- Announcer:
The following program
is a PBS Wisconsin
original production.

- John Oelrich: Everybody says, "Kids these days."
"Oh kids these days, oh these kids these days,"
[mock grumbling]
Well, I give you kids
these days.
- Conductor: One and two.
- Boy: Brilliant experience that you can only get here.
- Woman: Musicians from all over the state come together
and bring their own talents.
- Girl: Everyone is so encouraging, so supportive.
It's awesome.
- Girl: So fun.
- Boy: It's a lot of work,
but it's a lot of fun work.

- I've been challenged
beyond what
I could have ever been challenged before.
- Gary Lewis: It's remarkable, the level of artistry
that they have achieved
at such a young age.
- Boy: All of these singers are so passionate and are so good.
- Girl: It's an
amazing experience.
I look forward to it every year.
- Honestly the best thing I've ever done in my life.
- Man: They are ready.
More than ready.

- Announcer: The 2019 WSMA High School State Honors Concerts
was funded, in part, by
A. Paul Jones
Charitable Trust,
Focus Fund for Young Performers,
and Friends of
Wisconsin Public Television.

[Orchestra performs
"Entry March of Boyars"
by Johan Halvorsen]
[traditional Slavic song]

§ §

§ §

§ §

[cheers and applause]

- If I’m only happy in music
when I’m at the
mountain-top moments,
when it’s an amazing choir and they sound fantastic--
if that’s the only way
I can be happy,
teaching probably isn’t the right profession for me,
because that’s the end.
Oh my gosh, it sounds so good.
But I feel like you're living on the front edge of the beat.
Let's go one more time
from the beginning.
Teaching is all about the beginning and the middle.
The process of getting from the beginning
to that point of developing musicians, of developing skills,
of learning a piece from the beginning through the end.
And when I realized how much I loved that process,
I think that was when I knew I was in the right career.

[Mixed Choir sings "Indodana" (The Son) a capella]
[singing traditional
South African hymn in isiXhosa]
§ Ngob’umthatile §
[The Lord)
§ Umtwana wakho §
(has taken his son)
§ Uhlale nathi §
(who lived amongst us)
§ Hololo ho §
(represents crying)
§ Helele he §
(represents crying)
§ Ngob’umthatile §
§ Umtwana wakho §
§ Uhlale nathi eh §
§ Hololo lo §
§ Helele le §
§ Indodana §
(The son)
§ Ka nkulunkulu §
(of the Lord God)
§ Bayi’bethelela §
(was crucified)
§ Hololo §
§ Helele §
§ Indodana §
(§ Zjem zja baba)
§ Ah §
§ Ka nkulunkulu §
(§ Oh)
§ Bayi’bethelela §
§ Hololo §
§ Helele §
§ Oh, Baba §

§ Oh, Baba §
§ §
§ Baba, Baba Jehovah ah §
§ Jehova §
(§ Ah, ho lo lo
§ Ho le le le
§ He)
§ Oh, Baba §
§ Oh, Baba §
§ Baba §
§ Baba Jehovah §
§ Jehovah! §

§ Ngob’umthatile le §
§ Umtwana wakho §
§ Uhlale nathi eh §
§ Hololo §
§ Helele §
§ Indodana §
(§ Zjem zja baba)
§ Ka nkulunkulu §
§ Bayi’bethelela §
§ Hololo §
§ Helele §

[cheers and applause]

[Mixed Choir sings
"Unclouded Day" J.K. Alwood,
arranged by Shawn Kirchner]
[rousing American folk tune]

