BGSU MEN'S CHORUS
Fall Tour 2023

Richard Schnipke, conductor
C.J. Capen, pianist
Keith Phares, guest soloist
Will Baughman & Alejo Goenaga, graduate assistant conductors

Thursday, October 26 
Wauseon High School, Wauseon, OH
Bryan High School, Bryan, OH
Edgerton High School, Edgerton, OH
Christ Church United Methodist, Kettering, OH 

Friday, October 27 
Mason High School, Mason, OH
Anderson High School, Cincinnati, OH
Milford First United Methodist Church, Milford, OH 

Saturday, October 28 
Trinity United Methodist Church, Lima, OH 

Program

Down to the River to Pray | American traditional text, arr. Christopher Aspaas
Gio Gastiglione, Dylan Gheen, Cameron Baker & Jaylen Donald, soloists
    Will Baughman, conductor

Sing Dem Herrn | Michael Praetorius (1571 - 1621), arr. Wallace DePue
    Will Baughman, conductor

German:
Sing dem Herrn!
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alle lieben Ihn.
Lobe seinen Namen.
Singet mit Tambourin und Harfe. 

English Translation:
Sing to the Lord
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Everyone loves Him
Praise His name
Sing with drums and harp. 

Sing Out My Soul | text by William Henry Davies, Marques L. A. Garrett (1983) 

Sing out, my soul, your songs of joy; 
Sing as a happy bird will sing 
Beneath a rainbow’s lovely arch 
In early spring. 

Think not of death… 
Strive not for gold…  

Train up your mind to feel content, 
What matters then how low your store? 
What we enjoy, and not possess, 
Makes rich or poor. 

Veni Sancte Spiritus | Medieval Latin text, Lenoš Janáček (1854 - 1928)

Latin:
Veni, Sancte Spiritus,
reple tuorum corda fidelium,
et tui amoris ignem incende.
Qui per diversitatem linguarum cunctarum gentes 
in unitate fidei congregasti. Amen. 

English Translation:
Come, Holy Spirit,
fill the hearts of Your faithful,
and kindle the fire of Your love. 
You, who from the diverse tongues of all peoples
have gathered together in unity of faith. Amen. 

Cantate Domino | text from Psalms 95 and 97, Vytautas Miškinis (1954) 

Latin:
Cantate Domino canticum novum:
et benedicite nomini ejus:
quia mirabilia fecit.
Psallite Domino in cithara
et voce psalmi. 

English Translation:
Sing unto the Lord a new song
and bless his name,
for he has done marvelous things.
Rejoice and sing praise with the harp, and the
voice of a psalm. 

Gagòt | text by Gabriel T. Guillame, Sydney Guillaume (1982) 

Haitian Creole:
Depi maten m’leve m’ape monte desann,
Mwen kouri toupatou tankou yon chyen ki fou.
Mwen pale, mwen chante, mwen dòmi, Mwen leve;
Mwen priye, mwen rele, se gagòt sou gagòt.

Gagòt isit, gagòt lòtbò.
Gagòt anwo, gagòt anba,
Gagòt toupatou, se gagòt sou gagòt.

Gagòt nan lide mwen,
Gagòt nan zak mwen yo,
Gagòt nan paròl mwen,
Gagòt nan vizyon mwen. 

Tout bagay yo mele:
Lapenn ak lajwa, ledout ak lafwa,
Degoutans ak lespwa, lebyen avèk le mal.
Tèt mwen vire, li vire,
Tout bagay yo mele.
Gad’on  gagòt! 

Maten apre maten, m’ap livre yon batay;
Kontredans lavi-a rekòmanse chak jou.                                           
Mwen chante, mwen danse, Mwen rele: “Viv lavi!”
Bridsoukou sanzatann mwen tounen nan gagòt. 

