Tuesday April 18, 2023 at 8:00pm, featuring: The NOVA Community Chorus, Special Guests from the US Army Chorus, The Arlington Community Chorus and Instrumentalists from the NOVA Alexandria Band.
A beautiful start to an incredible evening! The Combined Choirs & Instrumentalists performing The Battle Hymn of the Republic under the direction of Director Captain Bonnie Alger.
The NOVA Community Choir & the U.S. Army Chorus performing music faculty, Jonathan Kolm’s world premiere of Peace Restored conducted by our NOVA Community Choir director, Dr. Mary-Hannah Klontz.
Dona Nobis Pacem by Ralph Vaughan Williams featuring soloists from the Army Chorus and Blaise Catala, Abass Conteh, Kenneth Marr, & Chad Steffey, percussion.
Director Cynthia Young conducts The Arlington Community Chorus performing an American Folk Hymn, “How Can I Keep from Singing?” The song was originally composed by American Baptist minister Robert Lowry.
The U.S. Army Chorus is under the direction of Captain Bonnie Alger, the first female director in the ensemble’s history! The first song of their inspiring set was Jocelyn Hagen’s, “Someplace.”
The U.S. Army Chorus next performing “Soldier,” by Timothy C. Takach. “The U.S. Army Field Band commissioned Takach to write this piece for the Soldiers’ Chorus in 2020.
Stephen Paulus’ “Hymn for America” was beautifully sung! The level of vocal expertise is extraordinary. It is, one of over 400 choral works written by Stephen Paulus.
Their final song was Free at Last (from Big River) by Roger Miller. Big River is a setting of Mark Twain’s “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.”
It’s always an honor to be able to hear The U.S. Army Chorus.
The final segment of our concert included the Combined Choirs beginning with “Hope Lingers On” by Lissa Schneckenburger and featuring step dancer, Keyshawn Pierce, with Mary-Hannah Klontz & Tatiana Loisha on percussion and conducted by Director Cynthia Young.
This work was made far more meaningful by the tremendously talented dancer, Keyshawn Pierre. He managed to encapsulate so much in his brilliant dance and we were riveted and grateful to be there to see it and feel it.
Mary-Hannah explains, “Andrea Ramsey arranged the work for voiced, percussion and optional body percussion. Body percussion refers to making rhythmic sounds such as clapping, patting, stomping and snapping. Step dancing has its roots in the South African “gumboot” dances performed by gold miners wearing boots. The dancing sent codified messages to coworkers because speaking was forbidden. Step dancing has evolved into a new art popular on high school and college campuses.”
For the final work of the evening, the combined choirs performing Shalom, written by Dan Forrest and featured Hannah Leong on violin. Mary-Hannah, explains, ” Shallom,” directly translates to, “Peace, hello and goodbye in Hebrew, but there conveys an even broader sense of well-being.” Her hope was to have everyone leave with a sense of, “renewed … hope and peace.” The concert was a stunning success all around and we all fet far better.
An incredible evening of music that inspired us all! I can’t wait to see what Mary-Hannah programs for this coming fall semester! Oh wait! I just heard! Next Fall’s concert will be, “Seasons of Love and Life-love songs and more” on Oct. 17 at 7:30. Our guests will be choirs from Justice High School and Glasgow Middle School.”
In the meantime, please join us for our next concerts! Here at NOVA, we have programing from not only our choirs, but The NOVA Alexandria Community Band, The NOVA Symphony Orchestra and The NOVA Knighthawks Jazz Ensemble.
• April 27 (8pm concert): The NOVA Symphony Orchestra at the Schlesinger Concert Hall in Alexandria!
PROGRAM:
Aaron Copland. Fanfare for the Common Man. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Symphony No. 2 in C minor, Op. 17.
• May 5 (8pm concert): NOVA Music Dept. Spring Concert with the choir, jazz, and concert band ensembles.
And this summer in the Northern Virginia Community College Fine Arts Building, room 118 we will have The NOVA Symphony Orchestra!Hope to See You There!
The NOVA Community Chorus, The NOVA Nighthawks Jazz Ensemble, and The NOVA Alexandria Band!
What better way to enjoy the holidays than with ‘Joy to the World,’ featuring Paul Klontz on Trumpet! Although the renowned work was originally written in 1719 by English Composer Isaac Watts, we most often are enjoying the American arrangement by Lowell Mason.
The spirit of peace was elaborated through ‘Carol of the Bells’, a Ukrainian Folk Song written in 1914 by Mykola Leontovych.
The work is about generosity and proclaiming a bountiful new year for all. It was later arranged in 1922, by American Composer, Wilhousky for a performance by the Ukranian National Chorus at Carnegie Hall.
A rhythmic rendition of Winter Wonderland featured our own Philip Tinnin on drum set. The famed song was originally inspired by the sight of fresh fallen snow in Honesdale Pennsylvania.
Alondra Gutierrez-Rivera, A.J. Foley. and Emma Brush had just as much fun singing Winter Wonderland during the rehearsal before the hall opened!
The warmth of ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’
This was soon followed by rousing rendition of Hine Ma Tov featuring Tom Munger on tambourine and dancers:
Alondra Gutierrez Rivera, Lillian Jeng, Marissa Mulero, Preet Singh, Cecilia Brakffield, Jackie Cohan, Roberta Comer, Bailey Lee, Na Lin, Daniela Santos, Carol Uri, Ana Vaquerano, Huy Anh Le, Isaiah Dillard-Scott, Johnny Lazo, Carment Mendoz, Aj Foley, and Daniel Hall.