§ Oh, they tell me of a home
far beyond the skies §
§ They tell me of a home
far away §
§ And they tell me of a home
where no storm clouds rise §
§ Oh, they tell me
of an unclouded day §
§ Oh, the land
of cloudless day §
§ Oh, the land
of an unclouded sky §
§ Oh, they tell me of a home
where no storm clouds rise §
§ Oh, they tell me
of an unclouded day §
§ They tell me of a home §
§ They tell me of a home §
§ They tell me of a home
where my friends have gone §
§ They tell me
of a land far away §
§ Where the tree of
life in eternal bloom §
§ Sheds its fragrance
through the unclouded day §
§ Oh, the land
of cloudless day §
§ Oh, the land
of an unclouded sky §
§ Oh, they tell me of a home
where no storm clouds rise §
§ Oh, they tell me
of an unclouded day §
§ They tell me of a King
in His beauty there §
§ They tell me that
mine eyes shall behold §
§ They tell me of a King
in His beauty there §
§ Where He sits on the throne
that is whiter than snow §
§ In the city
that is made of gold §
§ Oh, the land
of cloudless day §
§ Oh, the land
of an unclouded sky §
§ Oh, they tell me of a home
where no storm clouds rise §
§ Oh, they tell me
of an unclouded day §
§ Oh, the land
of cloudless day §
§ Oh, the land of §
§ Oh, the land
of an unclouded sky §
§ Oh, they tell me of a home
where no storm clouds rise §
§ Oh, they tell me
of an unclouded day §
[cheers and applause]

- One of the things that I think is so beautiful
about music and
music-making is
the collaborative nature of it,
the teamwork that it brings
and the empathy that it teaches.

Music is better equipped
to make us more
empathic human beings
than just about any
other activity.
This is harder than it looks, this last bit,
and it's gonna be the key
to success.
It's really easy when
you're faced
with significant
technical challenges,
which this music certainly presents,
it's easy to focus on just executing your part.
But great music making
comes only
when the musicians rise
above that,
rise above the
technical challenges
and become aware of how what they're doing,
works with the whole.

Yeah.
Terrific, violins.

How about a shuffle
for these guys?
That was rock solid.

[Orchestra performs "Jupiter," from The Planets
by Gustav Holst]
[rousing string music]

§ §

§ §

§ §

§ §

["Jupiter," from The Planets by Gustav Holst]

§ §

§ §

§ §

[cheers and applause]

- There’s a great discipline
that goes into any kind of ensemble music making.
There’s a tremendous amount of listening that goes on.
Yeah, I saw the little
panicked look on your face.
They learn to value,
they learn to distinguish.
They learn to be open and
not be judgmental.
A true part
of a community.
What's this piece gonna be like?
How do I want the audience to receive this piece?
And when you come to the cut-off at the end of the piece,
and everybody looks around like, "Wow, did we just do that?
"Did we just achieve that level of music making?"
Then you think, "Yeah, we’re ready to go out and share.”

[Treble Choir sings
"Bo Yavo Haboker"
by Josef Hadar]
[singing in Hebrew]
§ Bo yavo haboker §
(Morning comes so brightly)
§ Zakh v'chakhlili §
(clear and fresh today)
§ Mishehu yimtza li §
(Someone daily helps me)
§ Or biktzei darki §
(Illuminate my way)

[drumbeat begins]
§ Ma n'vakeish baderekh, ma? §
(What shall we ask
while walking)
§ Nomar? §
(On the way?)
§ Ma n'vakeish b'sheket §
(What should we ask for quietly?)
§ Ma? §
(What?)
§ Rak sheyorik hadeshe §
(Just that the grass
will stay green)
§ Rak shetizrach hashemesh § (Just that the sun
keeps shining)
§ Uv'orah lituf rakh,
li vlakh §
(And with its light
will strike us, you and me)
§ Rak sheyorik hadeshe §
(Just that
the grass will stay green)
§ Rak shetizrach hashemesh § (Just that
the sun keeps shining)
§ Uv'orah lituf rakh lakh §
(And with its light
will strike us, you and me)
§ Yeled t'khol einayim §
(Blue-eyed little child)
§ Li yiftach haor §
(Bring me light today)
§ B'einav hash'tayim §
(With your starry two eyes)
§ Li yomar hakol §
(Help me find my way)

