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The Tabor College Oratorio Chorus and Community Orchestra, conducted by Dr. Brad Vogel, Professor of Choral Music, presented Handel’s Messiah Sunday, Dec. 6., at the Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren Church, 300 Prairie Point, in Hillsboro.
Solos were sung by Tabor seniors Justin Moore, Emily Olson and Kayla Vix; juniors Darren Enns and Aaron Stepanek; and sophomore David Vogel. Lisa Loewen Kroeker, a 2004 graduate of Tabor, also performed as a soloist.
First performed in Dublin, Ireland, on April 13, 1742, Messiah is Handel’s most famous composition and is among the most popular works in Western choral literature. Although the work was conceived and first performed for Easter, it has become traditional to perform the oratorio during Advent, the preparatory period of the Christmas season.
“Much of the Hillsboro community sees Messiah as the beginning of the Christmas season,” said Vogel. “The college is happy to bring this music to the community.”
Dr. Sheila Litke, Associate Professor of Piano and Piano Pedagogy, played the harpsichord, and Stephen Vincent, Adjunct Instructor of Organ, had the privilege of playing Messiah’s familiar melodies on the church’s newly-restored pipe organ.
The vintage Kimball organ, restored by master organ builder Burton Tidwell of Marion, Kan., was donated to the church by Calvary United Methodist Church in Wichita, Kan. The restored organ was heard for the first time in public at this performance of Messiah.
Dr. Holly Swartzendruber, Associate Professor of Vocal Music, has been awarded the annual Clarence R. Hiebert Excellence in Teaching Award, the highest honor given to a faculty member at Tabor College.
Begun in the year 2000, the award is given annually to the faculty member who best exemplifies the qualities of excellent teaching at Tabor College.
These qualities include:
A strong Christian commitment
Record of excellence in teaching, as shown by peer and student reviews.
Evidence of integrating faith and learning.
Commitment to Tabor College as an institution, as shown in support of departments outside one’s own area.
Swartzendruber received the award from Provost Lawrence Ressler during the annual Honors and Awards Convocation, held May 13 at the college. In addition to a plaque and recognition at the annual spring appreciation dinner, the recipient of the Clarence R. Hiebert Award also receives a personal honorarium of $2,500.
“Dr. Swartzendruber is a special faculty member,” Ressler said. “It is clear from the comments of students that Dr. Swartzendruber is equally respected for her skills in teaching, her Christ-like character, and her relationship with students. She is well-deserving of the honor.”
A member of the Tabor faculty since 2003, among the courses taught by Swartzendruber are Vocal Pedagogy and Diction, Music Theory I and II, Ear Training/Sight Singing I and II, Introduction to Fine Arts, as well as private voice lessons.
A gifted concert soprano, Swartzendruber continues to develop her singing career through performances in faculty recitals, such as “Liederabend” and “Dueling Divas,” and as the soprano soloist in Fauré’s Requiem, Brahms’ Ein Deutches Requiem, Mozart’s Requiem, and Handel’s Messiah.
Last fall she starred as Golde in Tabor’s centennial production of Fiddler on the Roof, and the previous year served as Music Director for the Tabor musical drama Honk!
“Dr. Swartzendruber is a fine classroom and studio teacher,” said Dr. Richard Cantwell, Professor of Instrumental Music and Chair of the Music Department, “She has the ability to balance compassion and empathy against valuable learning experiences and realistic demands for her students.She communicates equally well on the concert stage, in a tradition classroom or one-on-one relationships.”
The nominating process for the Clarence R. Hiebert Award began during the spring term, when Ressler convened an ad hoc committee consisting of the two past student Hiebert Merit Award recipients, the two immediate past Clarence R. Hiebert award recipients, and the Vice President of Student Development.
The committee received more than a dozen glowing nominations for Swartzendruber, written by faculty peers as well as current and former students. The following are excerpts:
I would like to nominate Holly Swartzendruber for the Clarence R. Hiebert Excellence in Teaching Award because I believe she exemplifies the mission of Tabor in her teaching and relations with students and other faculty. She teaches with humility despite the fact that her gifts would definitely give her reason to boast. She is a loving, caring individual who lives out her faith in an admirable way. Not to mention that her teaching ability is one of the best at Tabor.
I would like to nominate Holly Swartzendruber for the Clarence Hiebert Teaching Award. Her impact on the students she teaches in private voice is immeasurable; both on the direct impact on her students and also the impact that those matured voices have on the rest of the choir members. Her teaching style, personality, and care for her students exemplify the mission of Tabor College: to prepare students for a life of learning, work and service for Christ and his Kingdom.
Holly has touched not only my life, but so many lives that have taken voice lessons from her during their years at Tabor College.Holly is an amazing teacher that goes out of her way to make sure all of her students are learning and becoming the best adults they can so that they can make this world a better place.I see no one better for this award than Holly.
