HILLSBORO, Kan. – Three professional musicians with ties to Tabor College will perform a variety of music ranging from Italian arias to Broadway show tunes during the Spring Chamber Recital “An Afternoon of Song” at 4 p.m. Sunday, February 28, in the Chapel Auditorium.
The recital will feature Dr. Holly Swartzendruber, soprano, and Glenn Litke, baritone, along with Dr. Sheila Litke, on piano. Admission is free and the public is encouraged to attend.
“It should be a wonderful afternoon of music,” said Litke, who serves as Associate Professor of Piano and Piano Pedagogy at the college. “In addition to the arias and show tunes, the program will include light-hearted music that will allow the audience to smile and laugh as well as some beautifully lyrical pieces that are highly expressive.
Swartzendruber, who teaches voice at Tabor, will sing a medley of songs including, “Come Ready and See Me”, “Sweet River, and “Waterbird” by Richard Hundley; a French selection, “Obéssons quand leur voix appelle” by Jules Massenet; as well as well-known Broadway show tunes from “Showboat” and “A Star is Born.”
“The recitals Holly has given in the past have been very successful,” Litke said. “It will be a pleasure to accompany her again as she performs.”
Dr. Litke also will have the pleasure of accompanying her husband, Glenn, who taught voice and conducted the Chorale at Tabor College from 1983 to 1990. The couple was married in 2008.
“I am excited about assisting my husband as he sings,” Sheila said. “He has not sung a recital at Tabor since he taught here, so it will be wonderful to hear him perform on campus again. I always find it very inspiring to accompany fine performers.”
Glenn will perform a German selection “Sind es Schmerzen, sin des Freuden” by Johannes Brahms, as well as the medley “Childhood Fables for Grownups” by Irving Fine.
The singers will conclude with a duet version of “Give Me Jesus” arranged by Mark Hayes.
“Both Holly and Glenn are fine musicians and communicate well with the audience, so it will be a fantastic performance!” Sheila Litke said.
A reception will be held immediately following the performance in the lobby of the Wohlgemuth Music Education Center.
Dr. Swartzendruber earned a B.A. in music from Goshen College and a Master of Music in vocal performance with a vocal pedagogy emphasis from Ohio University. She completed work for her DMA degree from the University of Kansas in 2001. Among the operatic roles she has performed are Lucia from Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia, Despina from Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte, and Susanna from Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro.
She has performed locally, singing the soprano solos for Handel’s Messiah (Hesston College), the Brahms Requiem and Mozart Requiem (Bethel College), as well as Mozart’s Exsultate, jubilate on Tabor College’s 2006 Spring Music Program.
In addition, she maintains a private voice studio of high school students, and adjudicates regionally and statewide. Dr. Swartzendruber is married to Dr. Douglas Miller, professor of Bible and religious studies at Tabor.
Glenn Litke earned music degrees at Tabor College (BA) and the University of Nebraska/Lincoln (MM). Besides teaching private voice and related courses, he has served as conductor at the Tabor College Chorale and Concert Choir; conductor of the Liberty University Concert Choir, Lynchburg, VA; director of vocal ensembles at Grace College of the Bible, Omaha, NE; conductor of the Berean Academy High School Choir, Elbing, KS; and has held various church music positions.
As a baritone soloist, he has performed with the Bethany College Oratorio Society, Lindsburg, KS (12 consecutive years, including a 1985 national video production by PBS); Nebraska Opera Ensemble; Voices of Omaha; Lynchburg Virginia Fine Arts Society; Reno County Choral Society; Wichita Chamber Singers; Wichita Choral Society; and Bethel College Mid-Kansas Orchestra and Chorus as well as in many churches and recital halls.
Highlighting his solo repertoire are Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, St. John Passion and B Minor Mass; Brahms’ German Requiem; Faure and Mozart’s Requium’s; Haydn’s Creation; Mendelssohn’s Elijah and 30+ performances of Handel’s Messiah. He has been a choral/vocal clinician and adjudicator at numerous festivals in Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Virginia.
His private students always rated well in competition including winners at NATS and several have excelled in their own singing careers.
His love for sacred/gospel music is evident in his participation in various quartets, trios and duos over the years traveling extensively including Japan. After 20 years of teaching, Mr. Litke chose to go back to managing the family farm he was raised on.
Dr. Sheila Litke was the 2007-2008 Distinguished Faculty at Tabor College. She received her Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance from University of Kansas, a Master of Music in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from University of Colorado, and a Bachelor of Music degree from Houghton College. She has also studied in Germany and at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London, England. Her primary instructors have included Jack Winerock, Richard Angeletti, C. Nolan Huizenga, Robert Spillman and Doloras Gadevsky.
Dr. Litke holds professional memberships with the Music Teachers National Association, Kansas Music Teachers Association and College Music Society. She continues to perform as soloist and as accompanist for various recitals and has often served as an adjudicator and clinician.
Her key responsibilities at Tabor College include teaching applied piano, piano pedagogy, piano proficiency, class piano, theory and ear training and sight singing. Additionally, she has founded and directs the Tabor College Music Preparatory School for Marion County and its surrounding areas.
