Wednesday
December 3, 2025
12 p.m.
Kopleff Recital Hall
Aaron Cummings, Katie Kress, Nicholas Johns-Cooper, & Madison Tiegreen, conductors
Nicholas Johns-Cooper, piano
Rest
Ralph Vaughan Williams | 1872-1958
Katie Kress, graduate conductor
Ralph Vaughan Williams was an English composer. His works include operas, ballets, chamber music, secular and religious vocal pieces and orchestral compositions including nine symphonies, written over sixty years. Strongly influenced by Tudor music and English folk-song, his output marked a decisive break in British music from its German-dominated style of the 19th century.
Vaughan Williams is among the best-known British symphonists, noted for his very wide range of moods, from stormy and impassioned to tranquil, from mysterious to exuberant. Among the most familiar of his other concert works are Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis (1910) and The Lark Ascending (1914). His vocal works include hymns, folk-song arrangements and large-scale choral pieces.
O Earth, lie heavily upon her eyes; Seal her sweet eyes weary of watching, Earth; Lie close around her; leave no room for mirth With its harsh laughter, nor for sound of sighs. She hath no questions, she hath no replies, Hushed in and curtained with a blessed dearth Of all that irked her from the hour of birth; With stillness that is almost Paradise. Darkness more clear than noon-day holdeth her, Silence more musical than any song; Even her very heart has ceased to stir: Until the morning of Eternity Her rest shall not begin nor end, but be; And when she wakes she will not think it long.
Text: Christina Rossetti | 1830 - 1894
We Shall Walk Through the Valley in Peace
arr. Moses Hogan | 1957-2003
Madison Tiegreen, graduate conductor
Moses George Hogan was an American composer and arranger of choral music, best known for his settings of spirituals. Hogan was a pianist, conductor, and arranger of international renown. His works are celebrated and performed by high school, college, church, community, and professional choirs today. Over his lifetime, he published 88 arrangements for voice, eight of which were solo pieces.
We shall walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we shall walk through the valley in peace! And if Jesus himself will be our leader, we shall walk through the valley in peace.
Ave Maris Stella
Trond H.F. Kverno | b. 1945
Nicholas Johns-Cooper, graduate conductor
"Ave maris stella" (Latin for 'Hail, star of the sea') is a medieval Marian hymn, usually sung at Vespers. It was especially popular in the Middle Ages and has been used by many composers, as the basis of other compositions.
Trond Hans Farner Kverno is a contemporary Norwegian composer. He received degrees in church music, music theory and choir direction from the Norwegian Academy of Music. He is known for his liturgical compositions.
Even when He is silent
Kim André Arnesen | b. 1980
Aaron Cummings, graduate conductor
Commissioned by the St. Olaf Festival in Trondheim, Norway, Even When He Is Silent masterfully expresses the sentiment of the text - hope in times of despair. The music is inspired by a short but deeply moving text, written by a Jewish individual hiding during World War II, and found scratched on the wall of a cellar in Cologne, Germany. The composition begins in stillness, reflecting the profound depth of the words. It gradually builds to a dramatic climax on the phrase "I believe in love," embodying the intense and conflicting emotions of holding onto to it in difficult times. The piece then fades into a more contemplative ending, culminating in a serene acceptance of faith in God, even amidst silence. The music, with its lush chords and challenging vocal lines, mirrors the text's emotional journey. It requires a depth of interpretation from the singers, offering a rewarding experience that captures the essence of finding hope in the darkest times. The composition reflects on what can be taken away from us, like the sun and love, but it reminds us that even in the bleakest of circumstances, we can hold onto our hope and faith.
I believe in the sun, even when it's not shining. I believe in love, even when I feel it not. I believe in God, even when He is silent.
Text: Anon. 20th Century
Take My Hand, Precious Lord
Thomas A. Dorsey | 1899-1993
arr. Ed Lojeski | 1942-2020
Madison Tiegreen, graduate conductor
Thomas Andrew Dorsey was an American musician, composer, and Christian evangelist influential in the development of early blues and 20th-century gospel music. He penned 3,000 songs, a third of them gospel. Recordings of these sold millions of copies in both gospel and secular markets in the 20th century. Born in rural Georgia, Dorsey grew up in a religious family but gained most of his musical experience playing blues piano at barrelhouses and parties in Atlanta. He moved to Chicago and became a proficient composer and arranger of jazz and vaudeville just as blues was becoming popular.
"Take My Hand, Precious Lord" is a gospel song with lyrics and music by Thomas A. Dorsey. The music to the song was adapted by Dorsey from George N. Allen's hymn tune "Maitland".
