Event details
Friday, May 16, 2025
7:00 p.m.
First Presbyterian Church of Freehold
118 West Main Street, Freehold, NJ
MCC presents a powerful program in conversation with our planet. Sarah Kirkland Snider’s acclaimed 2018 Mass for the Endangered shares the stage with shorter works, from sublime to fanciful.
Tickets: Adult $40, Senior $35, Student $15
Logistical details
- Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.
- Parking for this event is on-street only. Please allow extra time upon arrival.
- Concert runtime is approximately 70 minutes.
- We will be selling earlybird subscriptions to our 2025-26 season in the lobby — this is a great way to get the best prices of the season without the additional processing fees we have to charge for online purchases.
Accessibility
By clicking on the stick figure in a blue circle on the right side of your screen, you can access accessibility features for this digital program such as larger text and higher contrast.
Program
(Without Intermission)
Ego Flos Campi — Jacobus Clemens non Papa
Mass for the Endangered — Sarah Kirkland Snider, music; Nathaniel Bellows/traditional, lyrics
1. Kyrie (Nicole Moran, soprano; Janine Nehila, alto; David P. Willis, tenor; Kevin Douglas Jasaitis, bass)
2. Gloria
3. Alleluia (Peggy Noecker, soprano)
4. Credo (Caitlin deBrigard, Christine Psolka, sopranos)
5. Sanctus/Benedictus (Janice Liddy, soprano; Carolyn Gratzer Cope, Kari Martin, altos; Douglas Clark, James Scavone, tenors)
6. Agnus Dei (Joan Kinney, soprano)
The Peace of Wild Things — Jake Runestad, music; Wendell Berry, lyrics
Half Acre — Dan Messe, arr. Gregory Good
Niška Banja — Romani Dance, arr. Nick Page (Patti Carlisle D’Andrea joins Holland Jancaitis on piano; Quintet 1: Hillary Critelli, Sarah Gillis, Matthew Izzo, Angelina O’Neill, Ruairi O’Neill, Quintet 2: Micaelie Bremer, Aylin Bilgutay, Gabriella Estrada, Andrew Bogdan, Victor Barbella)
Subscribe to 2025-26
Text & Translations
Ego Flos Campi
Ego flos campi et lilium convallium.
Sicut lilium inter spinas, sic amica mea inter filias.
Fons hortorum et puteus aquarum viventium,
Quae fluunt impetu de Libano.
I am the flower of the field and the lily of the valleys.
Like the lily between the thorns, so is my love among the daughters.
The fountain of the garden and well of living waters
Which flow rushing from Lebanon.
Mass for the Endangered
1. Kyrie
Kyrie Eleison (Lord, have mercy)
On earth, air, and water,
have mercy.
On stone, tree, and flower,
have mercy.
World have mercy.
Kyrie Eleison
Give mercy to all wing and paw,
mercy to all creed and claw,
on flower, seed, leaf, and root.
Give mercy to all broods and tribes,
mercy to all nests and prides;
to tide and spring, squall and breeze,
to those who plead for calm and peace,
not hunted, hounded, poisoned, fleeced.
To barren, poisoned land:
Forgive us.
To the vanished, and the left:
Forgive us.
World forgive us.
Mercy on this refuge,
this braided boundless stone.
Mercy for their old,
mercy for their young.
And mercy now for what we’ve done.
Kyrie Eleison
2. Gloria
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Et in terra pax
hominibus bonæ voluntatis.
Laudamus te; benedicimus te;
adoramus te; glorificamus te.
Gratias agimus tibi
propter magnam gloriam tuam.
Domine Deus, Rex caelestis,
Deus Pater omnipotens.
Domine Fili unigenite Jesu Christe.
Domine Deus, Agnus Dei,
Filius Patris.
Qui tollis peccata mundi,
miserere nobis.
Qui tollis peccata mundi,
suscipe deprecationem nostram.
Qui sedes ad dextram Patris,
O miserere nobis.
