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Sounds of My Soul
They say that music has a way of uniting us all,
and while I believe that there is something
for everyone, I also believe that
music is extremely personal to both the listeners,
and the performers.
Tonight’s selections have all made an impact in my life.
They have helped me express my emotions in a way
that words have not.
They have made connections and formed bonds
With others that I will forever be grateful for.
I sincerely hope that you enjoy tonight's performance
and you find the music of your soul.
Program Per la gloria d’adorarvi Giovanni Bononcini
Griselda (1670-1747)
Rend'il sereno al ciglio G.F. Handel
Sosarme, re di Media (1685-1759) ♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪
If God Be for Us, Who Can Be Against Us? G.F. Handel
Messiah, HWV 56
Panis Angelicus Cesar Franck
(1822-1895) Ave Maria J.S. Bach /Charles Gounod
(1685-1750) (1818-1893)
♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪
Romance Claude Debussy
Deux romances (1862-1918)
Le secret, Op.23. No.3 Gabriel Faure
(1845-1924)
Duo de fliers/Sous le dôme épais Leo Delibes Lakmé (1836-1891)
Abigail Wise, Soprano
♪♪ Brief Intermission ♪♪
Ihr Habt nun Traurigkeit Johannes Brahms
Movement V of Ein Deutsches Requiem (1833-1897)
♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪
Sure on This Shining Night Samuel Barber (1910-1981)
The Sky Above the Roof Ralph Vaughan Williams
(1872-1958)
Come Ready and See Me Richard Hundley
(1931-2018)
Paul Caram, Piano
♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪
Oh, Don’t You See That Lonesome Dove? Kurt Weill (1900-1950)
You’ll Never Walk Alone Richard Rodgers Carousel (1902-1979)
Oscar Hammerstein II
(1895-1960)
Notes Per La Gloria D'adorarvi Giovanni Bononcini
For the Glory of Adoring You (1670-1747)
Bononcini was a Baroque composer, cellist, singer and teacher. He was born in
Modena, Italy, the eldest of three sons. By the time he was eight, he was an
orphan. At fifteen, he published three collections of instrumental works. In 1691
he moved to Rome; in 1697 to Vienna. From 1720-22 he lived in London where
he was so celebrated as to have become a rival in popularity to Handel. Per la
Gloria is an aria from Bononcini’ opera, Griselda.
Griselda was based on a libretto of Apostolo Zeno (1669-1750) which he based
on Boccaccio’s (1313–1375) The Decameron. Griselda is a peasant woman. A
great beauty, she has been the mistress of King Gualtiero for a long time. The
king decides to marry Griselda but thinks she might be given a hard time by the
nobles. He decides he has to prove her worthy to be queen and subjects her to a
series of cruel tests. He also banishes Griselda from court. She returns home and
is threatened by another man into marriage. Griselda runs back to the palace and
gets the king to admit the truth and she marries him and finds her long lost
daughter.
Per la gloria d’adorarvi For the Glory of adoring you
voglio amarvi, o luci care; I want to love you, O eyes dear
Amando penerò, Loving, I will suffer
ma sempre v’amerò, But always you I will love
sì, sì, nel mio penare: yes yes in my suffering
penerò, v’amerò, luci care, Love is pain, all in vain, I implore ye
Senza speme di diletto Without hope of pleasure
vano affetto è sospirare, vain affection it is to sigh
ma i vostri dolci rai But your sweet glances
chi vagheggiar può mai e non, who admire can you ever
e non v’amare? And not you love?
Rend’il Sereno al Ciglio G.F. Handel
Bring Serenity to your Mind (1685-1759)
Sosarme, re di Media
One of the most admired composers of the Baroque period, George Frideric
Handel was born in Halle, Germany in 1685. Against his father’s wishes, he
became an accomplished keyboard player and acquired skill as a violinist and as
a student of harmony, counterpoint, and composition. At 17, he became a church
organist and played in opera orchestras in Hamburg where he made his debut as
an opera composer with Almira in 1705. Off to Italy for three years in 1706,
Handel became known for oratorios, motets and his early operas - before
moving to England where he lived for the rest of his life. From 1711 to 1741,
his first thirty years in his new home, Handel was a man of the theater -
composing nearly forty operas during this period, and founding and managing
his own opera company. He transformed British music and opera tastes. He is
now best known for operas such as Rinaldo (his first London
success), Rodelinda and Acis and Galatea (his first staged opera set to an
English libretto). After the popularity of Italian opera in London sharply
declined, Handel began composing oratorios. The most famous of his 29
oratorio is Messiah. Handel died in London, England, in 1759.