Precious Lord, take my hand, Lead me on, let me stand, I am tired, I am weak, I am worn. Through the storm, through the night Lead me on to the light, Take my hand, precious Lord, Lead me home. When my way grow drear, Precious Lord, linger near. When my life is almost gone, Hear my cry, hear my call, Hold my hand lest I fall. Take my hand, precious Lord, Lead me home. When the darkness appears And the night draws near, And the day is past and gone, At the river I stand, Guide my feet, hold my hand. Take my hand, precious Lord Lead me home….
ENSEMBLE
GRADUATE CONDUCTORS
Aaron Cummings
Aaron Cummings is conductor, baritone, and music educator from Alexandria, Louisiana. Aaron is currently pursuing his Master of Music in Choral Conducting at Georgia State University, and graduated from Louisiana State University with a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance. At GSU he regularly conducts Choral Union and Tenor-Bass Choir, and is currently the Music Intern at Central Presbyterian Church, where he conducts the Children's Choir.
Katie Kress
Katie Kress is a conductor, vocalist, and music educator originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan! Katie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Kenyon College, where she studied conducting privately under Dr. Dane Heuchemer and Dr. Benjamin Locke. Since her time at Kenyon, Katie spent three years in New York City, where she taught choir to her middle and high school students, and sang and conducted for C4: The Choral Composer Conductor Collective. In Atlanta, Katie is thrilled to serve as an Assistant Conductor for Georgia State's Choral Union, as well as the Intern to the Music Director of the Catholic Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and the Intern to the Music Director of the Atlanta Homeward Choir.
Nicholas Johns-Cooper
Nicholas Johns-Cooper has a Bachelor of Music degree in organ and piano performance from Georgia State University where he was a University Scholar, played the piano with the GSU Symphonic Wind Ensemble, and sang with the University Singers. While at GSU, he studied organ with Sarah Martin and piano with Geoffrey Haydon, and was the recipient of the Tom Schneider Memorial Scholarship, the Atlanta AGO Scholarship, and the Atlanta Music Club Scholarship. Nick began his piano studies at the age of five with Martha Melton. Early on in his childhood he developed a curiosity for the pipe organ, and in high school began studying the organ with David Houston. While in high school he conducted orchestras for the musicals Fiddler on the Roof, Hello Dolly, 1940′s Radio Hour, and Les Misérables. He is a first prize winner of dozens of annual competitions such as the GMEA and GMTA All-State Piano and Chorus competitions, DMEA and DMTA piano competitions, the Margaret A. Guthman piano competition. Nick teaches piano at Guitar Decatur and teaches organ lessons around Atlanta. He currently serves as Director of Music/Organist for Oglethorpe Presbyterian Church and is in his first year as a M.M. in Choral Conducting student at Georgia State University. He lives in Forest Park with his two spouses Sammie and Jace, and their two dogs and two cats.
Madison Tiegreen
Madison Tiegreen considers herself a multidimensional professional. Her formal studies are in Choral Music Education and Religious Studies, psychology, philosophy, and science. The intersection of her passions is working with humans in a range of ways. Whether it be through music, art, education, or social work, she is committed to creating spaces where individuals can come together, connect authentically, and grow personally and collectively. She is currently pursuing a Master of Music in Choral Conducting at Georgia State University under the mentorship of Dr. Deanna Joseph, where she is a conductor of the American-prize winning Treble Choir and Repertory Singers. In addition to her graduate studies, she serves as a Professor of Aural Skills at Georgia State. She previously held the title of Conducting Scholar at All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Atlanta—an urban parish with a long tradition of choral excellence. When not conducting, she also sang as staff soprano in the semi-professional choir at All Saints’ and contributed her passion for art and design in an additional communications role. Prior to this, she served in several capacities, from professional singer to choir director, for both youth and adult choirs at different churches and schools across the Metro Atlanta area. Experiences include teaching at Dekalb School of the Arts and Mary Lin Elementary School. She also founded and conducted Voces Amicis, a choral ensemble in Atlanta created to give young conductors and educators professional experience. Throughout her time at Georgia State, Madison sang in the international, award-winning ensemble University Singers. During this tenure, the choir produced two professional albums, which she was featured on. Performances included appearances at GMEA, ACDA, NCCO and other national and regional conventions, collaborations with Grammy Award-winning artists, and international tours, notably the World Choral Symposium in Istanbul, Turkey. Additionally, Tiegreen served as the university’s Collegiate ACDA Chapter President. In daily life, Madison spends most of her time outdoors, exploring the world and all it has to offer. She finds joy capturing it in nature, walking, and through photography and abstract painting.