Reflections of LightDr. Debra Detwiler Brubaker, director

Tour 2017 Goshen College Women’s World Music Choir

Goshen College Women’s World Music ChoirThe Goshen College Women’s World Music Choir was formed by Dr. Debra Detwiler Brubaker, professor of music, in January 2004. Its goals are to discover and perform music of many cultures — particularly indigenous cultures — both close to home and abroad. The choir serves to highlight the role of women in these cultures, celebrating the unique spirit and energy that women bring to the world as creators, sustainers and disrupters of life and culture.

The choir has performed music from many places, including India, the Philippines, Mexico, Ireland, South Africa, Swaziland, Guatemala, Pakistan, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Tanzania, Palestine and Israel, and has sung in over 30 languages during its 13-year history.

During performances, the women sing barefoot and wear fabrics from around the world to affirm their connection to the Earth and their solidarity with women from all cultures and stations of life.

Artwork by Ellen Bencsics Heitger

“When you sing, you have no evil thoughts and when you are dancing, you

feel less hungry.”– Esma Redzepova, Roma (gypsy) performer and singer

Reflections of LightMorokeni. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .trad. greeting song, arr. Bernard Krüger, sung in Kwangali and Sotho

Mags Dutchersmith, djembe | Simelwe Dlova, language assistance

Hello, friend! Hello everybody! — a typical greeting spoken by the people from the Okavango region of Namibia and Angola. This song was heard by isiZulu soldiers of the South African Defence Force, who brought it back with them to South Africa.

Muusika . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pärt Uusberg, words by Juhan Liiv, sung in Estonian

Estonia is a Northern European country that has labored under oppression and occupation off and on for centuries. During the most recent occupation by the Soviet regime in the mid-20th century, Estonia held its ground by continuing singing festivals spread around the country. During these festivals, people in the tens of thousands dress in native dress and sing songs that are part of their lives and hearts. This piece is one of those.

Somewhere the original harmony must exist, hidden somewhere in the vast wilds.In Earth’s mighty firmament, in the far reaches of swirling galaxies, in sunshine,In a little flower, in the song of a forest, in the music of a mother’s voice, or in teardrops —Somewhere, immortality endures, and the original harmony will be found.How else could it have formed in human hearts — music?

Hosanna Nkosi Phezulu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . trad. South African, arr. Anders Nyberg, sung in Xhosa language

Achieng Agutu, Elinor Keener, Elizabeth Woodworth, trio | Emily Hilton-Nickel, djembe Achieng Agutu, Simelwe Dlova, language assistance | Achieng Agutu, movement assistance

Hosanna, praised be God on high! If the people stop their praising, the stones will shout Hosanna!

Prehvrǔkna ptička . . . . . . . . . . . .Maria Kouteva, arr. Filip Koutev, presented by Natalie Nowytski, sung in Bulgarian

Irina Gladun, language assistance

A bird flies over the courtyard and garden, singing to wake the household, especially the young maiden. “Wake up! I bring you wonderful news! All is well. Your sheep are birthing twins, the bees are multiplying, and the children are joyfully playing!”

2017 Goshen College Women’s World Music Choir Tour

Program selections will be taken from the following repertoire.

Boza zvezda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12th century Belarusian ballad melody, sung in Bulgarian

Maggie Weaver, Elizabeth Woodworth, Anne Buckwalter, Katie Shank, Rebecca Choi, Brynn Godshall, Naomi Peters, soloists | Clara Beck, Elinor Keener, drums

What star, mother, shines the earliest?It is the star of our Lord.It shines high and low, over the whole Earth.Where it shone, a tree grew up, all the way up to the blue sky.

Bing Chuh Xing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Larry Nickel, 8th century text by Dù Fu, sung in Mandarin

Morgan Short, mezzo-soprano | Lydia Miller, piano | Phil Chan, language assistance

Set as part of a larger work, Requiem for Peace, by Canadian-Mennonite composer Nickel, this movement uses musical sounds that hint at Eastern scales and harmonies. Its centuries-old text details the futilities and fallout from armed conflict.

“March of the Battle Carts”Wagons rattling, horses neighing and snorting, conscripts marching, each with bow and arrows at his hip.Fathers and mothers, wives and children, running to see them off.So much dust is kicked up, you can’t see the Xian-yang Bridge! The families are pulling at their clothes, stamping their feet in anger, blocking the way and weeping. The sound of their wailing rises up to assault Heaven.

The frontier posts run with blood enough to fill an ocean, and the war-loving Emperor’s dreams of conquest have still not ended! Hasn’t he heard that in Han, east of the mountains, there are… thousands of villages growing nothing but thorns? Even when there is a sturdy wife to handle hoe and plough, the crops grow raggedly in haphazard fields. It’s even worse for the men of Qin — they’resuch good fighters, they’re driven from battle to battle like dogs or chickens.Truly, it is an evil thing to bear a son these days; it’s much better to have daughters.