In December, 1731, Handel began the composition of a new opera, Fernando,
Re di Castiglia. The scenario is about a struggle for power between a King
(Dionisio) and his son (Alfonso), in which the King of Castile,
Fernando, intervenes. The plot is set in the former Portuguese capital of
Coimbra and its surroundings. Because of the mingling of historic with fictional
events, the story can only roughly be dated to the period around 1300. After
libretto changes and revisions, Handel ended up changing the name
to Sosarme, Re Di Media.
Rendi’l sereno al cigilo Bring Serenity to your mind
Madre non Pianger piu Mother, do not cry anymore
Temer d’alcun periglio To fear any peril
Oggi come puoi tu? Today, how could you?
If God Be For Us, Who Can be Against Us? G.F. Handel
Messiah (1910-1981)
German-born George Frideric Handel is one of the best known composers of the
Baroque period, who spent the bulk of his career in London, becoming famous
for his operas, oratorios, and organ concertos. Handel received training in Halle,
Hamburg, and Italy before settling in London (1712), and became a popular
British composer in 1727. He was strongly influenced both by the great
composers of the Italian Baroque and the middle German polyphonic choral
tradition. After a series of disappointments in the production of his operas in
London, Handel turned to writing oratorios. Of the twenty-nine he wrote,
Messiah is the most renowned.
Messiah was composed in 1741 and tells the story of Christ. It is divided into
three sections. The first is concerned with the prophecy of the coming of a
Messiah and then with Christ's Nativity. Part II deals with Christ's suffering and
death. The concluding section offers an affirmation of Christian faith and
glimpses of Revelation. Part II begins after intermission and continues until
"Hallelujah," and Part III begins with the aria "I know that my Redeemer liveth."
“If God Be For Us, Who can Be Against Us?” is in Part III of the work and
expresses the joy of the people after Jesus has been resurrected from the grave.
Panis Angelicus Cesar Franck
The Bread of Angels (1822-1890)
Cesar Franck was prodigiously talented, equally adept as both a concert pianist
and composer. Having written sonatas and the renowned Variations
Symphoniques for piano and orchestra, Franck is best remembered for this
work, Panis Angelicus, which has been recorded and performed around the
world.
The words “Panis Angelicus'' is derived from the sacred Hymn “Sacris
solemniis” by St. Thomas and was used for Corpus Christi. Franck incorporated
Panis Angelicus into a work written twelve years earlier “A mass for Three
Voices”. This piece has beautiful flowing melodic lines that mesh beautifully
with the text. The use of dynamics helps to give emotion to the text and allows
the performer to convey the importance of the words.
Panis Angelicus May the bread of Angels
Fit Panis hominum Become the bread of mankind
Dat panis coelicus figuris terminum The bread of heaven puts all
Foreshadowing to an end
O res mirabilis Oh thing miraculous
Manducat Dominum The body of the Lord will Nourish
Pauper Pauper The poor, the poor
Servus et humilis the servile and the humble
Ave Maria J.S. Bach/ Charles Gounod
Hail Mary (1685-1750) (1818-1893)
“Ave Maria” is a Catholic Latin prayer to the Virgin Mary. It is quoted from the
Archangel Gabriel, who descends from the heavens to tell Mary that she has
been blessed to carry Jesus Christ, the Lord, in her womb. The prayer has been
given very popular settings by Classic and Romantic era composers such as
Franz Schubert, Franz Liszt, and Charles Gounod.”
Gounod’s “Ave Maria” was first published in 1853 without the words of the
prayer under the title Méditation sur le Premier Prélude de Piano de S.
Bach. Gounod's melody was superimposed over Johann Sebastian Bach’s
Prelude No. 1 in C from his “Book 1” of “The Well-Tempered Clavier”
which had been published in 1772. The “Prelude in C major” is the first piece of
this collection and has been a much beloved piece among piano students since
that time. Out of the 35 measures present in the Prelude, there are 34 measures
of “16th-note arpeggios” and one measure consisting of a single, “whole-note C-
major chord.” The work can be characterized for its inventive and rich harmony.
