About T

he Helios E

nsemble

The

Helios

Ensem

ble is

a 45-person

auditioned m

ixed choral

ensemble

based in

Tucson,

Arizona founded

in 2014

and directed

by B

enjamin

J. H

ansen, D

MA

C

andidate at

the U

niversity of

Arizona.

His m

ission for Helios is to create fantastic sound through innovative

group vocal pedagogy, to use the drama inherent in the m

usic to improve blend and color, and to

empow

er choristers to sing difficult music. H

elios also trains young conductors through The

Helios Y

oung Conductor's Initiative by offering conducting pedagogy and rehearsal and concert

podium tim

e. Tonight Sam

Feldman w

ill be conducting under these auspices.

About the A

rtistic Director, B

enjamin H

ansen Benjam

in Hansen is the founder and artistic director of The H

elios Ensem

ble, the artistic director of the Faculty/Staff Choir at the U

niversity of Arizona, and the director of m

usic at the United Church

of Christ, Good Shepherd. H

ansen received his BA

from Y

ale, singing in The Y

ale Whiffenpoofs,

his MM

in voice from T

he Catholic U

niversity of Am

erica, his MM

in conducting from T

he College-

Conservatory of M

usic at the University of C

incinnati, and is currently a doctoral candidate in choral conducting at the U

niversity of Arizona. H

ansen has conducted such works as B

ach’s Lobet den H

errn, Mozart’s R

equiem, H

owell’s R

equiem, H

aydn’s Lord Nelson M

ass, Poulenc’s Mass in G

, and V

aughan W

illiams’

Three

Shakespeare Songs.

Hansen

has studied

conducting w

ith B

ruce C

hamberlain, E

lizabeth Schauer, Leo Nestor, Jerry B

lackstone, Mark G

ibson, Earl R

ivers, Fiora C

ontino, and Robert Sund. H

ansen was the director of choral activities at C

incinnati State College,

directing the Cincinnati State C

horale’s performance of W

hitacre’s Lux Aurum

que, the national anthem

at a Cincinnati R

eds Gam

e, and a set of spirituals for the World C

hoir Gam

es in 2012. He

was a C

onducting Fellow at the C

horus Am

erica Conducting Sym

posium in 2010, H

ouston, TX

, and he founded and directed the W

ashington Collegium

, in Washington, D

.C. from

2007 to 2009.

About Sam

Sierra-Feldm

anSam

Feldman is a senior studying V

oice and Creative W

riting at the University of A

rizona. She recently published her first children's book, "Sam

the Ant," and co-produced a children's album

, "K

aleidoscope." In addition to the Helios E

nsemble, Sam

also sings and conducts with local

ensemble A

udivi Vocem

and currently serves as President of Enharm

onics A C

appella.

Board of D

irectors:

Naja M

cKenzie – President

Korie B

irkholz – Vice President

Lisa Brow

n - SecretaryG

ary Anderson - T

reasurerSean G

ellenbeck - Information T

echnology Lisa B

irkholz - At-large

Laura Couchm

an - At-large

William

Couchm

an - At-large

Paul Kreuzer - A

t-largeJanet R

owe - A

t-large

Helios E

ssential Collaborators:

Alisha E

scoto – Graphic D

esigner D

aniel Janes – Venue Set-up G

ary A

nderson – Venue Set-up

Program

Preludios

Manuel de Falla (1876-1946)

Robert Schum

ann (1810-1956)F

rom D

ichterliebe M

vt. 1 Im w

underschönen Monat M

aiM

vt. 7 Ich grolle nicht

Beati O

mnes

Hark A

ll Ye L

ovely Saints

Dos P

alabras

Ivo Antognini (b. 1963)

Thom

as Weelkes (1576-1623)

Ivo Antognini (b. 1963)

From

Suite Nordestina

Mvt. 3 B

umba C

horaM

vt. 4 Eu vou, eu vou

arr. Ronaldo M

iranda (b. 1948)

Mass in C

, op. 86K

yrieG

loriaC

redoSanctus/B

enedictusA

gnus Dei

Ludwig van B

eethoven (1770-1827)

Erika B

urkhart, sopranoK

ristin Dauphinais, m

ezzo-soprano H

ugo Vera, T

enorA

ndrew Stuckey, bass

Benjam

in Hansen, conductor

Helios E

ssential Collaborators: A

lisha Escoto – G

raphic Designer, D

aniel Janes – Venue Set-up,

Gary A

nderson – Venue Set-up

Stay tuned to The Helios E

nsemble in Spring 2017! O

ur Board of Directors have been w

orking diligently over the last several m

onths and will be launching m

any new projects to increase our

internet presence and bring this ensemble into the 21

stcentury!

