CCM Chamber Choir PRESENTS

Life and Death: Bach Dances 

 

7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, Christ Church Cathedral

CCM Chamber Choir

Joe Miller, music director and conductor 
Taylor Carrasco, guest choreographer  
Sharon Huizingalighting designer  
Rama VanGils, associate lighting designer
 
Featuring faculty artist Elliot Madore, baritone   
Featuring guest artists from 
Cincinnati Ballet  

Watch the Concert On Demand


Program Note

By Joe Miller, CCM Professor and Director of Choral Studies

Mexican poet Rosario Castellanos (1925-74), ends her poem La anunciación by stating: 

Porque desde el principio me estabas destinado 
era mi soledad un tránsito sombrío 
y un ímpetus de fiebre inconsolable.

Because from the start you were fated to be mine 
my solitude was a somber passage, 
an impetus of inconsolable fever.

In Bach’s exuberant Magnificat in D Major, he celebrates the miracle of anticipating new life, but he also illuminates the anxiety and trepidation that Mary feels. Giving birth for the first time comes with a tidal wave of emotion. As family members we often focus on the joy and anticipation of birth, but it is equally important to consider the gravity and worry that a woman must experience. The attraction to this work is in the tension between these contrasting emotional states. 

In opposition to the Magnificat, the text and music of Bach’s famous solo cantata Ich habe genung offers a glimpse into the end of life. This cantata written for the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary is now celebrated on the second day of Christmas. Ulrich Leisinger tells us that: “the Bible reading for the feast is from St. Luke, 2:25. In this reading, it was revealed to the god-fearing Simeon that he should not see death before he had seen Christ, the Lord’s anointed. He was brought by the Holy Spirit to the temple, where Mary and Joseph were present. There, he took the child Jesus in his arms, praised God and said: ‘Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation.' This sentence is implicit in the libretto, characterized by the joyful expectation of death, which an unknown librettist compiled for Johann Sebastian Bach.” As in the Magnificat, the text and music of Ich habe genung creates the tension between life and death. 

Guest artist Taylor Carrasco and I developed this program by weaving together a narrative built from both works. The order was determined by building contrast in the emotional states of the characters and the attention to light and dark. Through dance and Bach’s meaningful music we hope to draw attention to the commonalities that we share as human beings. Our shared experience of life and death are viscerally expressed through art. The music of the body and the movement of sound are natural conduits for expression. 

Musical Selections

Magnificat in D Major, BWV 243 (1732)

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

 

  • Magnificat anima mea Dominum (choir) 
    My soul magnifies the Lord. 

  • Et exultavit spiritus meus (soprano solo)
    And my spirit has rejoiced in God my savior.
    • Maya McGuire, soprano
       
  • Quia respexit humilitatem (soprano solo) 
    For he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
    • Olivia Knutsen, soprano

Cantata Ich habe genug, BWV 82 (1727)

Johann Sebastian Bach
Featuring faculty artist Elliot Madore, baritone

 

  • 1. Aria
    I have enough,
    I have taken the Savior, the hope of the devout,
    Into my eager arms;
    I have enough!
    I have seen him,
    My faith has brought Jesus to my heart;
    Now, even today,
    I could joyfully depart from here.

Magnificat in D Major, BWV 243 (1732)

  • Quia fecit mihi magna (bass solo)
    For he who is mighty has done great things to me;
    and holy is his name.
    • Emilio Vasquez, baritone
       
  • Et misericordia (alto/tenor duet)
    And his mercy is on them who fear him
    from generation to generation.
    • Rachael Bell, alto and Alex Gushrowski, tenor
       
  • Fecit potentiam in bracchio suo (choir) 
    He has shown strength with his arm;
    he has scattered the proud,
    even the arrogant of heart. 

Cantata Ich habe genug, BWV 82 (1727)

Featuring faculty artist Elliot Madore, baritone

 

  • 2. Recitative 
    I have enough.
    My sole consolation is
    That Jesus is mine, and I am his.
    I hold him in faith,
    For along with Simeon
    I see the joy of that life.
    Let us go with this man!
    Oh! if only the Lord would free me
    From the prison of this body;
    Oh! if only my end had come,
    With what joy I would say to the world:
    I have enough.

  • 3. Aria 
    Rest in sleep, you weary eyes,
    Close softly and joyfully!
    World, I am not staying here,
    There is no longer any part of you
    Necessary to my soul.
    Here I must endure sorrow,
    But there, there I shall find
    Sweet peace, quiet rest.

