[gentle piano music] ["The Star-Spangled Banner"]
* O say can you see, by the dawn's early light *
* What so proudly we hailed
* At the twilight's last gleaming *
* Whose broad stripes and bright stars *
* Through the perilous fight
* O'er the ramparts we watched
* Were so gallantly streaming
* And the rocket's red glare
* The bomb bursting in air
* Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there *
* O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave *
* O'er the land of the free
* And the home of the brave
* Of the brave
[cheers and applause]
- And now, it's my privilege to introduce to you
the 2021 WSMA High School State Honors Treble Choir
and their distinguished conductor, Dr. Joni Jensen.
[cheers and applause]
[bright, energetic music] ["Ascribe to the Lord"]
* Ascribe to the Lord oh mighty ones *
* Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength *
* Ascribe to the Lord
* The glory due to his name
* In the splendor of his holiness worship him *
* Ascribe to the Lord oh mighty ones *
* Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength *
* Ascribe to the Lord
* The glory due to his name
* In the splendor of his holiness worship him *
* Ascribe to the Lord, the might of his name *
* In the splendor of his holiness worship him *
* Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name *
* In the splendor of his holiness worship him *
[bright, punctuated music]
* The voice of the Lord is over the waters *
* The God of glory thunders
* The voice of the Lord is over the waters *
* The God of glory thunders
* The voice of the Lord is over the waters *
* The God of glory thunders
* The voice of the Lord is over the waters *
* The God of glory thunders
* The voice of the Lord is over the waters *
* The God of glory thunders
* The voice of the Lord is powerful *
* The voice of the Lord is majestic *
* The voice of the Lord is over the waters *
* The God of glory thunders
* The voice of the Lord is over the waters *
* The God of glory thunders
* The voice of the Lord is over the waters *
* The God of glory thunders
* The voice of the Lord is over the waters *
* The God of glory thunders
* The voice of the Lord is over the waters *
* The God of glory thunders
* Ascribe to the Lord
* The glory due to his name
* In the splendor of his holiness worship him *
* Ascribe to the Lord
* The glory due to his name
* In the splendor of his holiness worship him *
* Worship him
[cheers and applause]
[gentle music]
[choir singing in Latin] ["Os Justi"]
[choir singing warmly in Latin]
[choir singing gently in Latin]
[choir singing warmly in Latin]
* Hallelujah
[applause]
- Good evening, everyone.
We are so happy to have you here.
Isn't it nice to hear live music again?
[cheers and applause]
Let me tell you, we have been so overjoyed
to participate together, singing and making music
and just enjoying that whole process.
And we are here tonight to invite you to join us.
We're going to take you on a few journeys tonight,
whether it be to a summer evening in India,
to the tundras of Norway,
all the way to Bulgaria,
we are taking a journey.
We may not be able to travel right now
as freely as we want to.
So now, we get to transport ourselves
across the world together.
Isn't that fun?
[applause]
Feel free to look in the program,
if you want to know more about our music,
but honestly, you could also just sit back
and bask in these amazing women's voices.
It's gonna be a stunning evening.
Enjoy.
[applause]
[haunting piano and orchestral music]
[choir humming softly]
[choir continues humming]
* The fierce glaring day is gone *
* Gentle night hath spread her mantle *
* Cool and refreshing
* Lit by rays of a thousand stars *
* And by the golden moon
[haunting music]
[choir humming softly]
* The moon shineth on yon roof *
* Here lie maidens, crowned with jasmine *
* Clad in silk raiment
* On their ankles are rings
* That tinkle sweetly as they move *
[haunting music]
[choir humming softly]
* Wafted by jewel covered fans
* Sweetest perfume floats o'er each breast *
* Song and harp unite with warbling birds *
* To rouse from sleep the god of love *
[gentle piano music]
[haunting music]
[choir humming softly]
[heartfelt piano music]
* O boundless, boundless evening *
* Soon the glow of long hills
* The glow of long hills will be gone *
* Like clear dream country
* Now rich hued by sun
[gentle cello music]
* O boundless, boundless evening *
* Where the cornfields throw
* The scattered light in an aureole *
* In an aureole
[hopeful piano music]
* Swallows high up are singing very small *
* On every meadow glitters their swift flight *
* In woods of rushes, in woods of rushes *
* And where tall masts stand
* In brilliant, brilliant bays
[gentle piano music]
* Yet in ravines beyond
* Between already nests the night *
[bright music]
* O boundless, boundless evening *
[gentle music]
* Soon the glow will be gone *
* O boundless, boundless evening *
[gentle music]
[applause]
[mysterious piano music] ["Tundra" by Ola Gjeilo]
* Oh, oh, oh
* Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
* Oh, oh, oh
* Sacred expanse
* Of green and white
* And granite gray
* Snowy patches strewn
* Anchored to the earth
[bright piano music]
* Snowy patches strewn
* Anchored to the craggy earth
* Unmoving
* While clouds dance
* Across the vast
* Eternal sky
* While clouds dance
* Across the vast, eternal sky
[applause]
[light piano music]
[low drumming music]
["And Miriam Sang, Shiru L'adonai"]
[singing gently in Hebrew]
[singing in Hebrew] [light percussion music]
[upbeat percussion music]
[choir singing joyfully in Hebrew]
[choir singing gently in Hebrew]
[applause]
[singing "Kafal Sviri" by Petar Liondev brightly in Bulgarian]
[choir singing joyfully in Bulgarian]
[choir singing lightly in Bulgarian]
[choir singing intensely in Bulgarian]
[choir singing brightly in Bulgarian]
[choir singing intensely in Bulgarian]
[cheers and applause]
- Aren't they stunning?