Dr. Swartzendruber has been an extreme influence in my view of Tabor, my life goals, and is an excellent role model of how a Christian woman should live out her life for Christ.As seen by her incredible growing resume and experience, she is never satisfied by complacency, but strives to make Tabor a thriving source of the highest education.
Her commitment to Christ is evident in how she treats her students and colleagues, and her tireless devotion to be the best at what gifts God has given her to bless others.She deserves to be honored for her hard work.
Swartzendruber holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Kansas, a Master of Music in vocal performance from Ohio University, and a Bachelor of Arts in music, from Goshen College. She is married to Dr. Douglas B. Miller, Professor of Biblical and Religious Studies and Chair of the Bible, Religion, and Philosophy Department.
“I am honored to have served in such a strong music department with wonderful colleagues,” said Swartzendruber. “It has been a privilege to work with Tabor students, both in the classroom and in my voice studio.”
The Tabor College Symphonic Band, including the Jazz Band, Flute Ensemble and Bluejays’ Pep Band, will perform a series of free public concerts in Oklahoma during its annual Spring Tour, April 23 to 27, 2009.
According to Dr. Richard Cantwell, Director of the Symphonic Band and instrumental ensembles, a variety of music will be performed at different venues, beginning with the group’s first performance, at 7 p.m., Thursday, April 23, at the Mennonite Brethren Church, in Fairview, Okla.
“Providing a wide variety of music for the audience and the ability to play many different styles for the audience’s enjoyment is a goal and desire of each individual and the group,” said Cantwell, who is in his 11th year of directing music at the college and also serves as Chairman of the Music Department.
“Instrumental music has a very different effect on its audience than piano or choral music,” Cantwell added. “The variety in timbres is greater and individually unique.The contrast in musical style is broader and more diverse. The resonances are thin and thick in nature. The dynamic levels are various and can become overwhelming.”
This year the band is featuring student soloists Corina Neufeld, oboist, from Denver, Colo.; marimba players Lisa Hall, McPherson, Kan., and Joel McCoy, Olathe, Kan.; and, trumpet player Eric Funk, Littleton, Colo.
The Symphonic Band members are selected by audition and come from across the United States. The Jazz Band and Flute Ensemble members are selected from members of the Symphonic Band.
The Jazz Band will be performing a variety of “Big Band” and “Swing Band” selections.The Flute Ensemble literature will be selected from classical and sacred selections.
“The ensemble members are individually fine players, but combining the individual abilities into a fine performance organization is an enjoyable and rewarding challenge,” Cantwell said. “Making beautiful music, making energizing music, making music fun and enjoyable are all desires of the ensemble.”
Other performances include:
* Friday, April 24, Memorial Road Mennonite Brethren Church in Edmond, Okla., at 7 p.m.
* Saturday, April 25, Oklahoma National Memorial, in Oklahoma City, followed by an evening concert at the Corn Mennonite Brethren Church, in Corn, Okla.
* Sunday, April 26, the band will provide music during the morning worship service at the church in Corn.After a lunch at the church, the band will travel to Enid, Okla., for a concert at the Enid Mennonite Brethren Church, at 6:00 pm.
* Monday, April 27, the ensembles will perform at the Oklahoma Bible Academy, Enid, Okla., before returning home to Hillsboro.
Upon returning to Hillsboro, the band will perform its Home Concert at 4 p.m., Sunday, May 3, in the College Chapel-Auditorium.
Dr. Cantwell holds a Doctorate in Music Arts Degree in Instrumental and Choral Conducting from the Conservatory of Music in Kansas City having worked extensively with Dr. Glenn Block and Dr. Eph Ehly. He is married to Dr. Linda Cantwell, Vice President of Enrollment and Marketing at Tabor College.
Celebrating its 100th year, Tabor College is a four-year Christian liberal arts institution located in Hillsboro, Kan., with a second campus, the School for Adult and Graduate Studies, in Wichita, Kan. Visit us at www.tabor.edu.
Pianist Brandon Voth will perform his Senior Piano Recital at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 21st at the Tabor College Chapel-Auditorium.
Admission is free and the public is invited to attend.
Voth, a Music/Biblical and Religious Studies major from Lynden, Wash., will perform Italian Concerto (Moderato) by Johann Sebastian Bach; Piano Concerto in D Major by Franz Joseph Haydn; Four Impromtus (Allegro Molto Moderato) by Franz Schubert; La fille aux cheveus de lin, La cathedrale engloutie, and Minstrels by Claude Debussy; and, Suite for Piano: Presto, Andante, and Vif, by Francis Poulnec.
“I wanted to provide a good variety of styles, genres, and time periods for both myself and the listener,” Voth said. “I’ve always loved Debussy because of his impressionistic emotional contrast, and the Poulenc set has really grown on me.The Bach and Haydn provide a nice contrast from the more contemporary and romantic pieces, and the Schubert is very opposite of everything else with its dark foreboding nature.”
