Music Events

Sakura, Japanese folk song

sakura sakura
yayoi no sora wa
mi-watasu kagiri
kasumi ka kumo ka
nioi zo izuru
izaya izaya
mini yukan

arr. Norman Luboff (1917-87)

Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms,
Across the spring sky,
As far as the eye can see.
Is it mist, or clouds?
Fragrant in the air.
Come now, come now,
Let's go and see them.

Canto de Pilón, Venezuelan folk song

Pila que pila María,
pila el maíz.
Hoy pilé todo el maíz!
Pilé yo, piló María, y tambien piló Pilar.

arr. Cristian Grases (b.1973)

Grind and grind, Maria,
grind the corn.
Today, I ground all the corn!
I ground, Maria ground, the pillar ground too.

Wild Mountain Thyme, Scottish folk song

O, the summertime is comin’,
and the trees are sweetly blooming,
and the wild mountain thyme
grows around the blooming heather.

Will you go, lassie, go?
And we'll all go together
to pluck wild mountain thyme
all around the blooming heather,
will you go, lassie, go?

I will build my love a tower
near yon cool crystal fountain,
and on it I will pile
all the colors of the mountain.

If my true love, they were gone,
would I ever find another
to pluck wild mountain thyme
all around the blooming heather.

arr. Jacob Narverud (b.1986)

Walk Together Children, African-American Spiritual

Oh, walk together, children,
don’t you get weary,
there’s a great camp meeting
in the promised land!

Gonna walk and never tire,
Gonna sing and never tire,
Gonna shout and never tire,

There’s a great camp meeting
in the promised land!

arr. Moses Hogan (1957-2003)

715-Creeks

Down along the creek,
I remember something:
Her, the heron, hurried away
when first I breached that last Sunday.

Low moon don the yellow road.
I remember something:
That leaving wasn’t easing all that heaving in my vines,
and as certain it is evening ‘at is NOW is not the time.

Toiling with your blood,
I remember something:
in B, unrationed kissing on a night second to last
finding both your hands as second sun came past the glass.
And oh, I know it felt right, and I had you in my grasp

Oh then, how we gonna cry?
‘Cause it once might not mean something.
And Love, a second glance, it is not something that we’ll need.
Honey, understand that I have been left here in the reeds,
but all I’m trying to do is get my feet out from the crease
and I’ll see you.

Turn around, you’re my A team.
Turn around now, you’re my A team.
Damn-it turn around now, you’re my A team.

words and music by Justin Vernon (b. 1981)
arr. Krishan Oberoi

What Was I Made For?

I used to float, now I just fall down
I used to know, but I’m not sure now
what I was made for.
What was I made for?

Takin’ a drive, I was an ideal.
Looked so alive, turns out I’m not real—
just somethin’ you paid for.
What was I made for?

Oh, ‘cause I don’t know how to feel,
but I wanna try.
I don’t know how to feel,
but someday I might.

When did it end—all the enjoyment?
I’m sad again; don’t tell my boyfriend.
It’s not what he’s made for.
What was I made for?

Think I forgot how to be happy.
Somethin’ I’m not, but somethin’ I can be—
somethin’ I wait for,
somethin’ I’m made for.

words and music by Billie Eilish O’Connell (b. 2001) & Finneas O’Connell (b. 1997)
arr. Maryanne Muglia & Emily Drum

Imagine

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us, only sky
Imagine all the people
Livin' for today

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion, too
Imagine all the people
Livin' life in peace

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

John Lennon (1940-80)
arr. Thibault Barthelet

Dream a Little Dream of Me
text by Gus Kahn (1886-1941)

Stars shining bright above you,
night breezes seem to whisper, “I love you,”
birds singing in the sycamore tree,
dream a little dream of me.

Say “night-ie night” and kiss me.
Just hold me tight tell me you’ll miss me.
While I’m alone and blue as can be,
dream a little dream of me.

Stars fading, but I linger on, dear,
still craving your kiss.
I’m longing to linger till dawn, dear,
just saying this.

Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you, sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you, but in your dreams, whatever they be, dream a little dream of me.

Every time I look at you
Something is on my mind.
If you’d do what I want you to,
Baby, we’d be so fine.

