(1867-1916)

Monday, March 20th 12:15pm-2pm : Keller Hall, UNM Campus in the Center for Performing Arts-FREE

This lecture-recital combines the expertise of concert pianist Douglas Riva and Spanish literary scholarSusana Rivera. Professor Rivera's talk will set the stage for the week's events, elucidating the mostimportant historical and cultural aspects of Spain during Enrique Granados's lifetime. International concertpianist Douglas Riva will perform extracts from Canto de las Estrellas by Enrique Granados, as well as worksby Falla, Mompou, Albéniz, Turina and Granados.

Wednesday, March 22ⁿd at 10am : PianoWerkes, 4640 Menaul Blvd. NE-FREE

International Concert Pianist Douglas Riva presents a 1-hour, Spanish Music lecture-recital on the music ofFalla, Mompou, Albéniz, Turina and Granados for the Albuquerque Piano Teachers Association(www.pianowerkes.com)

Thursday, March 23rd 2:00-3:30pm : Waters Room, Zimmerman Library, UNM Campus-FREE

Professor Walter Aaron Clark will give the keynote address at the monthly Musicology Colloquium of UNM’sDepartment of Music. The introduction will be given by Dr. Ana Alonso Minutti. The Colloquium will discussDr. Clark’s research work on Enrique Granados.

Friday, March 24th 10:30am-12pm : http://www.oasisabq.org Fee: $8 - Pre-registration recommended

Professor Walter Aaron Clark presents for OASIS Albuquerque:Music in the Time of Goya, and Goya in the Time of Enrique Granados

Friday, March 24th 6:00pm : The Cathedral of St. John, 318 Silver Ave. SW

A lecture by Professor Walter Aaron Clark and Professor Patricia Henning.A conversation between two distinguished professors about the Music of Granados and how hismasterpiece, Canto de las Estrellas (Song of the Stars) might relate to the myriad twinkling lights we seeeach and every night in our vast New Mexican skies.

Friday, March 24th 7:00pm : The Cathedral of St. John, 318 Silver Ave. SW

A concert featuring international concert pianist Douglas Riva; Polyphony: Voices of New Mexico, LasCantantes-UNM women's choir, The Choir of the Cathedral of St. John; conductor Maxine Thévenot.A 70-minute concert of the works of Enrique Granados, will take place in the beautiful sanctuary of theCathedral of St. John. The concert will include major piano works, works for violin and piano, two works byNew Mexican composer John D. Robb, and will feature Granados' masterpiece, Canto de las Estrellas scoredfor 3 choirs, organ and piano.

If you are interested in attending the concert, please know that tickets purchased for the concert include anopportunity to attend the 6:00pm lecture. Lecture seating is first come, first served. Maximum lecturecapacity is 115.

For Friday concert tickets please visit www.polyphonynm.com

Opening Event: Riva and RiveraLecture-Recital

Monday, March 20 12:15pm-2pmKeller Hall, UNM Campus in the Center for Performing Arts-FREE

This lecture-recital combines the expertise of concert pianist Douglas Riva and Spanish literary scholar Susana Rivera.Professor Rivera's talk will set the stage for the week's events, elucidating the most important historical and culturalaspects of Spain during Enrique Granados's lifetime. International concert pianist Douglas Riva will perform extractsfrom Canto de las Estrellas by Enrique Granados, as well as works by Falla, Mompou, Albéniz, Turina and Granados.

The lecture-recital will be preceded with an introduction by Dr. Mary Quinn, Associate Professor and Associate Chairof the department of Spanish and Portuguese at UNM, and Anastasio Sanchez Zamorano, Executive Director of theInstituto Cervantes in Albuquerque

Susana Rivera: ‘I first realized I had a passion for literature as I sat around the kitchen table withmy brother and two sisters listening to my mother tell stories, the same stories that she had heardher mother recount while sitting around the flame of a kerosene lamp in her small village ofQuitupan, Jalisco. Years later that passion was kindled when I heard other relatives, neighbors andfriends in Santa Fe relate their own stories in the beautiful New Mexican dialect. When I enteredthe University of New Mexico I had the privilege of studying with the extraordinary Spanish andFrench professors of what was then the Department of Modern and Classical Languages, and Iimmediately knew that literature was going to be a determining force in my life. Through theirwisdom and that of the authors we studied I learned that literature teaches people about humanity,

the world, other cultures, and ultimately about oneself, all through the beauty and power of language. After five yearsat the University of Oklahoma my life came full circle when I was offered a position at the same university that taughtme so much. I am honored to teach in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese and if I can do for just one studentwhat my professors did for me I will feel that I accomplished something useful. I first traveled to Spain in 1979 andquickly realized that I also needed to know the Spanish stories in order to complete not only my formal education butalso my sentimental one. I have since become one of the leading experts on the second generation of Spanish poetsexiled in Mexico after the civil war, my anthology of this important, but relatively unknown group of writers, waspublished by Editorial Hiperión. Some of my other work includes studies of poets Antonio Machado, Valle-Inclán,Gerardo Diego, Francisco Brines, Luis Rosales, and Ángel González who was also my beloved husband, as well asnovelists Pérez Galdós and Caballero Bonald, my critical edition of the latter’s Ágata ojo de gato appeared in Cátedra.My current research and teaching interests continue to center on contemporary Spanish poetry and narrative, but I amalso delving into film and am fascinated by the image of women in literature and film.’

The American pianist Douglas Riva has gained international recognition for his profoundknowledge of Spanish music, and no less an authority than the distinguished Spanish composerXavier Montsalvatge has described him as an exceptional pianist. Douglas Riva’s interpretations ofthe works of Enrique Granados have earned him his reputation as today’s leading exponent ofGranados’ piano music. His recordings for Naxos of the complete piano works of Granados,comprising 231 works, including 102 World Premiere recordings, have won worldwide criticalacclaim. Douglas Riva is the Assistant Director of the eighteen-volume critical edition of theComplete Works for Piano of Enrique Granados, directed by Alicia de Larrocha and published byEditorial Boileau, Barcelona. In November, 2016 the Complutense University, Madrid, published his

critical edition of the complete orchestral works by Granados, including the first publication of 8 works. Mr. Rivarecorded one of these works, Elisenda, with the City of Granada orquestra, directed by Cristóbal Soler, for DeutscheGrammophon. He has performed at the White House, Carnegie Hall and numerous festivals in Brazil, Spain, UnitedKingdom, Portugal, Holland, and the United States. He gave the first American performance of a newly discoveredScarlatti sonata at the National Gallery of Art and the world première of Gazebo Dances by John Corigliano. Granados’slong-lost masterpiece Canto de las Estrellas for piano solo, organ and choruses was performed for only the second timein history by Douglas Riva and the Voices of Ascension, directed by Dennis Keene in 2007. The Naxos recording of thepremière performance, Song of the Stars, was nominated for a GRAMMY award.

From the President of the Board of Directors

Welcome everyone! From all of us on the Boardof Directors, I wish to thank each of you foryour invaluable support.

Looking back over the past years, the last four asPresident of the Board, I feel such a sense of pride andhappiness, witnessing the continued growth and stellaraccomplishments of this special group of performingartists..... Polyphony: Voices of New Mexico.

Led and inspired by our talented Founder and ArtisticDirector Maxine Thévenot, Polyphony has ascended tobreathtaking heights; bringing to us and our communitythe 2015 Season's Messiah, The Holocaust Cantata andThe Women's Concert, and most recently the 2016Masterworks From The Renaissance and The Children'sMessiah.

And now Polyphony favors us with a unique andinnovative celebration, of the life and works of EnriqueGranados..... a week's long commemoration culminatingon this twenty-fourth of March with the Canto de lasEstrellas.

All of this could not have been possible without yourfinancial support..... helping us fill the unavoidable gapbetween ticket revenues and the costs of bringingexceptional music to you. We are sincerely grateful foryour financial gifts and in-kind contributions, as well astime and sustained dedication, to ensuring ourcommunity continues to receive and enjoy the astonishingmusic of Polyphony (and do please consider making adonation today)!

On behalf of Polyphony: Voices of New Mexico, we hopeeach of you will find this evening's celebration upliftingand worthy of your continued support..... and we lookforward to continued partnerships with you as we planand prepare for this new and exciting year ahead.