Quoniam tu solus Sanctus,
tu solus Dominus,
tu solus Altissimus, Jesu Christe.
Cum Sancto Spiritu
in gloria Dei Patris.
Amen.
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace
to people of good will.
We praise you, we bless you,
we adore you, we glorify you,
we give you thanks
for your great glory.
Lord God, heavenly King,
O God almighty Father.
Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
Son of The Father,
Who takes away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us;
Who takes away the sins of the world,
receive our prayer;
Who sits at the right hand of the Father
have mercy on us.
For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father.
Amen.
3. Alleluia
Sea of cradle, foundling,
current, cold and quelled as morning.
Braid of vapored ashes,
shadowed creche, collapsing.
Contour, carve, corrode—
breathe through camphor, coal,
seed each breeze with gold.
Poison, parch, pollute—
plow the coast, the dune,
flow toward constant moon.
Alleluia
Hearth of stone, of tar, of lava,
shelter shielding mother.
Oh, save us mother!
She who is sleeping,
Is she who will wake.
Fracture, foist, defoul—
shatter cliff and shoal,
sand each stone to whole.
Harbored, held, unharmed—
she’ll wake, rise, rejoin,
her daughters and her sons.
Alleluia
4. Credo
We believe in stone and moss,
sand and grass. Land limned on loam,
haven to the harmed and the whole,
the lesser and the left, the spirit housed
in the opposite.
We believe in all who are offset.
We believe in the blessing of wing,
angelic, ingenious—every
soaring thing. We believe in the holy
pelt and fin, hoary hide and shell.
The armor of every beast is blessed,
adorned in their own regalia.
Mercy, now,
on all animalia.
Take no tooth or tusk, steal no
heart, hair, or husk.
Et expecto…
No shark robbed of its fin, no mink
denied its skin.
resurrectionem mortuorum et vitam venturi saeculi…
No bath in bowls of salted blood
And I await the life of the world to come…
no cove for corpse, no reddened veldt.
A flora fashioned, valued, known
to heal the mind and mend the bone.
We believe in all who are voiceless.
We believe in all who are at risk.
We believe in all who are helpless.
We believe in all who are at risk.
Lay down the spear, lay down the hook,
lay down the gun, the knife, the net.
No majesty in poison. No virtue in
the snare. No salvation in a strangled spirit.
We believe in songs at daybreak,
cries and calls at dusk.
In quell and coo, drone and hum,
in hovel, hollow, river, pond.
We believe in listen. We believe
in wish. And to be worthy of
their gift: this chance to look
within ourselves and change how
we have lived, to change
how we have lived.
We believe in all who are offset.
We believe in all who are outcast.
We believe in all who are voiceless.
We believe in all who are stranded.
We believe in all who are stalwart.
We believe in all who are fearless.
Expecto vitam venturi saeculi …
We believe in all who are dauntless.
And I await the life of the world to come…
We believe in all offset, outcast, voiceless, stranded,
stalwart, fearless, dauntless, promised.
We believe in all who are silenced.
We believe in all silenced.
We believe in all who are promised.
We believe in all promised.
And I await…
5. Sanctus/Benedictus
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus,
Domine Deus Sabaoth.
Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua.
Osanna in excelsis.
Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.
Osanna in excelsis.
Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God of Sabaoth.
Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
6. Agnus Dei
Agnus Dei,
qui tollis peccata mundi
(Lamb of God,
who taketh away the sins of the world)
Lamb of God,
of longing, loss,
have mercy on us.
Accept, embrace
these sins—release
the callous,
the conquering,
replace this
hardened wrath,
with calm.
Lamb of God,
in calling, call,
grant them peace.
The deepest sleep
of safety, the unencumbered
yawn. To bathe and breed
with no threat or risk—
trade our sins,
our trespasses,
for bliss.
Let, allow, admit, accord:
The slumbering of gods
The wandering unbound
The hunted hunting whole
The grazing under moon
The breathing boundless breath
The freedom found in self
The feeling life is whole
The meaning known, unknown
Lamb of God,
of goodness, gold,
share your mercy.
