The Secret of the Sea 

Jake Runestad

1. The Unbounded Sea

Lo, the unbounded sea!
On its breast a ship starting, spreading all sails,
the pennant is flying aloft as it speeds,
      below emulous waves press forward,
they surround the ship with shining curving motions and foam.
   – Walt Whitman

My soul is full of longing
for the secret of the sea.
   – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

2. Crash On Crash

Crash on crash of the sea,
raging against the world,
furious, the deep roar hailing you,
the very gods,
rearing their mighty length
on the unharvested sea.
   – H.D. (Hilda Doolittle)

3. The Light that Fills the World

The great sea
moves me, sets me free.
The winds of the earth
carry me away,
and my soul is filled with joy.

When I drifted out
and thought myself in danger,
my fears captured me –
all of the things I had to get and to reach.

but there is only one great thing,
the only thing:
to live to see the light that fills the world.
   – Uvavnuk, Iglulik Eskimo

[Texts edited and adapted by the composer.]

Becoming the Ocean 

Jake Runestad

Fear by Kahlil Gibran (adapt. Runestad)

It is said that before entering the sea,
a river trembles with fear.

She looks back at the path she has traveled,
from the peaks of the mountains
to the long-winding road crossing forests and villages.

And in front of her,
she sees an ocean so vast,
that to enter it
she might disappear forever.

There is no other way.
The river can not go back.

No one can go back.

The river must take the risk
of entering the ocean;
only then will fear disappear.
That’s when the river will know
it’s not disappearing into the ocean,
but becoming the ocean.

The Way of Stars 

Jake Runestad

The morning was as beautiful as morning could be.
Our instruments consisted of an equatorially mounted
telescope of four inches aperture,
a small one of two and a half inches,
and a perfect little instrument of three inches.

We must try colored glasses; we must examine clamps;
we must test screws; we must adjust focus.

The moon was expected to appear at a point
122 degrees from the vertex of the sun.
There were seconds of breathless suspense,
and then the inky blackness appeared on
the burning limb of the sun.

Born a woman–born with the average brain of humanity–
born with more than the average heart–
if you are mortal, what higher destiny could you have?
No matter where you are nor what you are,
you are a power.

As the moon moved on, the crescent sun
became a narrower golden curve of light.

Light clouds drifted toward the sun;
a sickly green spread over the landscape;
Venus shone brightly on one side of the sun,
and as the last rays of sunlight disappeared…
the corona burst forth,
it encircled the sun
and sent streamers for millions
of miles into space!

We rejoiced with Nature,
we loved the light!

Give me the ways of wandering stars to know
the depths of heaven above and the earth below. (Virgil)

 

[Writings by Maria Mitchell, collected and adapted by the composer.]

 

INTERMISSION

Alzheimer’s Stories 

Music: Robert S. Cohen         

Libretto: Herschel Garfein

1. The Numbers

Chorus: Here are the numbers.
1901. 1906. 1911.

Here are the numbers.
1901: patient diagnosed, age 51.
1906: patient died, age 55.
1911: condition named.

Here are the numbers.
1901, 2009.
1901: one patient diagnosed.
2009: five million two hundred thousand. Twenty-six million worldwide.

1901: Mrs. Auguste Deter, age 51, enters the Mental Asylum of Frankfurt am Main.
Her symptoms are unusual. 1902: loss of memory; 1903: delusions, anger;
1904: paranoia.
1906: She dies, age 55.
Her doctor is Alois Alzheimer.

Here are the numbers.
1901, 2009.

Here are the numbers. From one to twenty six million worldwide.
Here are the numbers. 2050: one hundred six million people worldwide;
one in eighty five people worldwide.
1901. Dr. Alzheimer’s question:

Baritone: What is your name?
Mezzo: Auguste.
Chorus: Question:
Baritone: What is your husband’s name?
Mezzo: Auguste, I think. Auguste.
Baritone: How long have you been here? How long have you been here?
Mezzo: I have lost myself. Ich hab mich verloren.
Chorus: Ich hab mich verloren. [Repeat]

Chorus: Question:
Baritone: What is your name?
Mezzo: Auguste.
Chorus: Question:
Baritone: What is your husband’s name?
Mezzo: Auguste, I think. Auguste.
Chorus: Question:
Baritone: How long have you been here? How long have you been here?
Mezzo: I have lost myself. Ich hab mich verloren.

