2022

Friday, Aug. 5, 2022
7:30 p.m.
Luther Memorial Church

Sunday, Aug. 7, 2022
3:00 p.m.
Christ Presbyterian Church

Our concert was titled american dreams. It looked at that through the lens of mostly contemporary composers.

• Gitanjali Chants - Craig Hella Johnson (b. 1962)

• Shaker Songs - traditional

• Peace - arr. Kevin Siegfried

  • Love is Little

  • Lay Me Low

• they get it (mvt. 4 from Privilege) - Ted Hearne (b. 1982)

• Hold Fast to Dreams - Joel Thompson (b. 1988)

• #UnitedWeDream (last mvt. of American DREAMers) - Melissa Dunphy (b. 1980)

• Poet of the Body and Soul - Andrea Clearfield (b. 1960)

• To See the Sky - Jocelyn Hagen (b. 1980)

• The Beautiful Land of Nod - Robert Convery (b. 1954)

• Goodnight Moon - Eric Whitacre (b. 1970)

• Brother, Do Not Weep - traditional arr. Seth Houston

• Turn, Turn, Turn (To Everything There is a Season) - Pete Seeger (1919-2014) arr. Linda Palmer

• Arise, Beloved! - Rosephanye Powell (b. 1962)

2020

As everyone who lived through it can attest, 2020 was an Annus horribilis. 35 or so members of the group individually recorded our parts for one song and Director McGaghie fused it together so we could hear ourselves “together” for a beautiful four minutes.

2019

Friday, August 2, 2019
7:30 p.m.
St. Luke's Lutheran Church
7337 Hubbard Ave. Middleton, WI 53562

Sunday, August 4, 2019
3:00 p.m.
Christ Presbyterian Church
944 E Gorham St Madison, WI 53703

Artistic Director Mike McGaghie chose the theme of “sanctuary” for our 2019 concert season. He challenged the group (and the audience) with a vocal tour-de-force. We looked at the idea of the Eternal coming down to be with a novice (Gitanjali Chants), speaking through a prophet (Os Justi), and a few that celebrated the joining of the Eternal with the human, moving through the distractions of every day life (In the Middle), offering up a broken body to heaven (Take Him Earth, for Cherishing) and ending with the soul returning and reuniting with the Eternal. It was a powerful concert and one that left everyone feeling exhausted and re-filled simultaneously.

• Gitanjali Chants - Craig Hella Johnson (b. 1962)

• Os Justi - Anton Bruckner (1824-1896)

• The Road Home - Stephen Paulus (1949-2014)

• Yemaya - Afro-Cuban chant (arr. Diana V. Sáez)

• To Sit and Dream - Rosephanye Powell (b. 1962)

• The New Colossus - Saunder Choi (b. 1988)

• In the Middle * - Dale Trumbore (b. 1987)

• Take Him, Earth, for Cherishing - Herbert Howells (1892-1983)

• The Music of Stillness - Elaine Hagenberg (b. 1980)

• Light of a Clear Blue Morning * - Dolly Parton (b. 1946) (arr. Craig Hella Johnson)

• Come to the Woods * - Jake Runestad (b. 1986)

• I’ll Be On My Way * - Shawn Kirchner (b. 1970)

  * Joseph Ross, Piano

2018

Friday, August 3, 2018
7:30 p.m.
Lutheran Church of the Living Christ
110 N Gammon Rd, Madison, WI  53717

Sunday, August 5, 2018
3:00 p.m.
Christ Presbyterian Church
944 E Gorham St, Madison, WI  53703

We dubbed ourselves IVE 2.0 and welcomed new Artistic Director Michael McGaghie to the podium. It was the best ‘getting to know you’ experience for him and the choir. The 2018 season was called “Horizons” and explored all senses of that interesting word.

• Te lucis ante terminum (festal setting) - Thomas Tallis (c. 1505-1585)

• Selig sind die Toten, SWV 391 - Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672)

• Weep Not For Him - Tesfa Wondemagegnehu (b. 1982)

• I Hear the Siren’s Call - Chen Yi (b. 1953)

• Ophelia - Jocelyn Hagen (b. 1980)

• Otche Nash (Our Father) - Nikolai Golovanov (1891-1953)

• The Whole Sea in Motion * - Dale Trumbore (b. 1987)

• Eternitie * - Donald Martino (1931-2005)

• Sure On This Shining Night * - Morten Lauridsen (b. 1943)

• O Radiant Dawn - James MacMillan (b. 1959)

• Woke Up This Morning - arr. Jeffrey Douma

• Leron Leron Sinta - arr. Saunder Choi

  * Mark Brampton Smith, Piano

2017

Friday, August 4, 2017, 7:30 p.m.
High Point Church
7702 Old Sauk Road, Madison, Wisconsin

Sunday, August 6, 2017, 3:00 p.m.
George L. Mosse Humanities Building
455 N Park St, Madison, Wisconsin

2017 marked the centennial of the birth of Artistic Director Scott MacPherson's mentor, Robert Fountain. Dr. Fountain's profound influence touched the lives of many of the singers in IVE, and we honored his legacy through song. It also marked the final year that IVE sang under our founding director, Dr. MacPherson.

