BGSU MEN'S CHORUS
Spring Tour 2025

Richard Schnipke, conductor
C.J. Capen, pianist
Alejo Goenaga & Aaron Roos, graduate assistant conductors
Charles Ligus, percussion

Friday, February 28
Arlington High School, Arlington, OH
Medina United Methodist Church, Medina, OH

Saturday, March 1
Presbyterian Church of Chatham Township, Chatham Township, NJ

Monday, March 3
St. John the Divine Cathedral, New York, NY
Rutgers University Nicholas Music Center, New Brunswick, NJ - with Rutgers Glee Club

Tuesday, March 4
First Congregational Church of Tallmadge, Tallmadge, OH

Program to be selected from...

Ad Amore | Lee Kesselman
text Dante Alighieri

Italian:
Quello infinito e ineffabil bene
chè là suè, così corre ad amore
com’ a lucido corpo raggio vene.

English Translation:
That Goodness, infinite and ineffable,
Which is above, runs toward Love,
As light comes to polished bodies

Hanacpachap Cussicuinin | Juan Perez Bocanegra (c. 1598-1631), arr. Eugene Rogers
Text : anonymous Christian hymn
Sung in Quechuan
          Charles Ligus, Nate Black and CJ Capen, percussion

Quechuan:
Hanacpachap cussicuinin,
Huarn cacta muchas caique.
Yupairuru pucocmallqui,
Runa cunap suyacuinin.
Callpannacpa quemicuinin,
Huaciascaita.

Uryarihuai muchascaita
Diospa rampan Diospamaman
Yurac tocto hamancaiman
Yupascalla, collpascaita
Huahuaiquiman suyuscaita
Ricuchillai.

English Translation:
Heaven's joy!
A thousand times shall we praise you.
O tree bearing thrice-blessed fruit,
O hope of humankind,
helper of the weak,
Hear our prayer!

Attend to our pleas,
O column of ivory, Mother of God!
Beautiful iris, yellow and white,
receive this song we offer you;
come to our assistance,
show us the fruit of your womb.

When Music Sounds | Connor J. Koppin (b. 1991)
Text: Walter John de la Mare (1873-1956)

When music sounds, gone is the earth I know,
And all her lovely things even lovelier grow;
Her flowers in vision flame, her forest trees
Lift burdened branches, stilled with ecstasies.

When music sounds, out of the water rise
Naiads whose beauty dims my waking eyes,
Rapt in strange dreams burns each enchanted face,
With solemn echoing stirs their dwelling-place.

When music sounds, all that I was I am
Ere to this haunt of brooding dust I came;
And from Time's woods break into distant song
The swift-winged hours, as I hasten along.  

Flight from “The Greatest of These” | Daniel Elder (b. 1986)
Text: Daniel Elder

A flash of wonder from eternal height,
I give anew to all the world its sight;
A blinding rush of colors all alight,
To see full well the sum of joys in flight.

Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariae,
Et concepit de Spiritu sancto.

Ave Maria | Franz Biebl (1906-2001)
         
Logan Gutierrez, Dominic Carlozzi and Seth Foth, soloists

Latin:
Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariae,
Et concepit de Spiritu sancto.

Ave Maria, gratia plena,
Dominus tecum,
Benedicta tu in mulieribus
Et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesus.

Maria dixit:
Ecce ancilla Domini,
Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum.

Ave Maria...

Et verbum caro factum est
Et habitavit in nobis.

Ave Maria...

Sancta Maria, mater Dei,
Ora pro nobis peccatoribus.
Sancta Maria, ora pro nobis
Nunc et in hora mortis nostrae.
Amen.

English:
The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary,
and she conceived by the Holy Spirit

Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Mary said:
Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
be it unto me according to thy word.

Hail Mary...

The Word was made flesh,
and dwelt among us.

Hail Mary...

Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

Pueri Hebræorum | Randall Thompson (1899-1984), arr. James Rodde
Text: Book of John
Sung in Latin

Latin:
Pueri Hebræorum
portantes ramos olivarum,
obviaverunt Domino,
clamantes, et dicentes:
Hosanna in excelsis Deo!

English Translation:
The children of the Hebrews,
carrying palms and olive-branches,
went forth to meet the Lord,
crying out and saying:
Hosanna in the highest!

