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.