Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!
Kennett Symphony Children’s Chorus
Eileen Keller, Artistic Director
Eileen Keller, Tyros Director
Nancy A. Lineburger, Ensemble Director
Paige Seaton, Chorus Director
Dr. Marci Major, Youth Chorale Director
Tyler Meade, Accompanist
December 17, 2016
Madeline Wing Adler Theater
Swope Music Building
7:00 pm
PROGRAM
Good King Wenceslas ................................................................................ Traditional Carol
The Little Birch Tree.......................................................................................... Mary Goetze
The Tyros
Caitlin Hoffert, Intern
Eileen Keller, Director
Heaven Bell-A-Ring ........................................................................................... Mary Goetze
Orff Ensemble: Shauna Barker, Gracyn Martinick, Faith Tuffner
The Tyros and The Ensemble
Eileen Keller and Nancy Lineburger, Directors
Da Pacem Domine ....................................................................................... Melchior Franck
(1573-1639)
Zum Gali Gali ................................................................ Israeli Folk Song, arr. Greg Gilpin
The Ensemble
Alexandra Bruch, Intern
Nancy Lineburger, Director
Autumn Gives Her Hand to Winter ................................................................. Keith Loftis
It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year ......................... Eddie Pola and George Wyle
arr. by Hawley Ades
The Chorus
Alexis Adams, Intern
Paige Seaton, Director
Psallite ........................................................................................................ Michael Praetorius
(1571-1621)
Velvet Shoes .............................................................................................Douglas E. Wagner
The Youth Chorale
Dr. Marci Major, Director
Shepherd’s Pipe Carol .......................................................................................... John Rutter
Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow! ...................................Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne
arr. Mark Hayes
Good King Kong Looked Out ......................................................................... P.D.Q. Bach
"(1807–1742)?"
Harmonia Mundi ................................................................... 16th Century German Chorale
arr. Laszlo Vikar
The Kennett Symphony Children’s Chorus
Eileen Keller, Director
Please Turn Off All Electronic Devices
Program Notes
Good King Wenceslas is a popular carol that tells a story of a Czech king going on a journey and braving harsh
winter weather to give alms to a poor peasant on the Feast of Stephen (December 26, the day after Christmas).
During the journey, his page is about to give up the struggle against the cold weather, but is enabled to continue by
following the king's footprints, step for step, through the deep snow.
The Little Birch Tree is a Russian folk song. Birch tree, or "bereza," is an important symbol in Russian culture. It
means Spring, light and beauty. Ancient Russians (Slavs) believed that birch trees had special "spirits" that would
protect them so they planted them around their villages.
Da Pacem Domine – Melchoir Franck was a prolific German composer in the late Renaissance. He set the text,
“Grant us peace, O Lord, in this our day” to a simple melody. The melody is heard first in unison, then in a round in
two voice parts. He then adds a repetition of the melody played or sung in a new key.
Zum Gali Gali is a traditional Hebrew song that relates to the formation of the state of Israel. The rhythmic words
bear similarity to the Hebrew words “gal” (wave) and “galgal” (wheel), and may express continuity of work and
effort to a common goal.
Shepherd’s Pipe Carol, celebrating the piping of a shepherd boy on his way to see the Christ-child at Bethlehem, is
a sprightly, syncopated, and rhythmically taut tune. It was written in the 1960s for a concert performance with
orchestra given at Clare College, Cambridge, while Rutter was still an undergraduate.
Good King Kong Looked Out – P. D. Q. Bach is a fictitious composer invented by musical satirist "Professor"
Peter Schickele. Schickele developed a five-decade-long career, performing the "discovered" works of the "only
forgotten son" of the Bach family. Here are Peter Schickele’s program notes for this piece: “Nobody’s perfect.”
There is no more convincing illustration of that adage than P.D.Q. Bach, whose father Johann Sebastian Bach’s
track record with regard to bringing beauty into the world was otherwise unblemished and perhaps unequaled.