Magnificat in D Major, BWV 243 (1732)

  • Deposuit potentes de sede (tenor solo) 
    He has deposed the might from their seats,
    and exalted the humble.
    • Tristan Tournaud, tenor
       
  • Esurientes implevis bonis (alto solo)
    The hungry he has filled with good things,
    and the rich he has sent empty away.
    • Rachael Bell, alto
       
  • Suscepit Israel puerum suum (soprano trio)
    He has helped his servant Israel,
    in remembrance of his mercy.

Cantata Ich habe genug, BWV 82 (1727)

Featuring faculty artist Elliot Madore, baritone

 

  • 4. Recitative 
    My God! when shall that beautiful moment come,
    When I depart in peace
    Into the cool earth
    And find rest there, in your arms?
    My parting words are finished,
    World, good night!

  • 5. Aria 
    I greet death with joy,
    Oh, would that it had already come.
    For then I shall escape the suffering
    That ties me to the world.

Magnificat in D Major, BWV 243 (1732)

  • Sicut locutus est ad patres nostros (choir) 
    As it was spoken to our fathers,
    to Abraham and his seed for ever.

  • Gloria Patri (choir) 
    Glory be to the Father, and to the son,
    and to the Holy Spirit.
    As it was in the beginning, is now,
    and every shall be, world without end.
    Amen.

Guest Artists

Taylor Carrasco,

Taylor Carrasco, choreographer

Cincinnati Ballet Corps de Ballet member

Nicolas Bierwagen headshot

Nicolas Bierwagen

Cincinnati Ballet CB2 Dancer

Erin Blair headshot

Erin Blair

Cincinnati Ballet CB2 Dancer

Julia Gundzik headshot

Julia Gundzik

Cincinnati Ballet CB2 Dancer

 Anderson Da Silva hedshot

Anderson Da Silva

Cincinnati Ballet CB2 Dancer

About CCM Choral

CCM's Choral Studies Program is internationally recognized for more than 50 years of excellence in training conductors for successful, lifelong careers in the choral arts. Our choral ensembles are proud to offer transformative musical experiences for singers and audiences. Performances range from acclaimed staged productions presented in collaboration with CCM’s Opera Department to presentations of contemporary works.

the flair and technique of a professional ensemble

Rafael's Music Notes

Rosters

CCM Chamber Choir

Joe Miller, music director and conductor

Matthew Lee and Matthew Swope, graduate assistant conductors


Soprano

  • Audrey Baek
  • Elise Byard
  • Lauryn Davis
  • Maren Hrivnak
  • Olivia Knutsen
  • Laura Stanell
  • Gabrielle Turgeon
  • Audrey Weber

Alto

  • Rachael Bell
  • Caitlin Chisham
  • Reina Dickey
  • Salleigh Harvey
  • Maya McGuire
  • Sam Pape
  • Elizabeth Reyna
  • Liyao Yu

Tenor

  • Carlos Ahrens
  • Desmond Bunting
  • Zach Burnham
  • Alberto De La Paz Canel
  • Alex Gushrowski
  • Nick Metry
  • Matthew Swope
  • Tristan Tournaud

Bass

  • Harry Cecil
  • Joshua Goines
  • Ryan Henry
  • Trevor Kroeger
  • Matthew Lee
  • Isiah Maxey
  • Andrew Nash
  • Will Ryan
  • Nathan Smith
  • Emilio Vasquez
  • Caden Williams

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The competitive scholarships CCMpower provides help attract and retain the best and brightest students, nurture professional development opportunities and – in turn – continue CCM’s tradition of excellence for the next generation of student-artists. Join or renew your CCMpower membership today to help provide critical scholarship funds.

