Pepper Choplin, Director
Susannah Stewart, soprano
Nora Burgard, mezzo-soprano
Wade Henderson, tenor
Dr. William Adams, bass-baritone
Patti Lingafelt, harpsichord/keyboard

December 4, 2022, 7:30 pm
Westwood Baptist Church
200 Westhigh Street, Cary, NC 27513

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Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God; speak ye comfortably to  Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity  is pardoned. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way  of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill made low, the crooked straight, and the rough places plain.

And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

Thus saith the Lord of Hosts: Yet once a little while and I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land; and I will shake all nations; and the desire of all nations shall come. The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in; Behold, He shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts.

But who may abide the day of His coming? And who shall stand when He appeareth? For He is like a refiner’s fire

And He shall purify the sons of Levi that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.

Behold! A Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Emmanuel, God with us.

O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up into the high mountain; O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.

For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people; but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee, and the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; and they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.

There were shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night. And lo! The Angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. And the Angel said untothem, Fear not; for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be toall people; for unto you is born this day in the City of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying…

Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth, goodwill towards men

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, thy King cometh unto thee! He is the righteous Savior, and He shall speak peace unto the heathen.

Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing.

He shall feed His flock like a shepherd; and He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. Come unto Him, all ye that labor. Come unto Him, that are heavy laden, and He will give you rest. Take His yoke upon you, and learn of Him, for He is meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Hallelujah: for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Hallelujah!

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain and hath redeemed us to God by His blood to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing… Blessing, and honor… glory, and power be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

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In 1741 Handel’s fortunes were so low that he was considering leaving England. His opera company had collapsed and he had suffered a stroke. Handel accepted the invitation to compose an oratorio, a much more popular style of concert of the time. A text was presented to him by his good friend and patron, Charles Jennens, a wealthy landowner who had helped to finance every one of Handel’s publications since 1725. The text was assembled from the King James Bible and Psalms as printed in the Book of Common Prayer. In a letter to a friend, Charles Jennens wrote that he hoped that Handel will “…lay out his whole genius and skill upon it, that the composition may excel all his former compositions as the subject excels every other subject. The subject is Messiah.”

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Pepper Choplin, Cary Community Choir’s conductor, is a renowned composer and conductor of church music. Choplin received the Bachelor of Music degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a Master of Music degree in composition from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. His published works include over 300 anthems for church and school choir with 20 church cantatas and two books of piano arrangements. Over 150 groups have commissioned him to write original works for them. An original hymn, “Come to the Water” appears in the hymnal, Celebrating Grace. In 2013, Pepper made his Carnegie Hall debut in a joint concert with Joseph Martin. Since then, he has conducted seven concerts of his music at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. He has also performed his cantatas in Raleigh’s Meymandi Auditorium with area church choirs that combined to make up a 250 voice choir accompanied by an orchestra.

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Susannah Stewart, soprano, recently earned her MM degree from the Eastman School of Music (2021), after earning her bachelor’s degree at UNC Chapel Hill in Voice and Political Science (2019). In her years at Eastman, she performed the role of Aveline Mortimer in Elizabeth Cree (Kevin Puts) and The Lady with the Cake Box in Postcard from Morocco (Dominick Argento), both music directed by her primary coach, Professor Timothy Long. In 2020, Susannah was asked by Eastman’s Dean Marie Rolf to perform in her “Debussy Premieres” lecture recital, presented in Hatch Hall at Eastman, and at the J.P. Morgan Library in New York City, alongside Anthony Dean Griffey, tenor, and Randall Scarlata, baritone. This production featured a New York City premiere, a US premiere, and a world premiere.
Throughout high school and college, Susannah was an active competitor in the NATS competitions, often winning state-wide and regionally, and in 2018, she won first place for Junior/Senior College Women at the national competition. Other opera credits include Alcina (Alcina, UNC Opera), Dido (Dido and Aeneas, UNC Opera), and Zerlina (Don Giovanni, International Young Artists’ Project). Future performances will include Il primo amore by Marianna Martines and the role of Euridice from Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice, both with the Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle.