Chorus: Ich hab mich verloren. [Repeat] Question:
Baritone: What are your children’s names?
Mezzo: My children?
Baritone: Their names.
Mezzo: My children? Auguste, I think.
Baritone: Your children.
Mezzo: My children?

Chorus: Ich hab mich verloren. [Repeat]
At first, a memory lapse.
Jumbling words or names;
A moderate cognitive decline.
You’re not sure where you are,
The day, the week, the year;
Forgetting simple things
Like keys or coats or everyday objects,
And then the street you live on… and soon, those you live with.

Chorus: Here are the numbers. 1901. 1906. The latest number. The numbers.

[Repeat]

Baritone: Question: What is your name? [Repeat]
Mezzo: Auguste. [Etc.]
Baritone: Question.
Mezzo: Question.
Baritone: What is your name?

Mezzo and Chorus: Ich hab mich verloren.
Baritone: How long have you been here? [Repeat]
Mezzo: Auguste, I think. [Repeat]
Chorus: Ich hab mich verloren. [Repeat]

 

2. The Stories

Chorus: I am seeing my dad on an overturned milk crate staring at nuts and bolts  from an RV wheel. He has taken it apart, the kind of thing he could do in his sleep, but now he sits staring, like he’s never seen it before. But now he sits staring. 

This is my story. 

I am riding with my mom back home from the A & P. We’re chatting away, enjoying the day, and then we sail through a stop sign, we’re up on the sidewalk, flying past our neighbor’s house… She had blacked out; I thought we would die. 

I say, “Mom, you can’t drive now.” “I drive as well as ever.”  

“Pop, you can’t live alone.” “You’re not putting me in one of those homes.” 

This is my story. 

Time forgotten, time remembered; images lost and names return. Place forgotten, place remembered; names have vanished, images held. 

I run to my grandparents, right at the door, and I hug my grampa first. And he turns to my grandma and says, “Who on earth is this?” “Who on earth is this?”  

Time forgotten, time remembered; images lost and names return.  

Place forgotten, place remembered; names have vanished, images held.

* * * 

Mezzo: Are we on the boat to Panama? Are we on the boat to Panama? Are we on the boat, are we on the boat to Panama? 

Chorus: Mom, you’re in a nursing home. 

Mezzo: Daddy’s taking us to Panama. Daddy’s taking us to Panama. Daddy’s taking us, Daddy’s taking us to Panama. We run down the boat’s long 

hallways, Mary chasing after me. We pull on every doorknob, and swing off all the handrails. 

Chorus: The handrails help you walk. The handrails help the patients walk. Baritone: [Interrupting:] Speaking of boats…!  When I was in the Navy oh! we raised some hell!  

Chorus: Yes, Dad. Yes, Dad. 

Baritone: In any port, the order was: be back on board at midnight, standing on your feet.  

Chorus: Uh huh.  

Baritone: If you were late or showed up drunk, or had “I ’n I”* ‘til you smelled like a skunk, then KP, swab the deck, hit the rack, you’ll never go back on shore  again – oh! We raised some hell.” 

Speaking of boats…! 

Chorus: Here we go. 

Baritone: Have I told you about the Navy oh! we raised some hell!

Chorus: Yes, you raised some hell! Yes, you raised some hell!  

Baritone: In any port, the order was: be back on board at midnight… 

Chorus: [Muttering quietly, having heard this story many times:] Back on board.

Baritone: …standing on your feet.  

Chorus: That’s right!  

Baritone: If you were late… 

Chorus: If you were late, or showed up drunk… 

Baritone: Or showed up drunk, 

Chorus: Or had “I ’n I”  

Baritone: “I ’n I” 

Chorus: ‘Til you smelled like a skunk, 

Baritone: Smelled like a skunk then  

Baritone and Chorus: KP, swab the deck, hit the rack you’ll never go back on shore  again– oh! We raised some… 

Baritone: [a memory:] …raised some hell. 

      * I’n I: “Intercourse and Intoxication” (naval slang).

