A selection of live recordings from our program "EVOLUTION", performed on 1 and 2 June, 2024

Naturstücke #3 - Unter dem Vollmond (Rory Wainwright Johnston)

Speak to the Earth #1 - Alleluia (Sarah Keirle)

Premiered by the University of Louisville Cardinal Singers under the direction of Dr. Won Joo Ahn on November 7th, 2024.

Soprano Soloist: Sarah Byrd

Program Note: What haunts you? Though Protestant in faith, William Butler Yeats was deeply fascinated with and influenced by the mystical folklore of Ireland, particularly with spirits that resided in Ireland’s lush natural beauty. In “The Everlasting Voices,” Yeats is not merely referring to these external spirits; he’s also referring to his inner anxieties and doubts. He implores the “voices” to return to the natural landscape where they belong and be found in the wind and on the shore instead of driving him insane.

In today’s digital, algorithmic age, we are bombarded with continuous media and online voices showing us all of the atrocities the world has to offer and “influencers” with all the answers for how to fix our own lives while revealing nothing of their own. We are more connected than ever before, and we are more disillusioned with our sense of self as a result. In this piece, I sought to evoke the rich natural landscapes Yeats vividly portrays along with the anxieties he implores to leave him and the digital anxieties we all encounter today. Despite a vastly changed world since Yeats’ passing, I imagine his advice would be unchanged: engage with the natural world around you. Find a creek, or a shore, or a mountain, or a plain, or a cave, and leave time for wonder. May your everlasting voices be still.

The Everlasting Voices 
-by William Butler Yeats 

O sweet everlasting Voices, be still; 
Go to the guards of the heavenly fold 
And bid them wander obeying your will, 
Flame under flame, till Time be no more; 
Have you not heard that our hearts are old, 
That you call in birds, in wind on the hill, 
In shaken boughs, in tide on the shore? 
O sweet everlasting Voices, be still.

The Everlasting Voices

Hoc Corpus

Rejoice! Christmas day is a festive spirit Christmas carol. Set in G Major and marked by a lively Allegro Vivace tempo, this piece captures the excitement and grandeur of the holiday season.

The movement begins with a triumphant fanfare from the brass and timpani, leading into a vibrant Choirs exposition. A more intricate section follows, where Handel-inspired counterpoint adds rich layers and movement, showcasing a dynamic interplay between the orchestra’s sections.

In the final recapitulation, the main theme returns with added depth, enhanced by fanfare variations and sparkling ornamentation from the strings. The piece concludes with a grand crescendo, as the entire orchestra builds to a powerful finish—a true celebration of the holiday spirit.

Perfect for holiday gatherings or festive moments, this piece brings the warmth and excitement of Christmas to life in a timeless Neo-Classical style.

Rejoice! (Christmas carol)

ANDREA, AMING INA (rehearsal recording) -- Composed in honor of Andrea O. Veneracion, founder of the Philippine Madrigal Singers, for the 60th Anniversary of the group.

ANDREA, AMING INA
music: Nilo Alcala
lyrics: Joey Gianan Vargas

Sa iyong sinapupunan, musika’ng inalagaan.
Sa ‘yong pag-ibig naluwal, awit ng kapayapaan.
Sa mapagmahal mong titig nahanap ang aming himig. Dinggin ngayon itong awit, ng bayang iisa’ng tinig.
Sa ‘yong maarugang kamay nagagap marahang gabay
sa ‘ming sama-samang lakbay sa matiwasay na buhay.
Andrea, o aming ina
‘ka’y aming dinadakila.
sa ‘yong musika’t adhika payapang bansa ang likha.

Andrea, Aming Ina - Nilo Alcala | Philipine Madrigal Singers (rehearsal)

Composer: Barbara Strozzi arr. laura hawley
Recorded live by: Cincinnati Vocal Arts Ensemble at Christ Church Cathedral, Cincinnati (October 18, 2024)
Conductor: Benedict Sheehan
Engineer: Joel Crawford

For SATB choir with string quartet

Sheet music available at: https://www.laurahawley.ca/catalogue/leraclito-amoroso-aka-the-strozzi-tango/

L'Eraclito Amoroso aka "The Strozzi Tango" - laura hawley

A composition inspired by the greatness of life...

Photo by Josh Willink: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-carrying-baby-drawing-their-foreheads-69096/

Moments Of A Life

Dance On The Choir

Verse 1
Infernum vacuum, tenebrae manent,
Non ultra daemonium in puteo latent.
E terra nunc spirant, in umbris errant,
Humanis cordibus, insanis fervent.