§ Ma n'vakeish baderekh §
(What shall we ask
while walking)
§ Ma nomar §
(On the way?)
§ Ma n'vakeish b'sheket §
(What shall we ask
while walking)
§ Ma? §
(What?)
§ Rak sheyorik hadeshe §
(Just that
the grass will stay green)
§ Rak shetizrach hashemesh § (Just that
the sun keeps shining)
§ Uv'orah lituf rakh
li vlakh §
(And with its light
will stroke us, you and me)
§ Rak sheyorik hadeshe §
(Just that
the grass will stay green)
§ Rak shetizrach hashemesh § (Just that
the sun keeps shining)
§ Uv'orah lituf rakh lakh §
(And with its light
will stroke just you)

§ Mishehu yimtza li §
(Someone let me know)
§ Keshet l'vana §
(A rainbow white as snow)
§ U'mitokh hakeshet §
(From inside that rainbow)
§ Tzlil meitar nifla §
(A wondrous tone will grow)
[solemn piano melody]

[cheers and applause]

- There’s a piece called Warrior
that we’re doing that tells about young women
finding their voice
as they age.
Yes, last one, go.
The piece was written
in reaction
to an incident in Canada where violence had been done--
perpetrated toward a woman.
And you can see through the text of the song
and what we’re bringing
to the song
in terms of our gesture
and movement,
you’re seeing how the singers
are gaining their own
personal voice,
and how they’re using that personal voice
in order to make the society of women stronger and safer.
And I think the people
in our ensemble
connected most deeply
with that text,
and we’re most excited about singing that piece.

[Treble Choir sings "Warrior"
by Kim Baryluk]

§ I was a shy and lonely girl §
§ With the heavens in my eyes §

§ And as I walked
along the lane §

§ I heard the echoes
of her cries §
§ I cannot fight §
§ I cannot a warrior be §
§ It's not my nature
nor my teaching §
§ It is the womanhood in me §
§ I was a lost and angry youth §
§ There were no
tears in my eyes §
§ I saw no justice in my world §
§ Only the echoes of her cries §
§ I cannot fight §
§ I cannot a warrior be §
§ It's not my nature
nor my teaching §
§ It is the womanhood in me §
§ I am an older woman now §
§ And I will heed my own cries §
§ And I will a
fierce warrior be §
§ Til not another woman dies §
§ I can and will fight §
§ I can and will fight §
§ I can and will a warrior be §
§ It is my nature and my duty §
§ It is the womanhood in me §
§ I can and will fight §
§ I can and will fight §
§ I can and will a warrior be §
§ It is my nature and my duty §
§ It is the sisterhood in me §

[cheers and applause]

- I think the arts in general
are a fundamental part about what makes us human.
And it makes us human because it allows us to express something.
I'm so thrilled to be back here with all of you
to make this music.
Sometimes it’s difficult to put into words how you feel.
But you could play it or you could sing it.
Here we go.
And so I think that maybe,
more than anything,
the arts are important
because it helps us teach students how to feel.
And to be vulnerable
with each other.
Because you can’t get up
on a stage,
either as a soloist or
in an ensemble,
and not give something
of yourself.
You give a little piece every time you perform;
you give a little piece
of yourself.
And that takes courage and vulnerability and hard work.
[ending note fades]
That’s my band.

[Band performs "Magnolia Star"
by Steve Danyew]
[upbeat blues piece]

§ §

§ §

§ §

§ §

["Magnolia Star"
by Steve Danyew]

§ §

[cheers and applause]

- I don’t want this kind of experience
to just impact the
hundred students in that room.
I want them to be a light that shines bright leaving here,
that then spreads out
to the other students
that they encounter.
Ready?
[singing]
And I think that’s why the honors project exists.
Not just to recognize the
elite students
and pluck them out and
reward them.
But rather to gather those students together,
build them up to energize them and invigorate them,
and then to send them back where they can really populate
and energize and invigorate their own programs at home.