Christopher K. Rasmussen AIA

Polyphony: Voices of New MexicoBoard Members 2006-2017

Maxine Thévenot 2006 to present(Founding and Artistic Director; Vice President)

Christopher Rasmussen 2011 to present(President since 2012)

Lee Rickard 2008 to present (Grants)Alyssa Landahl 2011 to present

(Publicity, Ticketing; Box Office; Secretary since 2012)Jonathan Kahn 2013 to present (Treasurer)Kat Vinson 2015-present (Grants, Marketing)Jay Hill 2006 to present (Legal Advisor)Sandy Veltkamp 2013-2015 (Member at Large)Carol Wilkens 2011-2013 (Treasurer)Brent Stevens 2006-2013 (President)Betsy Bayne 2006-2012 (Secretary, Advertising)Mary-Ellin Brooks 2009-2011 (Publicity and Ticketing)Monica Whitaker 2006-2011 (Treasurer)Caty Butcher 2006-2007 (Legal Advisor)Lyn Messemer 2006-2007 (Grants, Marketing)

Polyphony: Voices of New Mexico 2016-17 DonorsPolyphony Circle - $1000-$2499Peggie Ann Findlay MD and Steven E. Bush MDFrench Funerals & Cremations – Chester FrenchStewart

Benefactor - $500 - $999Douglas Bailey and Dianne Brehmer-BaileyAnn FeganGreer Stafford/SJCF Architects Inc.Sandra Veltkamp

Patron - $250 - $499Robert Lynn and Janet BrazielDavid and Tanner GayLarry TitmanCarol Tucker Trelease

Correct as of 2/27/17

Sponsor - $100 - $249Amédine BellaThe Bidwell familyJim and Diane BonnellAndrew and Alyssa LandahlGuy and Nina HobbsCasilda M. PardoEarl Parker †Mr. and Mrs. David E. StinchcombJay and Kat VinsonDan and Jane WrightLinney Wix

Donor - $25 - $99AnonymousKen and Beth BierwirthSusan CollinsTed EastlundMarilyn FifieldProf. Patricia Henning

From the Founding and Artistic Director

You could call this concert an event of coincidences, orperhaps it’s simply an alignment of the stars. Thecoincidences, however numerous, wouldn’t have

happened without all of the tremendous support from our NewMexican community at each step of the way. This concert isn’tjust about the beautiful music you’ll have occasion to listen to anddiscover anew, it’s about bringing together as many facets of oursocial environment and our cultural and scientific community aspossible.

Tonight alone, we have, working together: various departmentsfrom the University of New Mexico, the Friends of CathedralMusic from the Cathedral of St. John, and Polyphony: Voices ofNew Mexico. I’m honored to be celebrating my 10th anniversaryas Director of Las Cantantes and my 10th anniversary as Foundingand Artistic Director of Polyphony: Voices of New Mexico. Thankyou for the encouragement and continued support you haveafforded me during the past decade.

March 24, 1916, Enrique Granados met his demise at sea. 101years later to the day, 80 musicians gather here in this cathedralto honor, celebrate and perform Granados’ exquisite music and tooffer the New Mexican premiere of many of the works ontonight’s program. No celebration of the 150th anniversary ofGranados’ birth would be complete without performing hismasterpiece, Canto de las Estrellas. Only within the past decadehas this work been brought back to life following its premiere onMarch 11, 1911 at Barcelona’s Palau de la Música Catalana. Wemarry these Old World Spain musical works of Granados, withthose of John Donald Robb, a pioneer in collecting folk songs ofindigenous and Hispanic peoples found in New Mexico and whosecompositions still live and breathe today.

May the music you hear tonight encourage you to delve deeperinto the music and life of Enrique Granados, and may the blanketof stars above you continue to amaze, awe and inspire. We lookforward to sharing many more years of music with the NewMexican community.

Maxine Thévenot DMA

Friday March 24, 2017 at 7:00pmThe Cathedral of St. John, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Capricho español, DLR V:1 [Spanish Caprice] Enrique Granados (1867-1916)Cuentos de la juventud, DLR IV:2 [Stories of Youth] Dedicatoria [Dedication] La mendiga [The Beggar Girl] Canción de mayo [May Song] Cuento viejo [An Old Tale] Viniendo de la fuente [Coming from the Fountain] * ⃰ * Lento con ternura Recuerdos de la infancia [Memories of Infancy] El fantasma [The Ghost] La huérfana [The Orphan Girl] Marcha [March]

Escenas románticas, DLR V:7 [Romantic Scenes] Mazurka Epílogo [Epilogue]

Douglas Riva, piano

RomanzaMichael Shu, violinDouglas Riva, piano

Two Songs, Opus 57 John Donald Robb (1892-1989)

I am Very Old Tonight arr. B. Ellingboe Tears

Polyphony: Voices of New MexicoMembers of Las Cantantes-University of New Mexico Women’s Choir

Kevin Vigneau, oboeEdmund Connolly, piano

Escena religiosa [Religious Scene] Enrique GranadosMichael Shu, violinDouglas Riva, piano

Edmund Connolly, organ

Salve ReginaPolyphony: Voices of New Mexico

Edmund Connolly, organMaxine Thévenot, Director

Canto de las Estrellas [Song of the Stars]The Choir of the Cathedral of St. John

Las Cantantes-University of New Mexico Women’s ChoirPolyphony: Voices of New Mexico

Edmund Connolly, organDouglas Riva, piano

Maxine Thévenot, director

COMPOSER BIOGRAPHIES

Enrique Granados Campiña: Lleida (Lérida, Catalunya, Spain), July 27,1867; at sea (English Channel), March 24, 1916. Composer, pianist,conductor, teacher. Enrique Granados, along with Isaac Albéniz and Manuelde Falla, was one of the most important composers in Spanish history. He isfrequently, and incorrectly, described as a Nationalist composer. In factGranados introduced late Romanticism into Spain for the first time, whileretaining his Spanish roots. He created a highly expressive and personalNeo-Romantic style influenced by Schumann, Chopin, Schubert and Wagner.

Granados studied piano with Joan Baptista Pujol (1835-1898) andcomposition with Felip Pedrell (1841-1922) in Barcelona and continued hispiano studies with Charles de Bériot (1833-1914) in Paris in 1887. While inParis he came into contact with the international musical world of the era.He returned to Barcelona in 1889 and began his artistic career as a pianist,

composer and conductor. Granados was recognized as a virtuoso pianist and his first masterpiece, Danzas españolas[Spanish Dances], brought him international recognition as a composer as well. Massenet, Cui, Saint-Saëns, and Grieg allpraised the Danzas españolas highly. In the following years Granados composed numerous piano works, operas,orchestral works, vocal works and chamber music. In 1901 he founded the Academia Granados, one of the mostadvanced music schools in Spain where he introduced new techniques from other European countries.

Granados spent the final months of his life in New York. He came to New York for the premiere of his operaGoyescas at the Metropolitan Opera. While in New York he performed concerts as soloist and with cellist Pau Casals,made piano roll recordings for the Duo-Art Reproducing Piano and composed his two final works: the Intermezzo fromthe opera Goyescas and Danza de los ojos verdes [Dance for Green Eyes] for the New York debut of the brilliant Spanishdancer, Antonia Mercé, known as La Argentina. The DLR numbers found in tonight’s program are from the de Larrocha-Riva catalogue of the Granados piano works published in the Complete Piano Works of Enrique Granados, Alicia deLarrocha, Director, Douglas Riva, Preparation and Documentation, 18 vols., Boileau, Barcelona, 2001.

2016 marks the centenary of Granados’s death and 2017, the 150th anniversary of his birth. The coincidence of theseanniversaries provides an unparalleled occasion to re-evaluate his contributions to music, hear lesser-knowncompositions and discover works which are just now being published for the first time.

John Donald Robb (1892-1989) led a rich and varied life as an attorney,composer, arts educator, and folk song collector and preservationist. During his twodecades as an international lawyer in New York City, Robb also studied compositionwith Horatio Parker, Darius Milhaud, Roy Harris, Paul Hindemith and NadiaBoulanger.

In 1941, Robb left his law career to become head of the Music Department at theUniversity of New Mexico, and then served as dean of the College of Fine Arts until1957. During his tenure at UNM, Robb’s fascination with folk music led to hiscollection of more than 3,000 traditional Hispanic folk songs and dances from theAmerican Southwest and South America, which formed the nucleus of the RobbArchive of Southwestern Music at UNM Libraries’ Center for Southwest Research.

He was the author of Hispanic Folk Songs of New Mexico, Hispanic Folk Music ofNew Mexico and the Southwest: A Self Portrait of a People; and Cancionero: Songs of Laughter & Faith in New Mexico(all available from UNM Press). In June 2008, New Mexico PBS, KNME-TV-5, premiered a documentary "The MusicalAdventures of John Donald Robb in New Mexico" which can be viewed at www.robbtrust.org.