Enslaved by sordid
time – the inward-turning
eye, in scarcity, with lie.
They who take our
basest acts – Lamb of God – no
punishment no cruel attack.
They who rise from
all we lack—Lamb of
God—give wonder, wish,
give kindness back.
Agnus Dei
The Peace of Wild Things
When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
Half Acre
I am holding half an acre
Torn from the map of Michigan.
And folded in this scrap of paper
Is the land I grew in.
Think of every town you’ve lived in,
Every room you lay your head.
And what is it that you remember?
Do you carry every sadness with you,
Every hour your heart was broken,
Every night the fear and darkness
Lay down with you?
A man is walking on the highway,
A woman stares out at the sea;
And light is only now just breaking.
So we carry every sadness with us,
Every hour our hearts were broken,
Every night the fear and darkness
Lay down with us.
But I am holding half an acre
Torn from the map of Michigan.
I am carrying this scrap of paper,
That can crack the darkest sky wide open,
Every burden taken from me,
Every night my heart unfolding
My home.
Niška Banja
The word “Niška” refers to the city of Niš in Serbia. “Banja” means bath. The song is a flirtatious dance that basically means, “Let’s go to the baths of Niš where we shall kiss, kiss, kiss.”
Niška Banja topla voda
Zaniš lije živa zjoda
Emka ravla, emkame ravla,
Ando niši name kavla.
Nišlike su fine dame
Nešeta ju nikad same.
Emka ravla, emkame ravla,
Ando niši name kavla.
Jek duj duj duj de šuj duj
Čumi davte čaje ando muj.
Emka ravla, emkame ravla,
Ando niši name kavla.
Our environmental partners
A big thank you to our Earthsongs environmental partners. Please spend a few minutes learning about their work and consider making a donation through the links below.
Citizens’ Climate Lobby/Citizens’ Climate Education
The Lincroft Chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby/Citizens’ Climate Education seeks to “build political will for a livable world” through outreach about climate solutions to our fellow citizens and to our members of Congress in Monmouth, Ocean, and Middlesex counties. As one of more than 400 CCL/CCE chapters in the USA, our climate advocacy builds renewed hope for solving climate change. Donate here.
CILU (Citizens for Informed Land Use)
Citizens for Informed Land Use (CILU) is a Holmdel-based grass-roots organization formed in 1998 to promote informed and thoughtful land use, protect our natural resources, and preserve our quality of life. CILU advocates for the preservation of mature woodlands, farmlands, vegetated stream corridors, and our watershed while nurturing an informed citizenry. Donate here.
Clean Ocean Action
Clean Ocean Action (COA) is a broad-based coalition of active boating, business, community, conservation, diving, environmental, fishing, religious, service, student, surfing, and women’s groups whose mission is “to improve the degraded water quality of the marine waters off the New Jersey/New York coast.” For over 40 years, Clean Ocean Action is a leading voice working to protect waterways using science, law, research, education, and citizen action and works to unite and empower people to protect the ocean. Donate here.
The Sierra Club New Jersey Chapter
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization. We amplify the power of our millions of members and supporters to defend everyone’s right to a healthy world. Donate here.
Surfrider Foundation Jersey Shore Chapter
The Jersey Shore Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation is part of a national, grassroots activist network that is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s ocean, waves and beaches. We fight for plastic reduction, ocean protection, beach access, the coasts and climate, and clean water. Come join one of our beach cleanups! Donate here.
Waterspirit
Waterspirit is a spiritual ecology nonprofit sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, based in Monmouth County, New Jersey. Since 1998, we have inspired people of all beliefs to deepen their awareness of the sacredness of water and Earth’s interconnected systems through our programs and advocacy. Donate here.
Artistic Director’s notes
Click here to read Ryan Brandau’s essay on Mass for the Endangered.