Has my lord seen the shores of Kokonor where white bones lie there in drifts, uncollected?New ghosts complain and old ghosts weep. Under the lowering sky, their voices cry out in the rain.

Reflections from Yad Vashem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Daniel J. Hall, sung in English and HebrewTexts from Genesis, selected names from Yad Vashem, Jerusalem, and Daniel J. Hall

Roxy Gehring, viola | Anne Buckwalter, piano | Mags Dutchersmith, glockenspiel Rachel Buckley, Emma Koop Liechty, Brooklyn Ries, handbells

Interweaving names of children lost in the Holocaust with Biblical passages and personal poetic observations after a visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial site, the composer creates a piece of serenity juxtaposed against the evils it describes. The final section of the piece references phrases from the Hebrew lullaby “Numi, Numi, Yaldati.”

Inngiqtuq (she sings) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mark Sirret, sung on vocables and in the Inuktitut language

Emily Evans, soloist | Elinor Keener, drum | Maggie Weaver, choreography

In the words of the composer, a native of Kingston, Ontario, this song is “a soundscape that honors the culture of the Inuit people of the Arctic. Musical references to traditional throat-singing and ay-ya songs are found throughout the score.”

The singer sings music, the source of happiness. I am happy.

Reel a’ Bouche . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . French-Canadian “mouth music,” set by Malcolm Dalglish

Amanda Leatherman, Brynn Godshall, Emma Koop Liechty, Clara Beck, soloists Emily Evans, Maggie Weaver, dancers

This “reel” — a dance tune — features improvised syllables to replicate sounds made by instruments. Its performance would occur during the break time provided for instrumentalists who played during an evening of dance and frolic. Celtic musical traditions frequently feature this type of music.

Mother Tribute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . graciously shared by First Nations Group Ulali

Anne Buckwalter, Irina Gladun, soloists | Elinor Keener, drum

Ffe Mwe, Mwe Ffe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joan Szymko, sung in Bantu and English

Sadie Gustafson-Zook, soloist | Achieng Agutu, djembe | Maggie Weaver, choreography

“They are us and we are them” is a traditional Bantu adage, reminding each member of the community that they are there to help others in their time of need. The opening drum rhythm is common in the Baganda people’s daily lives in Uganda where drums still serve as messengers. Its rhythm, “ggwanga mujje,” means “come to my rescue.” Words of Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa are interspersed throughout the song.

Give Me Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tobias Tenenbaum, used by permission, text ascribed to Muhammad

This Little Light of Mine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . trad. African American spiritual, arr. Moses Hogan, adapted Kathleen Rodde

Sadie Gustafson-Zook, Abby Banning, soloists

Itinerary

Dr. Debra Detwiler Brubaker Debra Detwiler Brubaker, DMA, is professor of music at Goshen College, where she is involved in the choral, voice and opera theater programs, and teaches related courses. Her graduate degrees are from the University of Kansas and the University of Northern Colorado. Since coming to Goshen in 1999, Brubaker has directed the Goshen College Chorale and Chamber Choir, as well as creating the Women’s World Music Choir. She is also the musical and dramatic director for the college’s traveling worship ensemble, Parables. The Women’s World Music Choir was an invited performer at the 2013 Indiana Music Educators Association conference in Ft. Wayne (Indiana), and has also performed at the 2008 Central Division conference of the American Choral Directors Association in Grand Rapids (Michigan). In addition to touring many parts of the United States and Canada, Brubaker’s choirs are in demand regionally, having performed with the Toledo Symphony, Ft. Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra and South Bend Symphony. Brubaker is an accomplished hymn leader, specializing in international music. A recent Maple Scholars research project focusing on indigenous African music with alumni Solomon Fenton Miller and Lisa Horst Schrock and hymnologist and musicologist Dr. Mary Oyer is now housed in the Indiana University Folklore Archives. Its focus on indigenous African music emphasizes Brubaker’s interest in exploring how the use of hymn and folk singing can become a catalyst for connections between people of differing cultures, faiths, ages and circumstances, and serve as an empowering tool for women.

Saturday, Feb. 25 — 10:30 a.m. Evergreen Place, Greencroft Retirement Community 1721 Greencroft Blvd, Goshen, Indiana

Sunday, Feb. 26 — 10:45 a.m. Waterloo North Mennonite Church 100 Benjamin Rd, Waterloo, Ontario

Sunday, Feb. 26 — 7 p.m. St. Jacobs Mennonite Church 1308 King N, Woolwich, Ontario (Joint concert with the Good Hearted Women Singers)

Monday, Feb. 27 — 7:30 p.m. Knox United Church 236 Garafraxa N, Durham, Ontario

Tuesday, Feb. 28 — 9:25 a.m. Chapel at Rockway Mennonite Collegiate 110 Doon Rd, Kitchener, Ontario

Tuesday, Feb. 28 — 2 p.m. Parkwood Mennonite Home 726 New Hampshire St, Waterloo, Ontario

Tuesday, Feb. 28 — 7 p.m. Vineland United Mennonite Church 3327 Menno Street, Vineland, Ontario

