Live Concert of Hope Lovers Lane UMC Shipp Chapel - Sunday, May 3, 2020 – 5:00 p.m.

Alyssa Barnes, soprano | Brooke Gibson, mezzo-soprano | Erin Roth Thomas, mezzo-soprano Ryan McDonald, tenor | Brandon Gibson, baritone | Jimmy Emery, piano, Director of Music

And Can It Be? text: Charles Wesley (1707-1788) | music: Dan Forrest (b. 1978) Brandon Gibson, baritone

Miracle of Miracles (Fiddler) text: Sheldon Harnick (b. 1924) | music: Jerry Bock (1928-2010)

Ryan McDonald, tenor

Some Days text: James Baldwin (1924-1987) | music: Steve Marzullo Brooke Clark Gibson, mezzo-soprano

Count Your Blessings (White Christmas) text and music: Irving Berlin (1888-1989)

Erin Roth Thomas, mezzo-soprano

Forever Young (Mr. Tambourine Man) text: Bob Dylan (b. 1941) | music: John Corigliano (b. 1938) Alyssa Barnes, soprano

It Is Well with My Soul text: Horatio Spafford (1828-1888) | music: Philip Bliss (1838-1876) arr. Craig Courtney (b. 1954)

Brandon Gibson, baritone

No One Is Alone (Into the Woods) text and music: Stephen Sondheim (b. 1930) Brooke Clark Gibson, mezzo-soprano

Where the Music Comes From text and music: Lee Hoiby (1926-2011)

Alyssa Barnes, soprano

Feed the Birds (Mary Poppins) Richard M. Sherman (b. 1928), Robert B. Sherman (1925-2012) The Place Where Lost Things Go text and music: Marc Shaiman (b. 1959), Scott Wittman (b. 1954)

Erin Roth Thomas, mezzo-soprano

Danny Boy text: Frederic Weatherly (1848-1929) | music: Traditional (Irish) arr. Jake Heggie (b. 1961)

Ryan McDonald, tenor

Ride On, King Jesus Traditional (Spiritual), arr. Hall Johnson (1888-1970) Alyssa Barnes, soprano

Bridge over Troubled Water text and music: Paul Simon (b. 1941), Art Garfunkel (b. 1941)

Ryan McDonald, tenor

He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands Traditional (Spiritual), arr. Margaret Bonds (1913-1972) Brooke Clark Gibson, mezzo-soprano

You’ll Never Walk Alone text: Oscar Hammerstein II (1895-1960) | music: Richard Rodgers (1902-1979)

Brandon Gibson, baritone

Climb Ev’ry Mountain (The Sound of Music) text: Oscar Hammerstein II | music: Richard Rodgers Erin Roth Thomas, mezzo-soprano

The Lord Bless You and Keep You text: Numbers 6:24-26 | music: Peter C. Lutkin (1858-1931)

Alyssa Barnes is a graduate of the SMU Performance Diploma program, where she studied with Camille King. She earned her Bachelor of Music at the University of Texas and a Master of Music at SMU. She currently leads the soprano section of the Lovers Lane UMC Sanctuary Choir and teaches voice at

Robinson Middle School, where it is her mission to produce healthy and confident young singers. Alyssa has performed leading soprano roles in The Magic Flute, L'Elisir d'Amor, and Alcina with the SMU Meadows Opera Ensemble. Professionally, Alyssa made her Lyric Stage debut in 2018 as Agatha in their summer production of Guys and Dolls.

Brooke Clark Gibson, a frequent recitalist and concert artist, Ms. Clark Gibson has performed as a guest artist with such the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, Plano Symphony Orchestra, Indianapolis Opera,

Amarillo Opera, Opera North, Opera in the Heights (Houston),The Dallas Bach Society, Plano Civic Chorus, Camerata Dallas Young Soloists Orchestra, Carmel Symphony Orchestra, Meadows Symphony Orchestra, Voces Intimae, Dallas Puccini Society, Lyric Stage (Irving), The Living Opera, Intimate Opera, Brevard Music Festival, among others. A frequent guest soloist at churches across the DFW Metroplex and the Midwest, Ms. Clark Gibson currently serves as Vocal Coach at Lovers Lane United Methodist Church, having just completed two years on the Independent Voice Faculty of Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (where she also served as Voice Coordinator during her second year). She maintains an active performance career, a full private voice and staging studio, and continues to professionally stage direct. A proud member of NATS, Ms. Clark Gibson received her Bachelor of Music in Voice with Honors from Butler University (Indpls., IN), and Master of Music in Voice from the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University.

