Las Americas: Music from the Americas

Event details

Sunday, March 20, 2022, 4:00 p.m.

First Presbyterian Church of Freehold, 118 West Main Street, Freehold

Tickets: General admission: $30, Senior: $27, Student: $10, Group (10+): $25

Join us as we celebrate the diverse rhythms of the Americas from Argentina to Canada. We’ll feature Ariel Ramirez’s engaging Misa Criolla along with Shaker songs, spirituals, traditional hymns, bluegrass, American folk and roots music, and more.

COVID-19 Policy for Audience Members

Please note: All audience members will be required to show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 and to wear a mask at all times while on the premises. Please only buy a ticket if you are able to adhere to these policies.

Parking

Parking for this event is on-street only. Please allow extra time upon arrival.

Performance

Concert runtime is approximately 80 minutes, with no intermission.

Clickable table of contents

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The program

Misa Criolla — Ariel Ramírez
Soloists: Alex Guerrero, tenor — Kenneth Wasser, baritone — Gerald Metz, baritone
Kyrie (Vidala-Baguala)
Gloria (Carnavalito-Yaravi)
Credo (Chacerera trunca)
Sanctus (Carnaval cochabambino)
Agnus Dei (Estilo pampeano)

St. Francis’ Prayer — Margaret Bonds

Peace — Text and tune from the Shaker song Peace to Zion, Enfield, New Hampshire, circa 1851 — arr. Kevin Siegfried
Lay me Low — Text and tune adapted from the Shaker song Lay Me Low by Addah Z. Potter, New Lebanon, New York, circa 1838 — arr. Siegfried

Cloudburst — Eric Whitacre, text by Octavio Paz
Caitlin deBrigard, soprano
Joe Pisano, bass
Richard Oppenheim, speaker
Joe Pisano, Kathleen Blinn, George Liddy, Heidi Rausch — handchimes

Bring me Little Water, Silvy — Huddie W. Ledbetter (Lead Belly), arr. Moira Smiley
Valerie Valvano Guerrero
Hillary Critelli
Sandra Liddy Papp
Carolyn Gratzer Cope
Joanne Kelsey
Kari Martin

I’m Gonna Sing ’Til the Spirit Moves in my Heart — Moses Hogan

Song for the Mira — Allister MacGillivray — arr. Stuart Calvert
Dana Donovan, flute
Sandra Liddy-Papp
Jamie Green
James Scavone
Lindsay Abbot
Janet Breslin

Will the Circle Be Unbroken — Traditional Appalachian — arr. J. David Moore — text by Betsy Rose, Cathy Winter, and Marcia Taylor
Petrina Picerno
Huiling Wu
Janine Nehila
Kathy Woolston
Claire Harbeck
Patricia Dowens
Linda Wasser
Dee Dee Miles
Kathleen Blinn
Lindsay Abbot

The Road Home — Tune: “Prospect” from Southern Harmony 1835, adapted by Stephen Paulus — text by Michael Dennis Browne
Jacqueline Reynolds, soprano

Ashokan Farewell — Jay Ungar
Nyssa Duchow, violin
Zack Seif, guitar
Holland Jancaitis, piano
Tony Falanga, bass

Sure on this Shining Night — Morten Lauridsen — text by James Agee

Angel Band — Traditional Bluegrass — arr. Ryan James Brandau
Claire Harbeck
Carolyn Gratzer Cope
Douglas Clark

Program notes

Everyone who came to the Americas, whether by choice or by force, brought with them the songs and stories of home. Everyone who stayed here, whether born here or abroad, encountered new songs and stories brought here from other homes. The fusion of old and new became roots music — the source of most of the popular music heard in millions of earbuds all over the world.

Our concert celebrates this lavish musical legacy from Argentina to Canada. The centerpiece is Misa Criolla, completed in 1964 by Argentine composer Ariel Ramirez. The Misa broke new ground with text in Spanish instead of the customary Latin, set to fit traditional dance rhythms from Argentina and Bolivia: vidala-baguala in the Kyrie, carnavalito in the Gloria, chacarera trunca in the Credo, carnaval cochabambino in the Sanctus, and estilo pampeano in the Agnus Dei. The cozy close harmonies backed by sizzlingpercussion and guitar transform the Mass from a solemn ritual into an exuberant street party.

