Concert Program
Large Ensemble Concert Series
27th Annual Holiday Concert
NIU Concert Choir
NIU Chamber Choir
NIU University Chorus
Brass Ensemble
DeKalb Festival Chorus
Eric Johnson, director, NIU Chamber Choir and Concert Choir
Mary Lynn Doherty, director, University Chorus
Paul Marchese, director, DeKalb Festival Chorus
Sunday, December 7, 2025
3 p.m.
Boutell Memorial Concert Hall
Program
| Before concert music from 2:35 – 2:55 p.m. | Brennyn Ford, piano |
| Processional Personent Hodie (On this Day, Earth Shall Ring!) |
Anon. arr. Lara Hoggard (1915-2007) |
| Concert Choir and University Chorus Instrumental Ensemble Matthew Harvey, Issac Lopez, Julian Henderson, Willow Connelly, trumpet Jacob Morgan, John Wolff, percussion MinJung Kim, organ |
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| Translation: Let youthful voices resound today, joyfully praising Him who is born for us, who is given unto us by the most high God, and brought forth from a virgin. He is born in the world, is wrapped in swaddling cloths and placed in a manger in a s table of beasts. He is ruler over all things. Three wise men come, bearing gifts. They have found the Child by following a little star. Adoring the Lord, they offer him gold, incense and myrrh. Let all young choristers now sing as did the angels, praising him who has come into all t he world: “Glory to God in the Highest!” |
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Concert Choir |
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| In Dulci Jubilo | 14th Century Carol arr. Carl Thiel (1861-1939) |
| Translation: In dulci jubilo Let us our homage show Our heart’s joy reclineth In praesepio And like a bright star shineth Matris in gremio Alpha es et O.
O Jesu parvule Ubi sunt gaudia |
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| KaĨínka (The Snowball Tree) | Russian folksong arr. Vadim Prokhorov (b. 1946) |
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Ziming Yan, piano |
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| Translation: Kalinka, kalinka, kalinka, my sweet, beauty-berry, in the garden, malinka, my sweet. Ah! “Neath a pine tree, ‘neath an evergreen tree, lay me down, so I can sleep. Liuli, liuli, liuli, liuli, lay me down, so I can sleep. Kalinka, kalinka, kalinka, my sweet, beauty-berry, in the garden, malinka, my sweet. Ah! Ah, you pine tree, ah, you evergreen tree, do not rustle o’er my head. Liuli, liuli, liuli, liuli, do not rustle o’er my head. Kalinka, kalinka, kalinka, my sweet, beauty-berry, in the garden, malinka, my sweet. Ah! Ah, my darling, my darling maiden, will you give your love to me? Liuli, liuli, liuli, liuli, will you give your love to me? Kalinka, kalinka, kalinka, my sweet, beauty-berry, in the garden, malinka, my sweet. Ah! |
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Chamber Choir |
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| Jul, jul, strålande jul | Gustav Nordqvist (1886-1949) |
| Translation: Christmas, Christmas, glorious Christmas: shine over white forests, heavenly crowns with sparkling lights, glimmering arcs in the houses of God, hymns that are sung throughout the ages, eternal longing for light and peace! Christmas, Christmas, glorious Christmas, shine over white forests!
Come, come, blessed Christmas: lower your white wings, |
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Brass Ensemble |
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| Maoz Tsur | J. Mombach (1813-1880) arr. Todd Marchand |
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Matthew Harvey, trumpet 1 |
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DeKalb Festival Chorus |
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| The Lamb | John Tavener (1944-2013) |
| Beteleheumu | Traditional Yoruba song arr. Olatunji and Wendell Whalum |
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Translation:
We are glad that we have a Father to trust.
We are glad that we have a Father to rely upon.
Where was Jesus born?
Where was He born?
Bethlehem, the city of wonder.
That it where the Father was born for sure.
Praise, praise, praise be to Him.
We thank Thee, we thank Thee, we thank Thee for this day,
Gracious Father.
Praise, praise, praise be to Thee,
Merciful Father.