Robb is an internationally performed composer, and all genres of his works are still performed today. Recentperformances of Robb’s work were heard in a concert by the New Mexico Bach Society in Santa Fe, and his compositionswill be performed at the 46th Annual UNM John Donald Robb Composers’ Symposium on campus March 26-29, 2017.

PROGRAM NOTES & TRANSLATIONS

Capricho español [Spanish Caprice], DLR V:1 Composed circa 1890, around the same time as Granados’ first masterpiece, Danzas españolas¸ Capricho español was

dedicated to Eduardo Conde whose generosity enabled Granados to study in Paris. This youthful work is closely related instyle to the Danzas españolas, somewhat Nationalistic in inspiration with marked lyricism, haunting melodies, Romanticharmonies and colors.

Cuentos de la juventud [Scenes from Youth], DLR IV:2 Granados was highly influenced in his Cuentos de la juventud by two works by Robert Schumann (1810-1856), Scenes from

Childhood, Op. 15 and Album for the Young, Op. 68. None of these were conceived for children to play but rather asrecollections of childhood emotions and experiences. Granados dedicated his Cuentos de la juventud to his son Eduardo. Thefirst piece of the collection, Dedicatoria [Dedication], was possibly inspired by a melody Granados heard Eduardo sing.Canción de mayo [May Song] has all the freshness of a happy Spring day. Viniendo de la fuente [Coming from the Fountain]evokes the time when water was carried from the local fountain to homes for domestic use. The use of three asterisks in theform of a triangle as a title for the sixth piece, Lento con ternura, was borrowed directly from Schumann’s Album for theYoung, Op. 68. They apparently represent an emotion so poetic that it defies description. The slightly awkward rhythm of theMarcha reminds us of a child imitating an adult soldier.

Escenas románticas [Romantic Scenes], DLR V:7One of Granados´s greatest masterpieces is the suite Escenas rómanticas which was premiered by the composer himself

on November 20, 1904 in Barcelona. All traces of Spanish Nationalism are absent from this inspired, lyric and emotionallycharged work. The combination of elegance and passion make Escenas románticas one of Granados' most distinctivecompositions and in addition, one of the most outstanding examples of Spanish Romanticism. Mazurka shows Granados'sdebt to Chopin and has a melancholy mood similar to Mazurkas by the Polish composer. Epílogo (Andante spianato) (thetempo indication is copied after Chopin's Op. 22) is one of Granados' most emotional works, pouring forth poetic exaltation.

RomanzaGranados’ Romanza for violin and piano is an overlooked gem of the repertoire. Dedicated to his friend Lázaro Clariana,

Romanza is a work in the Romantic style, highly emotional and poetic.

Two Songs, Opus 57 John Donald RobbTwo Art Songs originally written in 1953 for Contralto, Oboe and Piano

John Robb wrote:"On graduation from college in 1915, I taught for a year at Yale in China, in Changsha in Central China. Ifell under the spell of that beautiful land and its culture, of which poetry was one of the brightest and most popular features,practiced even by Emperors. One of my discoveries was a small volume of translations by the Englishman, Cranmer Byng. Isubsequently set several of these translations to music and Tears is one of these. A striking feature of this poem is that, unlikemost poems of love, it could be sung not only to a sweetheart, but to any deeply loved human being."

Escena religiosa [Religious Scene] Escena religiosa was dedicated “to the memory of beloved Doña Cecilia”, wife of Granados’ patron, Eduardo Conde. Thework was probably composed for her funeral. Granados used a highly unusual instrumental combination in this composition,written for piano, organ and violin. The manuscript also called for a few notes to be played on the timpani, which have beentransferred to the piano for tonight’s performance. The manuscript contains a text placed above the score. It is not clear ifGranados’ intention was for the text to be read prior to the performance or if it was intended to reveal the inspiration of thecomposer:

Angel: Come, my soul, God calls you to reward your martyrdom. Soul: I will live with God and pray for my family.

I Am Very Old Tonight - Text by Brian Hooker

I am very old tonightAnd my light is burning low.There is neither dark nor brightIn my seeing.But I see onlyGhosts of long agoGazing at me quietlyI am very old tonight.

Tears - L. Cranmer Byng, Translation from a Chinese poem

High o’er the hill the moonbark steers.The lantern lights depart.Dead springs are stirring in my heart.And there are tears.But that which makes my grief more deepIs that you know not when I weep.

Salve Regina

Salve regina, mater misericordiae, vita, dulcedo et spes nostra, Salve; Salve; ad te clamamus exsules filii Evae; ad tosuspiramus gementes et flentes in hae lacrimarum valle.Eia ergo advocata nostra illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte, et Jesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.Oh clemens! Oh pia! Oh dulcis Virgo Maria!

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy! Our life, our sweetness, and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banishedchildren of Eve, to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn, then, mostgracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us; and after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thywomb Jesus; O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

SALVE REGINA [Hail, Holy Queen] In January 1896 the monthly journal Religious Music in Spain announced a competition offering a prize for thecomposition of a Salve Regina, with the requirement that the winning composition follow the guidelines of the Holy See. Thiscompetition reflected the then current European movement devoted to the recuperation of religious music, led in Spain byGranados’ teacher, Felip Pedrell. At that time Pedrell was attempting to generate interest in religious music by organizingconcerts and lectures devoted to religious compositions and especially by encouraging his students, among them Granados, tostudy and to seek inspiration in the works of Spanish Renaissance polyphony composed by Morales, Guerrero, Victoria, andothers.

Granados’ manuscript of Salve Regina, for 4-voice chorus and organ, is dated March 13, 1896. Eight works werepresented for the competition. Pedrell himself was a member of the jury. The prize, however, was not awarded since the jurydecided that none of the entries fulfilled the requisite conditions.

-Notes by Miriam Perandones, translation by Douglas Riva

Canto de las Estrellas

Oh!, Inmensidad eterna del espacio!¡Locura y fiebre de amor, delio no conocemos!¡No!Pues es nuestra vida eterna y serena y pura nuestra luz.Por la noche calmada, mirar del fondo del azul lejano, por ver cómo en vano buscan paz vuestras almas, sedientaspor la fiebre irrestañable de pasión.

¡Pues es nuestra vida eterna y pura nuestra luz cuando, en la noche de paz, de vosotros nos condolemos!¡Hijas de la noche, mirada de luz, que a través del cielo a vosotros compasivas giramos!¡Y víctimas del amor!¡Sin paz hallar!

La eterna serenidad, augusta en el cielo azul, ahonda nuestra piedad por vuestra estéril pasión. ¡Ah!, eterna serenidad del cielo.¡Libres queremos volar! ¡Ah! ¡Somos cautivos de amor!¿Cómo tener libertad?¡Es débil el corazón! ¡En vano la paz buscáis! ¡Nuevos mundos conocer! ¡Hechizos de amor rompéis!¡Sin los grilletes quebrar!¡Inmensidad!¡Eternidad!¡Eternidad!

--Translation by Mònica Pagès

THE SONG OF THE STARS Oh, infinite vastness and stillness of space!

Oh, wild delirium of love, whose fever we never can know!No!And so we live for everShining down with pure serene starlightWhen in the still of the night, we wait and watchfrom out of the deep blue distance,Overwhelmed by the insatiable fever of desire.And so we live on forever, shining with pure lightWhen in the still of the night, with compassion to you we turn!We daughters of the night, shining brightly down,Across the vastness of space we turn with compassion to you!We victims of love’s cruel spell! Never find repose!Infinite stillness of space, bearing relentlessly down,Deepens our pity for you. Longing in vain to find peace.Infinite stillness of space.Oh for the freedom to fly! Ah!No more the prisoners of love!How can we break off the bonds?Love in man’s heart makes him weak!Vainly he hopes for release!We want to visit new worlds!Break the enchantment of love!There’s no escape from its bonds!Infinite space!Endlessly still!Endlessly still! Ah!

--Translation by Colin Whiteley

Canto de las estrellas [Song of the Stars]On the night of March 11, 1911 one of the most significant concerts in the history of Spanish music took place at Barcelona´s

Palau de la Música Catalana. The program was devoted entirely to the music of Granados, all performed by the composer himself.That night, only four months shy of his 44th birthday, Granados was aware that he was presenting himself to the world as amature composer and pianist. The program included the World Premieres of his piano suite Goyescas and of Azulejos [MosaicTiles], a work by Albéniz which Granados completed after Albéniz’s death at the request of his widow.

