The Center for the Arts - Anne and Ellen Fife Theatre
10.26.25 - 2:00 PM
FEATURING
Honor Choir, Concert Choir, and Chamber Singers
Dwight Bigler, Conductor
Ting-Ting Yang, Pianist
PROGRAM
VT Honor Choir
160 high school students from all over Virginia arrived on campus yesterday to learn five pieces for today’s concert. These talented students are receiving amazing training by their excellent conductors – thank you for keeping choral music alive and well in your schools and communities!
Cantate Domino
Nancy Hill Cobb (b.1951)
If I Can Stop One Heart from Breaking
Michael John Trotta (b.1978)
TāReKiTa
Reena Esmail (b.1983)
Standin’ in the Need of Prayer
Traditional Spiritual / arr. Stacey V. Gibbs
VT Concert Choir
The VT Concert Choir is open to any student who has sung in a choir before or plays another instrument. These bright students are majoring in many different subjects including Music, Creative Writing, Mathematics, Engineering, Geography, Finance, Architecture, Neuroscience, Animal and Poultry Sciences, Public Health, Computer Science, Industrial Design, Biological Sciences, Business Information Tech, Economics, and International Studies. Singing in a VT Choir fulfills a Pathways 6 requirement as part of the general education plan.
Singing in Hope
Singing together brings connection, joy, inspiration, and meaning to many people – whether in the choir or in the audience! We certainly feel like singing together is an important part of living the good life.
Sing We and Chant It
Thomas Morley (1557–1602)
Sometimes
Alexsis Neenan
Zo Mazur, solo
Connection in Nature
Experiencing the beauties of nature can bring peace, rejuvenation, and inspiration. Many philosophers, writers, and composers have talked about how important walking in nature is to their creative process – and for helping to relieve anxiety and stress. As fellow humans in nature, we continue to explore our relationship with and impact on the environment – and how to enjoy the benefits of natural resources while mitigating negative impacts.
Earth Song
Frank Ticheli (b.1958)
More Waters Rising
Saro Lynch-Thomason / arr. Adam and Matt Podd
Percussion: Katelynn Carter, Molly Flinch
Soloist: Will Tinnemeyer
Together in Peace
One of the challenges of modern communities, civilizations, and cultures, is finding ways to co-exist peacefully. These songs speak about these ideals – the importance of good relationships and the fulfillment that comes from finding peace, joy, and love in our lives.
Belong Together
Mark Gregory Damboragian (b.1997) / arr. Andy Beck
Zo Mazur and Shagun Patel, ukulele
John Musante and Savanah King, solos
Peace Like a River
Traditional Spiritual / arr. Victor C. Johnson
Percussion: Katelynn Carter
Electric Bass: Jeremiah Essandoh
VT Chamber Singers
The VT Chamber Singers is the advanced mixed choir at Virginia Tech. The group showcases many of our talented voice majors and students from various majors around campus – the ensemble welcomes auditions by any student from any major. We are thrilled that this year’s group has been invited to perform at the Virginia Music Educators conference in Norfolk, VA, on November 21, 2025 — a testament to the strength of Music at Virginia Tech! In lieu of ticket costs for this concert, we encourage you to consider making a donation to help fund this important performance opportunity. Click here to support these students:
Sacred Spaces
Locus iste
Will Todd (b.1970)
Locus iste Deo factus est - This place was made by God,
inaestimabile sacramentum, - a priceless sacrament;
irreprehensibilis est. - it is without reproach.
This Latin text, originally written to express the sacredness of a religious space, motivated us to consider other parts of our life that might be considered sacred. “Before learning and listening to Locus iste, I had never really taken the time to think about what I consider a sacred space in my own life. After reflecting on the places that hold that meaning for me, and learning to truly appreciate them, I’ve become more grateful for the spaces where I can simply be myself. In a way, recognizing and honoring these places feels like an important part of what living a good life means to me.” (Ava Brotemarkle, alto)
“In Locus Iste, the theme of "Sacred Spaces" connects with me more than any other song. I've lived in the same house in my hometown for my entire life, so naturally it's very near and dear to my heart. Now from college, every time I get the chance to go home, I cherish the little things that make my house home. Things like the smell of the specific air freshener that my mom loves, or noise of my brother climbing the stairs to go upstairs, these little things are so impactful in retrospect. It's somewhere that I can truly have a sense of self and be with people I love.” (Dave Valentine, bass)
Joy in Spirit
Canticum Novum
Ivo Antognini (b.1963)
Cantate Domino canticum novum: - Sing to the Lord a new song:
Cantate Domino omnis terra. - Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Cantate Domino, - Sing to the Lord,
et benedicite nomini ejus: - bless his name:
annuntiate de die in diem salutare ejus - show forth his salvation from day to day.