There’s a Meeting Here Tonight | Bob Gibson, Alex Hassilev and Glenn Yarbrough, arr. Cantus
         
Ben Tittl and Andy Norbuta, soloists

There is a meeting here tonight!

Well there's a meeting here tonight 
There's a meeting here tonight 
I can tell by your friendly face 
There's a meeting here tonight

Well I went down in the valley one day 
met old Satan on my way 
What do you reckon old Satan did say? 
He said, Turn back, young man 
You're too young to pray.

Satan got mad and I am glad 
Lost a soul he thought he had 
Satan is a liar and a conjuror too 
You better watch out brother he'll conjure you

Well there's a meeting here tonight 
There's a meeting here tonight 
I can tell by your friendly face 
There's a meeting here tonight

Sing, My Child | Sarah Quartel (b. 1982)
Text: Sarah Quartel
          Micah Roth and Jake Grafitti, tenors
          Charles Ligus, percussion

Sing for the promise
In each new morning.
Sing for the hope
In a new day dawning.

All around is beauty bright!
Wake in the morning
And sing, my child,
Sing, my child.

Dance in the joy
Of the day unfolding.
Dance as you work
And dance as you're learning.

All around is beauty bright!
Take to the day
And dance, my child,
Dance, my child.

But when troubles come
And worry is all that can be found
Gather your strength and hear your voice.
Sing, my child.

Laugh in the cool
And fresh of the ev'ning
Laugh in your triumph
Laugh in succeeding.

All around is beauty bright!
Rest in the ev'ning
And laugh, my child.

Peace in the stillness
And dark of the night
Peace in the dreams
Of your silent delights.

All around is beauty bright!
Sleep in the night
And peace, my child,
Peace, my child.

But when troubles come
And worry is all that can be found
Gather your strength and hear your voice.
Sing, my child.

Sing, my child.
Dance, my child.
Laugh, my child.
Peace, my child.

The Magic Flute | Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
No. 18

Chorus of Priests:
O Isis and Osiris! Sacred wonder!
The gloomy night by light is rent asunder.
The noble youth through suffering recreated.
Shall be to holy office consecrated.
His heart is bold, And pure his mind,
Soon, will the gods be satisfied.

Mis on inimene? (What is human?) | Pärt Uusberg
text Doris Kareva

Estonian:
Mis on inimene?
Kas ingli vari?
Või igatsushüüd
hingeühtsuse poole?
Igaüks meist on pill,
Läbi mille võrratuid vise vilistab Jumala tuul:
Hoia, küll siis hoitakse

English Translation:
What is human?
The shadow of an angel?
Or a cry of yearning
towards a union of souls?
Each of us a pipe
For God’s wind to whistle:
Take care, then you are cared for.

Good Timber | Susan LaBarr (b. 1981)
Text: Douglas Malloch (1877-1938)

The tree that never had to fight
For sun and sky and air and light,
But stood out in the open plain
And always got its share of rain,
Never became a forest king
But lived and died a scrubby thing.
Good timber does not grow with ease:
The stronger wind, the stronger trees;
The further sky, the greater length;
The more the storm, the more the strength.
By sun and cold, by rain and snow,
In trees and men good timbers grow.
Where thickest lies the forest growth,
We find the patriarchs of both.
And they hold counsel with the stars
Whose broken branches show the scars
Of many winds and much of strife.
This is the common law of life.

I’ll Be On My Way | Shawn Kirchner (b. 1970)
Text: Shawn Kirchner
          Aaron Roos, baritone
          Ryan Spiess, double bass
          Charles Ligus, percussion

When I am gone, don’t you cry for me,
Don’t you pity my sorry soul.
What pain there might have been will now be past
And my spirit will be whole.

I’ll be on my way
I’ll have left my feet of clay upon the ground
I will be glory bound
I’ll be on my way

When I am gone, please forgive my wrongs
That I might have done to you;
There’ll be no room regrets up there,
High above, way beyond the blue.

I’ll be on my way
I’ll have laid my frown and all my burdens down
I’ll be puttin’ on my crown,
I’ll be on my way.

When I am gone, don’t you look for me
In the places I have been;
I’ll be alive, but somewhere else,
I’ll be on my way again!

I’ll be on my way,
I will lift my wings and soar into the air,
There’ll be glory ev’rywhere,
I’ll be on my way!