The updated down-home folk hymns Angel Band, The Road Home, No Time, Peace, Lay Me Low, and Will the Circle Be Unbroken share the hope for a better life in the next world. The work song Bring Me Little Water, Silvy and the spiritual I’m Gonna Sing ‘Til the Spirit Moves in My Heart originated with enslaved Africans singing to help bear their burdens. Song for the Mira, written in 1973 by Allister MacGillivray and popularized by Canadian singer Anne Murray, became an unofficial anthem for both the Mira River region of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, and the town of Mira in Galway, Ireland. Ashokan Farewell, composed in 1982 by Jay Ungar, got so much air play in Ken Burns’ PBS series The Civil War that it’s commonly assumed to be an early American folk song.

Our concert also samples the expressive range of contemporary American choral composers. The recently discovered St. Francis’ Prayer, written in 1968 by Margaret Bonds, echoes the dreamy French harmonies of Ravel and Debussy. Morten Lauridsen’s 2005 setting of the meditative poem Sure on This Shining Night by American author James Agee evokes the solitude of a quiet summer night. Eric Whitacre’s Cloudburst, completed in 1995, riffs on a haunting text by Mexican poet Octavio Paz to recreate the experience of a thunderstorm with claps, snaps, percussion, and handbells.

Monmouth Civic Chorus began singing and loving this music more than two years ago, and we’re grateful to be able at last to share it in person with you. However you got here, whatever you brought with you, your American story is part of ours.

Susan Metz

Misa Criolla text & translation

If you prefer, you can download a PDF of the text and translation here.

1. Kyrie

Señor, ten piedad de nosotros
Cristo, ten piedad de nosotros

Lord, have mercy on us
Christ, have mercy on us

2. Gloria

Gloria a Dios en las alturas
Y en la tierra
Paz a los hombres
Que ama el Señor

Te alabamos
Te bendecimos
Te adoramos
Glorificamos
Te damos gracias
Por tu inmensa gloria
Señor Dios, Rey Celestial

Dios, Padre Todopoderoso
Señor, Hijo Único,
Jesucristo
Señor Dios, cordero de Dios
Hijo del Padre
Tú que quitas los pecados
del mundo
Ten piedad de nosotros
Tú que quitas
los pecados del mundo
Atiende nuestras suplicas
Tú que reinas
con el Padre
Ten piedad de nosotros

Gloria a Dios en las alturas
Y en la tierra
Paz a los hombres
Que ama el Señor

Porque tú
Solo eres santo
Solo tú Señor tú solo
Tú solo Altísimo Jesucristo
Con el Espíritu Santo
En la gloria
de Dios Padre
Amén

Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth
Peace, among men
Who love the lord.

We praise you,
We bless you,
We worship you,
We glorify you,
We give you thanks
For your great glory.
Lord, King, God of heaven,

Father almighty: Lord,
Lord, only-begotten Son,
Jesus Christ
Lord God, Lamb of God,
Son of the Father,
You who take away the sin
of the world,
Have mercy on us;
You who take away
the sin of the world.
Receive our prayer,
You who rules
with the Father,
Have mercy on us.

Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth
Peace, among men
Who love the lord.

For you alone
Are holy,
You alone are Lord,
Only you high Jesus Christ,
With the Holy Spirit
In the glory
of God the Father.
Amen.

3. Sanctus

Santo, santo, santo
Señor Dios del universo
Llenos están los cielos
Y la tierra de tu gloria

Hosanna en las alturas
Bendito el que viene
En el nombre del señor

Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God of hosts,
Heaven and earth
Are full of thy glory,

Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is He that cometh
In the name of the Lord

4. Credo

Padre todopoderoso
Creador de cielo y tierra
Creo en Dios

Y en Jesucristo creo
Su único hijo
Nuestro señor
Fue concebido
Por obra y gracia
Del Espíritu Santo

Nació de Santa María
De Santa María Virgen
Padeció bajo el poder
Poder de Poncio Pilatos
Fue crucificado
Muerto y sepultado

Descendió a los infiernos
Al tercer día resucitó
Resucitó
de entre los muertos
Subió a los cielos
Esta sentado
a la diestra de Dios