The Chorus inspired us all with Three Carols: Jingle Bells, Deck the Halls and We Wish You a Merry Christmas before ending with Beethoven’s An die Freude (Ode to Joy), from his Symphony No. 9!
Ally Richardson and Mary Yee singing Beethoven’s Ode to Joy.
Our next ensemble, under the direction of Shannon Gunn, brought us a set of great holiday numbers Jazz Style! The NOVA Nighthawks began their set with Let it Snow!, Let it Snow!, Let Snow!
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Adonnis Colindres-Rosado Performing, ‘When your Smiling’ by Shay and Fisher.
The group followed with Frank Foster’s Shiney Stockings and Thad Jones ‘A Child is Born.’
The NOVA Nighthawks Jazz Ensemble performing at ‘A Holiday Concert: Joy to the World’ on Tuesday, December 6th, 2022 at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center. Photo by Britt ConleyBefore we knew it we were being serenaded by Bob Coyne and Regina Begliutti with, ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside’ by by Frank Loesser.
Hat’s off to The NOVA Nighthawkes!
After a short intermission it was time for the NOVA Alexandria Band directed by Dr. Lisa Eckstein! The first piece was Overture to a Winter Celebration by James Stephenson.
Carol of the Drum by Katherine Davis sent us on an unexpected and familiar journey.
A Rollicking Hanukkah
Heather Planey and the NOVA Alexandria Band performing Roger Zare’s December Lullaby.
The evening ended with a phenomenal ‘Sleigh Ride’ written by Leroy Anderson.
Another amazing Holiday Concert has to come to an end. If you enjoyed this evening please come back support our Spring Concerts!
SPRING 2023
Thursday, February 23, 2023: A Children’s Concert featuring:
The NOVA Alexandria Band and special guests:
· March 28 (7:30pm concert): A Tribute to Gospel Concert
Featuring the NOVA Nighthawks Jazz Ensemble & Special Guests!
• March 31st 7:30pm – Solo Violin Recital with Loop Pedel by Visiting Artist Sarah Whitney. ROOM 118 of the NOVA Alexandria AFA (Fine Arts Building) at the Alexandria Campus.
• April 18, 2023, 8 pm in Schlesinger Hall
The NOVA Community Chorus with special guests from The U.S. Army Chorus and the Arlington Community Chorus. Selections include The Battle Hymn of the Republic, a world premiere of Peace Restored by Dr. Jonathan Kolm, movements from Dona Nobis Pacem by Vaughan Williams, Hope Lingers On and Shalom by Dan Forrest.
• April 27 (8pm concert): The NOVA Symphony Orchestra at the Schlesinger Concert Hall in Alexandria!
PROGRAM:
Aaron Copland. Fanfare for the Common Man. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Symphony No. 2 in C minor, Op. 17.
• May 5 (8pm concert): NOVA Music Dept. Spring Concert with the choir, jazz, and concert band ensembles.
Our Combined Choirs began our evening concert with ‘Be the Change’ with Gandhi’s famed words, including, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” This was set to the music by Marc Kaplan and Colin Britt, featuring Max Hoffman on percussion and Jane Michaels. This was followed by Pete Seeger and Lee Hays, “If I had a Hammer.”
The Justice High School Choir, directed by Miranda Lansberry, performed Malakatumba by Josu Elberdin, Hold Me, Rock Me by Brian Tate and Wau Bulan, a Malaysian Folk song.
“Wau Bulan” Malaysian Folk Song arranged by Tracy Wong. The Lyrics, Ewah buleh teraju tigo mean “Wow! The three-cornered moon.”
The Excelsior Voices Chamber Choir, directed by Mary-Hannah Klontz performed Harry Belafonte’s, “Turn the World Around,” followed by Sherrie Blevins’ “You Hold the Key” and Carly Simon’s “Let the River Run.”
The Excelsior Voices Chamber Choir performed Turn the World Around, You Hold the Key and Let the River Run. Thanks to Dean Kauffman for capturing their lovely performance.
• The NOVA Annandale Chorus Performed “More Love,” featuring Aj Foley, Johnny Lazo, Huy Anh Le, Cecilia Brakefield, Alondra Gutierrez-Rivera & Preet Singh.
• The NOVA Tenor & Bass Ensemble performing Omnia Vincit Amor by John Michael Trotta. “Love conquers all. Therefore let us surrender to love”
The NOVA Alexandria Community Chorus singing Michael Bussewitz-Quarm’s “I am the Voice that Sings.”
This was followed by the NOVA Soprano and Alto Ensemble singing Weir Eilen Mit Schwachen from Cantata 78 by J.S. Bach.
The finale of the evening featured a powerhouse performance by Shawn Kirchner, singing “I’ll Be On My Way”
• Special thanks to Dean Kauffman for coming and video tapping the evening!
Join us next time at The Holiday Concert featuring The NOVA Community Chorus, The NOVA Nighthawks Jazz Ensemble and The NOVA Alexandria Band!
From the entire NOVA Alexandria Music Department, Thankyou for ALL your support! Hope to see you soon!