[Mixed Choir performs "Balleilakka" by A.R. Rahman,
arranged by Ethan Sperry]
[singing in Tamil language]
§ Sooriyano chandhirano
yaarivano sattunnu sollu §
§ Sera paandiya sooranum ivano
sollu, sollu sattunnu sollu §
§ Sooriyano chandhirano
yaarivano sattunnu sollu §
§ Sera paandiya sooranum ivano
sollu, sollu sattunnu sollu §
§ Paaradi, paaradi
yaaradi ivano §
§ Paaigira siruthayin
kaaladi ivano §
§ Kooradi kooradi
yaaradi ivano §
§ Kettathai pattena
suttidum sivano §
§ Chan, chan, chan, chan,
chan, chan, chan §
§ Aey, balleilakka, balleilakka
sale thukka maduraikka §
§ Madrasukka thiruchikka
thiruthanikkaa §
§ Aey, balleilakka, balleilakka
ottu motha makkalukka §
§ Anna Vandhaa Tamil
Nadu America! §
§ Kaaviri aarum kai kuthal
arisiyum maranthu poguma? §
§ Oh, thaavani pengalum
thoothu vidum kangalum
tholainthu poguma? §
§ Namma kalathu medu §
(Ah, ah)
§ Kamma karai karisai kaadu §
(Oo, oo)
§ Semman alli thelikum roa du §
(Oh, oh, oh)
§ Aey, aey, aey! §
§ Balleilakka, balleilakka
sale thukka maduraikka §
§ Madrasukka thiruchikka
thiruthanikkaa §
§ Aey, balleilakka, balleilakka
ottu motha makkalukka §
§ Anna Vandhaa Tamil
Nadu America! §
§ Kaaviri aarum kai kuthal
arisiyum maranthu poguma? §
§ Oh, thaavani pengalum
thoothu vidum kangalum
tholainthu poguma? §
§ Namma kalathu medu §
(Ah, ah)
§ Kamma karai karisai kaadu §
(Oo, oo)
§ Semman alli thelikum roa du §
(Oh, oh, oh)
§ Aey, aey §
§ Sadugudu, sadugudu,
sadugudu, sadugudu §
§ Sadugudu, sadugudu,
sadugudu, sadugudu §
§ Sadugudu, sadugudu
aadiya marathadi §
§ Padu, padu paduvena
porthiya pulevi §
§ Thoda, thoda, thoda, thoda,
udaikira pani thuli §
§ Suda, suda, suda, suda
kidaikira idli §
§ Thada thada thadavena
athirkira rayiladi §
§ Kada, kada kadavena
kadakkira kaaviri §
§ Viru, viru, viruvena
madikkira vetrilai §
§ Muru, muru, murnuvena
murukkiya meesaikal §
§ Manathil irukkuthu mei, mei,
mei, mei, mei, mei! §
§ Mei, mei, mei, mei, mei, mei,
mei, mei, mei, mei, mei, mei,
mei, mei, mei, mei! §
§ Sooriyano chandhirano
yaarivano sattunnu sollu §
§ Sera paandiya sooranum ivano
sollu, sollu, sattunnu sollu §
(Aey, lei, lei!)
§ Sera paandiya sooranum ivano
sollu, sollu §
(Aey, lei, lei!)
§ Aey, balleilakka, balleilakka
ottu motha makkalukka §
§ Anna Vandhaa Tamil
Nadu America! §
§ Aey, balleilakka, balleilakka
ottu motha makkalukka §
§ Anna Vandhaa Tamil
Nadu America! §
[drum solo]
§ Sattunnu sollu §
[drum solo]
§ Sattunnu sollu §
§ Chan, chan, chan, chan,
chan, chan, chan, chan §
§ Ganika, ganika, ganika,
ganika, ganika,
ganika, ganika, ganika §
§ Oh, aey, aey, aey, aey §
§ Kaaviri aarum kai kuthal
arisiyum maranthu poguma? §
§ Aey, balleilakka, balleilakka
oh, thaavani pengalum §
§ Thoothu vidum kangalum
tholainthu poguma? §
(Oo)
§ Namma kalathu medu §
(Ah, ah!)
§ Kamma karai karisai kaadu §
(Oo!)
§ Semman alli thelikum roa du §
§ Oh, aey, aey, aey! §
§ Sadugudu, sadugudu,
sadugudu, sadugudu §
§ Sadugudu sadugudu
sadugudu sadugudu §
§ Sadugudu, sadugudu
aadiya marathadi §
§ Padu, padu Paduvena
porthiya pulevi §
§ Thoda, thoda, thoda, thoda,
udaikira pani thuli §
§ Suda, suda, suda, suda
kidaikira idli §
§ Thada thada thadavena
athirkira rayiladi §
§ Kada, kada kadavena
kadakkira kaaviri §
§ Viru, viru, viruvena
madikkira vetrilai §
§ Muru, muru, murnuvena
murukkiya meesaikal §
§ Manathil irukkuthu
mei, mei, mei, mei, mei, mei! §
§ Mei, mei, mei, mei,
mei, mei, mei, mei §
§ Mei, mei, mei, mei, mei, mei,
mei, mei! §
§ Aey, balleilakka, balleilakka
sale thukka maduraikka §
§ Madrasukka thiruchikka
thiruthannikkaa §
§ Aey, balleilakka, balleilakka
ottu motha makkalukka §
§ Anna Vandhaa Tamil
Nadu America! §
§ Aey, balleilakka, balleilakka
sale thukka maduraikka §
§ Madrasukka thiruchikka
thiruthannikkaa §
§ Aey, balleilakka, balleilakka
ottu motha makkalukka §
§ Anna Vandhaa Tamil
Nadu America! §