* * * 

Chorus: My Dad said, please sing. Sing anything. He talks to the pictures on his desk. 

     She dresses for church four days early Sing anything: It’s Only Make-Believe; April Showers. 

Mezzo: Are we on the boat to Panama? 

Baritone: I can’t remember the names of my shipmates. 

Chorus: My Dad said, please sing. Sing anything. 

     A tiny woman tied into a wheelchair. 

     Pink makeup, rosy lipstick. 

     Next thing you know, she’s up and cha-cha-cha-ing. 

     Panama…Sing anything. 

This is my story. This is how pieces of a life were lost. These are the pieces of a life recalled. This is my story. Love and compassion repair every loss, one by one, time and again. 

* * * 

Mezzo: Look at this photograph! Oh, I remember this! I’m in an evening gown, descending a gleaming circular stair. Circular stair… 

3. For the Caregivers

   Chorus and Soloists:

   Find those you love in the dark and light.
   (It was brief, but she knew me; she looked at me and knew me.)
   Help them through the days and nights.
   (As he died, his arm lifted and his fingers looked like dancing)
   

   Keep faith. They sense what they cannot show.
   Love and music are the last things to go. Sing anything.
   

   Find those you love in the dark and light.
   (At the end she still remembered the pearls my father gave her.)
   Help them through the days and nights.
   (As she lay unconscious I would whisper that I loved her.)
   

   Keep faith. They sense what they cannot show.
   Love and music are the last things to go. [Repeat]
   

   Love and compassion repair every loss, one by one, time and again.
   Keep faith. Sing anything. Keep faith. Sing anything.
   Love and music are the last things to go. Sing. 

 

Nathan Leaf, Conductor

Nathan Leaf has been the Artistic Director of the Concert Singers of Cary since 2017. He is also the Director of Choral Activities at North Carolina State University, founded the chamber consort, Voices of a New Renaissance, and was for seven years choir director at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Durham. He has performed as a singer with some of the top vocal ensembles in the country, and has collaborated with many of North Carolina’s leading musical organizations, including the North Carolina Symphony, the North Carolina Master Chorale and Chamber Choir, the Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle, Mallarmé Chamber Players, the North Carolina Baroque Orchestra, and the NC HIP Music Festival. He has served as a clinician and guest conductor throughout the country, and choirs under his direction have toured extensively throughout the U.S. and abroad.

 

Allen Bailey, Pianist

Allen Bailey received a Master’s Degree in Piano Performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro 1987. As a student of Dr. George Kiorpes, he was awarded the Dean’s Scholarship and won the University’s Concerto Competition in 1985. His professional career as a soloist and accompanist has spanned the state during which he has worked with churches, soloists, large ensembles, professional and amateur, scholarly and civic. Affiliated groups include the National Association of Teachers of Singing, Duke University, NC State University, UNC-Chapel Hill, Meredith College, Peace College, NC public schools, Durham Chorale, NC Master Chorale, Concert Singers of Cary, Wake Forest United Methodist Church, and The NC Symphony. Currently, Mr. Bailey is employed by Fidelity Investments as a Software Engineer, specializing in network security.

 

Jennifer Beattie, Mezzo-soprano

Mezzo-soprano Jennifer Beattie, hailed by Opera News for her “exuberant voice and personality”, and by the New York Times for her “warmth”, performs a wide range of vocal music from early to experimental. She also collaborates as a poet/lyricist with classical, jazz and experimental composers, and co-creates works combining visual & performance art, poetry, music, theater, and science. She has been a featured soloist with The National Opera Orchestra at the Kennedy Center, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Opera Philadelphia, NYC’s Park Avenue Armory, and at the Mozarteum in Salzburg. As a specialist in writing for the voice she has premiered more than 150 works written for her instrument, and has been a regular Artist-in-Residence with Yale University since 2008. She is a member of composer/performer duos SpacePants (with violist Diana Wade, Los Angeles), and So Much Hot Air (with oboist Zachary Pulse). Ms. Beattie holds a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from the Manhattan School of Music in NYC, and teaches voice and performance at NC State in Raleigh.