• Gaudete omnes - Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1582-1621)

• Tenebrae factae sunt - Marc Antonio Ingegneri (1547-1592)

• Tanzen und Springen - Hans Leo Hassler (1564-1612)

• Resveillez moy - Garnier (fl. 1538-1542)

• Crucifixus - Antonio Lotti (1667-1740)

• Spaseniye sodelal - Pavel Chesnokov (1877-1944)

• Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied, BWV 225 - Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
  Kathrine Handford, organ; Mark Bridges and Amy Harr, cello; Emmett Jackson, double bass
  I. Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied
  II. Aria: Gott, nimm dich ferner unser an / Chorale: Wie sich ein Vater erbarmet
  III. Lobet den Herrn in seinen Taten / Alles, was Odem hat, lobe den Herrn

• When David Heard - Norman Dinerstein (1937-1982) Jenn Sauer, soprano

• Éjszaka (Night) and Reggel (Morning) - György Ligeti (1923-2006) Julie Hutchinson, soprano; David Murphy, tenor

• Americana (selections) - Randall Thompson (1899-1984)
  I. May Every Tongue
  IV. The Sublime Process of Law Enforcement
  V. Loveli-lines

• To His Music (2003) - Andrew Rindfleisch (b. 1963)

• Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child - arr. Robert Fountain (1917-1996) Alexandra Zulauf, soprano

• Ezekiel Saw de Wheel - arr. William Dawson (1899-1990) Franzo Law II, tenor

• Encore: Roll, Jordan, Roll - arr. Robert Fountain

2016

Friday, August 5, 2016, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, August 7, 2016, 3:00 p.m.
Mills Concert Hall, Mosse Humanities Building
455 N Park St. Madison, Wisconsin

Thanks to those who joined us for our 15th season. We performed the world premiere of Andrew Rindfleisch's Song of Jubilation (2016), and sang our hearts out to Johannes Brahms's A German Requiem. Both works were performed with a fantastic 43-piece orchestra. Soloists in the Brahms were Sarah Brailey, soprano, and Paul Rowe, baritone.

• Song of Jubilation (2016) - Andrew Rindfleisch (b.1963)

• A German Requiem, Op. 45 - Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
  I. Selig sind, die da Leid tragen (Blessed are they that mourn)
  II. Denn alles Fleisch es ist wie Gras (For all esh is as grass)
  III. Herr, lehre doch mich (Lord, teach me)
  IV. Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen (How lovely are thy dwelling places)
  V. Ihr habt nun Traurigkeit (You now have sorrow)
  VI. Denn wir haben hie keine bleibende Statt (For we have here no continuing place)
  VII. Selig sind die Toten (Blessed are the dead)

2015

Friday, July 31, 2015
7:30 p.m.
Christ Presbyterian Church
944 East Gorham St. Madison, Wisconsin

Sunday, August 5, 2015
3:00 p.m.
Lutheran Church of the Living Christ
110 N Gammon Rd. Madison, Wisconsin

Thanks to those who joined us for our 14th season. We titled it "Uncommon Images." We performed the world premiere of Corey Rubin's "The Snow Man (2014)." We were assisted by Valree Casey, oboe; Mary Ann Harr Grinde, harp; and Jane Peckham, piano.

• Three Nativity Carols - Stephen Paulus (1949-2014)
  I. The Holly and the Ivy
  II. This Endris Night
  III. Wonder Tidings

• The Snow Man (2014) - Corey Rubin (b. 1983)

• Du bist aller Dinge schön- Melchior Franck (1580-1639

• Coelos ascendit hodie, Op. 38, No. 2 - Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924)

• Gloria from The Masque of Angels - Dominick Argento (b. 1927)

• Desert Rose (2009) - Frank Wiley (b. 1949)

• Beati quorum via, Op. 38, No. 3 - C.V. Stanford

• Fahet uns die Füchse - M. Franck

• I Sing to Use the Waiting (2014) - Andrew Rindfleisch (b. 1963)

• Schaffe in mir, Gott, ein rein Herz, Op. 29, No. 2 - Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
  I. Schaffe in mir, Gott, ein rein Herz
  II. Verwirf mich nicht von deinem Angesicht
  III. Tröste mich wieder mit deiner Hilfe

2014

Friday, August 1, 2014
7:30 p.m.
Christ Presbyterian Church
944 East Gorham St. Madison, Wisconsin

Sunday, August 3, 2014
3:00 p.m.
Covenant Presbyterian Church
326 South Segoe Rd. Madison, Wisconsin

Thanks to those who joined us for our 13th season of transformative choral performances featuring masterworks by Raminish, Purchell, de Prez, Rindfleish, and Brahms. Kathy Otterson sang a haunting solo in "There's a Man Goin' Round."