Critics were unanimous in their praise. However, one work in particular was singled out: Cant de les estrelles [the original titleis in Catalan, Canto de las estrellas in Spanish, Song of the Stars], which was performed with the chorus Orfeó Català. Scored forpiano solo, organ and choruses, it was the only ensemble work on the program. Granados had conceived Canto de las estrellasspecifically for performance by the Orfeó Català in the Palau de la Música Catalana. The chorus was divided into three groups,two on the on the stage and the third, a women´s chorus, placed above the auditorium near the cupola, which provided a poly-choral antiphonal effect.

Canto de las estrellas is a masterpiece, one of Granados’ finest compositions. It was composed in the Romantic-modernistastyle, with post-Wagnerian harmonies and no traces of Spanish nationalism. Comparable to a piano concerto with chorus andorgan rather than an orchestra, Granados wrote Canto de las estrellas as a vehicle for himself although he dedicated it to thepianist Mieczyslaw Horszowski (1892-1993). The work opens with an extended piano solo of considerable virtuosity, followed by aduet for organ and piano and only then does the chorus enter.

Canto de las estrellas is a highly unusual work but it is not unique in the genre. Other works have also been composed forpiano, organ and chorus, such as Ave María by Rossini and Dextera Domini by César Franck. However, the scope and inspirationof Canto de las estrellas places it at the forefront of Granados’ works.

Canto de las estrellas is subtitled “Poem for piano, organ and voices inspired by a poem by Heine”, referring to the Germanpoet Heinrich Heine. According to Heine expert Peter A. Shea, the non-attributed Catalan text set by Granados is not a translationof any specific poem by Heine nor is it a free translation. Rather, Mr. Shea believes that the text is a kind of response to one ormore Heine poems which deal with love and the stars, but in this case written from the point of view of the stars themselves. Hesuggests that a possible source of Granados’ inspiration could be Heine’s Lyric Intermezzo, No. 8. Granados did not read or speakGerman and thus must have read Heine’s poetry in translation or with the assistance of a German-speaking colleague such as theCatalan poet and dramatist Apel·les Mestres, who had translated the Lyric Intermezzos into Catalan in 1895.

Theoretically at least, Apel·les Mestres would seem the most likely author of the text. However, Granados always attributed totheir authors the texts he used in his compositions, and certainly would have done so in the case of a poet of the stature ofApel·les Mestres. In addition, the text does not resonate with the style of other works by Apel·les Mestres. Walter A. Clark,author of Enrique Granados: Poet of the Piano (Oxford University Press, 2006) observed that “the preoccupation with deathexpressed in the final strophe is eerily portentous of the fate soon to visit the other possible author of these lines: Granadoshimself.”

In spite of its success Granados did not publish the score of Canto de las estrellas. Unfortunately neither he nor any otherpianist had occasion to perform it again. Following Granados’ death the various manuscripts of Canto de las estrellas remained inthe family archive until 1938 when his son Víctor, with or without the knowledge of other family members, brought themanuscripts of that piece as well as those of orchestral works Romeo y Julieta and Torrijos along with that of the opera María delCarmen to New York. Once in New York Víctor signed a contract with Nathanial Shilkret for their publication. Shilkret was a well-known as a conductor, composer and recording producer. He immediately realized the importance of the Granados manuscripts.

However, Víctor was not the sole heir to his father’s music and consequently was not authorized to enter into any contractualagreements without the consent of other members of the Granados family. Communication between New York and Barcelonawas difficult at best due to World War II and the matter could not be resolved, in spite of repeated attempts on the part of Mr.Shilkret and others.

From this point the story becomes increasing complicated. Those interested might want to consult Walter A. Clark’s Lost andFound: Granados’ Canto de las estrellas for Piano, Organ and Chorus (http://www.cilam.ucr.edu/diagonal/current

/issue1/cant.html) or an article by an Albuquerque native and UNM graduate, the late internationally recognized criticMargaret M. Barela, “Out of Obscurity, Into the Light” in the January, 2007 issue of International Piano, published in London. For ahistorical fiction novel based on the life of Granados see The Fallen Nightingale by John W. Milton, Swan Books, 2005.

The various Granados manuscripts remained in the Shilkret archive for decades. In 1964 the Shilkret archive suffered a fireand all the manuscripts were feared lost. Through the years the Granados family, with the assistance of José Iturbi and Alicia deLarrocha, made numerous attempts to recover the manuscripts without result. In 1982 Granados’ daughter, Natalia and herhusband Dr. Antoni Carreras appointed Douglas Riva as the family representative in this matter. Years of contacts between theparties failed to yield any result. However, the story has a happy ending thanks to the efforts of Shilkret’s grandson Niel Shell. In2004 an agreement was reached and the manuscripts were finally brought to light. Although the manuscripts of Canto de lasestrellas had suffered water damage and mold as a result of the fire, fortunately, they were restored by Susan B. Martin. EditorialBoileau, Barcelona, published a critical edition of the score prepared by Douglas Riva. The second performance ever of the worktook place in New York in March, 2007 with Voices of Ascension directed by Dennis Keene and Douglas Riva, piano. The concertwas recorded for a Naxos CD which was nominated for a Grammy award. Ninety-six years after its first and only performanceGranados’ glorious music finally reached the public. Subsequent performances have been given in many cities, London,Barcelona, Sydney, Madrid, Toronto, Washington, D. C., Padova (Italy), Minneapolis and El Paso, Texas among them. Tonight isthe first performance in New Mexico.

--Douglas Riva

Friends of Cathedral Music 2016-2017 Donors

Seraphim— $2500+Douglas Bailey and Dianne Brehmer BaileyCol. Kenneth MoorheadDr. David and Ann StinchcombCarol Tucker Trelease

Cherubim—$1500+AnonymousDrs. Peggie Ann Findlay and Steven E. Bush in thanks for MaxineThévenot and Edmund ConnollyDr. David and Tanner GayHarris McClainLarry Titman in memory of Mr. and Mrs. L.W. TitmanJeanine and Michael Zenge

Archangels—$750+Mark Cleveland and Laurie ThomasJohn HomkoDavid and Stephanie KauffmanPhyllis and Roderick KennedyDr. David and Viera MooreKay and Tom Moses with thanks for their grandchildrenRichard and Marythelma RansomThomas SeamonSandy Veltkamp

Guardian Angels—$350+Albuquerque Chapter of the American Guild of OrganistsRossanna and William S. Hays in memory of Shirley A. Hamilton andWilliam Scott HaysRoss and Sandra Holmen in thanksgiving for Andy and Adrienne KindredKaren and Robert Turner

Angels—$100+Elizabeth S. BayneJames and Diane BonnellKathryn Braziel in memory of her father, Kenneth BrazielMarilyn Fifield in memory of Catherine Lucas FifieldGlynnie Galles in memory of Turner BranchAlyssa LandahlBetty Logan in memory of Dale K MooreCraig TimmMargaret Wolak in thanksgiving for Free Children's musical educationprograms

The Heavenly Host—$10-$99Joy Fishel Eaton, Jennifer E. Burden & Abigail E. WigginsLesley J. Mortimer in memory of Suzie RileyRichard Vivian

Correct as of 2/27/17

PERFORMER BIOGRAPHIES

Grammy-nominated pianist, Douglas Riva has gained international recognition for his "profoundknowledge of Spanish music" (La Vanguardia, Barcelona). No less an authority than the distinguishedSpanish composer Xavier Montsalvatge has described Mr. Riva as "an exceptional pianist." Hisinterpretations of the works of Enrique Granados, in particular, have earned his reputation as today’sforemost exponent of Granados’ piano music. El País described Mr. Riva is "one of the principalapostles of Granados’ music." And, according to Natalia Granados, the composer’s daughter, "Mr. Rivaknows everything relating to my father to perfection."

In 1998 Naxos Records initiated an 11 CD series of his recordings of Granados’ complete pianoworks, the first and only such series ever recorded. The complete series comprises 231 works including102 World Premiere recordings. Spanish critics writing in Scherzo praised Mr. Riva’s interpretation of

Granados’ masterpiece as “belonging to the privileged class of the very best versions of Goyescas.” Referring to Vol. 7 of theseries Scherzo also described Mr. Riva as “an absolute authority, an excellent pianist who is as poetic as Granados’ music.”London’s The Guardian described Vol. 3 of the series as “a totally compelling performance [that] demands to be heard.”MusicWeb International stated that “The playing of Douglas Riva exudes authority”, adding that “The Riva series is essentialfor anyone interested in Spanish piano music.”