Erin Roth Thomas Praised by TheaterJones for possessing “a voice of surprising power and emotion”, mezzo-soprano Erin Roth Thomas regularly performs as a concert soloist in the DFW area, singing a vast repertoire ranging from Bach’s Magnificat to Danielpour’s An American

Requiem. Equally comfortable on the opera stage, she has performed numerous roles, including Hansel in Hansel and Gretel, Pitti-Sing in The Mikado, Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus, and most recently, The Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors. In addition to serving as the alto section leader with the Lovers Lane Sanctuary Choir, Erin is a member of Vigil Scholar Cantorum, a professional quartet that sings weekly at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. She also frequently performs as a chorister and soloist with some of the finest ensembles in the area, including Orpheus Chamber Singers, Verdigris Ensemble, Dallas Bach Society, Incarnatus, and Highland Park Chorale. From Lufkin, Texas, and a proud graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University, Erin lives with her husband, Chad, and the best dog in the world, Reggie.

Ryan McDonald has been an active performer since he moved to Dallas nine years ago as a singer and arranger. His operatic roles include Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus, Papageno in The Magic Flute, Prince Hilarion in Princess Ida, KoKo in The Mikado, and Bardolfo in Falstaff. He is the tenor section leader for

Lovers Lane UMC and The Texas Voices, and has performed with the Regal Opera Company, Highland Park Chorale, and the Dallas Chorale Festival. He has appeared multiple times as a tenor soloist for the Texarkana Symphony, most recently in their performance of Bach’s Gloria from the B minor Mass. He also performed King Kaspar for Diversita Opera Company’s production of Amahl and the Night Visitors. He is grateful to be a part of this Concert of Hope, and is hopeful it will bring comfort and joy during this time of uncertainty.

Brandon Gibson is steadily building a reputation as a professional classical soloist in the DFW Metroplex and surrounding regions. In recent seasons, he has been a soloist with American Baroque Opera Company, The Dallas Bach Society, The Irving Symphony, Voces

Intimae, Lovers Lane UMC, and the Plano Symphony/Plano Civic Chorus, among others. This past season, Brandon performed the twin roles of Apollon and Pluton in Charpentier’s La descente d’Orphée aux enfers, and also reprised the role of Melchior in the Lovers Lane UMC production of Amahl and the Night Visitors. Brandon attended Rice University and Southern Methodist University, where he earned his Bachelor and Master degrees, respectively, in vocal performance. In addition to his current focus on concert work, Brandon previously traveled & performed regionally with various opera companies, including Amarillo Opera, South Texas Lyric Opera, Opera in the Heights. Brandon also holds the position of baritone section leader for the Lovers Lane UMC Sanctuary Choir.

Jimmy Emery, has served on staff as the Director of Music and Worship of Lovers Lane United Methodist Church, Dallas, Texas, since 2006. His abiding commitment to the principles of strong artistic excellence, truly passionate worship, and authentic relationships guides his approach to ministry and

helps to shape a nurturing atmosphere in which the diverse musical ensembles of the church thrive. As a devoted collaborative performer, Jimmy has served fifteen seasons on the artistic staff of the Children’s Chorus of Greater Dallas and performs regularly with The Texas Voices and Resounding Harmony. He also serves as a music specialist and principal Collaborative Pianist for Brookhaven College in Dallas, Texas. Jimmy participates broadly as a collaborative pianist for secondary choral and instrumental programs throughout the DFW Metroplex, including Dallas, Plano, Allen, Lancaster, Lewisville, Mansfield, and Wylie. As a conductor, Jimmy has led numberous orchestrated performances of sacred masterworks. Jimmy, a summa cum laude graduate of the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University, earned a Master of Music degree in Music Education with a Concentration in Choral Conducting and a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance, Piano Pedagogy, and Music Education.

We are grateful that you joined us today. The Lovers Lane Music Ministry would like to express our appreciation for the many faithful donors who have continued to sustain the Lovers Lane Music Ministry during this time and have allowed us to support a robust music staff and maintain a legacy of musical excellence. We'll be sharing about some of our exciting hopes for the future and setting some quantitative target goals for our generous donors moving forward. If you would like to make a designated gift specific to the Lovers Lane Music Ministry, you may do so at llumc.org/give and select Music Ministry from the pull-down menu of giving options. Thank you and God bless you. Please join us online for worship each and every Sunday at 8:00, 9:00, 10:00, or 11:00 a.m. You may view our weekly live stream, including powerful preaching and inspiring music on our website at llumc.org/live or on Facebook (search for Lovers Lane United Methodist Church) or on the Lovers Lane United Methodist Church YouTube channel. You may also join us for daily prayer every evening at 8:00 p.m. on Facebook or join our Senior Pastor, Stan Copeland, for nightly vespers service on Facebook at 9:00 p.m. One of our pastors or staff is always available to receive your prayer requests and to offer a word of connection, compassion, or hope. Please reach out at any time for encouragement and support.