spring concert at rossmoorvoicesofthevalley.org/files/public/event/6/asset/2019-03...2019/03/03 ·...
TRANSCRIPT
2019-03-03 VOV Rossmoor Concert Program Notes V4 PDFSpring Concert
at Rossmoor
Walnut Creek, CA
Program
Shall We Gather at the River arr. John Coates, Jr And I Saw a New Heaven Edgar L. Bainton Goin’ to the Holy City Joseph M. Martin
Michelle Yau, Contralto solo
If the World has no Sound Warren Lee House Rules Warren Lee
Casta Diva from Norma Vincenzo Bellini Angela Lai, soprano Yvonne Liu, piano
Mulan Joins the Army excerpts Huang Yau Tai Kathy Hsieh, Mulan
Major Lai, cousin of Mulan Jonathan Jiang, father of Mulan
Betty Lee, sister of Mulan Tiffany Lai, dancer Lucas Lim, kung fu kid
Cheong Leung, Irene Ma, Terence Choy, Cammi Tam, Rex Lee, villagers Angela Lai, piano
*** INTERMISSION ***
I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing arr. Hawley Ades
Four Court Decisions Arthur Frackenpohl 1. A Secretary 2. The Coffee Break 3. The Owner 4. A Woman
Syncopation Fritz Kreisler Meditation from Thaïs Jules Massenet Tango Jalousie Jacob Gade
Andrew Chan, violin Xuexiao Zhang, piano
Sunset Boulevard selections Andrew Lloyd Webber Let’s have lunch This time next year
Stephanie Chan, conductor Xuexiao Zhang, piano
About Voices of the Valley
The local choral group VOV was founded in 1998 by Stephanie Chan, an internationally acclaimed conductor and music director, who has roots in both Hong Kong and the bay area. VOV is comprised of vocal enthusiasts who are also top talents in their respective professional fields. The chorus is celebrated for its creative programming defined by variety and range, exceptional beauty of voices, and affecting interpretation of its repertoire. In recent years, VOV regularly brought US/world premieres and commissioned works, which were ardently received by the bay area audience. Along with its own concerts, VOV is regularly invited by local and international musical groups to collaborate in large scale musical events.
Singers (* 2018 Board of Directors) Theresa Chen Alice Cheung Terence Choy * Wen-Ying Feng Ivy Chu Jonathan Jiang Kathy Hsieh Betty Lee Major Lai Angela Lai Wailin Liao * Rex Lee Christine Liu Irene Ma * Cheong Leung Cammi Tam Michelle Yau Kevin Ng Anissa Tse Steve Wong Deborah Yeung
Program Notes
Our program today opens with three songs of faith: a modern arrangement of the hymn Shall We Gather at the River, an anthem by British-Australian composer Edgar Leslie Bainton And I Saw a New Heaven, and Goin’ to the Holy City which features a soulful contralto solo. If the World has no Sound and House Rules were written by Hong Kong composer Warren Lee, a former student of Ms. Stephanie Chan. The former was dedicated to choristers of the composer’s alma mater, while the latter is a Second Prize winner of the 2013 Gianni Bergamo Awards in Switzerland. Bellini’s bel canto aria for his title character, Casta Diva (“Pure Goddess”), precedes a semi-staged excerpt of the Chinese operetta Mulan Joins the Army. In the classic poem The Ballad of Mulan, a 5th century woman warrior went to war in her father’s place disguised as a man. The third and last act of this opera, presented today, is written in form of a rondo. Villagers bidding farewell to Mulan, displaying the beauty of people caring for each other, depicts loving friendship and support.
I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing was a billboards hit from 1971, originally aired as a commercial for Coca-Cola. The suite of four songs in Four Court Decisions are satire snippets, created from words found in New York Times, Watertown and NY Daily Times, about unusual court decisions. Our audience may not be foreign to the three solo violin pieces presented today: Syncopation by Kreisler, who is considered by many as the greatest violinist of all times; Meditation, a dramatic interlude from the second act of Massenet’s opera Thaïs, and Tango Jalousie, is an evergreen favorite. Our program concludes with two
excerpts from Sunset Boulevard, that world of the movie making business - one where dream and aspiration contrast sharply with grim reality, and one where people never give up hope for a better future.