Will Hughes, Baritone

Concert Singers of Cary Symphonic Choir

Soprano

Sharanya Ananth
Kelly Amato
Francesca Balestrieri
Shannon Beall
Catherine Bennett
Christine Bowden
Megan Brachtl
Elizabeth Brown
Hannah Calhoun
Nancy Canterbury
Joan Eastwick
Heather Fitch
Andrea Garcia
Stacy Hanna
Ashley Holt
Kathryn Jones
Anneli Leander
Sofia Leander
Kaitlyn Lincoln
Ashley Louden
Beverly Olson
Laura Pavlot
Lauren Presley
Melissa Sawyer
Trisha Scott
Rachael Shook
Emily Simon
Elisa Skidmore
Nikki Stoudt
Emily Tucker
Jade Vogelsong

Alto

Christine Bonin
Hadyn Boyte
Elizabeth Davis
Debi DeAnn
Elizabeth Dworkin
Susan Ebbs
Shayna Feldstein
Giuliana Giddings
Madison Ham
Jessica Hamm
Shirley Hand
Pam Hartsfield
Lauren Hauser
Maggie Hemedinger
Cristina Jannings
Pauline Jillson
Niasha Kodzai
Brenda Kucin
Emiko Kuroda
Grace Matthews
Deborah Meehan
Madison Muralt
Morgan Pyrtle
Terri Ring
Ellen Schloemer
Jaime Schnurr
Susan Schnurr
Sue Schule
Debra Shaw
Nancy Smith
Faith Stevenson
Deborah Stirdivant
Jackie Tice
M.J. Weissenberger
Libby Wendorf
Carolyn Wilcox

Tenor

Aaron Carlyle
Nikhil Gheewala
Jeremy Kelly
Chuck McCullen
Devon Olds
Robert Sparks
Jaylen Pencer
Paul Stapleton
Marc Stracuzza
John Ting
Daniel Tsui

Bass

Rock Angier
Kevin Ballesteros
Devon Cessna
Ryan Chung
Coltan Compton
Tim Devinney
Casey Erklin
Gavin Foley
Thom Haynes
Connor Heinen
Teylor Jenkins
Josh Johnstone
Ben Jones
Clay Michalec
Jonathan Pelletier
Elijah Powell
Bryan Pyrtle
Alex Smith
Todd Stevens
Jeff Wright

Orchestra Roster

Violin: Leah Peroutka, Anne Leyland

Viola: Suzanne Rousso

Cello: Nathan Leyland

Bass: Robbie Link

Clarinet: Marianne Breneman

Horn: Bobby Malone, Jeffrey Yelverton

Trumpet: John Manning, Patrick Donahue

Trombone: Matthew Parunak

Tuba: Tony Granados

Timpani: Julia Thompson

Percussion: Casey D’Sola, Rosendo Peña Suarez

Piano: Allen Bailey

For the last eight years, it has been my privilege and joy to direct the Concert Singers of Cary. Together, we have had the opportunity to make wonderful music together every Monday evening, to play an integral role in the cultural life of Cary, and to bring outstanding choral music to the Triangle community. The opportunities to collaborate with other musical and cultural organizations, and to become a part of the fabric of this community is one that I have cherished greatly.

For all things, though, there is a season, no matter how wonderful. This will be my final  performance as artistic director. As I consider all that we have done together, the word that comes first to my mind is gratitude. Gratitude for the choir and board members, for our collaborative musicians and volunteers, for the support this organization receives from numerous benefactors, including the Town of Cary, and for you, our patrons. It really does take a village to make this organization go. The benefit of having such a wide base of support is that you can be assured the music will go on, and that Concert Singers will continue to grow and thrive under its next leader for many years to come.

Additionally, this concert will be our final event with our Assistant Director, Joshua Johnstone. After three years of faithful service to CSC, Josh is heading to the Eastman School of Music to begin a master’s degree in choral conducting. We are tremendously grateful for Josh and his work, and wish him well as he begins a new professional chapter.

