NEC Holiday Chorus Concert: Believe

Felix Bernard (arr. Paul Ayres) | Winter Wonderland

Text

Sleigh bells ring, are you list’ning?
In the lane snow is glist’ning,
A beautiful sight, we’re happy tonight.
Walking in a winter wonderland.

Gone away is the blue bird,
Here to stay is a new bird.
He sings a love song as we go along,
Walking in a winter wonderland.

In the meadow we can build a snowman,
Then pretend that he is Parson Brown.
He’ll say, “Are you married?” We’ll say, “No, man,
But you can do the job when you’re in town!

Later on, we’ll conspire,
As we dream by the fire,
To face unafraid the plans that we made,
Walking in a winter wonderland.

NEC Chamber Singers & Friends*

Ola Gjeilo | Tundra (2011/2020)

The lyrics for Tundra were written by Charles Anthony Silvestri, specifically for this work. I asked him to write a text based on the title, and some photos of a part of my native Norway that is very dear to me; the Hardangervidda mountain plateau. It’s pretty close to where my father grew up, a ski resort town called Gjeilo, in the mountains between Oslo and Bergen. The area is quite barren, and intensely beautiful. It is easy to feel that you are treading on sacred land, which Tony so wonderfully expresses in his text.                                                                             
– Ola Gjeilo

Text

Wide, worn and weathered,
Sacred expanse
Of green and white and granite grey;
Snowy patches strewn,
Anchored to the craggy earth.
Unmoving;
While clouds dance
Across the vast, eternal sky.

Charles A. Silvestri

NEC Community Chorus

Elaine Hagenberg | The Music of Stillness (2017)

This work highlights a poem by Sara Teasdale which, on the surface, depicts a beautiful winter scene.  However the text is an allegory that reflects her reclusiveness and solitude; she committed suicide shortly after completing the poem.
        2020 has been difficult for so many, including those within our NEC community, and the holidays can sometimes make many feel overwhelmed and isolated. This program selection is a reminder to any who struggle with mental health issues they are not alone, and they are loved. 

Text

There will be rest, and sure stars shining
     Over the roof-tops crowned with snow,
A reign of rest, serene forgetting,
     The music of stillness holy and low.

I will make this world of my devising
     Out of a dream in my lonely mind.
I shall find the crystal of peace, – above me
     Stars I shall find.

Sara Teasdale, “There will be rest"

 NEC Community Chorus

Elizabeth Anker
Margie Apfelbaum
Meridith Apfelbaum
Yüksel Çınar Atilla
Marina Beeson
Jádon Brooks
Lila Brucia
Kaitlin Burton
Ashley Chen
Justin Chen
Pin-Chieh Jewel Chen
Lily Chien
Sophia Daisy Chesler
Haram Choi
Lina Chung
Su Cong
Despina-Nektaria Dassouras
Jennifer Dilzell
Sophia Grace Donelan
Colleen Ernandes
Runyu Feng
Marissa Fieland
Molly Flynn
Jonathon Fornoff
Rae Frenette
Tim Fulham
Adam Grossman
Shengying Gu
Jiawen Guan
Yuntong Han
David Helder
Jack Keller
Minji Kim
Sunghyun Kim
Wanjoong Kim
Feiyi Liao
Jia-Nan Liu
Corinne Luebke-Brown
Margo McGowan
Leah McKinnon-Howe
Sally Millar
Ji Young Mok
Tristan Murphy
Sarah Nalty
Tom Novak
Jimin Park
Ruoxi Peng
Felicia Sandler
Emma Schoetz
Wenhao Shou
Winnie Swarr
Cobi Tadros
Alexander Tsereteli
Chloe Thum
Joseph Vasconi
TanNi Wang
Robert Winkley
Hongjian Yan
Beyoncé Zambrano
Haiqi Zhang

Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard | Believe from "The Polar Express"

This selection was chosen by the members of the National Youth Chorale. The reflective lyrics are apropos for the season and their current life experiences. May we all continue to dream and remember to believe

Text

Children sleeping, snow is softly falling.
Dreams are calling, like bells in the distance.
We were dreamers, not so long ago, but one by one we all had to grow up.
When it seems the magic slipped away, we find it all again on Christmas day.
Believe in what your heart is saying, hear the melody that’s playing.
There’s no time to waste, there’s so much to celebrate.
Believe in what you feel inside and give your dreams the wings to fly.

You have ev’rything you need, if you just believe.
Trains move quickly to their journey’s end.
Destinations are where we begin again.
Ships go sailing far across the sea, trusting starlight to get where they need to be.
When it seems that we have lost our way, we find ourselves again on Christmas day.
Believe in what your heart is saying…

NEC Preparatory School National Youth Chorale