Nan mitan gagòt sa mwen deside chèche,
Chèche, chèche konnen, konen sa k’ap pase.                                               
Mwen fouye, mwen mande, mwen fini pa trouve
Jouk andedan kè mwen
Solisyon gagòt sa:                                                                      

La vie d’ici-bas est un combat de tout instant                                               
Que l’on ne peut gagner qu’un moment à la fois. 

Apre lannuit se la jounen.                                                         
Apre lapli solèy leve.                                                           
Apre gagòt, apre gagòt… se kè poze.                                 
Se jefò nan soufrans ki pote delivrans. 

Ah! Ainsi soit-il! 

English Translation:
Since I rose this morning I’ve gone through ups and downs,
Running around in circles like a crazy mad dog.
I speak, I sing, I sleep, I rise;
I pray, I scream, it’s mess upon mess.  

It’s a mess here, it’s a mess there, 
A mess up, a mess down,
Mess everywhere, it’s mess upon mess. 

Messy are my thoughts,
Messy are my actions,
Messy are my words,
Messy is my vision. 

Everything is entangled:
Pain and joy, doubt and faith,
Disgust and hope, good and evil.
My head is spinning and spinning,
Everything is entangled.
What a mess! 

Morning after morning, I fight a battle;
The contredanse of life recommences daily. 
I sing, I dance, I yell: “Life is amazing!”
Suddenly and swiftly I am back in a mess. 

In the midst of this mess I decide to search,
To search for an understanding to what is happening.
I dig, I seek, and I finally find
In the very depth of my heart
The solution to this mess: 

Life before death is a battle of every instant
That can not be won but one moment at a time. 

After the night comes the day.
After the rain the sun rises.
After messes, after messes… the heart settles.
It’s striving in suffering that brings  edemption. 

Ah! So be it! 

Toreador Song from Carmen | Georges Bizet (1838 - 1875)
Professor Keith Phares, soloist 

French:
Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre,
Senor, senors car avec les soldats
Oui, les Toreros, peuvent s'entendre;
Pour plaisirs, pour plaisirs,
Ils ont les combats!
Le cirque est plein,
c'est jour de fete!
Le cirque est plein du haut en bas;
Les spectateurs, perdant la tete,
Les spectateurs s'interpellent
a grand fracas!
Apostrophes, cris et tapage
Pousses jusques a la fureur!
Car c'est la fete du courage!
C'est la fete des gens de co
Allons! en garde! Allons! Allons! ah!
Toreador, en garde! Toreador, Toreador!
Et songe bien, oui, songe en combattant
Qu'un oeil noir te regarde,
Et que l'amour t'attend,
Toreador, L'amour t'attend!
Et songe bien, oui, songe en combattant
Qu'un oeil noir te regarde,
Et que l'amour t'attend,
Toreador, L'amour t'attend!
Tout d'un coup, on fait silence...
Ah! que se passe-t-il?
Plus de cris, c'est l'instant!
Plus de cris, c'est l'instant!
le taureau s'elance
En bondissant hors du Toril!
Il s'elance! Il entre,
Il frappe! un cheval roule,
Entrainant un Picador,
Ah! bravo! Toro! Hurle la foule!
Le taureau va, il vient,
il vient et frappe encore!
En secouant ses banderilles,
Plein de fureur, il court!
Le cirque est plein de sang!
On se sauve, on franchit les grilles!
C'et ton tour maintenant! allons!
En garde! allons! allons! Ah!
Toreador, en garde! Toreador, Toreador!
Et songe bien, oui, songe en combattant
Qu'un oeil noir te regarde,
Et que l'amour t'attend,
Toreador, L'amour t'attend!
Et songe bien, oui, songe en combattant
Qu'un oeil noir te regarde
Et que l'amour t'attend,
Toreador, L'amour t'attend!
Et songe bien, oui, songe en combattant
Qu'un oeil noir te regarde
Et que l'amour t'attend,
Et que l'amour t'attend,
Toreador, L'amour t'attend!
L'amour! L'amour! L'amour!
Toreador, Toreador, L'amour t'attend!