Thursday, March 2 — 12:15 p.m. Chapel at UMEI Christian High School 614 Mersea Rd 6, Leamington, Ontario

Sunday, March 5 — 7:30 p.m. Sauder Concert Hall, Goshen College Music Center 1700 S. Main St, Goshen, Indiana

Accompanying the choir on this tour: Dan Koop Liechty, Director of Alumni and Career Networks Trish Yoder, Associate Director of Admissions

Soprano 1Achieng Agutu Kisumu, Kenya

Clara Beck Archbold, Ohio

Emily Evans Lititz, Pennsylvania

Sadie Gustafson-Zook Goshen, Indiana

Sarah Hartman-Keiser Wauwatosa, Wisconsin

Emily Hilton-Nickel San Jose, California

Amanda Leatherman Portland, Oregon

Emma Koop Liechty Goshen, Indiana

Emily Stoltzfus Goshen, Indiana

Soprano 2Abby Banning Lenexa, Kansas

Rebecca Choi Arlington, Massachusetts

Lydia Dyck Durham, Ontario

Joelle Friesen Normal, Illinois

Brynn Godshall Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Abigail Graber Los Gatos, California

Elinor Keener Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Anja Kenagy Dix Hills, New York

Lauren Myers North Manchester, Indiana

Lien Nguyen Ha Noi, Vietnam

Corrie Osborne North Manchester, Indiana

Dona Park Abbotsford, British Columbia

Naomi Peters Winnipeg, Manitoba

Katie Shank New Paris, Indiana

Annie Steiner West Liberty, Ohio

Sharada Weaver Hyattsville, Maryland

Alto 1Rachel Buckley Elkhart, Indiana

Anne Buckwalter Wellman, Iowa

Hannah Friesen Fresno, California

Irina Gladun Goshen, Indiana

Megan Graber Stryker, Ohio

Natalie Graber Wellman, Iowa

Suzanna Griest Oak Park, Illinois

Elsa Lantz Denver, Colorado

Lydia Miller Ithaca, New York

Greta Neufeld Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Brooklyn Ries Freeman, South Dakota

Morgan Short Goshen, Indiana

Sarah Shoue Roann, Indiana

Alto 2Magdalena Dutchersmith Goshen, Indiana

Roxy Gehring Manhattan, Kansas

Yejin Kim Chun-Choen, Korea

Christi Sessa Goshen, Indiana

Olivia Smucker Harrisonburg, Virginia

Maggie Weaver Lititz, Pennsylvania

Annelise Wiebe Goshen, Indiana

Ming Woo Goyang-Si, Korea

Elizabeth Woodworth Goshen, Indiana

PersonnelDr. Debra Detwiler Brubaker, director and professor of music | Anne Buckwalter, Lydia Miller, accompanists

History: Founded in 1894, Goshen College is a private residential, Christian college of the liberal arts and sciences, affiliated with Mennonite Church USA and committed to Christ-centered passionate learning, global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking and servant leadership.

Location: Goshen, Indiana (pop. 32,000); 120 miles east of Chicago

Enrollment: approximately 850 students from 31 states and 26 countries

Campus: 135 acres with 19 major buildings, plus a 1,189-acre natural sanctuary 31 miles from campus and a marine biology laboratory in the Florida Keys

Student-faculty ratio: 10:1

International education: Goshen’s Study-Service Term (SST) is among the nation’s most innovative study abroad programs. With five host countries, 80 percent of students study abroad before graduating.

Campus ministries: Regular chapel services, Bible study and small groups, worship team, voluntary service and spiritual direction

Athletics: 13 intercollegiate sports in the competitive NAIA Crossroads League conference (and adding men’s volleyball and women’s and men’s golf in 2018)

Financial aid: Around 99 percent of full-time Goshen College students receive some form of financial assistance, with an average package of scholarships, grants and loans totaling more than $23,800.

Goshen College at a glance

The Goshen College Music Department offers a bachelor of arts degree with concentrations in music education, performance, piano pedagogy and music for social change. Two new courses of musical study just added to the department’s offerings are a minor in musical theater and a minor in music for social change. More than 70 students major or minor in music and enjoy participation in three choirs, a touring worship ensemble, staged musicals and operas, symphony orchestra, all-campus band and jazz band.

The music department is housed in the Goshen College Music Center, built in 2001. The Music Center features the 1,000-seat Sauder Concert Hall, the 250-seat Rieth Recital Hall, rehearsal and practice rooms, classrooms, teaching studios, a recording studio and an art gallery. The Community School of the Arts, located in the Music Center, provides teaching experience and leadership training for Goshen College students. The Performing Arts Series regularly brings prominent national and international musicians to the Music Center.

We welcome your inquiries at the music department website goshen.edu/music or admissions@goshen.edu or Debra Detwiler Brubaker at debradb@goshen.edu.

Goshen College Music Department

1700 South Main StreetGoshen, Indiana 46526

844.704.3400 (toll-free)goshen.edu