Meet the Artists
Among audiences, MCC Artistic Director Ryan James Brandau is best known for dynamic and uplifting choral and orchestral performances, whether he himself is at the podium or his arrangements on the program. The New York Times hailed his recent debut appearance at Trinity Church Wall Street, conducting its iconic annual Messiah, “the gold standard” against which others “paled in comparison.” For both expert and new listeners, his interpretations are at once resplendent with the past and resonant with the present, earning the Times’ praise as “urgent and eloquent,” “burning and gladdening,” “intimate, alternately sober and joyous,” and, most essential to Ryan’s pervasive artistic intent, “modest yet monumental.”
Among musicians, he is perhaps better known for a clarity of vision and mastery of craft that is uncommonly equaled by a commitment to collaboration with vocalists and instrumentalists — a potent alchemy that not only produces music of the highest level, but invites participation in his music-made joy.
In New York City, he is the founder and Director of Res Facta, a vocal ensemble bringing together 14 of the city’s finest professional vocalists, and the longtime Artistic Director of Amor Artis, a chamber choir and Baroque orchestra, which specializes in bridging the Renaissance and Baroque to the present day. He is also the Artistic Director of the symphonic chorus and orchestra, Princeton Pro Musica — winner of the 2021 American Prize in Choral Performance — and Monmouth Civic Chorus, both in New Jersey.
In addition to leading his own ensembles, he has prepared choruses for the Vienna Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, and New Jersey Symphony.
As a choral and orchestral arranger, Ryan is equal parts artistic innovator and technical practitioner, taking pride in works that are as rewarding for musicians as they are for audiences. His expansive holiday repertoire in particular is lauded as “inventive,” “unfailingly gratifying,” and “in a class by itself” by the directors, vocalists, and instrumentalists of the many volunteer to professional ensembles that showcase their best through his well-crafted arrangements and meticulous orchestrations.
And as a lover and scholar of music, he is committed to collaboration with emerging artists and educational organizations, cross-cultural exploration, and building bridges for new audiences by presenting classical works in dialogue with contemporary themes and new music.
Ryan has taught and conducted at Westminster Choir College, Santa Clara University, and Smith College. He holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the Yale School of Music, a Master of Philosophy in Historical Musicology from Cambridge University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Princeton University.
He lives in New York City with his husband, Ian, and his dog, Tux.
MCC members performing
Soprano
Chiara Abreo
Aylin Bilgutay
Micaelie Bremer
Marina Christopher
Hillary Critelli
Patti Carlisle D’Andrea
Heather Daniels
Caitlin deBrigard
Megan Delaney
Barbara H. Jacomme
Joan R. Kinney
Lisa M. Kirby
Janice Liddy
Teri Lindstrom
Deborah Macock
Eleanor Mason
Pat Miller
Nicole Moran
Peggy Noecker
Petrina Picerno
Christine Psolka
Janet Rostad
Cheryl Sobolewski Parker
Carol A. Van Kirk
Hui-Ling Wu
Alto
Carol Andrew
Kathleen Blinn
Jenni Blumenthal
Carolyn Gratzer Cope
Suzanne Costello
Celeste Credle
Ellen Crimi
Elena Cuesta
Patricia Dowens
Alissa Downey
Gabriella Estrada
Sarah Gillis
Susan Gorsky
Deb Hoffman
Marcie Horowitz
Joanne Kelsey
Kari Martin
Susan Metz
Alison Nead
Janine Nehila
Angelina O’Neill
Stephanie Palmer Bates
Mari-Jo Policastro
Clare Resnick
Jacqueline Schreiber
Linda Wasser
Caroline Whittemore
Kathleen Woolston
Tenor
Kenneth Brynildsen
Douglas Clark
Jim Harbison
Matthew Henry
Matthew Izzo
George Liddy
Ray Ritchie
James Scavone
David P. Willis Jr.