• Come, My Light - Imant Raminsh (b. 1943)

• Hear My Prayer - Henry Purcell (1659-1695)

• Mille regretz - Josquin des Prez (c. 1440-1521)

• Mille regretz - Andrew Rindfleisch (b. 1963)

• Warum ist das Licht gegeben dem Mühseligen? - Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
  I. Langsam und ausdrucksvoll: Warum ist das Licht gegeben dem Mühseligen?
  II. Wenig bewegter: Lasset uns unser Herz
  III. Langsam und sanft: Siehe, wir preisen selig
  IV. Choral: Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin

• Virga Jesse floruit - Anton Bruckner (1824-1896)

• Tebe poyem - Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)

• Ne riday Mene, Mati - Alexandre Gretchaninoff (1864-1956)

• Figures de danse - Lionel Daunais (1901-1982)
  I. Pas Grave
  II. Jetés-Battus (epitaphe)
  III. Grand Écart
  IV. Adagio
  V. Bayadère
  VI. Maryse and partner

• There’s a Man Goin’ Round - arr. Moses Hogan (1957-2003)

• Elijah Rock - arr. Moses Hogan

2013

Friday, August 2, 2013
7:30 p.m.
Luther Memorial Church
1021 University Ave. Madison, Wisconsin

Sunday, August 4, 2013
3:00 p.m.
Covenant Presbyterian Church
326 South Segoe Rd. Madison, Wisconsin

Thanks to those who joined us for our 12th season of transformative choral performances featuring masterworks by Bach, Brahms, Mahler, Sweelinck, and Britten.

2012

Friday, August 3, 2012
7:30 p.m.
Luther Memorial Church
1021 University Ave. Madison, Wisconsin

Sunday, August 5, 2012
3:00 p.m.
Covenant Presbyterian Church
326 South Segoe Rd. Madison, Wisconsin

Thanks to all who joined us for our 11th season of transformative choral performances featuring masterworks by Mendelssohn, Brahms, Stanford, and contemporary works, including a world premiere!

This year we performed Friday evening in the glorious acoustics of Luther Memorial Church (and yes, the air conditioning was on...as promised), and Sunday afternoon in the more intimate Covenant Presbyterian Church.

• Richte mich, Gott, Op. 78, No. 2 - Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1809-1847)

• Parce midi - Domine Cristóbal de Morales (c. 1500-1553)

• Three poems by Lorine Niedecker (world premiere) - Jerry Hui (b. 1981)
  I. My mother saw the green tree toad
  II. My life by water
  III. From my bed I see

• The Drowned Lovers (1998, rev. 2009) - Judith Bingham (b. 1952); Sarah Leuwerke, mezzo soprano

• The Bluebird - Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924)

• Der Abend, Op. 62, No. 2 - Johannes Brahms (1833-1897); Jane Peckham, piano

• Lux caelestis (2004/2011) - Timothy Kramer (b. 1959)
  I. Yehi-or (Let There Be Light) Matthew Love, bass
  II. At toi Atrem (Of Thy Fire) Jennifer Sams, mezzo soprano; Ryan Matos, tenor
  III. Pabhassara Sutta (Luminous Discourse)
  IV. Gayatri Mantra (Hymn Prayer, to Savitur)
  V. Lux aeterna (Light Eternal) John Bohman, baritone; Jerry Hui, tenor

• El Vito - arr. Mack Wilberg; Jane Peckham and Jess Salek, piano

• Encore: Abendlied - Josef Rheinberger (1839-1901)

2011

Isthmus Vocal Ensemble
10th Anniversary Concerts

Friday, August 5, 2011
7:30 p.m.
Luther Memorial Church
1021 University Ave. Madison, Wisconsin

Sunday, August 7, 2011
3:00 p.m.
St. Stephens Lutheran Church
5700 Pheasant Hill Rd. Monona, Wisconsin

Our 10th season featured TWO concerts rather than our usual single performance. Both featuring choral masterworks spanning five centuries, from Gibbons to Bach to Lotti to Lauridsen to Mendelssohn to Rindfleisch.

• Hosanna to the Son of David - Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625)

• Crucifixus, a 8 - Antonio Lotti (c. 1667-1740)

• Motet: Komm, Jesu, komm, BWV 229 - Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

• Continuo: Kathrine Handford, organ; Eric Miller, cello

• Wie der Hirsch schreit - Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809-1847)

• Fugue in c minor, Op. 37 - Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy

• Like as the hart desireth the waterbrooks - Herbert Howells (1892-1983). Jennifer Sauer, soprano

• Jubilate Deo (in C) - Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)

• Salmo de Alabanza - Andrew Rindfleisch (b. 1963)

• Wie liegt die Stadt so wüst - Rudolf Mauersberger (1889-1971)

• Sure on this shining night - Morten Lauridsen (b. 1943) Mary Woodworth Schmidt, conductor

• Idumea (Sacred Harp) - Ananias Davisson, arr. Richard Bjella. Robyn Chase, Ben Acton; violin Mark Begin, Will Raymer, Ben Acton, Joe Testa; tenors

• Saints Bound for Heaven - arr. Alice Parker/Robert Shaw