English Translation:
Your toast, I can give it to you
Sirs, sirs, for along with the soldiers
Yes, the Toreros, can understand;
For pleasures, for pleasures
They have combats!
The arena is full,
it is the feast day!
The arena is full, from top to bottom;
The spectators are losing their minds,
The spectators began a big fracas!
Apostrophes, cries, and uproar grow to a furor!
Because it is a celebration of courage!
It is the celebration of people with heart!
Let’s go, en guard! Let’s go! Let’s go! Ah!
Toreador, en guard! Toreador, Toreador!
And dream away, yes, dream in combat,
That a black eye is watching you,
And that love awaits you,
Toreador, love awaits you!
And dream away, yes dream in combat,
That a black eye is watching you
And may love await you,
Toreador, love await you!
All of a sudden, it is silent...
Ah, what is happening?
More cries! It is the moment!
More cries! It is the moment!
The bull throws himself out
Bounding out of the bullpin!
He throws himself out! He enters.
He strikes! A horse rolls,
Dragging a picador,
Ah, Bravo! Bull! The crowd roars!
The bull goes, he comes,
He comes and strikes again!
Shaking his dart-stabbed neck,
Full of fury, he runs!
The arena is full of blood!
They save themselves, they pass the gates
It is your turn now. Let’s go!
En guard! Let’s go! Let’s go! Ah!
Toreador, en guard! Toreador, Toreador!
And dream away, yes, dream in combat,
That a black eye is watching you,
And that love awaits you,
Toreador, Love awaits you!
And dream away, yes, dream in combat,
That a black eye is looking at you
And that love awaits you
Toreador, love awaits you!
And dream away, yes, dream in combat,
That a black eye is looking at you
And that love awaits you
And that love awaits you.
Toreador, love awaits you!
Love! Love! Love!
Toreador, Toreador, love awaits you! 

Tell My Father from The Civil War | text and music by Frank Wildhorn (1958), arr. Andrew Ramsey
Matthew Steele / Ben Tittle, soloist (alternating performances) 

Tell my father that his son didn't run, or surrender. 
That I bore his name with pride as I tried to remember. 
You are judged by what you do while passing through. 

As I rest 'neath fields of green, let him lean on my shoulder. 
Tell him how I spent my youth, so the truth could grow older. 
Tell my father when you can; I was a man. 

Tell him we will meet again where the angels learn to fly. 
Tell him we will meet as men for with honor did I die. 
Tell him how I wore the blue, proud and true, through the fire. 
Tell my father, so he'll know I love him so 

Tell him we will meet again where the angels learn to fly. 
Tell him we will meet as men for with honor did I die. 
Tell him how I wore the blue, proud and true, like he taught me. 
Tell my father not to cry; then say goodbye. 

Luck Be A Lady from Guys and Dolls | Frank Loesser (1910 - 1969)
Professor Keith Phares, soloist 

They call you Lady Luck 
But there is room for doubt 
At times, you have a very un-ladylike way of running out 
You're on this date with me 
The pickin's have been lush 
And yet, before this evening is over 
You might give me the brush 
You might forget your manners 
You might refuse to stay 
And so the best that I can do is pray 
 
Luck, be a lady tonight 
Luck, be a lady tonight 
Luck, if you've ever been a lady to begin with 
Luck, be a lady tonight 
 
Luck, let a gentleman see 
How nice a dame you can be 
I know the way you've treated other guys you've been with 
Luck, be a lady with me 
A lady doesn't leave her escort 
It isn't fair, it isn't nice 
A lady doesn't wander all over the room 
And blow on some other guy's dice 
Let's keep this party polite 
Never get out of my sight 
Stick with me baby, I'm the fella you came in with 
Luck, be a lady tonight 
A lady never flirts with strangers 
She'd have a heart, she'd be nice 
A lady doesn't wander all over the room 
And blow on some other guy's dice 
Let's keep this party polite 
Never get out of my sight 
Stick with me baby, I'm the guy that you came in with 
Luck be a lady tonight

The Music of Living | Dan Forrest (1978) 

Giver of life, Cre-a-tor of all that is love-ly, 
teach me to sing the words to your song. 
I want to feel the music of living; I want to feel the music of living; 
and not fear the sad songs, but from them make new songs
composed of both laughter and tears. 