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University Chorus |
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| A La Nanita Nana (A Little Lullaby) | Jóse Ramón Gomis (1856-1939) arr. Patty Garshore (b. 1947) |
| Nathan Stade, guitar | |
| Translation: Come, let’s sing a little lullaby, Come, let’s sing a little, My Jesus is sleepy. Blessed be, blessed be. Little spring that runs clear & sonorous, Nightingale that in the forest, weeps as it sings. Hush, while the cradle rocks to and fro. Come, let’s sing a little lullaby. |
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Chamber Choir |
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| Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day | Traditional English Carol arr. David Willcocks (1919-2015) |
| The Everlasting Flame | Yoni Fogelman (b. 2002) |
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Rachel Yasutake, graduate conducting student |
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| Translation: Blessed are you, Lord our God King of the Universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments, And commanded us kindle the Chanukah light. Happy Chanukah! |
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| Bogoróditse Djévo | Arvo Pärt (b. 1935) |
| Translation: Rejoice, O Virgin, Mary full of grace, the Lord is with Thee. Blessed art Thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, for Thou hast borne the Savior of our souls. |
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Brass Ensemble |
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| Christmas Crackers Jingle Bells-Deck the Halls We Wish You a Merry Christmas |
arr. John Iveson |
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Matthew Harvey, trumpet 1 |
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Concert Choir |
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| O Nata Lux | Guy Forbes |
| Translation: O Light born of Light, Jesus, redeemer to all eternity, with loving-kindness deign to receive suppliant praise and prayer.
Thou who once deigned to be clothed in flesh |
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| Oba Tide | Traditional Nigerian arr. Jeffrey L. Ames |
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Jacob Morgan, John Wolff; percussion |
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| Translation: Here comes the King, Jesus is born. Glory be to God in the highest, Jesus is born. |
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| Magnificat | Donald Fraser |
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Dedicated to honor the life and memory of Dee Erickson Slawson, Texts taken from the traditional Magnificat and adaptations from The Slumbering Song by Alfred Noyes. Eduardo Zamudio, clarinet |
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| Translation: My soul doth magnify the Lord. and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid: for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. Because he that is mighty hath done great things to me: and holy is his name. And his mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear him. He hath shewed strength with his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. He hath put down the mighty from their seat and hath exalted the humble. He hath filled the hungry with good things: and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath received Israel his servant, being mindful of his mercy. As he spoke to our fathers: to Abraham and to his seed forever. |
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| Piano Interlude | Minjung Kim |
Combined Choirs |
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| IV. Gloria in Excelsis (from LUX) | Dan Forrest (b. 1978) |
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Matthew Harvey, trumpet 1 |
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| Translation: Glory to God in the Highest and on earth peace to all of goodwill. |
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Personnel
NIU University Chorus
Ziming Yan, Accompanist
| Soprano Emily Bauer Vicky Gonzalez Skyla Johnson Giavanna Mayotte Lux Moore Brooke Sleigher Katie Vidmar |
Alto Anne Bishop Rashunda Dorset-Headley Talia Grzelak Isabella Jaimes Gracie Raab Meghan Rault Jayda Thompson |
Tenor Jonathan Arroyo Mason Brooks Bryn Callahan Jalen Charles Brayden Dulin Alex Hager Sean Hamilton Yari Taylor |
Bass Christian Barraza Aidan Boyer Colton Dean Quinten Force Brennyn Ford Gabe Greenfield Angel Morales Hunter Otgontseren Everett Wright |
NIU Concert Choir
MinJung Kim, Accompanist
| Soprano Mikayla Ahren Kaylie Emmer Maggie Garner Emily Kmetz Maia Orlovsky Chenoa Randolph Kyla Reisenbichler Willow Sabani Thalila Sisou Olivia Yedinak Kaleigh Wicknick |
Alto Rain Anzaldua Amelia Arndt Lexus Bovensiep Sarah Calgaro Sondos Hassan Jessic Holtz Lyric Johnson Jazmine Link Kayti Miller Allison Wilson Chloe Weeks |
Tenor Serge Dulang Matthew Ellis Jake Foland Eduardo Garcia Jacob Lawver EmVi Legaspi Joseph Quaynor A.J. Villa |
Bass Eli Clarke Georgi Dimitrov Bradley Kuhn Gunnar Magnuson Lucas Smardo Emerson Valyou Nolan Valyou Erik Vazquez |
NIU Chamber Choir
Yuxi Qui, Accompanist
| Soprano Kayla Lockhart Rachel Yasutaki Emily Kmetz Maia Orlovsky |
Alto Sarah Calgaro Isabella Froh Kayti Miller Allison Wilson |
Tenor Matthew Ellis EmVi Legaspi Joseph Quaynor Matthew Skirmont |
Bass Daniel Chukwunyem Eli Clark Georgie Dimitrov Lucas Smardo |
DeKalb Festival Chorus
| Soprano Isabella Anderson Deneen Dale Amanda Durik Rose Ebert Katie Grogan Mandy Grogan Beverly Heaney Abi Mogge Sue Morgan Freyja Rasmussen-Johns Janet Rowat Kraiss Peggy Safford Erika Schlichter Moni Sommer Rachel Streufert Jan Vander Meer* |
Alto Nathalia Anderson Jessi Baird Cyndy Baumgart Karen Beckley Dawn Bonak Breonna Carson Allison Dunnagan Molly Fischer Lynn Fisher McCanne Teresa Fuller Maria Fuscone Julie Gommel Bailey Talia Grzelak Susan Hammack Sumiko Keay Eva Marchese Elizabeth Mascal Margaret Page Gracie Raab Ann Tucker Kim Wheaton Barb White |
Tenor Joe Baumgart Michael Carlson Norden Gilbert Dennis Heaney Laurie Miller Brent Monteiro Chris Stoughton Sean Walters |
Bass Bob Abel Tim Bostwick Jeff Little Daniel Maciel Joseph Marchese Larry Morgan Jon Olson Ed Safford Gary Vander Meer |
Bios
Assistant Director of the School of Music
Professor and Coordinator of Music Education
Mary Lynn Doherty is the assistant director of the School of Music and the coordinator of music education at Northern Illinois University, where she teaches choral and general music methods, supervises student teachers, works with undergraduate and graduate students as well as area music educators at all levels and conducts the University Chorus.