The first version of the song included words from a poem by Alphonse de
Lamartine called “Vers Ecrits sur un Album”, addressing one’s beloved.
Gounod used this poem to accompany the melody he wrote for the above
mentioned “Meditation”, and subsequently gave it to his student Rosalie Jousset
in a letter. However, the letter was intercepted by Aurelie Jousset, Rosalie’s
mother-in-law, who did not think it was appropriate for Gounod to be sending a
message like that to her daughter. She told him to change the text and suggested
different ideas for him to consider. Among those was the text of the popular
Latin prayer “Ave Maria.” Gounod understood the hint and followed through
with Aurelie Jousset’s version. The Latin text was added in 1859, after this
interesting contretemps.
Ave Maria, Gratia plena, Hail Mary, full of grace,
Dominus tecum The Lord is with thee
Benedicta Tu in mulieribus, Blessed art thou among women,
et Benedictus Fructus And blessed is the fruit Ventris tui,
Jesus. of thy womb, Jesus
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, Holy Mary, mother of God
ora pro Nobis peccatoribus, pray for us wretched sinners nunc
et in hora Mortis nostrae now and in the hour of our death
Romance Claude Debussy
Romance (1862-1918)
“Romance” is the first piece in the 1891 song set Deux Romances by Claude
Debussy (1862-1918). Due to the similar names of the single song and the cycle
from which it originated, “Romance” is often referred to by its secondary title,
“L’âme evaporee” (“The vanishing soul”). It is based on a poem written by
French poet Paul Bourget (1852-1935) titled Les aveux (Confessions). Like
many other of Debussy’s well-known works, “Romance” features a lilting
melody with an elegant accompaniment, typical of his musical aesthetic. This
piece follows a heartbroken woman as she questions why her lover left her. The
harmonic style of this song produces a sound much like that of a conversation –
the phrases rise and fall alongside the text. This style, combined with poetic
lines such as “Does no more perfume remain?” creates a somber and reflective
atmosphere.
L'âme évaporée et souffrante The spent and suffering soul,
L'âme douce, l'âme odorante, The sweet soul, the soul steeped
Des lis divins que j’ai cueillis In the divine lilies I gathered
Dans les jardin de ta pensée In the garden of your thoughts
Où donc les vents l’ont till chassée, Where have the winds dispersed it
Cette âme adorable des lis? The adorable lilies’ soul?
N'est-il plus parfum que reste Does not a single scent remain
De la suavite celeste Of the heavenly softness
Des jours ou tu m’enveloppais Of the days when you enclosed me
D’une vapeur surnaturelle In a supernatural mist
Faite d’espoire, d’amour, fidèle, Made of Hope, of faithful love,
De béatitude et de paix? Of bliss and of peace?
Le secret Opus 23, No. 3 Gabriel Fauré
The Secret (1845-1924)
“Le secret” is one of a trio of songs Opus 23 No. 3, which tells a story of a
woman and lost love. The final song of this set is written in three stanzas:
Morning represents forgetfulness, day being ignorance, and night representing
the idea of knowing. The opening stanza is quiet, emulating the text, “…the
wind of dawn without noise as a tear that evaporates.” The second stanza is loud
with proud exclamations and crescendos "proclame (proclaim)" and "coeur
ouvert, penche, (heart opens, leaning)" affirming a pure love. The final stanza is
very quiet, as though the night dissipates along with the secret. Even though it is
written in F-major, the piece is tinged with melancholy that resonates in Faure’s
melodic and chordal structure. The irony of the piece is portrayed very well and
makes the listener reflect on the message conveyed in this piece.
Je veux que le matin l’ignore I wish the day would ignore
Le nom que j’ai dit à la nuit, the name which I have spoken to the night
Et qu’au vent de l’aube, sans bruit, and that the wind of dawn, without noise
Comme un larme, il s’evapore. Like a tear, would evaporate it
Je veux que le jour le proclame I wish that the day would proclaim
L’amour qu’au matin j’ai cache, The love that I hid from the morning
Et sur mon cœur ouvert penche And above my open heart hung,
Comme un grain d'encens, Like a grain of incense that
il l’enflamme inflames it
Je veux que le couchant l’oublie I wish that sleep would forget
Le secret que j’ai dit au jour, The secret that I spoke during the day
Et l’emporte avec mon amour, and take it away with my love
Aux plis de sa robe pâlie! To the folds of his pale robe!