With you my darling,
Life could be a dream.

by Fabian Andre (1910-1960) & Wilbur Schwandt (1904-1998)
arr. Andy Beck (b. 1986)

Come Fly With Me
text by Sammy Cahn (1913-1993)

Come fly with me. Let’s fly, let’s fly away.
If you can use some exotic views,
there’s a bar in far Bombay.
Come fly with me. Let’s fly, let’s fly away.

Come fly with me. Let’s float down to Peru. (Come fly, come fly away.)
In Llama Land there’s a one man band
and he’ll toot his flute for you.
Woah, come fly with me. Let’s take off in the blue!

Once I get you up there
where the are is rarified; (air rarified)
we’ll just glide (we’ll just glide and glide.)
starry eyed.

Once I get you up there
I’ll be holding you so near; (you so near)
you may hear (you may hear)
angels cheers ‘cause we’re together.

Weatherwise, it’s such a lovely day.
Just say the words and we’ll beat the birds
down to Acapulco Bay.
It’s perfect for a flying honeymoon, they say.

Come fly with me. Let’s fly, let’s fly away.

Come fly with me.

by James Van Heusen (1913-1990)
arr. Mac Huff

Imperfect
Rhianna Folk, Chloe Heydt, and Keegan Bestland, solos
Carissa Stroh, spoken word

I know I have slipped up.
I know I am not perfect.
I’m still filling my cup.
I’m a work in progress.
But, I’m only human. Give me some grace
I am only human.
I am working every day to be better.

Whoever said it was wrong to be imperfect?
Just give yourself grace. You know that you deserve it.
I’m not the same as yesterday.
The road is not narrow. The road’s not one way.
Whoever said it was wrong to be imperfect?

words and music by Taleya Jordan (b.2002)
Co-recipient of our 2024 Dragon Music Prize in composition

Be Still
Text adapted from Psalm 46

Though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
Though the waters roar and foam,
The nations rage and the kingdoms totter;
And he utters his voice,
And the world melts.

God is our refuge and strength,
an ever present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear!

The Lord of hosts is with us.
He will be exalted among the nations.
The Lord almighty is with us.
Come and behold the works of the Lord

by Jake Huntley (b.1996)
Co-recipient of our 2024 Dragon Music Prize in composition

“A Red, Red Rose” from Four Robert Burns Ballads
text by Robert Burns (1759-1796)

O my Luve is like a red, red rose
That’s newly sprung in June;
O my Luve is like the melody
That’s sweetly played in tune.

So fair art thou, my bonnie lass,
So deep in luve am I;
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
Till a’ the seas gang dry.

Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt wi’ the sun;
I will love thee still, my dear,
While the sands o’ life shall run.

And fare thee weel, my only luve!
And fare thee weel awhile!
And I will come again, my luve,
Though it were ten thousand mile.

by James Mulholland (b.1935)

Hope Faith Life Love
text by e.e. cummings (1894-1962)

!hope
faith!
!life
love!
…
dream!
!joy
truth!
!soul

by Eric Whitacre (b.1970)

What a Wonderful World

John Lahlum, Tiana Taylor, and Callie Stonecipher, solos

I see trees of green
Red roses too
I see them bloom
For me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world

I see skies of blue
And clouds of white
The bright blessed day
The dark sacred night
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world

The colors of the rainbow
So pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces
Of people going by
I see friends shaking hands
Saying, "How do you do?"
They're really saying
I love you

I hear babies cry
I watch them grow
They'll learn much more
Than I'll ever know
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world

by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss
arr. René Clausen (b.1953)

Twa Tanbou
Creole text by Louis Marie Celestin

Twa Tanbou
Kap fè yon diskisyon
Yon gwo dimanch maten
Lè yo sot nan Ginen

Yon Ti Kata
Yon Tanbouren
Yon Gwo Boula

Boula rete li di
Li di li ka frape pi fò
Boula rete li di
Se li ki ka frape pi fò

Tanbouren di li gen pi bèl son
Li di “lè map site, se rete tande”

Kata ki tap koute, li rete li move
Li pa te ka konprann kouman de kamarad,
Ki abiye ak menm rad
Ki pitit menm manman
Chita ap fè deblozay