Bass
Kenneth Almquist
Victor Barbella
Andrew Bogdan
Leyland Brenner
Dylan Brown
Kenneth Budka
James J. Green
Daniel Hyman
Kevin Douglas Jasaitis
Robert E. Kelly
Joseph A. Leen
John Luard
Ruairi O’Neill
Joseph Pisano
Darnell Robinson
Richard Sorrentino
Kenneth Wasser
Gordon Wu
Instrumentalists performing
Violin 1
Ruotao Mao
Violin 2
Marina Fragoulis
Viola
Gregory Williams
Violoncello
Nathan Whittaker
Bass
Tony Falanga
Flute
Reva Youngstein
Oboe
Karen Birch-Blundell
Clarinet
Daniel Spitzer
Bassoon
Gili Sharett
Harp
Violetta Maria Norrie
Percussion
Jason O’Brien
Piano
Holland Jancaitis
Keep in touch
While we still send occasional snail mail, most of our communication is online. Please be sure you’re subscribed to our email list so you’ll never miss a beat.
A huge thanks to our donors
We are deeply grateful for the generous and continuous financial support we receive from our donors. These contributions allow us to organize and hold concerts like this one. Through the Scholarship Fund we have supported many young artists throughout the years.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
MCC Annual support
Angel ($1,200+)
Stephanie and Andrew Bates
The Cope Family
Joel and Marilyn Morgovsky
Steve and Pat Miller
Joe Pisano and Steven Russell
Jim Scavone & Paul Chalifour
Thomas and Leegen Wu
Donor ($600 – $1,199)
Anonymous (1)
Kathleen Blinn
Ralph and Jenni Blumenthal
Janet and Pete Breslin
Deborah Macock
Susan Metz – in memory of Gerald Metz
Mark Shapiro — wonderful memories of Monmouth Civic Chorus
Phil Carter and Martie Viets
Gordon and Hui-Ling Wu
Sponsor ($300 – $599)
Anonymous
David and Donna Brandau
Hillary and Sean Critelli
Ellen and Joe Crimi
Patti and Steve D’Andrea
Pat and Jac Dowens
Wolfgang and Christine Elsner
Daniel and Anne Ford
Susan Gorsky
Mary and David Graham
Brian and Joelle Kelly Family Foundation
Craig Nohl and Maura Marcus
David and Diana Parkes
Clare Resnick — In memory of Tom Hoffman
Ray and Anita Ritchie
Wendy Shapiro – in memory of Gerald Metz
Patron ($150 – $299)
Anonymous
Mary Batistick
Alice Berman — in memory of Gerald Metz
Ken and Cindy Budka
Doug and Doris Clark
Donna Domenicali
Marshall and Becky Gorman
Deb and Tom Hoffman – in memory of Gerald Metz
Gilded Lily Florist
Greg and Joan Kinney
Kelly Morgan
Beatrice Oppenheim – in honor of MCC’s 75th Anniversary
Charles Parr
James Schmitt – in honor of Peggy Noecker
George and Dawn Sumrall
Friend (up to $149)
Anonymous (4)
Carol Andrew
Glenn Applegate
Barry and Sharon Bedrick – in memory of Jerry Metz
Helen Benham
The Carton Law Offices
Kehilat Chaverim – in memory of Jerry Metz
Sally and Richard Chrisman
Marina Christopher – in memory of Gerald Metz, beloved member of MCC. He made an immeasurable contribution to our chorus and was a very special person
Michele Critelli
Megan Delaney
JoAnn Dow-Breslin — in honor of Janet Breslin
Dorothy Harbeck
Stephan A Heinlein – in memory of my father
Marilyn Kelsey
John Luard
Joanie Oram – in memory of my husband Gibb
Jack and Maureen Pfanne — we are so proud of our niece Meg Delaney
Christina Ritchie – in honor of G Ray Ritchie
Janet Rostad — in memory of Tracy Ten Eyck Dussman
Marie and Henry Shapiro – in memory of our cousin Jerry Metz
Wayne and Carol Smith
Fiona Sutherland – in memory of my parents George and Joyce Smith
Olivia Thompson — in honor of Clare Resnick
Ken and Linda Wasser