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Nora Burgard has performed in a variety of operas and concerts as a soloist over the past ten years, and has been a member of several elite chamber ensembles in the Detroit, Philadelphia, Boston and Raleigh/Durham areas. Most recent roles include the Mother in Menotti’s The Consul and Mme de Croissy in Poulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmellites, both with Boston Conservatory Opera. She is a current member of Duke University’s Vespers and Evensong ensembles, and has been teaching in the Triangle for 2 years. Nora holds her master’s degree from the Boston Conservatory and her bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan.

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Tenor Wade Henderson appears frequently on local stages in opera, concert and choral settings. He is known for his “strong, vibrant tenor voice” (Classical Voice of North Carolina) as well as for his facility with a wide variety of musical styles.
In opera, Wade’s accomplishments include critically acclaimed performances of Madama Butterfly (Lt. Pinkerton), Pagliacci (Canio), and the world premiere of J. Mark Scearce’s A Tree – A Rock – A Cloud (Old Man); the title role in L’amico Fritz; and supporting parts in Salome, il Barbiere di Siviglia, La Bohème, Le nozze di Figaro, Lucia di Lammermoor, Rigoletto, Carmen, Aida, Tristan und Isolde, Das Rheingold, Samson et Dalila, Norma and Die Zauberflöte.
As a concert soloist, Wade’s recent engagements include performances of Bach’s Magnificat and St. John Passion, Beethoven’s Symphony #9, Missa Solemnis, and Mass in C, Berlioz’s Te Deum, Britten’s St. Nicolas cantata and Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings, Dvorak’s Requiem and Stabat Mater, Handel’s Messiah and Israel in Egypt, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass and Mass in Time of War (Paukenmesse), Mahler’s Das klagende Lied, Mendelssohn’s Elijah and St. Paul, Mozart’s Requiem, Rachmaninoff’s All-Night Vigil (Vespers), Stravinsky’s Les Noces (The Wedding), Tippett’s A Child of Our Time and the world premiere of Scearce’s String Quartet #2 “Atlantis” with the renowned Borromeo Quartet.
Wade is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where he studied French Horn and voice.

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Dr. William Adams is enjoying a diverse and extensive career in music as an educator, conductor, performer, composer, and scholar. His studio in Durham, North Carolina, provides instruction in voice, woodwinds, piano, guitar, theory, and jazz improvisation and covers a wide range of musical styles from opera through musical theater, jazz, and folk. Dr. Adams maintains an active schedule as a conductor and clinician, primarily in vocal music, throughout the country including work with honor and festival choirs. As a performer, he has worked as an operatic baritone with more than 60 roles to his credit in opera, musical theater and oratorio. Dr. Adams directs the award winning Heart of Carolina A Capella chorus in Durham, serves as Director of Music at Church of the Holy Family in Chapel Hill, and is co-founder and musical director of the Triangle Vocal Project. In addition to his vocal work he also works extensively as an instrumentalist in ensembles ranging from symphony orchestras to blues bands on more than 40 instruments. His compositions and arrangements have received international performances and awards, and his research in the music of Ralph Vaughan Williams has received international publication and attention from universities around the world.

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Patti Lingafelt, harpsichordist/keyboardist and organist, received the Bachelor of Music degree from James Madison University in Organ Performance and the Master of Divinity with Church Music degree (organ concentration) from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. She and her husband Steven have lived in Durham since 1982. Mrs. Lingafelt, an ordained Baptist minister, has served several churches in the Triangle area as Minister of Music/Organist, retiring from Trinity United Methodist Church in Durham in February 2021. She has accompanied middle school and high school choruses, as well as numerous soloists and instrumentalists and continues to serve as a freelance accompanist. This is her ninth appearance as accompanist for the annual Cary Community Choir performance of Messiah. Mrs. Lingafelt is a member of the American Guild of Organists, Durham-Chapel Hill and Central NC Chapters; American Choral Directors Association; and Choristers Guild. The Lingafelts have two grown children

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We would like to express our deep appreciation to the following businesses, agencies and individuals who have generously given donations in support of tonight’s concert.