Mira R

eyju, SopranoB

enjamin H

ansen, Piano

Benjam

in Hansen, conductor

Sam Sierra-F

eldman, conductor

-IN

TE

RM

ISSION

-

the variation of performing forces w

ith men alone follow

ed by wom

en. These unique textures in C

m

ajor are followed by angular leaps and then by repeat of the m

aterial changed into haunting C

minor. M

ore angularity ensues to close out the first section. The E

t incarnatus est is a peaceful lyrical setting of the text sim

ilar to many m

asses by Haydn and M

ozart. The tranquility is sm

ashed, how

ever, at the Crucifixus. Soon after, B

eethoven takes another sharp turn, this time to joyful,

buoyant music w

ith clear text painting through ascending motives at E

t resurrexit. Unnerving

syncopation at the word Judicare expresses the fear of judgm

ent mom

entarily shattering the sense of trium

ph of the resurrection which is then quickly abated by the joyful C

ujus regni non erit finis. A

lightning fast fugue at Et vitam

venturi saeculi closes the movem

ent, a Viennese tradition cast in a

never before seen freneticism.

With the Sanctus, B

eethoven finally gives us an extended mom

ent of repose with clear but em

otive harm

onic language and chant like passages. Yet, and of course, B

eethoven soon follows this w

ith a huge uptick in energy at Pleni sunt coeli follow

ed by an Osanna fugue, com

pleting the three-part ternary design of this m

ovement.

The B

enedictus features the traditional lyrical solo quartet, accompanied by unison choir and

pastoral like figures in the strings and woodw

inds. Of note is the rising m

elody of the first violin and flute above the chant-like choral unison accom

paniment evoking im

ages of the countryside like those found in B

eethoven’s 6th symphony and m

ore generally reflecting Beethoven’s interest in

nature.

In final movem

ent, the Agnus D

ei, Beethoven continues to surprise, this tim

e with a lilting 12/8

meter and a tw

o-part overall design, instead of the comm

on three part. The series of opening 8th

notes represent a slow trem

olo, and perhaps the trembling of those aw

aiting judgment. Poignant

and inflected miserere and echoing peccata m

undi passages close out the first section. The 2nd

section in classic Beethoven fashion is com

pletely free of all worry and doubt flow

ing in a fast, uninhibited 4/4 tim

e. In the end, this jubilant section morphs into the beginning m

aterial form the

Kyrie, bringing us full circle in a final, solem

n, and earnest request for peace.

--

Join us June 17th and 18th for "Brahm

s and Beer,"

a hearty celebration of Brahm

s' Love Waltzes, and the 4th m

ovement

of his Requiem

. Music by Paulus, Poulenc, R

unestad and Antognini also featured!

Pro

gram N

ote

s

Mass in C

by Ludwig van B

eethoven (1770-1827)O

f his Mass in C

, Beethoven said “I have treated the text in a m

anner in which it has been rarely

treated.” While there are m

any similarities w

ith the overall Viennese design of H

aydn’s late Masses,

Beethoven’s extrem

es of dynamics, rhythm

ic ingenuity, bold harmonic shifts, infinite variety of

textures, performing forces, and dram

atic text painting made this m

ass of 1807 a groundbreaking w

ork. It is, however, often overlooked because of his other m

onumental M

ass, the Missa Solem

nis of 1823.

Though B

eethoven’s bold new m

ass, complete w

ith text manipulations, w

as called “unchurchly” by som

e of his critics, much is fam

iliar, including the Viennese tradition of a ternary or three-part

design for each movem

ent. The K

yrie holds true to this feature, aided by the text itself—K

yrie eleison, C

hriste eleison, Kyrie eleison—

providing an AB

A structure. In the A

section, the choir presents the first them

e in stepwise m

otivic motion, w

hich will recur through the m

ovement and

the entire mass, and the soprano soloist presents the second. T

he Christe or B

section is presented responsorially, chorus answ

ering the soloists, with the unusual m

odulation from C

to E m

ajor instead of G

, likely of great surprise to Prince Esterhazy, w

ho comm

issioned the Mass. T

he return of the K

yrie or A section features several subtle changes but closes w

ith unsettling and sudden dynam

ic shifts.

Like the Kyrie, the G

loria keeps with the V

iennese tradition of the ternary design, and like most

masses of H

aydn and Mozart, the C

um sancto spiritu section features a fugue. Y

et, imm

ediately, it is clear that this is a G

loria unlike any before it; within the first 50 bars, the dynam

ic alternates from

forte to piano six times! T

hese rapid dynamic changes are accom

panied by register changes with, for

example, the A

doramus te in low

register and piano dynamic quickly shifting to the G

lorificamus te

an octave higher at a forte dynamic. T

he overall exuberance of the first section shifts dramatically

with Q

ui tollis peccata mundi. C

hanging meter, reduced forces, and the exposed m

ezzo-soprano solo reflect the plea for m

ercy. The extrem

e dramatic shifts continue w

ith a sudden fortissimo on

Qui sedes follow

ed by soft, pleading misereres follow

ed by an uproarious Quoniam

section that leads into the exhilarating C

um sancto fugue. B

eethoven furthers the intensity by a seemingly

endless, but always interesting coda-like A

men.