Caroline Whittemore
Vasallo Ila — in honor of the Climate Reality Project
Arlene Zielinski
MCC Endowment Fund
$20,000
Mike Huber, in memoriam
Gerald and Susan Metz
$10,000 +
In memory of Mary Ann Greco
Estate of Eileen McAndrew
$5,000 +
Leland dePlanque, in memoriam
A Friend
Lucent Technologies
Deborah and Dwight Macock
$1,000 +
Ralph and Jenni Blumenthal
Sydney Kindler in memory of Matthew Picerno
In memory of Ivar and Allene Lindstrom
Under $1,000
Anonymous (1)
Gregory Adams
AT&T
Catherine Baumann-Hecht
Ellen Crimi – in memory of Jerry Metz
Richard and Sally Chrisman – in loving memory of our valiant friend, Jerry Metz
Patti and Steve D’Andrea
Stephen Doyle in honor of Helen Steblecki
Michael Humphreys
Diane and Adam Iosca – in honor of Ken and Linda Wasser
Deborah Macock – in memory of Jerry Metz
Robert and Kathi O’Neil – in memory or Rene O’Neil
Raphael Podolski – in memory of Jerry Metz
PSEG Power of Giving Campaign
Barbara Sager
Mark Shapiro — honoring the memory of Jerry Metz, with love to Sue Metz
Ken and Linda Wasser – in memory of Dwight Macock
Gerald Metz Scholarship Endowment Fund
If you’re looking for an especially meaningful way to support MCC and talented young musicians in NJ, we encourage you to consider donating to this new scholarship fund. Longtime MCC member Jerry Metz had a profound impact on the lives of countless musicians, and we are honored to be able to continue that legacy with your help.
$35,000
Susan Metz — in memory of Jerry Metz
Under $1,000
Alice Berman — in memory of Gerald Metz
Bruce Bush and Judith Johnston
Doug and Doris Clark
Patti and Steve D’Andrea
Ted Diesenhaus and Deanne Shapiro – in loving memory of Jerry Metz, our beloved brother-in-law
William Fiorelli – it was my pleasure to sing with Jerry in MCC
Daniel and Anne Ford
Ann Gratzer
Tom and Deb Hoffman – in memory of Gerald Metz
Lisa Kirby
Joseph A Lean
Teri Lindstrom
Pat and Steve Miller
Mari-Jo Policastro
Clare Resnick
Ken and Linda Wasser – in memory of Jerry Metz
Gordon and Hui-Ling Wu
MCC Scholarship Fund
Under $1,000
Anonymous
Deb and Bob Abraham – in memory of Jerry Metz
Stephanie Bates – in memory of Jerry Metz
Victor Barbella
Pat and Jac Dowens
Lauren Brunski-Howard – in memory of Doris K Foster
Robert and Rebecca Hubert
The Johnson Company – in memory of Doris K Foster
Carol van Kirk – in memory of Jerry Metz
Richard Sorrentino
Umami Girl
Ken and Linda Wasser – in memory of Dwight Macock
Acknowledgments
Thank you to Printing2Go for providing exceptional service at every turn. You make our season possible.
MCC Board
President: James Scavone
Vice President: Janet Breslin
Secretary: Stephanie Palmer Bates
Treasurer: Joseph Pisano
Development: Stephanie Palmer Bates
Financial Operations: Michele Critelli
Marketing: Carolyn Gratzer Cope
Music: Kenneth Budka
Membership: Martie Viets
Production: Brian Shapiro
Technology: Heather Daniels
Registered Agent: Jenni Blumenthal
Concert production crew
Music Manager: Kenneth Budka
Production Manager: Brian Shapiro
Marketing Manager: Carolyn Gratzer Cope
Ticket Manager: Teri Lindstrom
Database Manager: Kathy Woolston
House Manager: Doris Clark
Program Designer: Micaelie Bremer
Digital Program Manager: Jacqueline Schreiber
Legal
Mass for the Endangered by Sarah Kirkland Snider presented under license from G. Schirmer Inc. and Associated Music Publishers, copyright owners.
Mendelssohn Elijah