WSMA State Honors Concerts

- And now, it is my pleasure to introduce to you the 2025 WSMA High School State Honors Mixed Choir and their distinguished conductor, Mariana Farah.

[cheers and applause] ["Blessed Be God"] Blessed be God Blessed Blessed be God Alleluja Alleluja Alleluja Alleluja Alleluja Alleluja Blessed be God Blessed Blessed be God Alleluja, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah Alleluja Alleluja Alleluja Alleluja Alleluja, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah Alleluja, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah Alleluja, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah Alleluja, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah Blessed be God Alleluja, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah Blessed be God Blessed Blessed be God Alleluja, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah Alleluja, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah Alleluja Alleluja Alleluja Alleluja Blessed be God Blessed Blessed be God Alleluja Alleluja Alleluja Alleluja Alleluja Alleluja Blessed be God Blessed Blessed be God Alleluja Alleluja Alleluja [audience applauds and cheers] ["Cum Sancto Spiritu"] Cum Sancto Spiritu Cum Sancto Spiritu [gentle piano accompaniment] Cum Sancto Spiritu Cum Sancto Spiritu Cum Sancto Spiritu In gloria Dei Patris Amen, amen Amen, amen Amen Cum Sancto Spiritu In gloria Dei Patris Amen, amen Amen, amen Amen Cum Sancto Spiritu In gloria Dei Patris Amen, amen Amen, amen Amen Cum Sancto Spiritu In gloria Dei Patris Amen, amen Amen, amen Amen, amen Amen, amen Amen In gloria Dei Patris Amen, amen In gloria Dei Patris Amen, amen Amen, amen Amen, amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen, amen Amen, amen Amen Amen Amen Amen, amen Amen Amen [ending piano notes] [audience applauds and cheers] ["Ich stand in dunklen Trumen"] [gentle piano music] Ich stand in dunklen Trumen Und starrte ihr Bildniss an Und das geliebte Antlitz Heimlich zu leben begann Um ihre Lippen zog sich Ein Lcheln wunderbar Und wie von Wehmuthstrnen Erglnzte ihr Augenpaar Auch meine Trnen flossen Mir von den Wangen herab Und ach, ich kann's nicht glauben Dass ich dich verloren hab!

[gentle piano music] [audience applauds and cheers] [audience applauds] [French horn tuning] ["Heart, We Will Forget Him!"

by Laura Farnell] [gentle French horn and piano music] Heart, we will forget him!

You and I, tonight You may forget the warmth he gave I will forget the light Heart, we will forget him!

We will forget him You and I, tonight You may forget the warmth he gave I will forget the light When you have done, please tell me That I may straight begin!

Haste!

Lest while you're lagging I remember him I remember him [gentle French horn and piano music] When you have done, please tell me That I may straight begin!

Haste!

Lest while you're lagging I remember him Heart, we will forget him!

We will forget him You and I, tonight Heart, we will forget him Forget him [gentle French horn and piano music] I remember him Ahh ahh [audience applauds and cheers] - Mariana Farah: Hello, everyone.

Good evening, and thank you so much for being here tonight.

As we're moving here onstage, I just wanna make sure that I introduce this next piece that we are singing for you.

So we're gonna sing now a Brazilian folk piece that is composed in Portuguese for you.

So we're very proud of the singers here that have worked so hard to learn and sing in four different languages for you today.

So you heard English, you heard Latin, you heard German, and now you're gonna hear Portuguese.

And this piece, called "Cirandas Brasileiras," an arrangement of Brazilian folk tune that is about a Brazilian folk dance for children that they sing in a circle, communal circle, inviting others to join in this circle and participating.

So this piece is about being together, belonging, and having fun as a community.

And that's what we're gonna do here today.

We're gonna have a lot of fun.

I also wanna take this opportunity to introduce the composer of this piece, who is here tonight and is also Brazilian, but is Wisconsin-based.

He is running a powerhouse choral program at the University of Wisconsin in Stevens Point, Dr.