Stephanie Chan, Music Director
Stephanie is the founding Music Director of Voices of the Valley, a dedicated music teacher and a seasoned choral director. Under her baton, the chorus has won generous patronage and accolades in the Bay Area and has attracted many talented musicians to join its roster.
Stephanie earned her Bachelor of Music Degree, summa cum laude, from San Francisco State University. She returned to Hong Kong to serve as the Music Director of St. Paul’s Co-educational College, whose choir was chosen as the Best School Choir in Hong Kong for ten consecutive years during her tenure. Prior to her return to the Bay Area in 1996, Stephanie was a Lecturer in Voice at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Head of General Musicianship at the Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts. Stephanie has been in great demand as a speaker, guest conductor and singer. An experienced music teacher in voice and piano, Stephanie is now teaching in Milpitas, California.
Xuexiao Zhang, piano
Born into a musical family, Xuexiao started learning piano at 3. Her piano teachers include prominent musicians from China Central Philharmonic Orchestra, China Central Conservatory of Music and Capital Normal University. After she graduated with a major in Piano from the music department of Capital Normal University, Xuexiao became the piano accompanist for China Central Broadcasting Station Chorus. She was also the A-class teacher in Beijing Jiangjie Piano School.
Xuexiao is a member of Music Teachers' Association of California, and is currently the piano accompanist for Silicon Valley United Chorus, Zhiyin Chorus, Melody Chorus, and Voices of the Valley.
Angela Lai, soprano solo & piano Angela holds the FTCL Diploma in Singing and ATCL Diploma in Piano. She was a first year student at St Paul’s Co-educational College when Ms. Stephanie Chan started teaching there, and has been benefiting from her tutelage in voice, piano and general musicianship ever since. Angela also studied piano with Ms. Yu Jia Ying in Hong Kong and greatly enjoys accompanying her friends. She joined VOV as its first accompanist when the choir was founded.
Walnut Creek, CA
Program
Shall We Gather at the River arr. John Coates, Jr And I Saw a New Heaven Edgar L. Bainton Goin’ to the Holy City Joseph M. Martin
Michelle Yau, Contralto solo
If the World has no Sound Warren Lee House Rules Warren Lee
Casta Diva from Norma Vincenzo Bellini Angela Lai, soprano Yvonne Liu, piano
Mulan Joins the Army excerpts Huang Yau Tai Kathy Hsieh, Mulan
Major Lai, cousin of Mulan Jonathan Jiang, father of Mulan
Betty Lee, sister of Mulan Tiffany Lai, dancer Lucas Lim, kung fu kid
Cheong Leung, Irene Ma, Terence Choy, Cammi Tam, Rex Lee, villagers Angela Lai, piano
*** INTERMISSION ***
I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing arr. Hawley Ades
Four Court Decisions Arthur Frackenpohl 1. A Secretary 2. The Coffee Break 3. The Owner 4. A Woman
Syncopation Fritz Kreisler Meditation from Thaïs Jules Massenet Tango Jalousie Jacob Gade
Andrew Chan, violin Xuexiao Zhang, piano
Sunset Boulevard selections Andrew Lloyd Webber Let’s have lunch This time next year
Stephanie Chan, conductor Xuexiao Zhang, piano
About Voices of the Valley
The local choral group VOV was founded in 1998 by Stephanie Chan, an internationally acclaimed conductor and music director, who has roots in both Hong Kong and the bay area. VOV is comprised of vocal enthusiasts who are also top talents in their respective professional fields. The chorus is celebrated for its creative programming defined by variety and range, exceptional beauty of voices, and affecting interpretation of its repertoire. In recent years, VOV regularly brought US/world premieres and commissioned works, which were ardently received by the bay area audience. Along with its own concerts, VOV is regularly invited by local and international musical groups to collaborate in large scale musical events.