P.D.Q. Bach, who was called “a pimple on the face of music” by his brother J.C. Bach apparently left no musical
form undisturbed. Good King Kong Looked Out is part of a set of secular Christmas carols that P.D.Q. Bach
composed (Throw the Yule Log On, Uncle John, O Little Town of Hackensack, and Good King Kong Looked Out).
As is the case with most of his vocal music, the original manuscript has never been found.
Psallite
Psallite, unigenito
Christo Dei Filio
Redemptori Domio, puerulo, iacenti in praesepio
Ein kleines Kindelein liegt in dem Krippelein
Alle liebe Engelein dienen dem Kindelein
Und singen ihm fein
(English Translation)
Sing your psalms to Christ
The only begotten Son of God
Sing your psalms to the Redeemer
A small Child lies in the manger
All the blessed angels serve Him
And sing to Him
Harmonia Mundi
We gather here together with joyful heart and mind.
We raise our voices ever our distant souls to bind.
To remember in this moment of friendship, love, and joy
that music made together may one day heal mankind.
Children’s Chorus Personnel
THE TYROS
Eileen Keller, Director
Jacob Alvord
William Bromage
Micah Dutton
Eva Kansal
Abe Newman
Emily Ma
Kensie Paramanandam
Myra Ralhan
Seren Reece
Desmond Siggelkow
Asher Sweet
Avery Zhang
Sophie Zhang
THE ENSEMBLE
Nancy Lineburger, Director
Anushka Akki
Shauna Barker
Padraic Carr
Rowan Carmichael
Noori Choudhary
Neve Coelho
Caleb Dutton
Julia Filiaggi
Madesyn Fogg
Leonardo Garcia
Olivia Gregorio
Fin Hughes
Katie Izykowski
Rachael Jameson
Talia Jones
Aivre Lane
Gracyn Martynick
Shirin Patel
Beracah Peng
Kaylee Siggelkow
Dahlia Stater
Mahika Ralhan
Will Risch
Faith Tuffner
THE CHORUS
Paige Seaton, Director
Noah Bay
Brooke Baumeister
Zoe Chasinoff
Lexi Dubrow
Noah Dutton
Xinxin Fang
Vanessa Flores
Katelyn Fogg
Madison Galczyk
Gerardo Garcia
Vrinda Goel
Madelyn Heavens
Genevieve Heme
Abby Jennings
Shaun Joseph
Sophia Lenderman
Troy Madden
Kashyap Nathan
Caci Ramiscal
Harper Risch
Ria Sachdeva
Christopher Simmons
Jacob Sclar
Eleanor Snyder
Evelyn Snyder
Lyla Waldman
THE YOUTH CHORALE
Marci Major, Director
Alyson Gehrke
*Christopher Gehrke
*Cole Geissler
Casey Jennings
Emma Kenney-Hynes
Jasper Krikorian
Seanna Krikorian
Archana Kulkarni
Kyle Lacey
*Isaac Lacombe
*Ricki Lane
Ella Masciulli
*Sophie May
Ashley Moak
Vidya Patel
Aliyah Quill
Medha Raman
Troy Ramiscal
*Connor Rolleston
*Allison Sclar
Morgan Seward
Liam Sinclair
Saniya Vaidya
Soumil Zachariah
Cynthia Zern
*Seniors 2017
About the Kennett Symphony Children’s Chorus and its Directors
Karen L. Markey, Founding Director
The Kennett Symphony Children’s Chorus was founded in 1990 and is a community
organization for boys and girls ages six through eighteen. The Children's Chorus
provides qualified singers an opportunity to perform high-caliber, age-appropriate
repertoire that is culturally and musically diverse while nurturing vocal and musical
development within a group setting. Singers are auditioned and placed by age,
experience, and skill in one of three groups: Ensemble, Chorus, or Youth Chorale.