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Sponsors

Louise Dieterle Nippert Trust
Scholarship and Resident Artist Sponsor
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
CSO/CCM Diversity Fellowship Sponsor
The Corbett Endowment at CCM
Dance Department Sponsor
All-Steinway School Sponsor
Louise H. & David S. Ingalls Foundation, Inc.
Community Partners
The Joseph and Frances Jones Poetker Fund of the Cambridge Charitable Foundation, Ritter & Randolph, LLC, Corporate Counsel
Visiting Artists & Thinking About Music Sponsor
Dr. & Mrs. Carl G. Fischer 
Greg Mathein 
Gary & Barb Cummins 
Jim & Linda Miller 
George & Carroll Roden
Musical Theatre Department Sponsors
Genevieve Smith
Opera Production Sponsor
Rafael and Kimberly de Acha
Opera D’Arte Sponsor
An Anonymous Donor
Estate of Mr. William A. Friedlander
Mrs. William A. Friedlander
Dr. Randolph L. Wadsworth
Judith Schonbach Landgren and Peter Landgren
Mr. & Mrs. Harry H. Santen
Elizabeth C.B. Sittenfeld
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas E. Stegman
Mrs. Theodore W. Striker
Mrs. Harry M. Hoffheimer
Ariel Quartet Sponsors
Jan Rogers
Willard and Jean Mulford Charitable Fund of the Cambridge Charitable Foundation
Choral Studies Sponsors
Anonymous
  Classical Guitar Sponsor

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph W. Hirschhorn
Orchestral Sponsor
Dorothy Richard Starling Foundation
Starling Pre-Collegiate Sponsor
Starling Strings Sponsor
Dr. Timothy E. and Janet L. Johnson
Thom Miles and Roberta Gary
Organ Department Sponsors
Keyboard Club of Cincinnati
Louis and Susan Meisel
Piano Department Sponsors
Kevin and Nancy Rhein
   Wind Studies Sponsor
Buddy Rogers Music
LINKS Sponsor
Sponsors listed as of Sept. 7, 2023

General Information


Land Acknowledgment

The Cincinnati area and the land that the University of Cincinnati has been built on is the native homeland of the Indigenous Algonquian speaking tribes, including the Delaware, Miami, and Shawnee tribes.


Box Office

Located in the CCM Atrium, the Box Office is open Monday through Friday, 12:30-6 p.m.; Saturday, noon-4 p.m.; and one hour prior to curtain for all ticketed performances. MasterCard, Visa and Discover cards are accepted.

  • Location: CCM Atrium Lobby next to Corbett Auditorium
  • Telephone: 513-556-4183
  • Email: boxoff@uc.edu
  • Mail: CCM Box Office, P.O. Box 210003, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0003

Tax Credit

If you find that you cannot attend your performance, your tickets may be donated for tax credit as a charitable contribution. Simply notify the Box Office prior to the performance to release your seats, and give your name and address. A tax donation receipt will be mailed to you.


Lost and Found

If you have lost an item, contact lost and found at 513-556-9413.


House Policies

The House Manager has been instructed to minimize the disturbance to patrons already seated when accommodating latecomers. The director and producer of each production select times that are least likely to interrupt the performance, and latecomers will be seated only during these times. Latecomers who miss these opportunities will not be admitted until intermission. Children under the age of 6 will not be admitted.


Cameras, Phones and Recording Devices

The video or audio recording of performances is prohibited.

The use of cameras, with or without flashes, recording devices, cellular phones and other electronic devices inside the theater is prohibited. Please leave them with the House Manager.


Smoking and Refreshments

Smoking and refreshments are not permitted in the theater. Effective May 1, 2017, smoking and tobacco use (including chewing tobacco and electronic cigarettes) shall be prohibited by students, staff, faculty, visitors, vendors and contractors at all times in or on University of Cincinnati properties, including events on university property during non-school hours. This includes all shelters, indoor and outdoor theaters and athletic facilities, bridges, walkways, sidewalks, residence halls, parking lots, and street parking and garages owned by the university.


Hearing Enhancement

Telex listening devices are available for checkout during performances in both Patricia Corbett Theater and Corbett Auditorium. Please inquire at the Box Office.


Wheelchair Seating

Wheelchair seating is available in both Corbett Auditorium and Patricia Corbett Theater. Seating is limited, so reservations should be made with the Box Office when ordering tickets. These seats are subject to availability.


Group Sales

The Box Office can accommodate groups for major productions and concerts. Preview and benefit performances are also available for some productions. For more information, call the CCM Box Office at 513-556-4183.


CCM Faculty and Staff

CCM's faculty and staff and its state-of-the-art facilities make possible the professional training and exceptional education on which CCM believes the future of the arts relies. The school's roster of eminent faculty regularly receives distinguished honors for creative and scholarly work, and its alumni have achieved notable success in the performing and media arts. More than 150 internationally recognized faculty members work with students from around the world, specializing in eight areas of study.


Performance dates and repertoire are subject to change. View CCM's current calendar of events.

The purpose of these performances is educational, and they are part of a University of Cincinnati academic program.