Walla Walla Choral Society
Paul Dennis
Paul Dennis graduated from the University of Puget
Sound during the Pleistocene age. Although choral
music developed much later in history than that, he
has managed to hang around long enough that he has
had some experience in the field. Paul taught choral
music at Walla Walla High School from 1975 until his
retirement from teaching in June, 2000. He was also
choral director at Pioneer United Methodist Church
for eleven years during this period. Paul was a charter
member of one of the Northwest’s premier male vocal
ensembles, the Male Ensemble Northwest, and sang semi-professionally with
them for eighteen years. Since his retirement from the Walla Walla School
District he has been working as an Administrative Assistant to the Associate
Dean of Students for Whitman College. This position has afforded him the
time to stay involved in choral music for his own enjoyment. He has sung with
the Whitman College Chamber Singers for three years, remained active in the
Pioneer United Methodist Church music program, been music director for two
musicals at Walla Walla Community College, and conducted the Walla Walla
Choral Society’s Spring “Pops” concert in 2004.
Terri Koch
Terri is the organist/music coordinator at Pioneer
United Methodist Church, a position she has held for the
past 19 years. She also teaches piano and flute at Rogers
Adventist School and is the accompanist for the school’s
choirs. Terri also maintains a teaching studio in her home
and is the head organist at the Village Seventh-day Adventist Church. Terri is a graduate of Walla Walla College
and Andrews University, receiving a Bachelor of Music
degree and Master of Music degree in organ studies, respectively.
This concert is made possible by the
generous sponsorship of
Coffey Communications, Inc.
Thank you for your support of the
Walla Walla Choral Society.
Artistic Director, Dr. Christine Janis
presents
“Northwest Inspirations”
Sponsored by Coffey Communications, Inc.
Guest Conductor, Paul G. Dennis
Pianist, Terri Koch
3:00 PM, Sunday, October 23, 2005
First Congregational Church
“My Heart’s in the Highlands”. . . . . . . . . . . Donna Gartman Schultz, Tacoma, WA
Amy Dodds, Violin
“Set Me As a Seal”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Richard Nance, Tacoma, WA
Paul Rossi, French Horn
“Kyrie” and “Sanctus”
From Missa Brevis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stephen Hatfield, Vancouver, B.C.
“Dirait-on”
From Les Chansons des Roses. . . . Morten Lauridsen, San Juan Island, WA
“Never Seek to Tell Thy Love”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Norbert Rossi, Walla Walla, WA
“The Garden of Love”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Norbert Rossi, Walla Walla, WA
Conducted by Norbert Rossi
“Wood River”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Connie Kaldor, Vancouver, B.C.
“Basil the Cat”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Valerie Shields, Seattle, WA
“Send Me a Dream”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marion Bauer, Walla Walla, WA
Dr. Christine Janis, Soprano Solo
“When I Was One and Twenty”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Richard Nance, Tacoma, WA
From Songs of a Young Man
“Fergus an’ Molly”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vijay Singh, Ellensburg, WA
“Fogarty’s Cove”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ron Smail, Vancouver, B.C.
“Loch Lomond”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jonathan Quick, Vancouver, B.C.
“cool”. With his loud voice and aggressively friendly manner, Basil has no
trouble getting what he wants, which is plenty of cat food and lots of undivided
attention. Basil is fond of everyone, especially children, whom he loves to
nuzzle and kiss. Basil enjoys chasing his brother Claude and sister Misha,
scampering after reflected light and watching baseball upside down while lying on top of the television.”
Donna Gartman Schultz –
Although a Louisiana native, Donna Gartman Schultz is now a confirmed Washingtonian
who resides in Tacoma. She is a prolific writer of choral music and has become one of
America’s most performed contemporary composers. Donna’s lilting Celtic ballad with its
superb text by the great Scottish poet, Robert Burns, is one of our favorites.
Richard Nance –
Richard Nance also resides in Tacoma where he has been the Associate Director of Choral
Activities at Pacific Lutheran University since 1992. In addition to his work at PLU, he is
an active church musician and is the past president of the Washington Choral Directors Association. His arrangement with its highly inspirational “Set Me as a Seal” text from Song of
Solomon was written in 1996 for the wedding of a close friend. The WWCS men have also
enjoyed working on his “When I Was One and Twenty.” This piece offers sage advice to
young men which is seldom taken.
Stephen Hatfield –
Stephen is a recognized leader in multiculturalism and musical folklore. He is a native
Canadian who has lived most of his life in and around Vancouver B.C. His Missa Brevis is
unique in that each movement incorporates folk melodies from a different country. The two
movements that we have chosen are based upon a Gaelic burial song (“Kyrie”) and on street
music from the high Andes (“Sanctus”).