Traditional Songs of the BGSU Men's Chorus

Brothers, Sing On! | Edvard Greig (1843-1907), arr. Howard D. McKinney
Text: Herbert Dalmas

Come and let our swelling song
Mount like the whirling wind,
As it meets our singing throng,
So Blithe of heart and mind

Care and sorrow
now be gone
Brothers,
sing on!

Forward Falcons! | Wayne Bohrnstedt, Gilbert Fox, & Edith Ludwig Bell, arr. Will Baughman (b. 1993)
         
Aaron Roos, conductor

Forward Falcons!
Fight for victory.
BGSU!
Show our spirit.
Make them fear it.
Fight for ol’ BG

Forward Falcons!
Make the contest keen.
Hold up the fame
Of our mighty name
And win for Bowling Green

When all is but a memory
Of the bygone days
We’ll remember them always,
Those good ol’ by gone days

Ay Ziggy Zoomba Zoomba Zoomba
Ay Ziggy Zoomba Zoomba Ze
Ay Ziggy Zoomba Zoomba Zoomba
Ay Ziggy Zoomba Zoomba Ze
Roll along you BG warriors
Roll along and win for BGSU!

Alma Mater | Edith Ludwig Bell (1929-1988), arr. John M. Hyde

Alma mater hear us
As we praise thy name.
Make us worthy sons and daughters
Adding to thy fame.

Time will treat you kindly
And some years from now you’ll be
Ever dearer to our hearts,
Our University

From the halls of Ivy
Over to the campus scene,
Chimes ring out with gladness
For our dear Bowling Green.

When all is but a memory
Of the bygone days,
Hear our hymn dear Alma mater
As thy name we praise.  

schnipke

Dr. Richard Schnipke serves as Associate Professor of Music Performance and Director of Choral Activities at Bowling Green State University.  His duties at BGSU include conducting the Collegiate Chorale and Men’s Chorus, as well as teaching graduate courses in choral repertoire and graduate and undergraduate conducting.  Previously, Dr. Schnipke held faculty positions at Xavier University and The Ohio State University and spent 15 years as a public-school choral director.  He holds degrees from Bowling Green State University and The Ohio State University and has done additional graduate studies at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.  

Choirs under Schnipke’s direction have performed at national and regional conferences of the American Choral Directors Association and have made numerous appearances at the Ohio Music Education Association Professional Development Conference and the Ohio Choral Directors Association Summer Conference.  Schnipke’s choirs have also sung for the American Musicological Society and for several national seminars of the IMC: The Tenor-Bass Choral Consoritum.  Dr. Schnipke also regularly prepares professional choruses for the Toledo Symphony Orchestra and frequently presents at state, regional, and national conference on the incorporation of Dalcroze Eurhythmics in the choral rehearsal.

Schnipke performs regularly as a professional chorister and has served as tenor section leader for Cincinnati’s Vocal Arts Ensemble (Grammy Award winner, Craig Hella Johnson, music director).  He is a Past-President of the Ohio Choral Directors Association, has served on the National Board of the National Collegiate Choral Organization, and is currently on the board of IMC: The Tenor-Bass Choral Consortium

cj-capen235020

CJ Capen is musical coordinator and accompanist in the BGSU Department of Theatre & Film.

He has been staff accompanist & vocal coach for Chicago Summer Opera, Elon University, Interlochen Center for the Arts, and American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria. He has served as keyboard artist for Georgetown Chorale, Vienna Chorale Society, and the semi-professional choir, Voce Chamber Singers from 2013-2023. He toured China with Baltimore Symphony Orchestra flutist Lauren Sileo in 2014, has given chamber music lecture recitals for Osher Lifelong Learning Institute in 2010, 2012, and 2014, and has given benefit concerts in recent years to include: St Veronica's Patriot Day Concert, Reston Drop-In Center, Cornerstone, Maryknoll Society, S.O.M.E's 40th Anniversary Celebration, All Saints Church, as well as the St Thomas More Cathedral Recital Series.

He is also conductor, recently conducting Steamboat Opera's production of "Frida", guest conducting the Arlington Diocese Choral Festival, guest conductor for Reston Chorale's Messiah Sing-Along, and he has been music director for Paul VI High School musical productions from 2018-2022. He served as Director of Music at St John Neumann Church in Reston VA from 2008-2023, one of the largest churches in the Diocese of Arlington, where he conducted the Festival Choir & Orchestra as well as oversaw the other six ensembles. The St John Neumann Choir completed a recording project in 2019, “Rejoice! Sounds of the Season!", and the choir has toured France, Austria, Germany, and Czech Republic.