Sous le dôme épais/ Duo des fleurs Leo Delibes
Under the Thick dome/Flower Duet (1836-1891)
Lakmé
Lakmé premiered in 1883 and is the last and most famous of the French
Romantic composer Leo Delibes’ operas. Set in British India during the mid-
19th century, the opera tells the ill-fated love story of Lakmé, the daughter of a
Brahmin high priest, and Gérald, a British army officer. Stories such as this one
involving exotic locales and mysterious religious practices, particularly those of
the Orient, were very much in vogue in French art during the time of the opera’s
composition.
“Sous le dôme epais” is drawn from the first of Lakmé’s three acts and is
arguably Delibes’ most famous work and has been used in many modern films
and advertisements. Though its title roughly translates to “Under the thick dome
(of jasmine)” the duet has become known simply as The Flower Duet. The duet
takes place between Lakmé and her servant Mallika as they gather flowers by a
river. The sheer beauty of the duet’s floating lyricism and sparkling harmonies
makes for an extremely popular concert piece with both performers and
audiences alike.
Sous le dôme épais Under the thick dome
Où le blanc Jasmin where the white jasmine
À la rose s’assemble with the roses entwined together
Sur la rive en fleurs, On the River bank covered with flowers
Riant au matin Laughing in the morning
Viens, descendons ensemble. Let us descend together!
Doucement glissons de son Gently Floating on its
flot charmant Charming risings,
Suivons le courant fuyant On the rivers current
Dans l’onde fremissante On the shining waves
D’une main nonchalante One hand reaches
Viens, gagnons le bord, Reaches for the bank
Où la source dort et Where the spring sleeps
L’oiseau, L’oiseau chante. And the birds sing
Ah! Descendons Ah! Calling us
Ensembles! Together!
Ihr habt nun Traurigkeit Johannes Brahms
You Now Have Sorrow (1833-1897)
Movement V of Ein Deutsches requiem
Johannes Brahms was born in 1833 in Germany and was a prolific Romantic
composer. He was a virtuoso pianist and wrote many works for violin, piano,
organ, orchestra, voice, and chorus. When Brahms decided to compose a
requiem for chorus and orchestra, he did not want it to be tied with the liturgical
rites of any set religion. He decided against using the traditional Latin text that
was used in the Roman Catholic services. Brahms had chosen to write this piece
in German, as it was his native language, and it made the piece more personal to
him. Brahms decided to write his own text composed of Bible verses that he
found meaningful to people who experienced the loss of a loved one. The Ein
Deutsches Requiem was written in memory of his mother who had passed
shortly before he began composition. This requiem is written specifically for
mourners, to bring them comfort and solace, it is there to help them come to
terms with the beauty that is life, and the sorrowness that death brings.
“Ihr habt nun Traurigkeit," is the fifth movement for soprano solo and chorus,
and was composed in 1868, two years after the initial publication of the work. It
is often thought that the death of Brahms' mother had inspired this piece, as this
is the most personal and emotional movement of the requiem. The soprano
appears to be speaking to one person and saying, " You now have great sorrow,
but it will pass, and you will have joy again." There is intense emotion in this
piece and the chorus acts almost as a Greek chorus, as if they are responding to
the soprano throughout.
Ihr habt nun Traurigkeit You now have sorrow
aber ich will euch wiedersehen but I shall see you again.
und euer Herz soll sich freuen and your heart shall rejoice
und eure Freude soll niemand and your joy no one
von euch nehmen shall take from You
Ich will euch trösten, I will console you
wie Einen seine Mutter tröstet. as one is consoled by his mother
Sehet mich an: Behold Me
Ich habe eine kleine Zeit Mühe I have had for a little time
und Arbeit gehabt for toil and torment
und habe großen Trost funden. And now have found great consolation
Sure On This Shining Night Samuel Barber
(1910-1981)
"Sure on this Shining Night" is the third song in the collection entitled Four
Songs in 1940 by Samuel Barber, with text by James Agee. Barber loved poetry
and singing, and was a baritone himself. Poetry has inspired all his vocal
writing. One of Barber’s most memorable works for soprano and orchestra,
Knoxville: Summer of 1915 was also set to the poetry of James Agee.