Desde allí ha de venir
A juzgar vivos
y muertos

Creo en el Espíritu Santo
Santa Iglesia Católica
La comunión de los santos
Y el perdón de los pecados
Resurrección de la carne
Y la vida perdurable
Amén

I believe in God,
The Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ,
God’s only Son,
Our Lord,
Who was conceived
By work and grace
of the Holy Spirit,

Born of Holy Mary,
The Holy Virgin Mary
Suffered under the power
Power of Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified,
Died, and was buried;

He descended to the dead.
On the third day
he rose again;
He resurrected from the dead
He ascended into heaven,
He is seated
at the right hand of God,

From there he will come
To judge the living
and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
The Holy Catholic Church,
The communion of saints,
The forgiveness of sins,
The resurrection of the body,
And the life everlasting.
Amen

5. Agnus Dei

Cordero de Dios
que quitas
Los pecados del mundo
Ten compasión de nosotros

Cordero de Dios
que quitas
Los pecados del mundo
Danos la paz

Lamb of God,
you who take away
The sins of the world,
Have mercy upon us.

Lamb of God,
you who take away
The sins of the world,
Grant us peace.

Cloudburst text & translation

El cántaro roto

La lluvia…

Ojos de agua de sombra,
ojos de agua de pozo,
ojos de agua de sueño.

Soles azules, verdes remolinos,
picos de luz que abren astros
como granadas.

Dime, tierra quemada, no hay agua?
hay sólo sangre, sólo hay polvo,
sólo pisadas de pies desnudos sobre la espina?

La lluvia despierta…

Hay que dormir con los ojos abiertos,
hay que soñar con les manos,
soñemos sueños activos de río buscando su cauce,
sueños de sol soñando sus mundos,
hay que cantar hasta que el canto eche
raíces, tronco, ramas, pájaros, astros,
hay que desenterrar la palabra perdida,
recordar lo que dicen la sangre y la marea,
le tierra y el cuerpo,
volver al punto de partida…

Octavio Paz (adapted by Eric Whitacre)

The broken water-jar

The rain…

Eyes of shadow-water,
eyes of well-water,
eyes of dream-water.

Blue suns, green whirlwinds,
birdbeaks of light pecking open
pomegranate stars.

But tell me, burnt earth, is there no water?
Only blood, only dust,
only naked footsteps on the thorns?

The rain awakens…

We must sleep with open eyes,
we must dream with our hands,
we must dream the dreams of a river seeking its course,
of the sun dreaming its worlds,
we must dream aloud,
we must sing til the song puts forth roots,
trunk, branches, birds, stars,
we must find the lost word,
and remember what the blood,
the tides, the earth, and the body say,
and return to the point of departure…

Translation: Lysander Kemp

Thank you, sponsors & advertisers

MCC is grateful for the support of our generous sponsors. To learn more about an organization, click through on their logo. (Would you like to become a sponsor or advertiser? Learn more here.)

Special thanks

Special thanks to The Atrium at Navesink Harbor for loaning us the handchimes used in today’s performance.

Meet the artists

Artistic Director Ryan James Brandau has broad experience conducting a variety of choral and orchestral ensembles. In addition to his work with Monmouth Civic Chorus, he serves as Artistic Director of Princeton Pro Musica and Amor Artis, a chamber choir and orchestra in New York City.

He has also served on the faculty of Westminster Choir College, where he has worked with the Symphonic Choir, which he has prepared for performances with the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Vienna Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, and the New Jersey Symphony.

He remains active as a choral arranger, composer, and clinician, whose arrangements and compositions have been featured by choral ensembles across the globe.

Ryan received the Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music degrees from the Yale School of Music. Prior to pursuing graduate study in conducting, Ryan attended the University of Cambridge in the UK as a Gates Scholar, earning an M.Phil. in historical musicology. He received his B.A. in music, magna cum laude, from Princeton University.