Giver of life, Cre-a-tor of all that is lovely,
teach me to dance to the sounds of your world.
I want to move in rhythm with your plan.
Help me to follow your leading.
To risk even falling, to rise and keep trying,
for you are leading the dance. 

Giver of life, Cre-a-tor of all that is lovely,
teach me to sing the words to your song. 

Gaudete! | traditional Gaelic chant, arr. Michael Engelhardt (1974)
Mike Perry & Will Baughman, soloists 

Gaelic:
Gaudete, gaudete!
Christus est natus
Ex Maria virgine,
gaudete! 

English Translation:
Rejoice, rejoice!
Christ is born
Of the Virgin Mary,
Rejoice! 

Traditional Songs of the BGSU Men’s Chorus:

Brothers, Sing On! | Edvard Grieg, arr. Howard D. McKinney

Come and let our swelling song Mount like the whirling wind,
As it meets our singing throng, So blithe of heart and mind.
Care and sorrow now begone, Brothers in song, sing on!
Brothers, sing on, sing on!

Youth is a wandering troubadour, Sailing the singing breeze,
Wooing a maid on a distant shore, Over the tossing seas;
Steering by the stars above, His vessel a song of love.
Brothers, sing on, sing on!

Errant minstrels, thus we greet you,
List to our voices strong, With glad and open hearts we meet you in our festival of song.
Care and sorrow now be gone, Brothers in song, sing on!
Brothers, sing on, sing on!

Forward Falcons | text by Sidney L. Freeman, arr. Will Baughman

Forward Falcons,
Forward Falcons,
Fight for victory.

Show our spirit,
make them fear it,
Fight for ol’ Bee Gee.

Forward Falcons,
Forward Falcons,
Make the contest keen.

Hold up the fame of our mighty name, and win for
Bowling Green

Bowling Green State University Alma Mater | text by Edith M. Ludwig, arr. John M. Hyde

Alma Mater hear us,
As we praise thy name
Make us worthy sons and daughters
Adding to thy fame.
Time will treat you kindly

Years from now you'll be
Ever dearer in our hearts,
Our University.

From your halls of ivy
To the campus scene,
Chimes ring out with gladness
From our dear Bowling Green.
When all is just a mem'ry

Of the by-gone days,
Hear our hymn dear Alma Mater
As thy name we praise.

Rich-Schnipke-sm

Dr. Richard Schnipke serves as Associate Professor of Choral Activities at Bowling Green State University.  His duties at BGSU include conducting the Collegiate Chorale and Men’s Chorus, as well as teaching graduate courses in choral repertoire and conducting.  Previously, Dr. Schnipke held faculty positions at Xavier University and The Ohio State University and spent 15 years as a public school choral director.  He holds degrees from Bowling Green State University and Ohio State University, and has done additional graduate studies at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.  

Choirs under Schnipke’s direction have sung for conferences of the Ohio Music Education Association, the Ohio Choral Directors Association, and the American Musicological Society, as well as national seminars of the Intercollegiate Male Choruses organization.  Dr. Schnipke also frequently presents at state, regional, and national conferences on the incorporation of Dalcroze Eurhythmics in the choral rehearsal.

As a vocalist, Schnipke performs regularly as a professional chorister and has served as tenor section leader for Cincinnati’s Vocal Arts Ensemble (Grammy Award winner, Craig Hella Johnson, music director).  Dr. Schnipke also currently serves as Vice/Past-President of the Ohio Choral Directors Association.

CJ-sm

CJ Capen is musical coordinator and accompanist in the BGSU Department of Theatre & Film.