Granados’ long-lost masterpiece, Canto de las Estrellas, a virtuoso piano concerto with organ, and three choruses ratherthan orchestra, received its second performance ever in New York during March, 2007 with Douglas Riva and Voices ofAscension, directed by Dennis Keene. The concert was recorded live by Naxos and the CD, Song of the Stars, was nominatedfor a Grammy Award. The Wall Street Journal described Canto de las Estrellas as a “masterpiece” and praised the Naxos CD as“real cause for celebration. . .gorgeous in every way-from the engineering quality to the impeccable performances.” TheAmerican Record Guide commented: "Its expressive effect was breathtaking. . . full of grace, subtlety, nuance, poetry andassurance.”

Douglas Riva is the Assistant Director of the 18 volume critical edition of the Complete Works for Piano of EnriqueGranados, directed by Alicia de Larrocha and published by Editorial Boileau, Barcelona. In November, 2016 the InstitutoComplutense de Ciencias Musicales of the Complutense University, Madrid, published his critical edition of the completeorchestral works by Granados, including the first publication of 8 works never before published. Mr. Riva recorded one ofthese works, Elisenda, with the Orquesta de la Ciudad de Granada, directed by Cristóbal Soler, for Deutsche Grammophon.

After a highly acclaimed recital at Madrid’s historic Residencia de Estudiantes, Mundoclasico.com hailed Mr. Riva as “thesuccessor of Granados” commenting that his performance “captivated the audience to such a point that one was perfectlyable to forget the pianist and listen only to the distinguished and pure serenity of the music.” In the realm of ContemporaryMusic Douglas Riva gave the World Premiere of Gazebo Dances by John Corigliano as well that of two works written for himby Catalan composer Xavier Turull. He gave the first United States performance of a newly discovered Scarlatti Sonata at theNational Gallery of Art, Washington, D. C., and in addition has recorded numerous programs for television and radio in Brazil,Spain, Portugal, Holland, and the United States. A frequent lecturer in Spain and the United States, Mr. Riva has lectured atHarvard University, New York University, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, University of Richmond,University of California, Riverside, Real Academia de Bellas Artes, and for the Sociedad Española de Musicología in Madrid.

Mr. Riva began his musical education at the age of nine, studying both the piano and the flute. His professional careerbegan at the age of sixteen as the Principal Flutist of the El Paso (Texas) Symphony Orchestra. Later, devoting himselfexclusively to the piano, he continued his studies at the Juilliard School, New York University, and in Barcelona at theAcademia Granados-Marshall, founded by Granados.

An accomplished, respected, and dynamic choral conductor much in demand,Maxine Thévenot has directed ensembles across North America. She also maintains an activecareer as an international organist, a visiting lecturer at universities, a recording artist, and is apublished writer and photographer. Dr. Thévenot serves as the Artistic & Founding Director ofthe professional vocal ensemble, POLYPHONY: Voices of New Mexico; as the Director of theUniversity of New Mexico women’s vocal ensemble, Las Cantantes, since 2007; and as theDirector of Cathedral Music & Organist at the Cathedral of St. John, Albuquerque, NM. She isthrilled to have been introduced to Canto de las estrellas as it affords all of these wonderfulchoirs the opportunity to sing together in a unique musical presentation.

Dr. Thévenot has received the Bachelor of Music in Music Education with distinction from the University of Saskatchewan,and the degrees, Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts in organ performance from the Manhattan School of Music, NewYork, where she was twice awarded the Bronson Ragan Award for ‘most outstanding organist’. She also holds the Associatediplomas from the Royal Canadian College of Organists and the Royal Conservatory of Music. In December 2006, Dr. Thévenotwas awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the National College of Music, London, UK for her services to music.

www.maxinethevenot.com

Polyphony: Voices of New Mexico was founded by Maxine Thévenot in 2006for a concert in The Cathedral of St. John, Albuquerque, New Mexico andincorporated as a non-profit organization in 2007. Since then, the choir hasperformed to critical acclaim throughout the state of New Mexico. Recentreviews about Polyphony: Voices of New Mexico have stated, 'The ensembleboasts a unified blend of voices top to bottom with impeccable intonation. Butwhat most impressed was the enthusiasm and vivacity with which the groupsang. There is a great sense of camaraderie and surely no shrinking violet voiceshere.' (The Albuquerque Journal) and 'refreshing, enchantingly energetic andvibrant' (The Santa Fe New Mexican).

Polyphony: Voices of New Mexico has given several sell-out performances oftheir concerts including Handel's Messiah and Beethoven's Ninth Symphony,have raised monies ($10,000) for local charities like The Barrett Foundation—a

women and children's shelter—and have supported musical education within the community and state from the elementaryeducation level to the university level. Performance highlights include concerts with the Santa Fe Concert Association,members of the New Mexico Symphony, the New Mexico Philharmonic, appearances on the Southwest Symphony concertseries, Music in Corrales series, Placitas Concert Series, The Friends of Cathedral Music series and memorable performances insuch world renowned acoustical spaces such as San Miguel Chapel, The Loretto Chapel, Santa Fe, New Mexico. They have alsocollaborated with internationally renowned guest soloists.

They have presented numerous première performances including the first complete performance of St. John Passion(2013) in German with the New Mexico Philharmonic; the New Mexican premières of James MacMillan's Miserere (2016) andhis Seven Last Words from the Cross (2015); of Henry Mollicone's Beatitude Mass: Mass for the Homeless (2011);commissioned and given the world première performance of Andrew Ager's Winter–an evocation (2009) among many othercompositions. Their debut recording Winter—an evocation (2011) includes four première recordings.

Now in its 10th season, Polyphony: Voices of New Mexico is comprised of young professional singers who reside in NewMexico and who have been educated across North America. The ensemble is unique to the State of New Mexico in that it isthe first resident, professional vocal ensemble. The group has a flexible roster, which enables all genres and voicing ofrepertoire to be performed. Each roster includes high school choral scholars who are hoping to make their careers in music.The repertoire includes music ranging from that of the medieval period to modern day compositions both accompanied andunaccompanied to modern day compositions both accompanied and unaccompanied.

Las Cantantes (The University of New Mexico’s Womens’ Ensemble) is aselect group of 20 women who come from all areas of the Albuquerque campus.They perform the masterpieces of the treble voice repertoire and sing acappella, with harp, organ, percussion, piano, brass and at times with windinstruments. Highlights include touring in 2009, 2012, 2014 to NYC; working withmusic legends like Dave Brubeck, Alice Parker, Morten Lauridsen, and AndrewCarter; in recent years making 3 recordings with the RavenCD label which haveall received favorable reviews in The American Organist, The Diapason, and TheAmerican Record Guide; broadcast on National Public Radio (NPR) stationsacross the country. The ensemble has performed in many beautiful spaces suchas the Loretto Chapel (Santa Fe), the UNM Alumni Chapel (ABQ), The Cathedralof St. John (ABQ), St Ignatius Loyola (NYC), The Cathedral of the Incarnation

(NYC), Trinity Wall Street (NYC), and Church of the Heavenly Rest (NYC). Dr. Maxine Thévenot has been the director of this ensemble since 2007, making 2017 her 10th anniversary as director.

The Cathedral Choir is recognized as one of the finest choral ensembles inthe region. In addition to Sunday morning responsibilities, the Cathedral Choirsings for monthly services of Choral Evensong, on major feasts, participates inthe Cathedral Commissions program, participates in community outreachcollaborative concerts other musical community organizations such as the NewMexico Philharmonic, and is well-known for its internationallyreleased recordings with Raven CD. Tours form an important part of theCathedral Choir’s evangelism to the greater musical and liturgical community.The Cathedral Choir has sung in such prestigious venues as Saint Thomas’Church, Fifth Avenue, New York City; Washington National Cathedral;residencies at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor; Canterbury Cathedral, St. Paul’sCathedral, Southwark Cathedral, London; York Minster, Winchester Cathedral,

and Westminster Abbey.

Violinist, Michael Shu is originally from Mesa, Arizona, and currently resides in Albuquerque, NewMexico. He performs in several musical ensembles throughout New Mexico, employing versatility of styleand genre. He currently holds a tenured position in the New Mexico Philharmonic Orchestra and the SantaFe Symphony Orchestra. He also performs frequently with Chatter, Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra, OperaSouthwest and has collaborated with bands in the Albuquerque area. Mr. Shu received his Bachelor ofMusic in Violin Performance and String Pedagogy from the University of New Mexico, where he studiedwith Carmelo de los Santos, David Felberg and Susan Kempter. In 2011 and 2012, he attended The AspenMusic Festival and studied under Bing Wang.

Alongside performing, he currently maintains his own private studio in the Robertson and Sons violinshop.