Vijay Singh –
No, he’s not the golfer, but this Vijay has said that he usually has no trouble whatsoever
getting a tee-time when he calls any course. Mr. Singh is a Pacific Northwest native. He
and his family currently live in Ellensburg where he is professor of Jazz Studies and choral
director at CWU. Although Vijay is highly sought after nationally as a bass soloist, he is perhaps even better known as a jazz educator, composer, clinician, and performer. His work,
“Fergus an’ Molly”, was written for the prestigious Male Ensemble Northwest, of which he
was a long-time member. The WWCS men have had fun with its rollicking sea shanty style.
Ron Smail and Jonathan Quick –
Ron and Jonathan are both very active performer/composers in the Vancouver B.C. choral
music scene. Ron’s arrangement of Stan Rogers’ melody, “Fogarty’s Cove”, is another sea
shanty with a rhythm that’s infectious. Jonathan’s arrangement of the very familiar Celtic
melody “Loch Lomond” (written for his own group, O Musica Intima) will have you convinced you hear a bagpipe accompaniment.
Morten Lauridsen –
A native of Colfax, Morten Lauridsen is a graduate of WSU. He served as professor of
theory and composition at USC for many years. While in Los Angeles he was staff accompanist/composer for the famed Los Angeles Master Chorale. His “Dirait-on” is the last of
five movements in his hugely popular Les Chansons des Roses which was commissioned
and premiered by “Choral Cross Ties” of Portland, Oregon. Its immensely romantic (albeit,
somewhat narcissistic) text is by the famous German poet, Rainer Maria Rilke.
Norbert Rossi –
If this name has a familiar ring to it, it’s because he is one of our own. Norb is currently
the Director of Choral Music at Walla Walla High School. Under his direction the Wa-Hi
choral groups have not only continued a decade-long tradition of choral excellence, but
have gone on to establish a reputation as one of Washington State’s finest high school choral
programs. Norb wrote “Never Seek to Tell Thy Love” and “The Garden of Love” with
their texts by poet, William Blake, for his 2004-2005 Wa-Hi Chamber Singers. We’re very
pleased that not only do we get to sing them, but we have the pleasure of performing them
under his direction.
Connie Kaldor –
Connie Kaldor lives in the Vancouver B.C. area. She is a long time member of the internationally known and highly regarded “Elektra” women’s ensemble. Her original melody
“Wood River” is one of those tunes that you don’t dare practice at the end of your rehearsal
because you’ll have its gentle melody ringing through your mind for hours.
Valerie Shields –
Seattle composer, Valerie Shields, gives us the delightful “Basil the Cat”. Any of you in the
audience who happen to be cat lovers will likely recognize Basil. The following is a quote
from Valerie’s notes in the score:
“…Frustrated by his small size, Basil quickly ate his way to great stature and
dominance. Having achieved this goal, he has since dedicated himself to being
* Small group
** Soloist / Small group
Soprano
Chris Aguilar
Cheryl Hair
Maggie Langley *
Avonelle Remboldt
Cathy Stewart
Alto
Gayla Bishop
Stefanie Crumpacker
Susan Johnson
Karen Patton
Audrey Renaud *
Ann Stewart
Robyn Winters
Phyllis Bonds *
Debra Heffner **
Carmen Lorenz
Cappy Ritchie
Dixie Cramer *
Christine Janis *
Su Meredith
Karen Scott
Sasha Faizulaeva
Karen Kelly *
Robyn Newton *
Pam Smith
Audrey Campbell
Phyllis Davis
Jeanine Johnston *
Karen Peddicord
Katie Robertson *
Elissa Stites
Barbara Coddington
Karyl Dennis
Ginger Johnston
Carol Pettibone
Julie Robinson
Debra Tiner
Liz Conover *
Gwyn Frasco
Nancy LaBerge **
Brenda Ramirez
Debbie Rood *
Wilmalu Tomlinson
Steve Janis **
Rick Pummel **
John Junke *
Lyle Rooff
Jim Conrad
Jim Johnson
Roland Shanks
Paul Dennis *
Leo Lapke *
Dan Snider
Tenor
Douglas Fairbanks * Ray Fleenor
Terry Koch *
Bill McCaw
Nathan Smith
Shernie Wilkes
Bass
Eric Aeschliman *
Ken Emerson
Clair Liebrand
Rich Young *
Clark Colahan
Les Johnson *
Dale Pettibone