He has been staff accompanist & vocal coach for Chicago Summer Opera, Elon University, Interlochen Center for the Arts, and American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria. He has served as keyboard artist for Georgetown Chorale, Vienna Chorale Society, and the semi-professional choir, Voce Chamber Singers from 2013-2023. He toured China with Baltimore Symphony Orchestra flutist Lauren Sileo in 2014, has given chamber music lecture recitals for Osher Lifelong Learning Institute in 2010, 2012, and 2014, and has given benefit concerts in recent years to include: St Veronica's Patriot Day Concert, Reston Drop-In Center, Cornerstone, Maryknoll Society, S.O.M.E's 40th Anniversary Celebration, All Saints Church, as well as the St Thomas More Cathedral Recital Series.

He is also conductor, recently conducting Steamboat Opera's production of "Frida", guest conducting the Arlington Diocese Choral Festival, guest conductor for Reston Chorale's Messiah Sing-Along, and he has been music director for Paul VI High School musical productions from 2018-2022. He served as Director of Music at St John Neumann Church in Reston VA from 2008-2023, one of the largest churches in the Diocese of Arlington, where he conducted the Festival Choir & Orchestra as well as oversaw the other six ensembles. The St John Neumann Choir completed a recording project in 2019, “Rejoice! Sounds of the Season!", and the choir has toured France, Austria, Germany, and Czech Republic.

He is a member of NAfME, ACDA, NPM, DC’s Friday Morning Music Club, and remains active as educator, conductor, recitalist, accompanist, and vocal coach.

Phares-Headshot

For 20 years, in a range of opera and concert repertoire including Baroque, Classical, verismo, 20th Century and many of today's composers, Keith Phares has appeared in leading roles with Washington National Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Seattle Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, New York Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, São Paolo Symphony Orchestra, Santa Fe Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and elsewhere; in collaboration with Hal Prince, Francesca Zambello, Frank Corsaro, Paul Curran, Richard Hickox, Patrick Summers, Harry Bicket, Marin Alsop, Sir Colin Davis, Sir Thomas Allen, among others; and in recital with the Marilyn Horne Foundation, WordSong, Illuminarts and LyricFest; bachelor's degree from the University of Richmond and master's degree from the New England Conservatory, with additional study at Music Academy of the West, Aspen Music Festival and the Juilliard Opera Center; studied with W. Stephen Smith, Richard Hughes, Edward Zambara, Marilyn Horne, Warren Jones, Steven Blier, Ken Merrilll and John Moriarty.

An ardent exponent of contemporary American opera, Phares sang Kynaston on the Grammy-nominated recording of Carlisle Floyd’s Prince of Players, Charlie in the premiere and recording of Jake Heggie's​ Three Decembers ​opposite Frederica von Stade with Houston Grand Opera and San Francisco Opera, the Father in the premiere and recording of Gregory Spears’ ​Paul's Case​ with UrbanArias and PROTOTYPE, Elder Tull in the premiere of Craig Bohmler's ​Riders of the Purple Sage​, Dr. Ludwig Binswanger in the premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon's ​Ellen West​, George Hurstwood in the premiere and recording of Robert Aldridge's ​Sister Carrie, and the title role in the premiere and live, Grammy-winning recording of Aldridge's ​Elmer Gantry.

Tenor 1
*Cameron Baker, ‘25, Music Education, Orville HS (OH)
Dominic Carlozzi, ‘27, Music Education, Solon HS (OH)
Cody Carr, ‘25, Social Studies Education, Sidney HS (OH)
Jackson Clarke, ‘25, Social Studies Education, Jackson HS (OH)
Austin Cochrun, ‘25, Communications, Dover HS (OH)
Sam Eggenton, ‘26, Computer Science, Otsego HS (OH)
Seth Foth, ‘27, Vocal Performance, Archbold HS (OH)
Dylan Gheen, '25, Music Education, Elmwood HS, (OH)
Henry Griffiths, ‘24, Aviation, Dayton Christian HS (OH)
Will Hermanowski, ‘24, Master of Music in Composition and Choral Conducting, Aurora HS (OH)
Dylan Hohlfelder, ‘26, Biochemistry, Gibsonburg HS (OH)
Corban Hutchins, ‘26, Music Education, Princeton HS (OH)
Ethan Martinez, ‘26, Music Education, Sylvania Northview (OH)
-^*B. Michael Perry, ‘25, Music Education, Anderson HS (OH)
Micah Roth, ‘26, Accounting, Hoover HS (OH)
Andrew Vo, ‘27, Music Education, Grove City HS (OH) 