[cheers and applause]

- The most important part
about involvement in the arts
is how it deepens us
as human beings.
How it broadens us as
human beings.
One, two, same spot.
Music expresses the inexpressible, in a way,
that's even better than most other art forms.
And I feel like in our society today, especially,
it's important for us to get beyond the science
and the technology
Fabulous.
And to be more empathic, to be more communicative,
to be more collaborative, to be more understanding,
to make us more profound human beings.
And I really do think that involvement in the arts
and the music, specifically, helps to do that.

[Orchestra performs
"Pines of Rome IV"
by Ottorino Respighi]
[Italian composition]

§ §

§ §

§ §

§ §

["Pines of Rome IV"
by Ottorino Respighi]

§ §

§ §

§ §

§ §

["Pines of Rome IV"
by Ottorino Respighi]

§ §

§ §

§ §

§ §

§ §

["Pines of Rome IV"
by Ottorino Respighi]

§ §

§ §

§ §

[cheers and applause]

- I think now,
in today’s society,
where students feel isolated, where they feel alone,
where they feel other than;
that a musical experience--
more than any experience
I know--
brings diversity in a room together,
and everybody works toward a common goal.
Let's do that, yeah.
Good idea, good good good.
It’s not a competition.
It’s a creative endeavor
that brings forth
and materializes our
shared humanity.