Soloists

Alex Guerrero, tenor, has been praised in The New York Times for his “apt comic timing” for his portrayal of Ali in Gretry’s Zémire et Azor with the American Classical Orchestra, with whom he has been featured in several programs, and the Culvert Chronicles lauded his “beautiful lyric voice.” He has been featured at Zankel Hall in an all-Handel program under maestro William Christie and performed in D’Indy’s Fervaal with the American Symphony Orchestra at Avery Fisher Hall, and he can also be heard on the CD release Inura for Voice, Strings and Percussion, music conducted and composed by Tania León, nominated for the 2013 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Classical Composition. As a choral artist, he regularly performs and records with many of the leading ensembles in the greater New York City metropolitan area. As composer, his music has been performed by The New York Virtuoso Singers, the choir at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and Charis in Westchester County.Verdi’s Requiem conducted by former music director emeritus James Levine, and Wagner’s Parsifal conducted by newly named music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

Kenneth Wasser, baritone, has been a member of MCC for over 40 years. He has performed leading roles in local productions of Sondheim on Sondheim, Ragtime, South Pacific, Titanic, Damn Yankees, Man of La Mancha (NJ ACT PERRY award for outstanding lead actor in a musical), Fiddler on the Roof, The Secret Garden, Follies, The Magic Flute, The Most Happy Fella, New Moon, Oklahoma!, Carousel, The Merry Widow, Brigadoon, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Kismet, and many of the Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. Ken is also a featured vocalist with The Garden State Symphonic Band in Middlesex County and an active partcipant in Cabaret for Life fundraisers. Ken provides the entertainment for various organizations with his one-man show, The Three Baritones. he lives in West Long Branch with his wife, Linda, also an MCC member.

Gerald Metz, baritone, has been a Monmouth Civic Chorus member since 1979 and served as Chorus President from 1996 – 2002. He is a frequent concert soloist, and played Private Willis in our stage production of Iolanthe and the Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Westminster Choir College and taught choral music, mathematics, and computer science in the Middletown Township public schools. As a member of the Westminster Choir, he toured the United States and Puerto Rico and participated in choral performances under Leonard Bernstein, Leopold Stokowski, William Steinberg, Robert Shaw, Seiji Ozawa, and other distinguished conductors. He is also a member of Princeton Pro Musica, led by Ryan Brandau, and an alumnus of Cantori New York, led by Mark Shapiro. He lives in Freehold with his wife, Susan, also an MCC member.

Instrumentalists performing

Guitar

Zack Seif

Percussion

Adrienne Ostrander
Scott Simpson
Edward Shea

Piano

Holland Jancaitis

String bass

Tony Falanga

Violin

Nyssa Duchow

MCC members performing

Soprano

Donna Boris
Hillary Critelli
Patti D’Andrea
Caitlin deBrigard
Dana Donovan
Valerie Valvano Guerrero
Claire Harbeck
Barbara Jacomme
Lisa Kirby
Danielle Klimowicz
Janice Liddy
Sandra Liddy Papp
Cindy Lin
Teri Lindstrom
Deborah Macock
Eleanor Mason
Pat Miller
Peggy Noecker
Petrina Picerno
Christine Psolka
Jacqueline Reynolds
Janet Rostad
Helen Steblecki
Janice Thomas
Carol Van Kirk
Martie Viets
Huiling Wu

Alto

Lindsay Abbot
Carol Andrew
Kathleen Blinn
Jenni Blumenthal
Janet Breslin
Carolyn Gratzer Cope
Suzanne Costello
Kaitlyn Cozzi
Celeste Credle
Patricia Dowens
Alissa Downey
Becky Gorman
Susan Gorsky
Joanne Kelsey
Kari Martin
Sue Metz
Dee Dee Miles
Janine Nehila
Heidi Rausch
Clare Resnick
Jacqueline Schreiber
Linda Wasser
Kathy Woolston

Tenor

Douglas Clark
Daniel Ford
Marshall Gorman
George Liddy
James Scavone
David Willis

Bass

Kenneth Almquist
Victor Barbella
Leyland Brenner
Jamie Green
Corey Katz
Jerry Metz
Richard Oppenheim
Joe Pisano
Kenneth Wasser
Gordon Wu

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.

Vocal scholarship

Do you know a high school senior who loves to sing? This season’s scholarship auditions will take place in Red Bank on Saturday, April 23. Applications are due by April 9. Learn more here, and please encourage folks to apply.

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.