In “Sure on this Shining Night”, Barber Utilizes an almost completely diatonic
melodic line evokes the gentle, awe-filled mood of Agee’s text. The piece is
almost entirely composed of steps and thirds (with only two exceptions, and
even these larger leaps of a fifth feel gentle and easy). The motif of ascending
and descending thirds figure prominently throughout Barber’s melodic line,
taking place over 12 times in the short span of 34 measures.The rhythm evokes
the feeling of a heart beat with its lulling eighth note pulse. He adds different
dynamics and expressions such as ritardando, rallentando, and espressivo
among others to give the piece life and feel more natural. Barber also utilizes the
idea of a canon to create a polyphonic feeling with the piano following the vocal
line as they tell the story of being connected to nature and all of its wonders.
The Sky Above the Roof Ralph Vaughan Williams
(1872-1958)
Ralph Vaughan Williams was an English composer born on October 12th, 1872.
By the age of six, he had composed his first piece and learned how to play the
piano, violin and the organ as a child. Vaughn Williams studied at Trinity
College, Cambridge, and in London at the Royal College of Music under Sir
Charles Stanford and Sir Hubert Parry. Between 1897-98 he studied in Germany
under Max Bruch. He eventually traveled to Paris in 1908 to study with Maurice
Ravel where he was able to develop his own style for his compositions.
In 1914, Vaughn Williams joined the army during World War I. After his return,
his music greatly reflected his emotions towards the war. The Sky Above the
Roof was composed in 1908 as a commission for Mabel Dearmer. The melody is
a simple beautiful line that has a melancholy feel that flows up and down as
though it is in a soft constant struggle with itself. There is a simple chordal piano
accompaniment that allows the listener to focus on the importance of the text.
Ralph Vaughan Williams passed away on August 26th, 1958 having composed
nine symphonies as well as operas, ballets, chamber music and both secular and
religious vocal works.
Come Ready and See Me ` Richard Hundley
(1931-2018)
Richard Hundley was an American composer born in Cincinnati Ohio and lived
from 1931-2018. He started playing the piano very young and by age fourteen
he had soloedin piano concertos with both the Northern Kentucky Symphony
Orchestra and the Cincinnati Symphony. Hundley later went on to work with the
General Music Publishing company where seven of his works were published
between 1962-1964. In 1987, Hundley was named one of the standard American
composers for vocalists. “Come Ready and see Me” was published in 1971 and
is one of his best known works and was included in both Four Songs (1989) and
Eight Songs (1981). He dedicated this piece to Jeffery Cerza, a friend of his
who had passed at a young age. The words were written in 1968 by James
Purdy, who was an American novelist, short-story writer, poet, and playwright
who lived from 1914-2009. Purdy wrote this poem about a young woman who
has lost the love of her life and eagerly asks him to come home, “for the years
are running out”
Oh, Don’t You See That Lonesome Dove? Kurt Weill
From Down In the Valley (1900-1950)
Down in the Valley is an operetta with music composed by Kurt Weill and
libretto by Arnold Sundgaard. The story follows the tragic tale of Jennie and
Brack, a young couple who are madly in love but forbidden to see each other by
Jennie’s father. Jennie has already been promised to another young man named
Thomas by her father who is using him to relieve him of his financial troubles.
Trouble ensues when Jennie refuses to be with Thomas and instead attends a
dance with Brack. Brack and Thomas then get into a fight which results in
Thomas’ death and Brack’s death sentence. Before his punishment Brack runs
back to see Jennie who tells him that she will always think of him. Brack then
returns to the jailhouse to finish out his sentencing and Jennie is left alone.
“Oh Don’t You See That Lonesome Dove” is a crucial piece within the short
story. This piece is a response to Brack from Jennie when asked if she loves
him. Jennie sings this moving response before Brack is taken away from her
forever. Weill is able to take this already existing folk song and add beautiful
complex orchestration to bring the story to life and create depth to the
characters.
Kurt Weill (1900-1950) was a German composer who was active in both
Germany and the United States throughout his life. He is best known for his
collaborations with Bertolt Brecht and created his most well known work The
Threepenny Opera. He also created many works for the stage including Street
Scene and Fall of the City of Mahogany. Weill became a U.S. citizen in 1943
and eventually passed away in New York City in 1950.