Tenor 2
Cooper Adams, ‘26, Business, Van Wert HS (OH)
Landon Arnett, ‘25, Aviation, Lakota East HS (OH)
Kyle Atkins, ‘27, Sports Management, Centerville HS (OH)
-^Will Baughman, ‘24, Master of Music in Choral Conducting, Otsego HS (OH)
Schneider Cornely, ‘24, Exercise Science, Ramapo HS (NY)
*Andrew Dahlke, ‘25, Hotel Management, Olentangy Berlin HS (OH)
Jossiah Ellinger, ‘26, Business, Lakewood HS (OH)
Gray Garza, ‘26, Art Education, Hicksville HS (OH)
-^Alejo Goenaga, ‘25, Master of Music in Choral Conducting, Freedom HS, (FL)
Anthony Iacovone, ‘24, Information Systems, Mentor HS (OH)
Bruin Kennedy, ‘26, Musical Theater, Sandusky HS (OH)
Patrick Osinski, ‘25, Geology, Sylvania Northview HS (OH)
Robbie Reed, ‘24, Music Education, Findlay HS (OH)
Henry Sadler, ‘27, Aviation, Maine East HS (IL)
Mason Smith, ‘27, Music Education, Liberty Benton HS (OH)
Aaron Stephenson, ‘27, AYA Integrated ELA, Loudonville HS (OH)
Anthony Stout, ‘27, Music Education, Oak Harbor HS (OH)
Gabriel Switzer, ‘25, Bachelor of Musical Arts, Piqua HS (OH)
Benjamin Tittl, ‘27, Music Composition & Musical Theater, St. John’s Jesuit HS (OH)
Colin (Woody) Wood, ‘26, Psychology, Copley HS (OH)
*Wesley Yoder, ‘26, Music Education, Kettering Fairmont HS (OH) 

Baritone
Nahom Agide, ‘27, Undecided, Licking Heights HS (OH)
Andrew Blachley, ‘24, Software Engineering, Olentangy Liberty (OH)
Xavier Branch, ‘24, Music Education, Homewood-Flossmoor HS (IL)
^Gio Castiglione, ‘24, Music Education, Solon HS (OH)
*Jaylen Donald, ‘24, Business Administration, Lima Senior HS (OH)
Jess Driggs, ‘27, Music Education, Sylvania Northview HS (OH)
Landon Fickiesen, ‘27, Computer Science, Findlay HS (OH)
Nicolas Golini, ‘27, Ecology and Conservation Biology, Sylvania Southview HS (OH)
Kierce Gonzalez, ‘27, Mechatronics, Maumee HS (OH)
Jake Grafitti, ‘27, Music Education, Perrysburg HS (OH)
Jeremy Ledyard, ‘27, Marketing, Napoleon HS (OH)
Alec Lee, ‘25, Music Education, Oak Hills HS (OH)
Will Lindsay, ‘25, Electronic and Computer Engineering, Avon HS (OH)
Holden McDonald, ‘25. Computer Science, Grove City HS (OH)
*Jonathon McNevin, ‘26, Communication, Olentangy Berlin HS (OH)
Colton Ogg, ‘27, Music Composition, Mohawk HS (OH)
Zach Ortega, ‘25, Music Composition, Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy HS (OH)
Samuel Scheele, ‘25, Master of Music in Composition and Euphonium Performance, Homestead HS (IN)
Matthew Steele, ‘24, Music Education, Granville HS (OH)
Joe Varga, ‘27, Criminal Justice, John F. Kennedy Catholic HS (OH)
Zachary Walker, ‘25, Computer Science, Pickerington Central HS (OH)
Issac Washington, '27, Vocal Performance, Stivers HS (OH)
Thomas Williamson, ‘25, Media Production, Elida HS (OH) 