In 2020, Doherty was awarded the Outstanding Mentor Award from the Presidential Commission on the Status of Women. She has also been nominated for NIU’s Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award four times, representing the School of Music and the College of Visual and Performing Arts. Doherty has been invited to conduct ILMEA District choirs (elementary, middle and high school) eight times as well as serving as the conductor of the Rockford High School All-City Honor Choir, the Big Northern Conference Honor Choir, the Little Ten High School Choral Festival, the West Suburban Women’s Festival Choir, the North Central Junior Conference Honor Choir, the Women’s Honor Choir at the UW-Madison Summer Youth Music Camp and numerous district festival choirs.
Doherty was the director of NIU’s Community School of the Arts Children’s Choir from 2008-2016, earning grants from the National Endowment for the Arts to fund commissions and residences with internationally renowned composers and conductors. She is on the Illinois Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance Committee and serves as the NIU host of the Summer CMP Workshop. Prior to coming to NIU, she was the director of music education and associate conductor for the Choir Academy of the Chicago Children’s Choir.
Doherty’s research is on vocal health issues experienced by music teachers and she has presented her work both nationally and internationally as well as being published in The Choral Journal and the Journal of Voice. She is a member of the National Association for Music Education, the American Choral Directors Association, the National Voice Foundation and the American Organization of Kodaly Educators. She received her Master of Music degree and her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction in Music Education degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her Bachelor of Arts degree from Luther College. Her mentors include Judy Hanson, Brett Goad, Gerald Olson and Weston Noble.
Professor and Coordinator of Choral Activities
Eric A. Johnson, D.M.A., is the director of choral activities at Northern Illinois University and the founding artistic director of Cor Cantiamo. As a 2019 National Endowment for the Arts Artworks grant recipient, he has been recognized for his artistic leadership, whose ensembles represent “choral artistry at its finest” (Lauridsen). He is a committed champion of contemporary choral music and dedicated to addressing social justice issues through interdisciplinary concert events. Johnson is the 2020 recipient of the Harold Decker Award, given by the Illinois American Choral Directors Association to celebrate his career of quality leadership and service to the art of choral music.
Ensembles under his direction have performed at multiple national and division conventions for the National Collegiate Choral Organization, American Choral Directors Association and the Music Educators National Conference. He has served as a guest conductor at Avery Fisher Hall and the David Geffen Hall; Lincoln Center, toured internationally and prepared choruses for collaborations with professional orchestras.
Internationally, Johnson has served as a guest conductor of the Clare College Chapel Choir (Cambridge, England) and the Asian Pacific Activities Conference Choral Festival (Guangzhou, China); taught at Makumira University (Arusha, Tanzania); the Universidade do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte (Natal, Brazil); and directed guest choral residencies at Canterbury and Worcester Cathedrals.
As the artistic director of Cor Cantiamo, Johnson has recorded commercial CDs released on the Divine Arts and Centaur Records labels. He has collaborated with many leading composers of our time including Dominick DiOrio, Stacey Gibbs, Libby Larsen, Morten Lauridsen, Jaakko Mäntyjärvi, Timothy C. Takach, Sir John Tavener and James Whitbourn.
Johnson has published music with Santa Barbara Music Publishing, served as a music editor for Earthsongs Publications and has published articles in the Choral Journal. He is active nationally as a clinician and guest conductor for high school and collegiate honor choirs and regularly conducts choral/orchestral masterworks works with both collegiate and professional ensembles.