Chamber Chorale: “Old American Songs”

Dr. Brad Light, Chorale Director
Dr. Erica Rumbley, Pianist

$25 General Admission, Students $12
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This program offers a window into the roots of American musical identity, drawing on folk hymns, early sacred music, and spirituals that emerged from communities rather than concert halls. These songs—passed down through oral tradition, shaped by regional practices, and grounded in shared experience—capture a uniquely direct and expressive musical language. From the stark, modal contours of early New England psalmody to the flowing lyricism of folk-derived melodies, this repertoire reflects a nation finding its voice through simplicity, sincerity, and collective song.

Several highlights illuminate the breadth and depth of that tradition. The music of William Billings stands as one of the earliest expressions of a distinctly American compositional style, while later arrangers like Alice Parker and Robert Shaw bring renewed clarity and vitality to traditional hymnody and spirituals. The contributions of Florence Price and Moses Hogan highlight the enduring power and emotional depth of the spiritual tradition, transforming these songs into compelling concert works that retain their deep sense of authenticity and purpose.

The program concludes with the music of Aaron Copland, whose settings of folk material helped define a modern American sound—one that honors its roots while embracing a broader, more expansive musical landscape. In “The Promise of Living” from The Tender Land, Copland brings together many of the program’s central themes—community, labor, and hope—into a broad, luminous conclusion. Taken together, these works invite us to hear not just a collection of pieces, but a living tradition—one that continues to resonate with clarity, strength, and a shared sense of purpose.

I.

Wyndham
Daniel Read (1757 – 1836), arr. Brad Holmes (b. 1956)

David’s Lamentation
William Billings (1746 – 1800)

Idumea
Ananias Davisson (1780 – 1857), arr. Richard Bjella
Jared Reiff, tenor
Lowell Hohstadt, violin
Jason Snider, violin

II.

Sing to the Lord
Samuel McFarland (1816), arr. Alice Parker (1925 – 2023)

My God is a Rock in a Weary Land
Spiritual arr. Alice Parker (1925 – 2023) & Robert Shaw (1916 – 1999)
Alice Beckstrom, soprano
Julie Wood, alto

Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal
Frederic Rowland Marvin (1847 – 1918)
Rachel Stevens, soprano

III.

Three Spirituals
arr. Florence B. Price (1887 – 1953) ed. John Michael Cooper (b. 1962)
1. Stand Still Jordan
2. Ain’t that Good News
3. Hard Trials
Rachel Reyes, soprano
Kati Lewis, alto

Ride on, King Jesus
Spiritual, arr. Moses Hogan (1957 – 2003)
Cindy Benbow, alto
Veronica Miller, alto

IV.

Old American Songs
American Folk Songs, arr. Aaron Copland (1900 – 1990)
I Bought Me a Cat
The Little Horses
At the River
Ching-A-Ring Chaw

The Promise of Living from The Tender Land
Aaron Copland (1900 – 1990)
Dr. Erica Rumbley, piano
Carter Fielding, piano