He is a member of NAfME, ACDA, NPM, DC’s Friday Morning Music Club, and remains active as educator, conductor, recitalist, accompanist, and vocal coach.

Tenor 1
Nate Black ‘27, Construction Management, Bethel HS 
Arsen Cherubini ‘28, Bachelor of Science, Olentangy Orange HS 
Austin Cochrun ‘26, Communications, Dover HS 
Seth Foth ‘27, Undecided, Archbold HS 
Ben Haines ‘28, Undecided, John Hersey HS 
Matt Henry ‘28, Forensic Investigation, Berea Midpark HS 
Dylan Hohlfelder ‘26, Biochemistry, Gibsonburg HS 
Tyler Huntington ‘28, Music Education, Plainfield North HS, Illinois  
Corban Hutchins ‘26, Music Education, Princeton HS 
Nathaniel Knox ‘27, Environmental Policy, Hamilton HS 
Cipher McAlpine ‘28, Music Education, Newark HS 
Andrew Norbuta ‘28, Aviation, Olentangy HS 
Mike Perry ‘25, Music Education, Anderson HS 
Micah Roth ‘26, Accounting, Hoover HS 
Andrew Vo ‘27, Music Education, Grove City HS 

Tenor 2
Cooper Adams ‘26, Supply Chain Management, Van Wert HS 
Caden Anderson ‘26, Applied Health Science, Arlington HS 
Kyle Atkins ‘27, Sports Management, Centerville HS 
Kyle Biers ‘28, Music Education, Port Clinton HS 
Noah Burke ‘28, Statistics, Green HS 
Dominic Carlozzi ‘26, Music Education, Solon HS 
Cody Carr ‘26, Social Studies Education, Sidney HS 
Alejo Goenaga ‘25, Graduate Choral Conducting, Wake Forest University, North Carolina 
Jake Grafitti ‘27, Music Education, Perrysburg HS 
Gavric Herring ‘28, Music Education, Olentangy Berlin HS 
Nicholas Jones ‘28, Neuroscience, Northwood HS 
Bruin Kennedy ‘26, Musical Theater, Sandusky HS 
Charlie Ligus ‘26, Music Education, Normandy HS 
Ronan McGrath ‘28, Music Education, Bishop Watterson HS 
Zackary Murray ‘28, Music Education, Montpelier HS 
Jacob Ramirez ‘28, Undecided, Dublin Jerome HS  
Joshua Shipe ‘27, 3-D Animation, Fairbanks HS 
Mason Smith ‘27, Music Education, Liberty-Benton HS 
Aaron Stephenson ‘27, English Education, Loudonville HS 
Anthony Stout ‘27, Music Education, Oak Harbor HS 
Jesse Wilson ‘27, English, Beavercreek HS 
James Wolfram ‘28, Undecided, Central Catholic HS 
Colin Wood ‘26, Psychology, Copley HS  

Baritone
Apollo Bernath ‘27, Music Education, Sylvania Northview HS 
Nathan Byers ‘28, Music Education, Maumee HS 
Jess Driggs ‘27, Musical Theater, Sylvania Northview HS 
Gray Garza ‘26. Graphic Design, Hicksville HS 
Nicolas Golini ‘27, Ecology, Sylvania Southview HS 
Logan Gutierrez ‘26, Graduate Vocal Performance, Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida 
Aidan Johnston ‘28, Music Education, Watkins Memorial HS 
Jacob Labbe ‘25, Forensic Drug Analysis, Copley HS 
Alec Lee ‘26, Music Education, Oak Hills HS 
Kaleb LuceWireman ‘26, Computer Science, Upper Scioto Valley HS 
Mac McDaniel ‘27, Visual Communications Technology, St. John’s Jesuit
TJ Miller ‘28, Math Education, Anthony Wayne HS 
Colton Ogg ‘27, Music Education & Composition, Mohawk HS 
Patrick Osinski ‘25, Geology, Sylvania Northview HS  
Evan Rardon ‘28, Marketing, Grove City HS 
Aaron Roos ‘26, Graduate Choral Conducting, Bowling Green State University  
Matthew Steele ‘25, Music Education, Granville HS 
Nathan Stewart ‘28, Undecided, Perrysburg HS 
Gabriel Switzer ‘25, Bachelor of Musical Arts, Piqua HS 
Ben Tittl ‘27, Musical Theater & Composition, St. Johns Jesuit  
Issac Washington ‘25, Vocal Performance, Stivers School for the Arts 
Colin Williams ‘26, Public Health, Worthington Kilbourne HS 
Thomas Williamson ‘25, Media Production, Elida HS
Joshua Wolin ‘26, Film Production, Bloom-Carroll HS  