Matheus Cruz, who is here.

[audience applauds and cheers] Yes.

All right.

All right.

And you will be so impressed by how much folks in Wisconsin move.

[audience laughs] ["Cirandas Brasileiras" by Dr.

Matheus Cruz] Ciranda ciranda Ciranda ciranda Ciranda ciranda Ciranda Ciranda Mandei fazer uma casa de farinha Bem maneirinha que o vento possa levar Oi passa sol, oi passa chuva, oi passa vento S n�o passa o Ciranda Movimento do cirandeiro a rodar Achei bom bonito, meu amor brincar Ciranda maneira Vem c cirandeira, vem c balanar Mandei fazer uma casa de farinha Bem maneirinha que o vento possa levar Oi passa sol, oi passa chuva, oi passa vento S n�o passa o Movimento do cirandeiro a rodar P p ra p, p p ra p P p ra p, p p ra p P p ra p, p p ra p P p ra p, p p ra p Quando a morena Brinca na beira do mar Levanta a saia Pra n�o molhar Ha vem cirandeiro Ha vem com a morena dancar Ciranda vem balanar [rhythmic clapping] Quando a morena Brinca na beira do mar Levanta a saia Pra n�o molhar Quando a morena Brinca na beira do mar Brinca na beira do mar Brinca na beira do mar Ciranda vem balanar Ciranda vem balanar Ha vem com a morena dancar Quando a morena Brinca na beira do mar Brinca na beira do mar Brinca na beira do mar Ciranda vem balanar P p ra p, p p ra p P p ra p, p p ra p P p ra p, p p ra p P p ra p Ciranda pa [audience applauds and cheers] [piano tuning notes] ["Apple Tree" by AURORA, arr.

by Katerina Gimon] [rhythmic percussion] All of my life I've been hunting I've been a girl, I've been a boy Digging my feet into the ground Like an apple tree Wanting to live with a purpose Skin is a word, love is not a sin People are bad, people are good Just like the moon is a stone But it's a star when it's dark And now she's hiding Yea ee eh If you've seen what a heart is You've seen its color If I ever knew how we could guide it Yea ee eh I would take care of its children Become their mother If I ever knew How we could hide it Hide it, ha ha Let her save the world She is just a girl Let him save them all He is just a boy Let her save the world She is just a girl Let him save them all He is just a boy [rhythmic percussion] [rhythmic clapping] Hunger is quiet if you do it right Hunter is loud and predictable Scaring away every prey So they are gone Before the hunter arrives Would you be kind and put away your sword?

You cannot cut away what we got You cannot kill what we are We are not here In physical form You've seen where the knife is Its dark location If I ever knew how We could fight it, fight it I would cut into our anger Make pure emotion If I ever knew how We could hide it Hide it, ha ha Let her save the world She is just a girl Let him save them all He is just a boy Let her save the world She is just a girl Let him save them all He is just a boy [rhythmic drumming and clapping] Hah yah oh wah Hoh yeh oh ho Ah ah ah hah Can you carry the weight Of mortality?

The explosions around you Are your symphony Let her save the world She is just a girl Let him save them all He is just a boy Let her save the world She is just a girl Let him save them all He is just a boy [audience applauds and cheers] ["Soon I Will Be Done" by Marques Garrett] Soon I will be done-a Soon I will be done-a Soon I will be done-a Soon I will be done-a Soon I will be done-a With the troubles of the world Troubles of the world The troubles of the world The world, oh Soon I will be done-a With the troubles of the world Going home to live with God!

Soon I will be done-a Soon I will be done-a Soon I will be done-a With the troubles of the world Troubles of the world The troubles of the world The world, oh Soon I will be done-a With the troubles of the world Going home to live with God!

Soon I will be done-a Soon I will be done-a No more, no more Weeping and a-wailing No more, no more Weeping and a-wailing No more, no more Weeping and a-wailing I'm going to live with God!

