejoice,
Holy Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with Thee.
Blessed art Thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb,
For Thou has given birth to the Saviour of our souls.



Three Nocturnes, by Dan Forrest
-available through Hinshaw Music, Inc.

2.  Lightly Stepped a Yellow Star

Lightly stepped a yellow star,
to its lofty place,
loosed the moon her silver hat
from her lustral face.
All of evening softly lit,
as an astral hall.
All of evening softly lit,
as an astral hall.
Father, I observed to heaven,
you are punctual, punctual, punctual.



3.  Thou Motive of the Stars

O, vast Rondure, swimming in space!
Cover'd (all) o'er with visible pow'r,
cover'd all o'er with visible pow'r
and beauty! Alternate, alternate,
Alternate light and day and teeming
and spiritual darkness;
Unspeakable, high processions of sun and moon,
and countless stars, and countless stars above,
and stars above;
O transcendant! Light of the light!
shedding forth universes, thou
centre of them!
Thou mightier center of the true, the good, the loving!
Thou moral spirirual fountain!
Affection's source! Thou reservoir! Thou pulse!
Thou motive of the stars, thou motive of the stars,
of stars, suns, systems, that circling, move,
in order, safe, harmonious, in order, safe, harmonious, in order, safe, harmonious.
Across the shapeless vastnesses of space.



Famine Song, by VIDA, arr. Matthew Colloton
-available through Santa Barbara SBMP575

Ease my spirit, ease my soul,
please free my hands from this barren soil.
Ease my mother, ease my child,
earth and sky be reconciled.
Rain, rain, rain, rain, rain, rain.

Weave my mother, weave, my child
weave your baskets of rushes wild. repeat
Out of heat, under sun,
comes the hunger to everyone.
Famine's teeth, famine's claw,
on the sands of Africa.
Rain, rain, rain, rain, rain, rain.  repeat weave, rain.



Signs of the Judgment by Mark Butler
-available through Hinshaw Music HMC2041

Judgment, oh, judgment.
I see the signs of the judgment comin', oh,
I see the signs of the judgment comin',
I see the signs of the judgment comin', oh,

Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah.
Better be ready for that great day
when the Lord come an' take his children away.
Boatman, boatman, row one side,
you can't get to heaven gainst the wind and the tide.
(refrain)
Run to the mountain, the mountian moved,
I run to the hills and they did too.
Went to the rocks to hide my face,
the rocks cried out there's no hiding place.
Judgment, oh, judgment.
One of these mornings bright and fair,
I will meet my Jesus in the air,
He'll say "Well done, my child,"
then I'll shout "Hallelujah"
my race has been won.
See the signs of the judgment
the time is drawing nigh.
(refrain)