You’ll Never Walk Alone Rodgers & Hammerstein
Carousel (1872-1958) (1895-1960)
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein were a brilliant team that produced
some of the most beloved musicals in America. Rodgers and Hammerstein’s
collaboration founded the “Golden Age” of Broadway musicals, a time that
spanned through the 1940’s and 1950’s. Carousel and The Sound of Music were
amongst the most successful and popular musicals of their creation, but they
kept good company with Oklahoma, The King and I, and South Pacific.
In Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical Carousel, Nettie Fowler comforts an
inconsolable Julie Jordan with a message of hope, found in “You’ll Never Walk
Alone”. Nettie utilizes the simple, yet inspiring text to remind Julie to keep
moving forward and keep finding joy and love in life. Out of the musical’s
context, this piece operates in the same fashion— as a hopeful reminder of an
upcoming dawn. There can always be a new opportunity for a new beginning—
both in life and in love.
“You’ll Never Walk Alone” has been covered by many artists including Gerry
and the Pacemakers, Elvis Presley, and Johnny Cash. This song also became the
anthem for the Liverpool Football club, who sings it before and after every
match at the stadium.
Biographies Hayley Ripple is a Senior Music Education major with a concentration in voice
at Mercyhurst University. From the time she was young she always had enjoyed
singing and performing for her family. She loved listening to music and always
wanted to share that love with others. It did not take her long to start singing in
school choirs and looking for other opportunities within her community to share
her passion. She began performing at her local theatre where her love and
dedication for music grew. While in high school, Hayley worked at a church
aiding in their choral studies as well as performing at the church.
Since her arrival at Mercyhurst University, she has been a very active member
of the University’s Concert and Chamber choirs. She is also the President of the
School’s NAfME chapter. Hayley also works closely with Professor Thomas
Brooks to help coach the Erie Junior Philharmonic chorus when possible. She is
also a student with Ms. Katherine Soroka, who has helped her to realize her full
potential as a vocal performer and as an educator. She would like to thank
everyone who has encouraged her and helped her to get where she is today.
Mezzo Soprano and collaborative pianist Katherine Soroka has been a vocal
accompanist since her fellowship at Aspen Music Festival. As a singer herself,
her teaching and accompanying is influenced by her passion for conveying the
song text and connecting with audiences, acclaimed as “masterful” with
“heartfelt vocalism” (Post Gazette) and for “finding both lush lines and dramatic
intensity... commanding the stage”. (TribLive)
A winner of the Pittsburgh Concert Society Auditions, Katherine has sung
chamber music with the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble
and Pittsburgh Jewish Music Festival and with Chatham Baroque in a Frick
Museum "Music for Exhibitions" concert. An avid recitalist, she’s performed
recitals in numerous New York City and Pittsburgh venues and in regional
universities.
Katherine has sung with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, Edgewood
Symphony and Pittsburgh Civic Orchestra and in educational concerts with the
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Recent operatic roles include Ulrica in Un
ballo in maschera, Klytaemnestra in Elektra, Dinah in Trouble in Tahiti and
Baba in The Medium. She has performed in musical theatre and cabaret in New
York City and with Aria412 in Pittsburgh.
Katherine has had the great pleasure of being Hayley Ripple’s voice teacher at
Mercyhurst University this year. She also maintains a private studio in
Pittsburgh and Foxburg.
Thank you Mom- There will never be enough words to express how grateful I am for you.
You have helped me to grow and develop into a strong and independent young
woman. You have encouraged me to speak my mind and to follow my heart
wherever it lead. I am so thankful for all that you have done for me. You have
guided me down the right path while still allowing me to make my own
decisions and learn from my mistakes. You have been my main support system
and always had a shoulder to cry on when I needed it. I love you so much.
Thank you for believing in me and supporting me all of these years.
Jessica Howard- Thank you for being my roommate and first friend at college.
You have made my four years here so much more enjoyable and interesting.
Thank you for listening to my endless midnight rants and going out with me to
get some midnight McNuggs. You have made my days so much brighter and
always managed to put a smile on my face. I love you and your bubbly
personality. You’ll always be the Glinda to my Elphaba.