[cheers and applause]
I wanted to just take a second to reflect
before we sing our last piece here.
Let me tell you how grateful I am after this process
of working with these amazing young singers,
how it brings such hope for what's to come ahead.
They've worked so hard.
We put this together in two days, two days,
actually day and a half today, plus at camp this summer.
Many of you know, to put that together to become an ensemble
like this, to make music in such a mature way,
that is amazing, and I thank you for your trust
in that process.
Yeah, give them a hand;
They deserve it.
[cheers and applause]
And I have a message for you.
Don't. Stop. Singing.
Okay?
[applause]
You, neither, if you're singing, but especially
these young ones here, don't stop.
It will enrich your whole life.
It will.
Always something beautiful to fall back on.
You got it, you promise?
Good.
Now let me say just a word of thanks.
Let me thank all the people involved with WSMA.
They have worked tirelessly.
They care so much about the growth of these young people
and about music in this community,
and they deserve our support.
They've done an amazing job and I just want to applaud them
and thank them personally.
They took great care of me and all of us.
And I, yeah, go ahead. [applause]
And let me say thank you to all of their teachers as well.
The work that they've put in to working with them,
especially through this pandemic,
it's really impressive,
the people who have stuck around to help our children.
And let me say one last thanks.
And that is to you, our audience.
Many of you are the loved ones and friends
and supporters of these people.
Thank you for supporting the arts at a time
where we could easily drop such a thing.
It seems unnecessary and yet, how wrong that is,
and you know that, don't you?
Thank you for your support.
We need the arts, we need music, we need expression.
What else do we live for except for these times of beauty,
when we can appreciate the world around us through music?
So, thank you for your support.
We appreciate it and we love you.
[audience applauding]
One last fun song to sing.
We hope you have enjoyed our program
and we are going to kind of rock the house with this one.
Thank you so much.
[cheers and applause]
[bright Gospel music]
["Go Where I Send Thee" by Caldwell and Ivory]
* Children go where I send thee *
* How shall, how shall I send thee *
* I'm gonna send thee one by one *
* One for the little bitty baby *
* The baby born, born in Bethlehem *
* Children go where I send thee *
* How shall, how shall I send thee *
* I'm gonna send thee two by two *
* Two for Paul and Silas
* One for the little bitty baby *
* The baby born, born in Bethlehem *
* Children go where I send thee *
* How shall, how shall I send thee *
* I'm gonna send thee six by six *
* Six for the days where the world was fixed *
* Five for the five that dressed so fine *
* Four for the gospel writers
* Three for the Hebrew children *
* Two for Paul and Silas
* One for the little bitty baby *
* The baby born, born in Bethlehem *
* Children, go, go, go where I send thee *
* How shall, how shall I send thee *
* I'm gonna send thee twelve by twelve *
* Twelve for the twelve disciples *
* Eleven of them singing in heaven *
* Ten for the Ten Commandments
* Nine for the angel choirs divine *
* Eight for the eight the flood couldn't take *
* Seven for the day God laid down his head *
* Six for the days where the world was fixed *
* Five for the five that dressed so fine *
* Four for the gospel writers
* Three for the Hebrew children *
* Two for Paul and Silas
* One for the little bitty baby *
* One for the little bitty baby
* Baby born, born in Bethlehem
* Children, children, go where I send thee *
* Children, go where I send thee *
* Go, go, go, go, go, go
[choir clapping rhythmically] * Go, go, go, go, go, go
* Go where I send thee [choir claps]
[energetic cheers and applause]
[cheers and applause]
[light background conversation]