JAKE RUNESTAD
Considered “one of the best of the younger American composers” (Chicago Tribune), EMMY®-winning and GRAMMY®-nominated composer and conductor Jake Runestad has received commissions and performances from leading ensembles and organizations such as Washington National Opera, the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, the Pacific Symphony & Chorale, True Concord Voices & Orchestra, the Netherlands Radio Choir, the Philippine Madrigal Singers, Seraphic Fire, the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, and many more. “The Hope of Loving,” the first album dedicated to Jake’s choral music, recorded by professional American choir Conspirare, received a GRAMMY® nomination. In 2019, Jake became one of the youngest composers ever awarded the prestigious Raymond C. Brock commission by the American Choral Directors Association. “Earth Symphony,” Jake’s ground-breaking choral symphony written with librettist Todd Boss, earned a 2022 EMMY® Award for musical composition. Jake’s visceral music and charismatic personality have fostered a busy schedule of commissions, residencies, workshops, and conducting engagements, enabling him to share his passion for creativity, expressivity, and community with musicians around the world.

Dubbed a “choral rockstar” by American Public Media, Jake is one of the most frequently performed composers of concert music. His thoughtful and compelling works “that speak to some of the most pressing and moving issues of our time” (Star Tribune), have been heard in thousands of performances across the globe. Jake Runestad holds a Master’s degree in composition from the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University where he studied with Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Kevin Puts. Find out more at: JakeRunestad.com.

CARI EARNHART
Dr. Cari Earnhart serves as the Director of Choral Activities at California State University, Fresno, where she conducts the Concert Choir, Chamber Singers, Masterworks Chorus, and teaches undergraduate and graduate conducting. Dr. Earnhart combines careers as conductor, teacher and singer.

In 2022, under her direction, the Fresno State Concert Choir was selected to perform at the California All-State Music Educators Conference (CASMEC) and in April 2017 the Fresno State Chamber Singers were invited to perform at the Library of Congress to honor the 21st US Poet Laureate, Juan Felipe Herrera. Her choirs maintain an active performing profile. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, she is in high demand as an adjudicator, clinician, guest conductor and presenter. Earnhart has worked with choirs in the US and abroad. As a conductor abroad, she served as Director of Choral Activities at the American University of Sharjah and conductor of Nassim al Saba, an Arabic choral music ensemble. She has also made guest conducting appearances with the Budapesti Vándor Kórus in Budapest, Hungary; served as Maestro of Ensemble Vocale Tempus Floridum and as Maestro Collaboratore of Coro dell’ Accademia del Diletto and Coro Polofonico del Caricentro, all in Florence.

An accomplished vocalist, Earnhart has appeared as a guest artist with university, professional, and community choirs throughout the country and overseas. She began her professional singing career in New York City and has performed in the US, Europe and the Middle East. Earnhart has performed with several professional choirs, including: Coro Cameristico Fiorentino (Florence, Italy), New World Voices (Dallas, TX) the New York Virtuoso Singers, The Choral Pickup (Seattle, WA and Atlanta, GA) and with Conspirare (Austin, TX).

Earnhart holds a DMA in Choral Conducting with related field studies in Vocal Pedagogy from the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas, an MM in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy and a BM in Vocal Performance from Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK. She has taught at the American University of Sharjah (UAE), the University of North Texas, BT Müzik Evi (Istanbul), Oklahoma Panhandle State University, Oklahoma State University, and in the Texas public schools.


JULIE YU
Dr. Julie Yu (She/Her/Hers) is Professor of Music and Director of Choral Studies at the Wanda L. Bass School of Music at Oklahoma City University and the Artistic Director of Canterbury Voices, Oklahoma’s premier symphony chorus.

She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from the University of Central Oklahoma, Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from Oklahoma State University, and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting from the University of North Texas. Before joining OCU and Canterbury Voices, she taught at Norman North High School in Oklahoma, San José State University, and Kansas State University.

She has given presentations, conducted, and/or her choirs have performed for state and regional conferences of the American Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, and the European Music Educators Association. She is the past president of the Southwestern Region of the American Choral Directors Association and served as an International Conducting Exchange Fellow to Kenya in 2019.

Her favorite area of research and performance is working as a guest clinician/conductor for various honor choirs and professional organizations.