Yon bon jou Madigra, Kata tonbe zouke
Dènye moun ki te la yo tout tonbe danse…

Tanbouren ak Boula kite la ap tande
Pou fè fèt la pi bèl: yo tou fon
ribanbèl

Jou sa-a
Yo chante yon chante ke’m pap janm bliye:

Tout tanbou ki dispèse
An nou kole zepòl
Poun fè la vi pi bèl

by Sydney Guillaume (b.1982)

English Translation

Three drums
Are having an argument
A great Sunday morning
On their way back from Guinea

A little Kata…
A little Tanbouren…
A big Boula…

Boula declared
That he can hit the loudest
Boula declared
“I can hit the loudest!”

Tanbouren said “I have the most beautiful sound” He said “when I perform, keep quiet and listen!”

Kata who was hearing all this became angry
He could not comprehend how two soldiers
Who are dressed with the same outfit
And are children of the same mother
Are sitting around making a scandal

One fine Mardi-Gras day, Kata started to “zouk” Every single person there began to dance…

Tanbouren and Boula who were there listening
To make the party more exciting, they started a great throng

That day,
They all sang a song that I’ll never forget:

All drums that are dispersed
Let’s put our shoulders together
To make life more beautiful

Soprano

Elizabeth Artac

Alyse Bailey

Emma Black

Lauren Dehmer

Grace Greiner

Katryna Hansen

Eyerusalem Kinfe

Annika Lukken

Ella Mahler

Isabelle Middendorf

Sakura Naito

Hope Sperr

Izabel Tsherman

Michele Zidon

Alto

Jenna Dailey

Julia Dawes

Karley Hill

Hailey Hupke

Madison Jarvi

Melody Justnes

Nora Klocke

Emily Kopp

Miranda Langford

Ariana Mercer

Talia Mercer

Kacie Murphy

Tiana Taylor

Ari Terrazas Gonzalez

Liz Workman

Tenor

John Dvorak

Chris Hovden

Jerry Long

Isaac Martin

Caleb McKenzie

David Nelson

Cam Nibbe

Ian Vedbraaten

Bass

Joel Brault

Robert Deering

Jared Gregoire

Jon Holter

Clay LaRocque

Alex Nomeland

Ayden Slyt

Logan Stebleton

Soprano

Averie Benson

Sylvia Black

Averie Burmeister

Rhianna Folk

Paige Gierke

Liv Hanson△

Kendra Kaczynski

Abbey Koenig

Grace Lanners*

Anna Melby

Jackie Reindl

Carissa Stroh△

Alto

Chloe Heydt

Kayla Huebner

Kayla Kurowski*

Lakia Manska

Rhone Nelson

Keziah Quanbeck

Theodora Sas△

Callie Stonecipher

Tiana Taylor

Abigail Troke

Jessica Utke

Elle Williams△

Kayla Zitzow

Tenor

Ethan Bentley

Hogan Bergene

Christopher Hovden*

Jonah Knick

Jerry Long

Cam Nibbe

Jake Stoudt

Sierra Ulloa

Bass

Jacob Anderson

Keegan Bestland

Aspen Christeson

Conor Hedblom

John Lahlum*

Brady Larson

Caleb McKenzie

Devin Steele

Soprano

Anna Beauchamp△

Callie Stonecipher△

Grace Lanners

Hope Sperr

Alto

Ellie Eggl△

Liv Hanson△

Tiana Taylor△

Tenor

Ethan Bentley

Hogan Bergene

John Lahlum△

Bass

Aspen Christeson

David Avelsgard

Jake Anderson

Joe Rosener

Ellie Eggl

Chris Hovden

Canyon Schwartz

Corbin Stewart

Soprano

Anna Melby

Kendra Kaczynski

Sylvia Black△

Alto

Abbey Koenig△

Hannah Cegla

Megan Jonae-Oyerly△

Theodora Sas

Tenor

Anton Roettele

Beau Johnson

Christopher Hovden△

Isaac Kuck

Bass

Alex Nomeland

Brady Larson

Jake Pletsch

Joel Brault

John Lahlum△