Edmund Connolly, organist, was born in London, England and raised in Oxford. Before moving toAlbuquerque, Edmund was based for eleven years in London, where he enjoyed a varied career as an operaand concert singer, organist, pianist and teacher. In opera he worked with conductors including VladimirJurowski, Sir Mark Elder and David Parry; in concert he was baritone soloist for Sir David Willcocks, StephenCleobury, David Hill and Bob Chilcott, and continuo organist for Sir John Eliot Gardiner, amongst others.Edmund also performed and recorded frequently with professional choirs such as the BBC Singers and theGabrieli Consort. Edmund has been Assistant Organist-Choir Director at the Cathedral of St. John since2012. In 2013 he was appointed Upper School Chorus Director at Albuquerque Academy. He continues toperform frequently as a soloist with the New Mexico Philharmonic, with Polyphony: Voices of New Mexico,and in recital with the duo Air & Hammers. He holds degrees from Cambridge University and the GuildhallSchool of Music & Drama. www.edmundconnolly.com

Dr. Kevin Vigneau is Professor of Oboe at the University of New Mexico and principal oboe of the NewMexico Philharmonic and the Santa Fe Pro Musica. He also performs with the Santa Fe Opera, Music fromAngel Fire and the New Mexico Winds. He was principal oboe of the Cape Town Symphony Orchestra(South Africa) and the Orquestra Metropolitana de Lisboa (Portugal). He was also a member of the OperaCompany of Boston under Sarah Caldwell. He has recorded for the Summit, Centaur and EMI Classicslabels. He has enjoyed performing in Spain, Brazil, Mexico, Portugal, South Africa, Germany, Holland,Taiwan, Canada, and on many campuses in the United States. He holds a doctorate from the Yale School ofMusic where he studied with Ronald Roseman.

Professor Walter Aaron Clark received his doctorate in musicology from UCLA in 1992. He is currentlyprofessor of musicology at the University of California, Riverside, where he teaches a wide variety ofcourses on Spanish and Latin American music and is the founder/director of UCR’s Center for Iberian andLatin American Music. He was the founding editor (2005-16) of Oxford University Press’s award-winningseries Currents in Latin American and Iberian Music, and he is now editor-in-chief of the incipient GroveDictionary of Latin American and Iberian Music, as well as of the online journal Diagonal: An Ibero-American Music Review. He is the author of groundbreaking Oxford biographies of Isaac Albéniz, EnriqueGranados, and Federico Moreno Torroba, and he has just completed the manuscript of a new bookentitled Los Romero: The Saga of an Andalusian Family of Guitarists in America. He is currently conductingresearch on a final biography, of Joaquín Rodrigo. He is the recipient of Fulbright and NEH grants, and inJune 2016, King Felipe VI of Spain conferred on him the title of Comendador de la Orden de Isabel la

Católica (Commander of the Order of Isabella the Catholic), a Spanish knighthood.

Professor Patricia Henning is an extragalactic radio astronomer, specializing in the study of large scalestructure of the Universe behind the Milky Way. Henning and her collaborators, including UNM graduateand undergraduate students, have discovered more than 1,000 galaxies using radio telescopes in Australia,Puerto Rico, and the Netherlands. She also studies the evolution of galaxies using observations done withthe National Radio Astronomy Observatory’s Very Large Array radio telescope in New Mexico. Herresearch has been reported in over 155 publications and professional presentations. She has taughtvarious courses in astronomy, as well as the Musical Acoustics physics class, winning the Excellence inTeaching award in Physics and Astronomy twice, and has given public lectures in the US, Australia andChina. Prof. Henning is currently serving as interim associate vice president for research at UNM.

Choir 1Soprano ITeresa CreightonEmily WardSeirra McDowellAlyssa PorrasLillian RidoutBrittany Whetten

Soprano IIKyle BrowderVictoria HagenlohMcKayla HicksImani LegetteJenay LyonsAlexandra Truby

Alto IMonica ‘Brock’ HartleyLydia NelsonSarah SernaAlexandra Tibble

Alto IIDanica HaroldsonEllen LusettiAlexa Nguyen

Choir 2SopranoJanelle AnyanonuDaisy BeltranAbby ClarkeAubrianna Hiller-GonzalesMadeline JacobyViera MooreRebecca MorrisJordyn TatumIris Thornton-GonzalezSamantha Van Note

AltoMartha BeebeSandy BeeryBarbara HannanNorah DossTrish HenningParker JacobyAlyssa LandahlPatti MarconettMika ProctorFelice ScottJeanine Zenge

TenorSusan CollinsDavid GayJay HillJohn HomkoCarl KinkelSara MedinaTravis RourkBryce Van Note

BassReese GateleyRoss HolmenPaul IsaacsonLee Rickard

John D. Robb songsSoprano 1Edin ArchuletaTeresa CreightonEmily WardChristina HaroldsonSeirra McDowellJennifer PerezAlyssa PorrasLillian RidoutBrittany Whetten

Soprano 2Lauren BredenKyle BrowderAubrianna Hiller-GonzalesVictoria HagenlohMcKayla HicksImani LegetteJenay LyonsAlexandra TrubyMeredith Wilder

AltoHannah ColtonDanica HaroldsonMonica ‘Brock’ HartleyEllen LusettiRenée MottelerLydia NelsonAlexa NguyenSarah NickersonLaura PancoastMary QuinnSarah SernaFelice ScottAlexandra TibbleKate Winchester

Choir 3Soprano IEdin ArchuletaBriana EnriquezChristina HaroldsonJennifer Perez

Soprano IILauren BredenMary QuinnMeredith Wilder

Alto IHannah ColtonRenée MottelerLaura Pancoast

Alto IISarah NickersonKate Winchester

TenorEric ParkerNate SalazarDouglas Spurlin

BaritonesSeth HartwellCory KloseXavier Robinson

BassLars Fabricius-OlsenAaron HoweStephen LewisDavid Moore

Salve ReginaSopranoEdin ArchuletaLauren BredenChristina HaroldsonJennifer PerezMeredith Wilder

AltoHannah ColtonRenée MottelerSarah NickersonLaura PancoastMary Quinn

TenorCory KloseEric ParkerNathan Salazar

BassLars Fabricius-OlsenAaron HoweStephen LewisXavier Robinson

Canto de las Estrellas

Thank you:The Cathedral of St. John: Dean Mark Goodman and staffDr. Maxine Thévenot and Dr. Mary Quinn - joint Festival organizersUNM Department of Physics and AstronomyNeal Hickson at PianoWerkes; Christian Jacoby at Hotel Andaluz; MarkArdisano at Aspen Printing; Milagro Winery for donating wine; Kirk Biggerfor donating homemade beer and cider; Silver Street Market for donatingto our gallery reception; Edmund Connolly and Maxine Thévenot forprogram design; Jenny Mustered for videography; Edmund Connolly forsound recording; Dr. Ana Alonso-Minutti and Oasis ABQ for hostingProfessor Clark’s lecture; Spencer Beckwith at KUNM; Brent Stevens atKHFM; All of our volunteers and ushers at this and every concert!

Upcoming Concerts

Tuesday, May 2ⁿd 2017 11:30-NOON - FREEThe Cathedral of St. John, Albuquerque

Friday, May 5th 2017 5:30pm-6:15pm - FREEFirst Presbyterian Church, Santa Fe

www.polyphonynm.com

Saturday, December 16th 2017 at 10:30am - FREEThe Second Annual Children's MESSIAH

Friday, January 5th 2018 at 7pm‘On the 12th Day of Christmas’

Bach's Christmas Oratorio Part I & III & Handel's MESSIAH Part Iwith professional soloists, choir and orchestra

Saturday, January 27th 2018 at 7pmThe Holocaust Cantata, by Donald McCullough

Friday, March 9th 2018 at 7pmMusic by Johannes Brahms: Liebeslieder Waltzes, Neue

Liebeslieder Waltzes and the Cello Sonata in e minor

Season details subject to change. Please check our website in the comingmonths for our NEW Summer Sunday Sings events!

www.fcmabq.org

Friday, April 7th 2017 at 7pmMusic of Bach, Duruflé, Fleming, Saint-Saëns

With Sarah Nickerson - mezzo-soprano, James Holland - ‘celloMaxine Thévenot, keyboards

Sunday, May 21st 2017 at 3pm - FREEThe Cathedral Choirs in Concert

with special guests, Breaking Brass

Sunday, June 11th 2017 at 3pmConcert Organist, Maxine Thévenot

Sunday, September 10th 2017 at 3pmConcert Organist, Diane Bish

Well-known for her TV program "The Joy of Music"

Saturday, November 11th 2017 at 3pm‘A Concert of Remembrance’:

Luigi Cherubini's REQUIEMThe Cathedral Choir and professional orchestra

Sunday, December 17th 2017 at 3pm - FREESanta Fe Opera Apprentices & The Cathedral Choirs

Polyphony: Voices of New Mexico

SOPRANO

Edin Archuleta, soprano, was born and raised in Albuquerque. She graduated from the University of NewMexico with a B.A. in music with an emphasis in vocal performance. Edin serves as a section leader at theCathedral of St. John and has performed solo works for various performances. Edin has performed in UNM'sOpera Theater and looks forward to continuing to pursue her music career.