[Treble Choir performs
"Wau Bulan" arr. by Tracy Wong in Malay]
[Malaysian folk song
in Dikir Barat style]
[begins slow and solemn]
[humming] - § Hmmmm §
- solo: § Ewah buleh
ewah buleh §
(Wow, the three-cornered moon)
§ Ewah buleh
teraju tigo §
§ Ewah ewah
ewah buleh §
§ Ewah buleh
teraju tigo §
§ §
- Choir: § Ewah buleh
ewah buleh §
§ Ewah buleh
teraju tigo §
§ Ewah ewah
ewah buleh §
§ Ewah buleh
teraju tigo §
[percussion, tempo, tone
pick up]
§ Ewah buleh
ewah buleh §
§ Ewah buleh
teraju tigo §
§ Ewah ewah
ewah buleh §
§ Ewah buleh
teraju tigo §
§ Ewah ewah
ewah buleh §
§ Ewah buleh
teraju tigo §
§ Ewah ewah
ewah buleh §
§ Ewah buleh
[clap] teraju tigo §
§ Ewah buleh
ewah buleh §
§ Ewah buleh
teraju tigo §
§ Ewah ewah
ewah buleh §
§ Ewah buleh
teraju tigo §
§ Ewah ewah
ewah buleh §
§ Ewah buleh
teraju tigo §
§ Ewah ewah
ewah buleh §
§ Ewah buleh
[clap] teraju tigo §
[clapping rhythmically]
[drum solo]

§ Ewah buleh
ewah buleh §
§ Ewah buleh
teraju tigo §
§ Ewah ewah
ewah buleh §
§ Ewah buleh
teraju tigo §
[rhythmic clapping accelerates]
[choir cheering]
Ewah wau!
- Audience member: Yeah!
[energetic cheers and applause]

- The students are singing music from all over the world.
And every kind of music has a different way to perform it.
Different way to sing it.
- If this is our big finale, it needs to be our big finale.
- Heather: The singers are doing a lot of dance
in a lot of their music.
Much of the dance comes
from the culture
that we’re singing about.
Sometimes it’s very appropriate to add a motion
or movement to the music,
because that’s part of the tradition.

[Treble Choir performs
"Kwela, Kwela" in Zulu]
[snapping fingers, drumming]
§ Du du tu du du
tu du du §
§ Du du tu du du
tu du du §
§ Du du tu du du
tu du du §
§ Du du tu du du
tu du du §
§ Du du tu du du
tu du du §
§ Du du tu du du
tu du du §
§ Du du tu du du
tu du du §
§ Du du tu du du
tu du du §
§ Kwela kwela
Kwela kwela §
[joyous swing-like rhythm]
§ Kwela kwela mama
Kwela kwela mama §
[high-pitched trilling]
§ Kwela kwela
Kwela kwela §
§ Kwela kwela mama
Kwela kwela mama §
§ Mosa di o mo pila so §
§ O no o meile ka §
§ Mosa di o mo pila so §
§ O no o meile ka §
§ Kgalesela §
§ Kgalesela §
§ Kgalesela §
§ Kgalesela §
§ Mosadiomo pila so §
§ O no o meile ka §
§ Mosa di o mo pila so §
§ O no o meile ka §
§ Kgalesela §
§ Kgalesela §
§ Kgalesela §
§ Kgalesela §
§ Kwela kwela §
§ Kwela kwela §
§ Kwela kwela §
§ Kwela kwela §
§ Kwela kwela §
§ Kwela kwela §
§ Kwela kwela mama §
§ Kwela kwela mama §
§ Tu du du §
§ Tu du du du du du du §
§ Tu du du tu du du §
§ Tu du du du du du du §
§ Kwela kwela §
§ Kwela kwela §
§ Kwela kwela mama §
§ Kwela kwela mama §
§ Kwela kwela mama §
§ Kwela kwela §
§ Kwela kwela §
§ Kwela kwela mama §
§ Kwela kwela mama §
§ Mosadiomo pila so §
§ O no o meile ka §
§ Mosa di o mo pila so §
§ O no o meile ka §
§ Kgalesela §
§ Kgalesela §
§ Kgalesela §
§ Kgalesela §
§ Mosadiomo pila so §
§ O no o meile ka §
[singing sustained note, trilling]
[trilling]

[cheers and applause]
- Audience: Yeah!

- The 2019 WSMA High School
State Honors Concerts
was funded, in part, by
A. Paul Jones
Charitable Trust,
Focus Fund for Young Performers,
and Friends of
Wisconsin Public Television.