Numbering more than eighty singers, the Children’s Chorus was the outcome of the vision of Founding
Director, Karen L. Markey. Choristers represent public, private, parochial and home schools in the
Susquehanna and Brandywine Valleys and the Northern Delaware Region. The Kennett Symphony
Children’s Chorus is an educational outreach of the Kennett Symphony Orchestra of Chester County.
Eileen Keller, Artistic Director and Director of the Tyros
Eileen Keller is the Artistic Director of the Kennett Symphony Children's Chorus
beginning in the summer of 2012. Mrs. Keller is also the director of the Tyros in the
Children's Chorus. She has been with the Kennett Symphony Children's Chorus since the
Tyros choir debuted in 2009. In that time, the Tyros has grown in numbers and in
musicianship. Eileen Keller teaches music K-6 at Renaissance Academy Charter School
in Phoenixville, PA. She is also the Elementary Chorus director and Fine Arts Lead Teacher at her school.
Mrs. Keller received her Bachelor's and Master's degree in Music Education from West Chester
University School of Music. As part of her Master's Degree, she earned her Level III Kodaly certification.
Mrs. Keller is an active member of the Organization of American Kodaly Educators (OAKE) and
attended the OAKE National Conference in Hartford, CT with one of her selected singers in March 2013.
She has directed choir performances at numerous events, including the 6ABC Thanksgiving Parade, The
Camden Riversharks, and The Reading Phillies. Mrs. Keller has led numerous professional development
workshops in both music education and leadership development. Mrs. Keller has exposed her choral
students to service learning performances in the local community. At the request of local universities, she
has mentored and educated numerous music education students and interns to prepare them for their own
careers in music education. Of great importance to Mrs. Keller is helping students gain musical literacy
through Kodaly teaching techniques, to facilitate understanding of the significance of folk songs and their
tie to a time, people, and place in history, and awakening her students to the emotional impact of music.
Nancy Lineburger, Director of the Ensemble
Nancy Lineburger has enjoyed a career in music education that included classroom
instruction in middle and elementary schools. She has led choral groups at these levels,
and has successfully prepared students for participation in OAKE (Organization of
American Kodaly Educators) National Choruses. Her professional work has also
included service as a church music director and organist. Nancy holds a B.S from
Gettysburg College and an M.M.E. from West Chester University. She is certified in
Kodaly levels I and II and in Orff-Schulwerk levels I and II. She is well known as a mentor to student
teachers and peers, and has been a presenter at the District 12 PMEA in-service workshops. Professional
singing has included participation in auditioned choral groups. She has sung under the direction of
Stephen Cleobury, Sir Philip Ledger, Sir David Willcocks, James O’Donnell, and John Rutter.
Paige Seaton, Director of the Chorus
Paige Seaton is the Choir Director at Great Valley Middle School, where she teaches four
choral ensembles and various general music classes. Mrs. Seaton has been teaching in the
Great Valley School District since 2004 and has taught multiple levels and disciplines
during her tenure. Her choral groups have performed in the local community and have
also been invited to perform throughout the Philadelphia area. Most recently her groups
have performed at the Liacouras Center, Lincoln Financial Field, and were even selected to perform as
part of the Music In Our School’s month celebration in Harrisburg, PA. Mrs. Seaton received her B.S. in
music education with a concentration in Flute from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and received her
M.M.Ed. with a concentration in Orff-Schulwerk from West Chester University. As part of her graduate
studies, she attained her Level III Orff-Schulwerk certification. Mrs. Seaton has continued to pursue postgraduate work in music education, music technology and choral methods.