Annual support

Angel ($1,000+)

Steve and Pat Miller
Marilyn and Joel Morgovsky
The Cope Family
James Scavone & Paul Chalifour
Allyn Quagliano in memory of Patrick Quagliano

Donor ($500 – $999)

Anonymous
Kathleen Blinn
Ralph & Jenni Blumenthal
Janet and Peter Breslin
Anne L. & Daniel M. Ford
Robert M. Hirsh & Kate Ferguson
Deborah & Dwight Macock
Gerald & Susan Metz
Warren R. Moe
Craig Nohl & Maura Marcus
The Picerno Family
Joe Pisano & Steven Russell
Martie Viets & Phil Carter
Huiling & Gordon Wu
Leegen & Thomas Wu

Anonymous (3)
Ellen & Joe Crimi
Pat & Jac Dowens in memory of Jonathan Dowens
Susan Gorsky
Elaine & Torris Jermansen

Patron ($100 – $249)

Anonymous (6)
Scott & Randi Albiston
Douglas & Doris Clark in memory of Madeleine Percht
Barbara Carroll
Suzanne & Ken Craig
Hillary Critelli
Helen Benham
Jo Ann Dow-Breslin
Drs. Judith L. Johnston and Bruce L. Bush
Bill & Gail Burneyko in honor of Alissa Downey
William & Jean Fiorelli in memory of Paul Blinn, David Furniss & Tim Rostad
Pru & Bob Frechette
Becky & Marshall Gorman
Hilda Growth
Tom & Deb Hoffman
Stephan A. Heinlein in memory of Michal J Heinlein Jr.
The Liddy Family
Charles D. Parr
Marilyn Pearlman
Donald & Mari-Jo Policastro
Ray & Anita Ritchie
Ruth Scholsberg
Susan & William Shenton
A.J. Solomon
Helen Steblecki & Stephen Doyle
Audrey Tracey “Thanks for the Memories”
Carol Ann Van Kirk PhD

Friend (up to $99)

Anonymous (4)
Barbara Alvarez
David Fenwick
Geoff Harvey
Marilyn Kelsey
Lyn Lewis
William & Maryrose Little
Cynthia Mathews
Laura MacDonald
Mr. & Mrs. Luzia Nicosia
Michael O’Farrell
Chrys Raheb
Kenneth Zelinski

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 +

Sydney Kindler in memory of Matthew Picerno

Under $1,000

Amazon Smile
Anonymous (1)
AT&T
Victor Barbella
Mary L. Crawley
Barbara Doyle in honor of Marina Christopher
Stephen Doyle in honor of Helen Steblecki
Prudence S. Frechette
Stephan A Heinlein in memory of Michal J Heinlein Jr.
Diane & Adam Iosca in honor of Linda & Ken Wasser
Michael Joseph Hair Studio LLC
The Donn & Kathy Johnston Family Charitable Fund
Jerry Korn
Joal Leen
Joan Maxwell
Colleen Meyer
Emilie Nisenson
Barbara Sager
Virginia Samaras
Marian Wattenbarger

Scholarship fund

Anonymous (3)
Barbara Bascom in memory of Ruth Avakian
Barbara Carroll
Umami Girl

Donations In Memory of Our Late Fellow Singer Ruth Avakian

Peter Avakian
Douglas & Doris Clark
Preston and Barbara Crabill
Deborah Macock
Joe Pisano & Steven Russell

Donations In Memory of Our Late Fellow Singer David Furniss

Deborah Macock
Joe Pisano & Steven Russell

In memoriam

Monmouth Civic Chorus honors former member Marsha Pratt.

MCC Board

President: Patti D’Andrea
Vice President: Hillary Critelli
Secretary: Ellen Toomey
Treasurer: Joe Pisano
Development: Doris Clark
Financial Operations: Kathleen Blinn
Marketing: Carolyn Gratzer Cope
Music: Janet Breslin
Membership: Martie Viets
Production: George Liddy
Registered Agent: Jenni Blumenthal

Concert production crew

Production Manager: George Liddy
House Manager: Doris Clark
Ticket Manager: Alissa Downey
Stage Manager: Kathleen Blinn
Database Manager: Kathy Woolston
Marketing Manager: Carolyn Gratzer Cope
Concert Venues Manager: Carol Van Kirk
Concert Program Support: Susan Metz

Official trailer

Watch our 2021 virtual concert American Voices

In early March of 2020, we’d already spent several months rehearsing for Las Americas. Watch how we reimagined elements of that show for virtual performance and created American Voices: From Our Homes to Yours.