Bass
Harry Bare ’83, BGSU SAGE Program, Bowling Green State University
Max Barrett ’28, Advertising, Van Buren HS
Sean Barry ‘25, Film Production, Bartlett HS, Illinois
Randy Baughman ‘81, BGSU SAGE Program, Bowling Green State University
Luca Caretto ‘26, Bachelor of Musical Arts, Shaker Heights HS
Kameron Christy ‘28, Business, William Mason HS
Galen Coffman ‘29, Music Education & Composition, Shawnee Mission South HS, Kansas
Jaylen Donald ‘25, Digital Arts, Lima Senior HS
Evan Felske ‘27, Bachelor of Musical Arts, Emmanuel Christian HS
Benjamin Gardner ‘28, Aviation, La Salle HS
Chandler Giesswein ‘25, Hospitality, Ottawa-Glandorf HS
Dylan Haywood ‘26, Political Science, Copley HS
John Humphrey ‘27, Environmental Science, Mount Vernon HS
Evan King ‘26, Social Studies Education, Watkins Memorial HS
Gabriel Lancianese ‘28, Biology, Manchester HS
Samuel Lee ‘26, Finance, Otsego HS
Alexander Orgill ‘28, Music Education, Northridge HS
Ash Porter ‘28, Theater, West Clermont HS
Gavyn Sanchez ‘28, Theater, Botkins Local School
Kyle Schmidt ‘26, Psychology, Theodore Roosevelt HS
Ryan Spiess ‘28, Music Education, Bryan HS
Alex Smith ‘25, Bachelor of Musical Arts, Marquette Senior HS, Michigan
Ethan Stitt ‘28, Undecided, Bloom-Carroll HS
Jack Summanen ‘27, Psychology, Bishop Watterson HS
Ethan Vandeneynde ‘27, Music Education, Perrysburg HS  

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The BGSU Men’s Chorus is an auditioned ensemble open to all tenor and bass students, faculty and staff at Bowling Green State University. Established in 1971, the chorus’ motto and reputation as “America’s Finest Singing Machine” is well deserved, emanating decades of musical excellence. The ensemble encompasses students from all majors; over half are non-music majors, representing all seven colleges at the university.

The chorus organizes and presents two tours each academic year. Fall finds the singers traveling to locations in Ohio and Michigan, performing at high schools during the day and various concert venues in the evenings. The spring tour ventures to different locations each year. Past trips have taken the group to destinations including Colorado, Florida, New York City, Washington D.C., and Toronto. These off-campus pursuits provide opportunities to perform for diverse audiences, serve as musical ambassadors for BGSU, see different parts of the country, and bond and create lasting friendships with fellow chorus members.

Along with producing numerous recordings, the BGSU Men’s Chorus has performed at a number of regional and national ACDA conferences, the North Coast Conference of NAfME, as well as numerous OMEA state conferences and IMC national seminars. Recently, the group was honored to perform at the 2023 ACDA National Conference in Cincinnati, the 2023 and 2025 OMEA Professional Development Conferences, and the 2023 IMC National Seminar in Albion, MI. With the support of the College of Musical Arts, the group also frequently commissions new works. Recent commissioned composers include Stacy Gibbs, Dave Brubeck, Tim Takach, Zebulon Highben, Michael Cox, and Steven Sametz.

Thanks for attending this performance. If you have enjoyed your experience, please consider donating to the College of Musical Arts in support of our students and programming. Donate online at bgsu.edu/givecma, or call Karmen Concannon at 419-372-2424.

Audience members are reminded to silence alarm watches, pagers and cellular phones before the performance. As a matter of courtesy and copyright law, no recording or unauthorized photographing is allowed.

Updated: 02/28/2025 10:33AM