Lauren Breden, soprano, received her B.M. in Vocal Performance from the University of New Mexico. Sheis currently the Soprano II section leader and the Chorister Teaching Assistant at the Cathedral of St. Johnunder the direction of Dr. Maxine Thévenot. She has completed choral residencies at Winchester Cathedral,Westminster Abbey and Washington National Cathedral, and will do an additional residency in Wells in2018. In Albuquerque, she has performed in choral ensembles with Performance Santa Fe, The New MexicoPhilharmonic and The Figueroa Project. She has also been involved in three of the Cathedral of St. John's

recording projects, The Immortal Air, Mystic Meaning, and the most recent one, In Dulci Jubilo. Lauren has a stronginterest in early and contemporary music and hopes to continue to pursue both in the future, alongside her many artsinterests.

Christina Haroldson, soprano, was born and raised in Glendale, Arizona, where she began her musicaltraining with the Phoenix Girls Chorus at age nine. She was part of this choir for nine years, during whichtime she traveled and sang throughout the United States, Europe and Canada. After completing her BA inMusic, Christina took part in the OperaWorks program in LA and the Schumann Liederfest in Germany. Whileworking on her Master of Music in Voice Performance at ASU, she taught music theory and sight-singing forthe Arizona Girlchoir Association and performed with Southwest Shakespeare Company in Mesa, Arizona.

After completing her Masters, Christina moved to New Mexico where she enjoys teaching from her private voice studio,performing with Polyphony: Voices of New Mexico (as well as other solo and choral work throughout the area), directingthe Sandia Youth Choir, and assisting her husband with the Sandia Youth Orchestra.

Jennifer Perez, soprano, holds a Master of Music with a concentration in vocal performance from TheUniversity of New Mexico, where she received her vocal instruction from Dr. Michael Hix. She has performedlead roles with several Santa Fe Opera Community Outreach programs, including children’s operas directedby John Bradley and workshops/presentations directed by SFO Lecturer, Oliver Prezant. Her operatic rolesinclude Gretel in Humperdinck’s Hansel & Gretel, Luigia in Donizetti’s Le convenienze ed inconvenienzeteatrali (Viva la mamma!), Letitia in Menotti’s The Old Maid and the Thief, the Queen of the Night inMozart’s The Magic Flute, Goldilocks in Robert Chauls' The Trial of Goldilocks, and Adele in Strauss's Die

Fledermaus. Additional scenes she has performed in include Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffmann as Giulietta andMozart’s Così fan tutte as Fiordiligi. Her choral experience includes participation as a soprano soloist in the 2010 ACDADenver conference, Mozart’s Requiem for the Festival Internazionale della Cultura Bergamo in Italy, Haydn’s Lord NelsonMass, Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols, Poulenc’s Gloria, Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music, Fauré's Requiem, Handel’sMessiah, Bach’s Oster-Oratorium and Magnificat, Haydn’s The Seven Last Words of Christ, and MacMillan's Seven LastWords from the Cross. Her awards include placing second in the 2009 National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS)competition and placing second in the 2015 Vocal Artistry Art Song Festival. Ms. Perez enjoys participating in the musicalcommunity of Albuquerque as soprano section leader at St. Paul Lutheran Church and as an active member of the choralensembles Polyphony: Voices of New Mexico, Chatter, New Mexico Bach Society, and Dallas Choral Festival. She hasparticipated as an apprentice with the Santa Fe Desert Chorale and is an occasional soloist for the NM Philharmonic.

Meredith Wilder received a Bachelor of Arts in Music with a vocal concentration from the University ofNew Mexico. She has been a member of Albuquerque’s professional choir Polyphony: Voices of New Mexicosince 2009 and recently began singing with Boulder, Colorado's Ars Nova Singers. She was a soprano sectionleader in Albuquerque's Choir of the Cathedral of St. John from 2011-2016. During that time, Wilder waswriting, recording and touring with her folk-rock trio Wildewood. She has been a studio vocalist since 2007and has recorded vocals on many Americana albums from the Southwest. Meredith has taught privately forover three years and continues to write, record and perform original music as a solo artist.

ALTO

Hannah Colton first fell in love with choral singing in a high school madrigal choir, dressed in renaissancegarb. Since then, she’s been selected for the Iowa All-State Jazz Choir, founded and directed the DukeUniversity Jazz Choir in college, strummed John Prine tunes with friends around campfires, and swooned toPalestrina and Victoria in the SONAM ensemble in Durham, North Carolina. She currently sings with theChoir of the Cathedral of St. John. Hannah is a public radio reporter who got her start covering salmonfisheries, brown bears and schools in rural Alaska. She now works as a freelance reporter and fill-in host atKUNM in Albuquerque and KSFR in Santa Fe.

Renée Motteler is a Grammy® Award winning member of the Los Angeles Chamber Singers & Cappella,who received the award for Best Small Ensemble in 2006 for the album Padilla: Sun of Justice. She moved toAlbuquerque from Southern California and served as the alto section leader at The Cathedral of St. John.Renée received her Master’s Degree in Jazz Studies with a concentration in vocal performance fromCalifornia State University, Long Beach, in 2006. Renée has performed all over the world with jazz choirs andas a soloist at the Montreux Jazz Festival, the Ozone Jazz Festival, Neuchatel Jazz Festival, IAJE, CuestaCollege Jazz Festival, and the Berkeley Jazz Festival, among others. In California, she was the cantor, alto

section leader, and assistant conductor at St. Cyprian Catholic Church in Long Beach for 15 years. Renée has taughtelementary through college age students subjects including vocal jazz, beginning music, choir, band, orchestra, andprivate voice lessons. Renée has appeared in television commercials, on the radio, and has worked in the studiorecording demo tapes for composers of classical, show tunes, jazz, and rock music, as well as recording jingles usedcommercially. Renée is a returning member of Polyphony: Voices of New Mexico.

Laura Pancoast holds a B.M. in Vocal Performance from Concordia College and a M.M. in Voice from theUniversity of New Mexico. A three-year member of and soloist in The Concordia Choir, she has also been asoloist in Concordia College’s Oratorio performances of Carmina Burana and The St. Matthew Passion. Sincemoving to New Mexico, she has performed and soloed with Polyphony: Voices of New Mexico,Quintessence, and the New Mexico Bach Society. During her academic career, Laura held two artsadministration internships at Central City Opera and was the Assistant House Manager at Keller Hall at the

University of New Mexico. Laura held the position as the Development and Marketing Associate for the Santa Fe DesertChorale and currently serves as the Development Coordinator for the Academy for the Love of Learning.

Mary Quinn has spent a lifetime singing in choirs. In college she began to specialize in early music underthe direction of Paul Hillier, with whom she also studied choral conducting. Since then she has sungextensively in both professional and semi-professional early music groups in the San Francisco Bay Area,especially those dedicated to the music of J. S. Bach. While receiving her PhD in Spanish literature at U.C.Berkeley, she translated numerous Spanish sixteenth- and seventeenth-century music texts for professionalperformance, including the seventeenth-century zarzuela, Salir el Amor del mundo. Her current book project

centers on a comparison of the empire-wide celebrations (literary, theatrical, and musical) surrounding the birth of theHapsburg prince, Felipe Próspero (1657), for which the first zarzuela was written. She is a member of the faculty in theDepartment of Spanish and Portuguese at the University of New Mexico.

Mezzo-soprano Sarah Nickerson is a Santa Fe, NM, based artist active in oratorio, chamber music, choralwork, and musical theatre. Sarah has performed as a soloist and chorister with the Santa Fe Desert Chorale,Kinnara Ensemble, and with Chatter of Albuquerque. Solos include Vivaldi’s Gloria, the role of the Sorceressin Dido and Aeneas and Beethoven’s Mass in C. In addition to her life as a singer, Sarah is also a Black-beltNia instructor and teaches seven classes a week in Santa Fe.