Chorus (Choir)
"VENITE, O DAEMONIA, EX PROFUNDIS LIBERATI,
LUX AETERNA NUNC OCCIDIT, NOS SUMUS DAMNATI.
UBI ERAT FIDES, UMBRA NUNC VIVIT,
IN TENEBRIS TERRAE, INFERNUM NOBIS MANET."

Verse 2
Vulnera aperta, mundus languet,
Oculi caeci, timor iam regnat.
Per urbem silentem sibilus sonat,
In ore hominum, daemon latet.

Chorus (Choir)
"VENITE, O DAEMONIA, EX PROFUNDIS LIBERATI,
LUX AETERNA NUNC OCCIDIT, NOS SUMUS DAMNATI.
UBI ERAT FIDES, UMBRA NUNC VIVIT,
IN TENEBRIS TERRAE, INFERNUM NOBIS MANET."

Bridge
Fumus et cinis, in pulvere sumus,
Damnati in saecula, nullus salus.
Spes evanuit, lux recedit,
Hic infernum, nunc mundus peredit.

Chorus (Choir)
"VENITE, O DAEMONIA, EX PROFUNDIS LIBERATI,
LUX AETERNA NUNC OCCIDIT, NOS SUMUS DAMNATI.
UBI ERAT FIDES, UMBRA NUNC VIVIT,
IN TENEBRIS TERRAE, INFERNUM NOBIS MANET."

Outro
Infernum vacuum, mundus tenebris tectus,
Nos sumus miseri, in damnatione fixi.

Lucifer van Morrigan

Terra Inferna

Kammerchor aus Berlin, gegründet 2006
Leitung: Rory Wainwright Johnston

Idaspe is an independent, amateur artist dedicated to crafting original compositions that blend genres from classical to dance. As both composer and lyricist, Idaspe utilizes Ai tools to create music that infuses positivity and energy into listeners' daily lives. Believing in the transformative power of music, Idaspe aims to uplift and inspire, offering melodies that bring joy and motivation, even amidst life's challenges.

Hey there! I’m a music creator from Ukraine, blending genres and exploring sounds that reflect the highs and lows of life. Each track I make is a piece of my story — from love and loss to resilience and rebirth. Born on Christmas Day, I’ve always been drawn to the mystical and the unknown, and I try to bring that energy into my music.

I’m here to share my journey with anyone who wants to listen. Grateful for every play, every follow — let’s connect and explore new sounds together.

Thank you for being part of this musical ride!

Composer, Conductor, Pianist, Vocalist, UofL BM ‘23, UofL MM ‘25

Nilo Alcala’s compositions and arrangements have been performed in Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas. His choral suite Manga Pakalagian has been hailed as “extraordinary...” (Eric Whitacre), “very fine...” (Morten Lauridsen), “...powerful... spectacularly engaging” (Lauri’s List), “...exuberant and at times hypnotic...”(Cultural Cocktail Hour), and “...scaled peaks of genius” (Asian Journal).

Alcala made history for being the first composer from the Philippines to receive the prestigious Aaron Copland House Residency Award (2017), as well as the first Filipino to be commissioned by the Grammy-nominated Los Angeles Master Chorale and premiered at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. 

Alcala’s awards also include the POLYPHONOS Young Composer Award from The Esoterics (Seattle, WA), the 2nd Prize Asian Composers League Young Composer Award (Israel), and Ani ng Dangal (Harvest of Honor) from the Office of the President of the Philippines. His commissions include the National Music Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA); Andrea O. Veneracion International Choral Festival; Korean Ministry of Culture; Asia-Europe Foundation; and premieres by the Metro Manila Concert Orchestra. 

Alcala was composer-in-residence of the Philippine Madrigal Singers (UNESCO Artist for Peace) which premiered his works in international competitions such as the Florilege Vocal de Tours (France); the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing (Italy); and events including the American Choral Directors Association National Conference (Dallas, TX); the 9th World Symposium on Choral Music (Argentina); and America Cantat 7 (Colombia). 

An Asian Cultural Council grantee, Alcala is also a Billy Joel Fellow at Syracuse University where he earned an MMus in Composition and received the Irene L. Crocker Music Award. He holds a BM in Composition at the University of the Philippines, graduating Magna cum laude. 

A versatile composer, Alcala also scores for the screen. His music for the film Homecoming (Gil Portes, Director) earned nominations for Best Musical Score at the Metro Manila Film Festival and Star Awards for Movies. He is also part of the composers team for Train Station, a ground-breaking international film by CollabFeature with 40 directors from 25 of countries. Alcala also recently scored White Horse Pictures’ short documentary Candlestick Park Fans (The Last Ticketed Concert of The Beatles) to promote Ron Howard’s “The Beatles: Eighth Days A Week”. He is currently music director of Club Six Studios, a Silicon Valley-based mobile video game company.

New tracks tagged #CHORAL