Soon I will be done-a Soon I will be done-a Soon I will be done-a With the troubles of the world Troubles of the world The troubles of the world The world, oh Soon I will be done-a With the troubles of the world Going home to live with God!

Soon I will be done-a Soon I will be done-a I want Yes I want to meet my mother I want Yes I want to meet my father I want Yes I want to meet my Jesus I'm going to live with God, with God Soon I will be done-a Soon I will be done-a Soon I will be done-a With the troubles of the world With the troubles of the world The troubles of the world The world, oh Soon I will be done-a Oh yes, with the troubles I'm going home to live with God With God Soon I will be done-a Soon I will be done-a With the troubles of the world With the troubles of the world The troubles of the world The world, oh Soon I will be done-a Oh yes, with the troubles I'm going home I'm going home I'm going home I'm going home Going home to live with God Soon I will be living Soon I will go live with God!

[audience applauds and cheers] - As we switch into our final piece of this amazing program, I just wanna say a word of appreciation to all of the teachers, the parents, the family members that are here supporting our students.

I am so very proud to call Wisconsin my home and to call Madison my home.

This is such an example of what arts and music in our community is like.

And as the Director of Choral Studies at UW-Madison, I have to say I could not do what I do every day if it wasn't for the work of the music educators, the teachers in this state.

So if we can give them another round of applause and thank you.

[audience applauds and cheers] Thank you.

Special thanks to all of the coaches and Mrs.

Klotz.

So amazing, our pianist.

Yes.

[audience applauds and cheers] You know, these folks have been terrific ever since the summer camp and everything that they have done.

As you can see, not only do they coordinate everything, they play percussion, they move stuff.

They teach the singers, they sing if necessary.

They dance when I ask them to do so, they get me Starbucks when I ask them to do so.

So they are really incredible people.

And what I like to say to young people is what an example of what service is like.

Service to the profession.

I always love to tell my students something that my advisor told me, which is, "Live a life of service and you will definitely live a better life."

Okay?

And your service to this music and to this program, during camp and this week, has completely transformed my life.

I cannot believe that our time together has come to an end.

So my sincere gratitude to you guys.

Thank you.

[audience applauds] ["Yonder Come Day" arr.

by Paul John Rudoi] Oh day, yonder come day Oh day, yonder come day Oh day, yonder come day Day done broke in my soul Yonder come day Good mornin' day Yonder come day Mornin' day Yonder come day Mornin' day Yonder come day Day done broke in my soul Yonder come day A brand new day Yonder come day Brand new day Yonder come day Brand new day Yonder come day Day done broke in my soul Yonder come day Oh come on child Hush, hush Somebody's callin' my name Hush Somebody's callin' my name Hush, hush Somebody's callin' my name Oh my Lord, oh my Lord What shall I do?

What shall I do?

Oh day, yonder come day Oh day, yonder come day Oh day, yonder come day Day done broke in my soul Yonder come day I was on my knees Yonder come day On my knees Yonder come day On my knees Yonder come day Day done broke in my soul Yonder come day When I heard him say Yonder come day Heard him say Yonder come day Heard him say Yonder come day Day done broke in my soul Yonder come day Oh come on child Steal away, steal away Steal away to Jesus Steal away, steal away I ain't got long to stay here Steal away, steal away Steal away to Jesus Steal away, steal away I ain't got long to stay here Swing low, sweet chariot Steal away, steal away Comin' for to carry me home Steal away to Jesus Swing low, sweet chariot Steal away, steal away Comin' for to carry me home I ain't got long to stay here Oh day, yonder come day Oh day, yonder come day Oh day, yonder come day Day done broke in my soul Yonder come day Good mornin' day, yonder come day Mornin' day, yonder come day Mornin' day, yonder come day Day done broke in my soul Yonder come day A brand new day, yonder come day Brand new day, yonder come day Brand new day, yonder come day Day done broke in my soul Yonder come day Oh come on child, yonder come day Come on child, yonder come day Come on child, yonder come day Day done broke in my soul Yonder come day - Mariana: Yes!

[audience applauds and cheers]