EMILY CRILE
Emily Crile, Artistic Director, exhibits her passion and enthusiasm for choral music through developing and conducting singers of all ages. She currently directs the Tour Choir, a premier treble ensemble. During the past 23 years with the Chorale, she has worked with all choir levels, established Transitions, prepared children for appearances with the Colorado Symphony, Central City Opera, Opera Colorado, and Colorado Ballet, and toured throughout Australia, China, Costa Rica, Europe, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States. With a commitment to equitable access for high quality music education, she crafted, led, and administered School Partnership and Community Choir programs across the Denver Metro area and earned a certification in Facilitating Effective DEI Discussions from Dena Samuels Consulting.

Emily is the Past-President of the Colorado American Choral Directors Association and is an active choral clinician and presenter throughout the United States. Prior to joining the Chorale in 2000, she served as an Assistant Conductor with the Northern Iowa Children’s Choir. She holds a Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Colorado Boulder.

COLORADO CHILDREN'S CHORALE
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary season, the Colorado Children’s Chorale has brought its artistry and charm to audiences throughout the world since 1974. With a diverse repertoire ranging from fully-staged opera and musical theater to standard choral compositions in classical, folk and popular traditions, the Chorale performs with an innovative stage presentation and a unique theatrical spirit. In recognition of its artistic quality, the Chorale has received the Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, the Mayor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts and the prestigious El Pomar Award for Excellence in Arts and Humanities.

Under the leadership of Artistic Director Emily Crile and Executive Director Meg Steitz, the Colorado Children's Chorale annually trains 400 members between the ages of 7 and 14 from all ethnicities and socio-economic backgrounds, representing more than 180 schools in the Denver metro area and beyond. Since its founding, the Chorale has sung countless performances with some of the world’s finest performing arts organizations, appeared with world-renowned artists, performed for numerous dignitaries, and appeared in television and radio broadcasts.

The Performance Program includes a series of self-produced concerts, numerous performances with other Colorado arts organizations and touring around the world. This season includes A Colorado Christmas and Mahler Symphony No. 3 with the Colorado Symphony, Amahl and the Night Visitors and Street Scene with Central City Opera, La bohéme with Bravo! Vail, and Hansel and Gretel with the Aspen Music Festival.

PROGRAM (in order)

EVOCATION OF SONG

COLORADO CHILDREN’S CHORALE
EMILY CRILE, Director
SHAOCHUN TSAI, Collaborative Pianist

KEVIN PADWORSKI Alight
ROLLO DILWORTH Beside the Still Waters
JARED JOSEPH, Percussion
ARON ACCURSO & ADAM OVERETT The River from the Trail
BRUNHILDA DE PORTILLA En El Cafetal (from Villancicos Ticos)
arr. Carlos Guzman & Emily Crile JARED JOSEPH, Percussion
TRACY WONG Kira!
JARED JOSEPH, Percussion
TIM MINCHIN Revolting Children (from Matilda)
arr. Gary Fry BRIAN ERICKSON, CLARA PATERSON, AVIE
POWERS, KAIDEN PATTERSON, NICK
DIAMOND, AVA WILLIAMS, LEAH GOMEZ & BELLA SANOVAL, Soloists
JARED JOSEPH, Percussion

NATIONAL CONCERT CHORUS
JULIE YU & CARI EARNHART, Guest Conductors
CASEY COOK, Collaborative Pianist
CAMILLA TASSI, Projection Designer

FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN Te Deum No. 2 in C Major
JOSEF RHEINBERGER Abendlied
HANS BRIDGER HERUTH Joy
JULIE YU, Piano
ELAINE HAGENBERG There Was a Time
TRADITIONAL AFRICAN-AMERICAN SPIRITUAL Children, Go Where I Send Thee
arr. Kevin Phillip Johnson


NATIONAL SYMPHONIC CHORUS
JAKE RUNESTAD, Guest Conductor
JAMES LUBRANO, Collaborative Pianist
CAMILLA TASSI, Projection Designer

JAKE RUNESTAD Ritual
JAKE RUNESTAD Let My Love Be Heard
JAKE RUNESTAD The Secret of the Sea
JAKE RUNESTAD Flower Into Kindness

Saturday April 6th, 2024  @1:00pm 
CARNEGIE HALL