The C

redo features excited drama in triple m

eter with unison singing effectively interspersed

between 4-part hom

ophony. Like the Gloria, the C

redo has clear but passionate harmonies,

energized by propulsive rhythmic figures especially in the strings. A

t the Qui propter nos hom

ines, B

eethoven maintains vivid interest not only through the dram

atic reduction of energy but also by

Benjam

in Hansen, A

rtistic Director

Korie B

irkholz, Assistant D

irector Shantell P

etty, Accom

panist

Sopranos: K

orie Birkholz

Allie E

sposito N

ora Evans-R

eitz A

ndrea Hunter

Trish M

arji N

aja McK

enzie Stephanie Pond A

nn Stephens A

myB

eth Willis

Altos:

Lisa Brow

n M

elanie De Sa

Dana D

ouglas A

lisha Escoto

Sam Sierra-Feldm

an A

ngela Hoover

Linda Horow

itzA

bi JuganaruLois M

anowitz

Janet Row

e D

eb Ryan

Becky Sam

dahlStephanie Schoggen W

atson R

enee Summ

ers

Violin I: E

llen Cham

berlain, Anna G

endler, A

licia Hagerm

an, Sharon Beauregard

Violin II: D

avid Rife, C

arlie Rigg,

Wynne R

ife, Jose Leonardi Moore

Viola: A

nn Weaver, Joseph Pagan, Sara T

oy C

ello: Robert C

hamberlain,

Marybeth B

rown-Plam

beckB

ass: Paul Ensey

Flute I: Alexander Lipay

Flute II: Deena R

eedy O

boe I: Josh Hall

Oboe II: M

ichaela Gauthier

Tenors:

Neil B

auerLaura C

ouchman

Sandy Delozier

Jinzho JiaM

ichael Melton

William

PascoeG

uillermo R

eyes Keym

olent G

avin Tidaback

Basses:

Gary A

ndersonJared A

ragonJam

es Birkholz

Bill C

ouchman

Sean FinnH

ayden Eric G

odfreyM

ark Hockenberry

Daniel Janes

Paul Kreuzer

Jeff LadderudK

evin Nienhouse

Lee Samdahl

Paul Stegall

Clarinet I: N

at Groom

C

arinet II: John De La Paz

Bassoon I: Jj A

révalo B

assoon II: Jessica Cam

pbell H

orn I: Victor V

alenzuela H

orn II: Kathleen D

emlow

T

rumpet I: Jason C

arder T

rumpet II: A

my B

urmeister

Tim

pani: Kevin C

ross O

rgan: Doug Leightenheim

er

Orchestra

Do you have a business that w

ould be interested in supporting the Helios E

nsemble?

Please consider purchasing advertisement space in the program

for our Summ

er 2017 concerts in June. W

e will be accepting business card sized as w

ell as quarter, half, and full page advertisem

ents.

--

To all our patrons, supporters, and donors w

ho make T

he Helios E

nsemble

performances possible, thank you! Please consider a donation (no am

ount too small) to

help sustain our music. T

he Helios E

nsemble is an A

rizona Non-Profit C

orporation designated by the IR

S for tax-deductible 501(c)3 contributions.

Go to our w

ebsite to learn more:

www.HeliosE

nsemble.org

We are grateful for the support of our Sponsors and D

onors, listed below.

Chorus Sponsors ($1000+

) A

nonymous

Judith Peters and Dennis N

oonanSoloist Sponsors ($400+

) A

nonymous (2)

Carol des C

ognetsLaura and B

ill Couchm

an

Frank Albinder

Mareena B

oosamra B

all and Bill B

all N

eil Bauer

Lisa FreelandK

arl Haas

Nancy H

umm

elA

nne JohnsonJudith K

reuzerIrene and Steve Little

Richard Long

Arlis M

cLean and Michael M

elton Suzanne M

ohrD

avid Nix

Instrumentalist Sponsors ($250+

) M

ariette and Dan Francis

Naja M

cKenzie

Janet and Michael R

owe

Peggy and Dave Y

oung

William

PascoeJohn Pestle

Ed Porem

bskiM

indy Powell

Cassandra Prescott D

eborah Ryan

Susan SchlaepferLinda Sielken

Patricia and John Stocker Jerem

y Tipton

Linda Waugh

Am

yBeth W

illis

Donors