Kate Winchester graduated from Westminster Choir College with an M.M. in Vocal Performance andPedgagogy where she studied with Metropolitan Opera alumna Sharon Sweet. While at Westminster, shewas the soprano soloist for Symphonic Choir in the annually broadcast Readings and Carols concert and sangEcho in a scene from Ariadne auf Naxos, performed with orchestra. She has been a soprano soloist forseveral choirs in the area, most recently with the Sangre de Cristo chorale in Los Alamos. She is a sectionleader with the Choir of the Cathedral of St. John. She teaches voice privately.

TENORCory Klose is gaining recognition as a sought-after performer of both choral and solo repertoire. Cory

appears on the rosters of many professional ensembles in the United States including Boston’s GRAMMY®Award-winning Handel and Haydn Society, GRAMMY® Award-nominated True Concord Voices andOrchestra, Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Bach Collegium San Diego, Skylark Vocal Ensemble, Kinnara Ensemble,The Crossing, Spire Chamber Ensemble, Apollo Master Chorale, and The Thirteen. He has also collaboratedwith Meredith Monk & Vocal Ensemble on the GRAMMY® Award-winning album, Songs of Ascension. Recentsolo performance highlights include J.S. Bach’s Magnificat with Music in the Mountains in Colorado, Herz

und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147 with St. John’s Bach Project in Albuquerque, Wir danken dir, Gott, wir dankendir, BWV 29 at Music at Bradley Hills in Washington, D.C.

Eric Parker is a native of Albuquerque. He studied at the University of New Mexico as an undergraduatebefore moving to the east coast where he completed his PhD in physical chemistry at Cornell University inAugust 1996. He returned to Albuquerque after graduate school and has been employed at Sandia NationalLaboratories since 1997. In addition to singing with the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra Chorus for 10years and its successor the New Mexico Symphonic Chorus, Eric is a member of the Choir at St. John’sEpiscopal Cathedral, where he is both a section leader and soloist. He has also appeared with local choral

groups including Cantat, Quintessence, and Polyphony: Voices of New Mexico. In keeping with his recent activities, Erichas performed with choral groups of varying sizes all over the United States and in Europe at venues such as CanterburyCathedral in England, the Musikverein in Vienna, and at Carnegie Hall in NYC. In the process he has performed under thebaton of many talented conductors including Maxine Thévenot, Roger Melone, John Rutter, Sir David Willcocks (MusicDirector Emeritus of King’s College Choir Cambridge) and Rossen Milanov (then Associate Conductor and ArtisticDirector of the Philadelphia Orchestra). Eric has appeared as a soloist with the NMSO and the NMSC as tenor soloistmultiple times, singing works ranging from Mozart’s Requiem to Broadway favorites by Lerner and Loewe.

Nathan Salazar holds a Masters degree in Collaborative Piano from the University of Michigan where hestudied with Martin Katz. He received his vocal and piano performance degrees from the University ofKansas. He has performed in England, Scotland, Italy, Russia, as well as all over the United States. Heperformed in the International Festival of Spanish and Latin American Music with renowned mezzo-sopranoTeresa Berganza. Nathan has been featured at Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor, The Kennedy Center inWashington D.C., and Carnegie Hall in New York City among other premier performance venues in theUnited States. He received a fellowship to Songfest in Los Angeles in 2013, where he studied with pianists

Margo Garrett and Graham Johnson. He has worked with composers Jake Heggie, John Musto, William Bolcom, PaulSchoenfield, and Libby Larsen. In 2014, he was invited to be part of Marilyn Horne’s 80th birthday celebration atCarnegie Hall where he worked with Ms. Horne, Martin Katz, and the legendary Christa Ludwig. Nathan performs andcoaches with Coro de Camara, Sangre de Cristo Chorale, New Mexico Performing Arts Society, the Santa Fe DesertChorale, and the Santa Fe Opera.

BASSBaritone Stephen Lewis earned a Bachelor's degree in Music & Theology at Dallas Christian College, and a

Master of Music in Choral Conducting at Texas Tech University. In addition to an extensive choralbackground, Stephen has also appeared in a number of music theater roles, most recently portrayingProfessor Harold Hill in The Music Man with Lubbock Moonlight Musicals. After four years in Lubbock,Stephen moved to the renaissance hill town of Asolo in northern Italy to pursue a Master of BusinessAdministration. While abroad, he performed in the Asolo Song Festival as a soloist and director of thefestival choir. Upon completing his MBA, Stephen found his way to the gorgeous high desert climate of New

Mexico. Currently residing in Albuquerque, Stephen is an associate at Premier Wealth Management Group. In addition to his duties there, he is a section leader in the Choir of the Cathedral of St. John, and has

performed with the New Mexico Symphonic Chorus, the New Mexico Bach Chorale, Polyphony: Voices ofNew Mexico, Canticum Novum, and Opera Southwest. When he’s not working or singing, you can findStephen skiing one of the nearby resorts.

Lars Fabricius-Olsen sings baritone in the Choir of the Cathedral of St. John and sings/plays banjo in SilverString Band.

Born and raised in New Mexico, Xavier Robinson has been in the Choir of the Cathedral of St. John fortwo years, after being a Cathedral Chorister for six years. He appeared in the Santa Fe Opera’s 2012production of Tosca (Chorus) and their 2013 production of Noye’s Fludde (Ham). He is currently enrolled as asenior at St. Pius X High School, and enjoys singing.

December 2006: (left) The first ever incarnation of Polyphony: Voices of New Mexico.

2009: (below left) PVNM women's ensembletake a road trip to Hobbs, New Mexico to teamup with Hobbs High School on an educationaloutreach project, stopping in Roswell along theway to say hello to an old friend.

2009: (right) PVNMwomen's ensembleperforming the worldpremiereperformances atSanta Fe's LorettoChapel and TheCathedral of St. John,Albuquerque, of Canadiancomposer Andrew Ager'sWinter: An Evocation.

2010: (left) PVNM SATB ensembleperform at the Loretto Chapel, SantaFe and at the Cathedral of St. Johngiving the world premiereperformances of John MichaelLuther's If a man die.

June 2011: (right) PVNM SATB ensemble performs the NM premiere of TheBeatitudes-Mass for the Homeless by Henry Mollicone under the baton ofArtistic Director, Maxine Thevenot. Guest Conductor Justin Bischof andspecial guest composer, Andrew Ager with concert organist, MaxineThevenot give the World Premiere of Ager's Concerto for Organ andOrchestra.Pictured above right are The Very Rev. Mark Goodman, Dean of theCathedral of St. John and Maxine Thévenot awarding a check for $10,000to the then Executive Director of Barrett House, a shelter which protects

homeless women andchildren.

December 2011: (left) PVNM Women'sensemble perform in a private home in the NorthValley, ABQ as part of the celebrations for theirdebut CD release, Winter: an evocation.

2012: (below) PVNM SATB ensemble performingat the Cathedral of St. John -Handel's Messiah,with guest soloists from London, New York Cityand California.

Polyphony: Voices of New Mexico

2007 postcard

Ten Years: 2007-20172012: (left) PVNM Women's ensemble,performing on the Placitas Artist Series.

During 2013 and 2014 we were so busy withprojects like Bach’s St. John Passion, Brahms’Requiem and Beethoven’s 9th symphony, allwith the NM Philharmonic, that we didn’t havetime to take any photos!

2015: (right) PVNM SATBensemble presents Part Two ofHandel's Messiah coupled withthe New Mexican premiere of

James MacMillan's Seven Last Words from the Cross, torave reviews.

2015: (left) PVNMWomen's ensemblepresents a unique concertof music by women, forwomen with texts bywomen, interspersedwith live readings of her ownworks by Pulitzer Prize nominee,Valerie Martinez of Santa Fe inthe oldest church in the USA: SanMiguel Mission, Santa Fe, NM.

2016: (right) PVNM SATB ensemble performsBeethoven's 9th Symphony at Santa Fe'sLensic Theatre in December 2010 (picturedright) and in December 2016.

2016: (left) PVNM madrigal group at the 4thAnnual Albuquerque Renaissance Faire, April2016

2016: (right) PVNM SATB ensemble performsthe NM premiere of James MacMillan's Miserere along withmusic from and influenced by the Renaissance at Santa Fe's SanMiguel Mission church and the Cathedral of St. John.

2016: (sides and below) The 1st annual Children's MESSIAHevent was held at the Cathedral of St. John, Saturday, December17th 2016. A trunk full of food was donated to the Road Runner FoodBank from this unique, joyous community event!

Thank you to Golden Crown Panaderia, sponsor of our biscochito reception in the gallery, immediately following the concert.