Dr. Marci Major, Director of the Chorus
Dr. Marci Major is Assistant Professor of Music Education at West Chester University,
PA where she teaches choral methods and intro to music education, works with student
teacher observations, and is developing graduate level classes. Formerly Assistant
Professor of Music Education and Assistant Director of Choral Activities at the
University of Missouri, Dr. Major earned her B.S. in music education from West
Chester University, her M.M. in choral conducting from Michigan State University, and her Ph.D. in
music education from The Ohio State University. At the University of Missouri Dr. Major taught choral
materials and methods, conducting and rehearsal techniques, psychology of music, and conducted MU's
Concert Chorale. Dr. Major also served as the Artistic Director for the community choir Columbia
Chorale, and co-directed the Choristers ensemble of the St. Louis Children's Chorus. Prior to her
appointment at MU, Dr. Major taught middle and high school choir in Michigan, and later served as a
graduate teaching associate at The Ohio State University. She is excited to be working with the singers of
the Kennett Symphony Children’s Chorus!
Tyler Meade, KSCC Accompanist and WCU Scholarship Recipient for the 2016-2017 season
Caitlin Hoffert is a senior music education major at West Chester University studying voice with minors in jazz
studies and music history. At WCU, she currently performs in Concert Choir, Vocal Jazz, the Friday Jazz Combo,
and the Criterions Jazz Ensemble. In regards to education, Caitlin has much experience teaching private voice,
piano, and guitar through Greensleeves Music. In addition, this summer, she began teaching infant and toddler
music exploration classes through Tot Rock based in West Chester, PA, and at Gymboree Play & Music in
Wilmington, DE. Caitlin's passions lie in teaching children of all ages and her work with Tyros this semester has
solidified her love of music education at the elementary level. To see such young music makers come to knowledge
through art is a blessing she hopes to have for the rest of her life.
Interning with the Ensemble is Allie Bruch. Allie is a sophomore Muisc Education major at West Chester
University with a voice concentration. Allie is a current member of NAfME collegiate and the Epsilon Epsilon
chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota, a professional music fraternity for women. Allie performs in WCU's Mastersingers
and Concert Band. Allie enjoys working with Mrs. Lineburger and the Ensemble singers!
Alexis Adams, a KSCC intern, is a Senior Music Education major at West Chester University with a minor in
Special Education. Her major instrument is piano, but she also loves to sing and play trumpet. She teaches 30
students privately every week through Greensleeves Music. Alexis was President of Cantari Donne and
Mastersingers, and is the current Musicale Director for WCU’s chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota. At Old Swedes in
Wilmington, DE, Alexis is the Music Director of the Swedish Lucia Celebration each holiday season. She absolutely
loves helping children learn to express themselves through music and is thrilled to be working with the Chorus
under the direction of Mrs. Paige Seaton!
Congratulations to the KSCC staff and singers for being accepted to the Organization of
American Kodaly Educators National Conference in Philadelphia March 25-28, 2017. The
children will present an educational demonstration to choral teachers, conductors, and
music educators from around the nation! We are so excited to offer our choral members
this unique experience!
Thank you to West Chester University and The School of Music for providing us with a
beautiful performance space. Thank you for allowing us to call Swope Music Building our
home and place to teach the children and make music come to life.
Thank you to our KSCC families and businesses! Your generous donations allow us to
continue to offer unique experiences and rigorous teaching to our singers!
Thank you to our founding director, Karen Markey, for your continued support of our
choral family and music program!
Special thanks and gratitude to our KSCC Book Keeper, Rachel Brunke, my assistant
Jackie Cotto, and all the KSCC families and friends that helped make this concert a
success!
~Eileen Keller, Artistic Director of Kennett Symphony Children’s Chorus
UPCOMING COLLEGE OF VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS EVENTS
For full event details visit www.wcupa.edu/cvpa or call (610) 436-2739
Events at the School of Music are often supported by individual sponsors and organizations.
Contributions to the School of Music may be made out to:
West Chester University Foundation
West Chester University, PO Box 541, West Chester, PA 19381.
For further information, please call (610) 436-2868 or contact Dean Timothy Blair.
The School of Music | West Chester University of Pennsylvania