“The main motif throughout this piece is, of course, ‘Cantate Domino canticum novum’ - Sing to the Lord a new song. From a religious perspective, we sing a new song to the Lord because He is good; He is merciful and benevolent. Through a non-religious lens, we sing a new song whenever we are happy or feel goodness in our lives (at least I do). We sing songs to honor our rawest feelings, loved ones, and special moments. To put it simply: music is synonymous with the purest expression of life itself; it is the language of my soul.” (Kevin Munoz-Mondragon, tenor)
“Cantate Domino is all about praising the Lord for all the great things he’s done, but it's more than that. It’s about enjoying every day you are blessed with living. Whether you’re religious or not, part of “living the good life” is about enjoying the privilege to live and be a part of the beautiful world around us. Nature and mankind can be so divine in its own way, and sometimes we don’t take enough time to observe and appreciate God’s creation.” (Ise Mason, tenor)
Ut prosim: That I May Serve
The Beatitudes
Kurt Sander (b.1969)
In the New Testament, Jesus outlines a list of ideal attributes called the Beatitudes: humility, empathy, meekness, mercy, being peacemakers, standing up for what is right, and more. Virginia Tech’s motto (Ut prosim: That I May Serve) encourages us to live in kindness and service, principles that align with many of the Beatitudes — and in foundational teachings of many world religions including Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism. Our Virginia Tech principles of community, reaffirmed in March 2025 by our Board of Visitors, state:
“My favorite piece this semester is The Beatitudes. As someone of Catholic faith, this piece is an extraordinary example of what "living the good life" means to me. The word beatitude itself comes from the Latin term "beātitūdō" meaning "blessed" or "happy". In essence, the beatitudes are a series of blessings Jesus gave at "The Sermon on the Mount", and these blessings serve as a calling to how we should all live our lives. Throughout my life, the beatitudes have always stood out to me. In a competitive, individualistic culture, the beatitudes say the best of us are those that give unto others, mourn, are persecuted, humble ourselves, and seek to create peace. Yes, ‘living the good life’ involves chasing your dreams and accomplishing all you can, but it also means to leave the world a little bit better than how you found it, and leave every person a little bit happier than how you found them.” (Emilie Verton, alto)
Wonder
Flood the Gold Earth
David von Kampen (b.1986)
“For me, a line that stands out is the first line, [which] exudes curiosity and child-like wonder, being so curious that your thoughts flutter and shine. Curiosity is what drives ambition, and achieving your ambitions brings joy. These ‘thoughts’ being fireflies also imply that they are beautiful, as being curious is what drives humanity to reach betterment.” (Elizabeth Windt, soprano)
“Every single run through of Flood the Gold Earth I feel shaken to my core upon reaching the fortissimo. This piece demands passion, yet it holds a reverent gravitas that I feel attempts to encapsulate the utter wonder of the human experience which is impossible to truly convey. I live in constant awe of the world in its vastness and all the small moments and sensations which are part of life. It is something which I know I will always fall short of communicating to those around me through words alone. While the lyrics are beautiful poetry which, like day-to-day life, could be broken down and analyzed, this piece is better just felt, leaving you in deafening silence after it delivers a final, divine, cascading torrent of sound.” (Tennyson Miles, bass)
Discernment
Superstition
Stevie Wonder (b.1950) / arr. Paul Langford
“Superstition is a complex song, it’s catchy and fun on the surface, but carries a deeper message. It shows how fear of the unknown can trap us. If you're constantly worrying about bad luck or avoiding things because of superstition, you're not really free to live. Living a good life means letting go of that fear. It’s about being aware, but also ready to take risks and move forward. You can’t enjoy life fully if you’re always playing it safe because of something you heard or were taught to fear. The lyric ‘Superstition ain’t the way’ is a reminder that we create our own path, and fear shouldn’t be the thing steering us.” (Zoey Martin, alto)
Love
Nature Boy
eden ahbez (1908–1995) / arr. Anders Edenroth
“For me, the lyric that resonates with me the most is "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return" from Nature Boy. Learning how to love and be loved can be one of the hardest yet most rewarding feelings in life.” (Emily Staton, soprano)
“Researchers [in a long-term study on happiness] found that the single concrete factor in a person’s perceived happiness is the quality of their relationships. These connections could be between family, friends, or community. Additionally, a direct correlation was found between people's reported happiness, and their physical health in later years. In fact, ‘Several studies found that people’s level of satisfaction with their relationships at age 50 was a better predictor of physical health than their cholesterol levels were.’” (Colin Richards, bass)
Hope
Keep On the Sunny Side
J. Howard Entwisle (1865–1901) / arr. Dwight Bigler
Jeremiah Essandoh, double bass
“The line, ‘Let us lift one another,’ gives me insight into how important connections with people are, making happiness a contagious feeling. (Olivia Woody, soprano) “I think that the line you mentioned definitely contributes to living the good life, as bringing people up, supporting them in their endeavors, and always growing alongside with them fosters a positive environment, and fills your soul with joy from doing good things for others, and being someone good to others. (Rayne Garcia-Cruz, bass)
“Keep On the Sunny Side has always held a special place in my heart and resonated heavily with me because even on my darkest days, singing that song with the choir always puts a smile on my face. The line "let us sing with the song of hope above" reminds me that yes, bad days happen, but its important to stay hopeful and acknowledge all the love that truly is around you. I think this piece is such a good representation of ‘Living the Good Life.’ Some of my favorite memories in Chamber Singers have been made while singing this specific piece because it genuinely brings us all together.” (Megan McBride, alto)
Combined Choirs
Cripple Creek
Appalachian Folk Song / arr. Dwight Bigler
John Irrera, violin
String bass: Jeremiah Essandoh
“As I was searching for a folk song to arrange for this year’s Honor Choir, I discovered that this tune likely originated about an hour south of Blacksburg, in a town called Cripple Creek, where the actual Cripple Creek feeds into the New River. Historians think the name perhaps came from the creek being dangerous for livestock to cross. When I was on a plane last month, I sat by someone who said they were from Wytheville – so I asked if he knew where Cripple Creek was since it is near Wytheville. He surprised me by saying he grew up on Cripple Creek Road – and the creek runs through his grandparents’ farm!” (Dr. Bigler)