Voth credits his musical success to his instructors, including his piano teacher, Dr. Shelia Litke, Associate Professor of Piano and Piano Pedagogy, who is an accomplished concert pianist.
“Tabor has done wonders to advance me musically,” Voth said. “All of the professors I get to work with show care and respect for me as a person as well as a love for music.I’ve had numerous opportunities to use newly acquired skills in a variety of settings; from church on Sunday mornings to football games on Friday nights, to traveling the country with the choir and band.”
Piano performance is Voth’s way to express his Christian faith, he added.
“Music is a language, a language that can express what words can’t,” Voth said. “Yes, getting the notes right is important, and many hours are spent towards that goal, but after that’s all finished, you can wade out into deeper waters and immerse yourself in it.Romans 8 talks of Jesus pleading on our behalf with ‘groans that words cannot express’, and music gives me a chance to ‘speak’ with Him with words I cannot express.”
The Tabor Concert Choir had their last concert of tour tonight at a beautiful church in San Jose. This week has gone by so quickly, it’s hard to believe that tomorrow they will head back to campus. Every night the choir has performed exceptionally well but tonight I felt a strong presence of the Spirit. Their song, My Jesus I Love Thee, which has become my favorite, brought tears to my eyes tonight. It has been a privilege to worship with them, something Ryan and I will never forget.
Family and Friends
Some choir members have been able to see their family members on tour. Jessica Kelley’s dad, step-mom and brother were present to support her and I captured their reunion on camera.
Julie and Stephanie Wiens, mom, Denise, attended more than one concert this week and shared with us her thoughts on having two daughters at Tabor.
And I saw my freshman roommate, friend, and former TC choir member, Lisa Auchterlonie. She is living near San Fransisco, using her musical talent in voice overs and entertainment.
Tabor College Concert Choir Highlights
Enjoy interviews with Dr. Vogel and choir members, live recordings of their music and some additional pictures!
I had another opportunity to give my college prep presentation to a group of about 20 students at Fresno Christian High School on Wednesday morning. I am praying that the college-bound students who attended will consider Tabor!
Central Valley Christian High School
After Fresno Christian, I drove (as quickly as the speed limit would allow) to Visalia, where I presented the benefits of attending Tabor during the junior/senior lunch hour. One of the best parts of this time was seeing junior Kristina Borges, who visited Tabor in mid February for our campus visit event. She even sacrificed sitting with her friends and hung out with me! It was my first time to visit this school and I was very impressed with how friendly the students and teachers were. I look forward to going back in the fall, especially to see Kristina again!
Youth Event with North Fresno MB Church
Instead of attending the choir concert this evening, I attended youth group at North Fresno MB Church. We played kickball in their gym and then went back to the youth room for two trivia games. After the games, we settled down for some Tabor and devotional time. I again gave out free stuff to the students and encouraged them to consider the college I love so dearly in Hillsboro, Kans. I shared again from Mark 6, challenging the students to carry the authority of Jesus with them everywhere they travel. I had a great time with this youth group, youth pastor, and sponsors, and hope to see them when I return again in the fall.
Memories
I interviewed two choir members from Hillsboro, Maria Loewen, freshman, and Michael Suderman, a sophomore, about their favorite memories from tour so far. Check out what they had to say.
After driving an hour and half north to Reedley, Calif., I met with a small group of junior students from Immanuel High School. I had a great time interacting with these students who I believe have a serious interest in considering Tabor for their future. The Tabor Concert Choir also made an appearance at Immanuel High School and sang for their chapel service. Below is a short video of their performance.
Reunion with Tabor Alum and Former Admissions Counselor
Ryan and I were blessed to see and spend some time with our dear friend Lee Waldron. Lee graduated from Tabor in '06, gave back to Tabor as as Admissions Counselor from 2007-2008, helping bring in the largest freshman class since the 80s! He is now a junior high youth pastor at Reedley Mennonite Brethren Church. Check out his video to hear what he thinks about the TC choir visiting town.
Reedley Mennonite Brethren Church
The choir sang in the largest MB church in the U.S. on Tuesday evening. Even though we felt farther away from them than we did in Shafter, their sound was still beautiful! Ryan has a favorite song he wants to share with you that Cantate sings. Cantate is a small group of choir members who perform throughout the school year in various churches for events.
The churches have been hosting a reception after each concert where choir members and concert attendees can fellowship. As I am running around talking with students, alums and friends Ryan is learning more of the Mennonite Brethren roots. He is even meeting some students that I recruited to Tabor many years ago.
n Dublin, Ireland, on April 13, 1742, Messiah is Handel’s most famous composition and is among the most popular works in Western choral literature. Although the work was conceived and first performed for Easter, it has become traditional to perform the oratorio during Advent, the preparatory period of the Christmas season.