Alzheimer’s and Dementia Resources

1. Wake County Public Library: Memory Kits: https://guides.wake.gov/memorycarekits

2. NC Dementia Alliance:
    a. Support Groups: https://dementianc.org/helpsupport/our-support-groups/
    b. Music & Memory at Home: https://dementianc.org/helpsupport/music-memory-at-home/

3. Alzheimer’s Association, Eastern NC Chapter
    a. Support Groups: https://www.alz.org/nc/support
    b. Education & Resources: https://www.alz.org/nc/education-programs

4. Cary Senior Center: https://www.carync.gov/recreation-enjoyment/facilities/senior-center

5. Cary Memory Cafe: https://www.carymemorycafe.com/

Thank you to our generous donors!

Visionary
Town of Cary
United Arts Council

Silver Baton
Cary Art Daze Festivals: Spring Daze and Lazy Daze

Patron
Debbie Carroll* & Ken Ganong
Laura Pavlot*
Paul Stapleton

Benefactor
Ann Bingham* & Joeseph Tanzini
Megan Bracht* & Jared Selig
Nancy Canterbury
Sue Chaploney
Stacy Hanna*
Thom Haynes+
Josh Johnstone*+
Charles McCullen
Terri & Mark Ring+
Laura Yurco

Producer
Debi DeAnn* & Ric Goldstein
Joan Eastwick
Wes Everett
Pamela Hartsfield
Jim & Pauline Jillson
Nathan Leaf*+
Ellen Schlomer+
Sue Schule
Deborah Stirdivant
Jennilyn Tillotson
Jeffrey White+

Sponsor
Rock Angier
Christine & Christopher Bonin
Christine Bowden
Hadyn Boyte
Kelly & Nate Cash
Ryan Chung
Tim Devinney
Elizabeth Dworkin
Susan Ebbs
Heather & Brian Fitch*
Ken Fortier
Nikhil Gheewala
Nancy Handels
Susan & Lee Hanna
Lenora Harris-Fields
Connor Heinen
Teylor Jenkins
Brenda & Thomas Kucin
Yen-Ping Kuo
Emiko Kuroda
Anneli Leander
Girard Lew
Adam Luck
Laura Moore
Beverly Olson+
Georgia Orchard
John Rowe
Jamie Schnurr
Rachel Stuart
David Talbot
Jackie Tice
Carolyn Wilcox
Brian Wong
Jeff+ & Kitty Wright

Friend
Kelly Amato
Francesca Balestrieri*
Shannon Beall
Catherine Bennett
Hannah Calhoun
Stephen Cole
Rebecca Crumby – in memory of Joe Ferguson
Elizabeth Davis
Casey Erklin
Shayna Feldstein
Phil Ferski
Giuliana Giddings
Mandi Goswami
Madison Ham
Shirley Hand
Lauren Hauser
Maggie Hemedinger
Muriel Hoequist
Kathryn Jones
Kay Kaufman & David Winkler
Jeremy Kelly
Sofia Leander
Ashley Louden
Rachael Lubbers*+
Melissa Martin
Deborah Meehan
Kenneth Muller
Bianca Muñoz*
Madison Muralt
Devon Olds
Al Pasquale
Bryan Pyrtle
Morgan Pyrtle
Mara Sanchez
Melissa Sawyer
John Schell
Jan & Paul Schnurr
Susan Schnurr
Trisha Scott
Debra Shaw
Emily Simon
Elisa Skidmore
Nancy Smith
Nikki Stoudt
Greg Tarsa
Dana Thomas
Daniel Tsui
Jade Vogelsong
Libby Wendorf
Taylor Williams

CSC Board Members *
CSC Staff / Volunteer Staff +

Staff

Artistic Director– Nathan Leaf
Executive Director– Marisa Highsmith
Pianist– Allen Bailey
Membership Administrator– Thom Haynes
Web Master/Communications– Ellen Schloemer
Designer– Rachael Lubbers
Section Leaders– Beverly Olson, Soprano; Terri Ring, Alto; Jeff White, Tenor; Thom Haynes, Bass

Board Members

President– Stacy Hanna
Vice President– Ashley Holt
Treasurer– Debi DeAnn
Secretary– Debbie Carroll

Francesca Balestrieri
Ann Bingham
Megan Brachtl
Forrest Burris
Brian Fitch
Joshua Johnstone
Rachael Lubbers
Bianca Muñoz
Laura Pavolt
M.J. Weissenberger