Bass
+Harry Bare, '83 & '88, Math Education & Masters in Education, Milton Union HS (OH)
Sean Barry, ‘25, Film Production, Bartlett HS (IL)
+Randy (Beef) Baughman, 81, Music Education, Dover HS (OH)
Apollo Bernath, ‘27, Music Education, Sylvania Northview (OH)
Luca Caretto, ‘25, Bachelor of Musical Arts, Shaker Heights (OH)
Ivan Cobb, ‘24, Music Education, Archbold HS (OH)
*Jaylen Donald, ‘24, Digital Arts, Lima Senior HS (OH)
Dylan Haywood, ‘26, Political Science, Copley HS (OH)
John Humphrey, ‘27, Environmental Science, Mount Vernon HS (OH)
Evan King, ‘26, AYA Integrated Social Studies, Watsons Memorial HS (OH)
Brendan Kracht, ‘27, Aviation, Pioneer HS (OH)
Samuel Lee, ‘26, Business, Otsego HS (OH)
Devon North, ‘25, Music Education, Fairlawn HS (OH)
Austin Panos, ‘26, Social Work, Wait HS (OH)
Martin Repka, ‘26, Computer Engineering, Woodmore HS (OH)
Zach Sanford, ‘24, Master of Music in Vocal Performance, Tri-Valley HS (OH)
Kyle Schmidt, ‘26, Psychology, Theodore Roosevelt HS (OH)
^Chris Schock, ‘24, Music Education, Shawnee HS (OH)
Jack Summanen, 27, Psychology, Bishop Watterson HS (OH)
Ian Wisecup, ‘26, Vocal Performance & Music Education, Princeton HS (OH)

*chorus officers
^section leaders
-graduate assistant conductors
+BGSU SAGE program

Men-s-Chorus-4

The BGSU Men’s Chorus is an auditioned ensemble open to all tenor and bass students, faculty and staff at Bowling Green State University. Established in 1971, the chorus’ motto and reputation as “America’s Finest Singing Machine” is well deserved, emanating decades of musical excellence. The ensemble encompasses students from all majors; over half are non-music majors, representing all seven colleges at the university. The chorus organizes and presents two tours each academic year. Fall finds the singers traveling to locations in Ohio and Michigan, performing at high schools during the day and various concert venues in the evenings. The spring tour ventures to different locations each year. Past trips have taken the group to destinations including Colorado, Florida, New York City, Washington D.C., and Toronto. These off-campus pursuits provide opportunities to perform for diverse audiences, serve as musical ambassadors for BGSU, see different parts of the country, and bond and create lasting friendships with fellow chorus members. Along with producing numerous CDs, the BGSU Men’s Chorus has performed at a number of regional and national ACDA conferences, the North Coast Conference of NAfME, as well as numerous OMEA state conferences and IMC national seminars. Last year the group was honored to perform at the 2023 ACDA National Conference in Cinncinati, the 2023 OMEA Professional Development Conference in Columbus and the 2023 IMC National Seminar in Albion, MI. With the support of the College of Musical Arts, the group also frequently commissions new works for the BGSU Choral Series. Recent commissioned composers include Stacy Gibbs, Dave Brubeck, Tim Takach, Zebulon Highben, Michael Cox, and Steven Sametz.

Thanks for attending this performance. If you have enjoyed your experience, please consider donating to the College of Musical Arts in support of our students and programming. Donate online at bgsu.edu/givecma, or call Sara Zulch-Smith at 419-372-7309.

Audience members are reminded to silence alarm watches, pagers and cellular phones before the performance. As a matter of courtesy and copyright law, no recording or unauthorized photographing is allowed.

Updated: 09/18/2024 03:25PM