Jessica Hricsina- Thank you for being my best friend for the last 9 years.
Without you I don’t know where I would be right now. You have always been
my other half and I am so thankful that we sat next to each other in math class :).
You have always been one of my biggest fans growing up and I truly think of
you as one of my sisters. I am so thankful for our friendship, and the bond that
we have made through the years. There is no one else in the world that I would
ever want to prance around in custom Christmas Tracksuits with. I love you.
Jodi Hoover- Thank you for igniting my passion and love for music. You are
the one who showed me just how beautiful and personal music can be. Thank
you for giving me a chance and allowing me to grow and develop in a safe space
without judgement. You have truly made a difference in my life and because of
you I will get to make a difference in my students’ lives as well. Thank you for
believing in me.
Martha Heise- Thank you for all that you have done for me over the last five
years. You helped me to start my path here at Mercyhurst and I will forever be
grateful for that. You helped me to see just how valuable teaching music is and
seeing you work with kids every day is so inspiring to me. Thank you for
leading me down this path, and for giving me so many opportunities over the
years. I love you so much.
Ms. Jonason- Thank you for helping me grow as a vocalist for the last three
years. You have helped me to realize my potential as both a singer and a teacher.
I have come leaps and bounds as a performer and you have shown me what it
takes to achieve my dreams.
Mr. Brooks- You have been one of my biggest supporters throughout college.
You believed in me when I did not believe in myself. You have given me
opportunities to grow both as a vocalist and a teacher, and these experiences will
always be cherished. Thank you for seeing my potential as a singer and never
giving up on me. I hope that I can one day come close to doing what you have
done for me and so many others.
Kathy- Even though we have only spent a short amount of time working
together, you have helped me to realize my full vocal potential. Thank you for
taking so much time out of your schedule to help me prepare. You have been so
kind and patient with me and I will forever be grateful for the time we spent
together. Thank you for all that you have done for me.
Abbey- Oh my sweet Gale. I love you so much. Thank you for being the first
music major to talk to me at school. You have helped me through so much and
treated me as if I were your family. You are my soprano homie and I will miss
singing with you every day. Thank you for being your beautiful bubbly self.
Your voice has inspired me so much and I am grateful to have been your friend
for so long.
Leah- I am so thankful every day that our paths have crossed. You are truly one
of a kind. You have always been a great listener and have shown tremendous
patience with me and my always changing mind. You have shown me just how
beautiful life can be, and how important it is to be honest, even when it seems
impossible. I will always cherish our late-night sight-reading sessions, and
special boba trips. Thank you for being my friend.
Paul- Thank you does not even begin to explain how grateful I am for you. You
have been there through thick and thin with me. We have done nearly everything
together for the last three years here at Mercyhurst. You have become one of my
closest and best friends. Thank you for being there and keeping my head on my
shoulders all of this time. There is no one else that I would have wanted to take
this journey with. You will be the best music teacher and I am truly so blessed to
call you my friend. I am going to miss our car talks and having the most random
adventures in between classes. I love you, thank you for everything.
Ashley- Thank you for being my wife for the last three years. You have helped
me to be a better person, while still staying true to who I am. Knowing you has
made my life so much better. No one understands me quite like you and I
appreciate your friendship so much. I am going to forever cherish the many
memories that we have made at school, and I hope that we can one day publish
that quote book we have been writing. “My wife is on fire; she is a spicy Dorito”
Libby- Although we have only been roommates for a short time, I love you so
much. You have made my senior year a million times better, and I am so
grateful to have gotten to know you. There is never a dull moment when you are
around, and I wouldn’t want to have it any other way. Thank you for being a
great roommate and an even better friend. Also thank you Roger for being a
great roommate.
Ava- Thank you for being the best underclassman ever. You are so sweet and
kind. And you have made practicing so much more fun. You have helped me to
feel confident both as a teacher and a friend and I will always value our time
together
Everyone- Thank you so much for your support. You are all here because you
have impacted my life in one way or another, and I am so honored to share this
part of my music journey with you. Thank you for helping to get this far in my
life. I love you all.
This recital is in partial fulfillment of the Bachelor’s in Music Education
Degree at Mercyhurst University. Hayley Ripple is a voice student of
Katherine Soroka.
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