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Cary Community Choir is supported in part by grants from the Lazy Daze Arts and Crafts Festival, an annual Cary-based festival supporting local arts and non-profit organizations and activities. Operational and promotional support is also given by the Town of Cary Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources, William Lewis, Cultural Arts Manager.

Thank you to Tom Ogburn, Senior Pastor, and Derrick Arellano, Associate Pastor for Music and Worship, at Westwood Baptist Church for their invitation and support in hosting this concert in their facility.

Following tonight’s presentation, a free-will offering will be taken at the door to help defray the program expenses. Your contribution to the Cary Community Choir is tax deductible and greatly appreciated.

Checks may be made out to Cary Community Choir. You may also contribute online at www.carycommunitychoir.org. Please help to ensure the future of this Cary tradition through your generosity.

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President: Elizabeth Booker
Secretary: Donna Riddel
Treasurer: Jim Bridges

Board Members

Pamela Alachi
Alan Booker
Denise Buckner
Benita Budd
Nancy Canterbury
Judy White

Marketing/Communications: Regina Kaiser
Fundraising: Nancy Canterbury
Webmaster: Alan Booker

The date and location of next year’s 53rd performance of Handel’s “Messiah” will be listed on the Cary Community Choir website as soon as those details are confirmed. Find us at
www.carycommunitychoir.org

Willow Alston-Socha
Michele Bergeron
Diane Beth
Suzanne Brewer
Linda Brown
Karen Calhoun
Nancy Canterbury
Caroline Cimorelli
Bailey Coffer
Susan Davis
Denise Ferrell
Kate Fredrikson
Jessica Gettings
Paula Hansen
Laurel Hills
Virginia Irving
Norma Jones
Virginia Jones
Kazue Kojima
Jennifer Kruchlen-Gurecki
Erin Lipinski
Christine Mailliard
Lisa McFarland
Sue McGee Wind
Sue Milligan
Molly Patton
Kathy Pierce
Donna Riddel
Carol Ridge
Megan Robbins
Hope Rust
Maureen Sanner
Patricia Shackleton
Karin Shank
Bobbie Summers
Kristin Warngren
Judy White
Alice Williams
Liz Wilson

Rebecca Bailey
Susan Birchfield
Anne Birke
Candace Blackley
Alita Bluford
Elizabeth Booker
Hadyn Boyte
Stephanie Brennan
Renee Bridges
Denise Buckner
Sue Buning
Patrice Chapman
Kerry Christian
Dana Coleman
Nannette Collier
Christi Cook
Jean Costa
Rena Courtay
Mary Donny
Elizabeth Dworkin
Leah Fell
Sarah Flores
Khris Ford
Christine Forman
Ellen Fox
Katherine Gillespie
Michele Gilliard
Maria Kunath
Dawn LaRue
Suzanne Letchworth
Janet Liscio
Debra Maas
Margot Mahannah
Kate Marreiros
Toni Miller
Jennifer Mishoe
Julie Mitchell
Lisa Notz
Alix Peters
Sarah Rathbun
Janet Reagan
Terri Ring
Ruth Sappie
Jackie Schmidt
Donna Scott
Jessica Sinha
Marisa Spina
Pam Strug
Bonnie Temple
Jane Tobia
Helen Tsui
Christy Walker
Chelsea Wilson
Nancy Young

Pam Alachi
Derrick Arellano
Reginald Beard
Chrissie Ficken
Wes Ficken
Sally Fox
Jim Heida
James Housman
Kenichi Kojima
Adam Lindgren
Jim Matzko
Chuck McCullen
Ron Mitchell
Debora Murphy
Kiser Norris
Ken Scott
Daniel Tsui
James Wetterau

Rock Angier
Robert Antion
Jim Bridges
Forrest Burris
Roger Ehrlich
Earl Enzor
David Gurecki
Ken Hartman
Jim Heddell
Gary Hunt
Bill King
Larry Kingsley
Mike Law
Girard Lew
Michael Ridge
Kerry Schmidt
Jim Sproat
Tom Stribling
Richard Wilson
Zach Wilson
Jamie Winspear
Dan Young

Version 0.4

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