Singers (* 2018 Board of Directors) Theresa Chen Alice Cheung Terence Choy * Wen-Ying Feng Ivy Chu Jonathan Jiang Kathy Hsieh Betty Lee Major Lai Angela Lai Wailin Liao * Rex Lee Christine Liu Irene Ma * Cheong Leung Cammi Tam Michelle Yau Kevin Ng Anissa Tse Steve Wong Deborah Yeung
Program Notes
Our program today opens with three songs of faith: a modern arrangement of the hymn Shall We Gather at the River, an anthem by British-Australian composer Edgar Leslie Bainton And I Saw a New Heaven, and Goin’ to the Holy City which features a soulful contralto solo. If the World has no Sound and House Rules were written by Hong Kong composer Warren Lee, a former student of Ms. Stephanie Chan. The former was dedicated to choristers of the composer’s alma mater, while the latter is a Second Prize winner of the 2013 Gianni Bergamo Awards in Switzerland. Bellini’s bel canto aria for his title character, Casta Diva (“Pure Goddess”), precedes a semi-staged excerpt of the Chinese operetta Mulan Joins the Army. In the classic poem The Ballad of Mulan, a 5th century woman warrior went to war in her father’s place disguised as a man. The third and last act of this opera, presented today, is written in form of a rondo. Villagers bidding farewell to Mulan, displaying the beauty of people caring for each other, depicts loving friendship and support.
I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing was a billboards hit from 1971, originally aired as a commercial for Coca-Cola. The suite of four songs in Four Court Decisions are satire snippets, created from words found in New York Times, Watertown and NY Daily Times, about unusual court decisions. Our audience may not be foreign to the three solo violin pieces presented today: Syncopation by Kreisler, who is considered by many as the greatest violinist of all times; Meditation, a dramatic interlude from the second act of Massenet’s opera Thaïs, and Tango Jalousie, is an evergreen favorite. Our program concludes with two
excerpts from Sunset Boulevard, that world of the movie making business - one where dream and aspiration contrast sharply with grim reality, and one where people never give up hope for a better future.
Stephanie Chan, Music Director
Stephanie is the founding Music Director of Voices of the Valley, a dedicated music teacher and a seasoned choral director. Under her baton, the chorus has won generous patronage and accolades in the Bay Area and has attracted many talented musicians to join its roster.
Stephanie earned her Bachelor of Music Degree, summa cum laude, from San Francisco State University. She returned to Hong Kong to serve as the Music Director of St. Paul’s Co-educational College, whose choir was chosen as the Best School Choir in Hong Kong for ten consecutive years during her tenure. Prior to her return to the Bay Area in 1996, Stephanie was a Lecturer in Voice at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Head of General Musicianship at the Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts. Stephanie has been in great demand as a speaker, guest conductor and singer. An experienced music teacher in voice and piano, Stephanie is now teaching in Milpitas, California.
Xuexiao Zhang, piano
Born into a musical family, Xuexiao started learning piano at 3. Her piano teachers include prominent musicians from China Central Philharmonic Orchestra, China Central Conservatory of Music and Capital Normal University. After she graduated with a major in Piano from the music department of Capital Normal University, Xuexiao became the piano accompanist for China Central Broadcasting Station Chorus. She was also the A-class teacher in Beijing Jiangjie Piano School.
Xuexiao is a member of Music Teachers' Association of California, and is currently the piano accompanist for Silicon Valley United Chorus, Zhiyin Chorus, Melody Chorus, and Voices of the Valley.
Angela Lai, soprano solo & piano Angela holds the FTCL Diploma in Singing and ATCL Diploma in Piano. She was a first year student at St Paul’s Co-educational College when Ms. Stephanie Chan started teaching there, and has been benefiting from her tutelage in voice, piano and general musicianship ever since. Angela also studied piano with Ms. Yu Jia Ying in Hong Kong and greatly enjoys accompanying her friends. She joined VOV as its first accompanist when the choir was founded.