Choir

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T

he Germantown Friends School Choir is an ensemble of 50 students selected by audition from grades 10-12.  Directed by Stephen Kushner, the Choir performs frequently throughout the year, often collaborating with many of Philadelphia’s leading professional musicians.  Recently, the group has performed with the Singing City Choir and with members of the Philadelphia Pops Orchestra, and has sung the Philadelphia premiere of “somewhere I have never travelled, gladly beyond” by Pulitzer Prize winning composer Jennifer Higdon.

GFS CHOIR REPETOIRE

2010-11

Chichester Psalms Leonard Bernstein
Dies Irae Z. Randall Stroope
Lux Aeterna Z. Randall Stroope
Alleluia from Regina Coeli, K.108 W. A. Mozart
Ruth Paul Ayres
Sure On This Shining Night Morten Lauridsen
Angel Band arr. Brendan Cooney
Worthy to Be Praised Byron J. Smith
Freedom Trilogy Paul Halley

 

2009-10

Odunde Babatunde Olatunji
Musica animam tangens Joshua Shank
Rejoice in the Lamb Benjamin Britten
Fire, Fire Thomas Morley
Mata del Anima Sola Antonio Estevez
In The Night We Shall Go In Jean Berger
My True Love hath My Heart Jean Berger
Dream of a Dove Robert Convery
I carry your heart with me Z. Randall Stroope
Liebeslieder-Walzer op. 52
and Neue Liebeslieder Walzer op. 65

Johannes Brahms

The Lord is My Shepherd Allen Pote
The Storm is Passing Over Charles Albert Tindley
Betelehemu Babatunde Olatunji

 

2008-09

Oba se je Nigerian folk song
Missa Brevis Alan Hovhaness
Somewhere I have never travelled,
gladly beyond
Jennifer Higdon
Grandmother Moon Eleanor Daley
Where the Earth Meets the Sky
In Time of Silver Rain
The Pasture
Z. Randall Stroope


Frostiana
The Road Not Taken
A Girls Garden
Randall Thompson


Il est bel et bon Passereau
The Gift to be Simple arr. Bob Chilcott
Swing Down, Chariot Golden Gate Quartet
He Never Failed Me Yet
Robert Ray
The Promise of Living Aaron Copland

 

2007-08

Mungu Ni Pendo Edward G. Robinson
A Procession Winding Around Me
II. Beat! Beat! Drums!
III. Reconciliation
Jeffrey Van


from Requiem
Dies Irae
Lacrymosa
W. A. Mozart


Lux Aeterna Jeffrey Ames
Kua Rongo Mai Koe Ngapo Wehi
Kaval Sviri Petar Liondev
Ne Sedi, Djemo arr. Steven Sametz
Precious Lord George N. Allen
Alleluia, Salvation and Glory Traditional Gospel
Praise His Holy Name Keith Hampton

 

2006-07

Mbiri Kuna Mwari
(a Shona Gloria)
arr. Lee Kesselman

Salmo 150 Ernani Aguiar
Cantate Domino Hans Leo Hassler
The Moon is Distant
from The Sea
David Childs

From Six Dickinson Miniatures Raymond Schroyens
The City of Our God Peter Schikele
No Mark Cecil Effinger
Ngana Stephen Leek
Untraveled Worlds Paul Halley
Fair Phyllis John Farmer
Three Madrigals Emma Lou Diemer
Five Hebrew Love Songs Eric Whitacre
Keep Your Lamps arr. Andre Thomas
The Storm is Passing Over Charles Albert Tindley
Prayer Before Sleep Sid Robinovitch

Every three years, the Choir embarks on an extended concert tour, traveling nationally and internationally. The GFS Choir has undertaken tours to China, England, Scotland, France, Scandinavia, Canada, Poland, Russia, Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and throughout the United States.

The Choir’s most recent tour took them to Puerto Rico, where they sang multiple concerts in beautiful and historic venues in San Juan, Ponce and San German, sometimes partnering with a host choir.  The trip also afforded students and faculty the opportunity to explore the rich history and geography of the island and its complicated relationship with mainland United States.

In 2008, the Choir toured the southern United States, singing concerts in Atlanta, Birmingham and Memphis, culminating with an extended stay in New Orleans where, in addition to singing a concert, the students participated in a project with Habitat for Humanity, helping to rebuild homes that were destroyed in hurricane Katrina.

choirpuertorico.jpg

 

 DATE  EVENT  LOCATION  TIME
 Tuesday, Nov. 15
Concert The Hill at Whitemarsh
7:00 PM
 Sunday, Nov. 19
Choir Concert
Meetinghouse 8:00 PM
 Saturday, Dec. 10
Holiday Concert
Loeb Center
8:00 PM
 Saturday, May 5 Spring Choral Concert Meetinghouse
3:00 PM

 

Contact Information

Stephen Kushner
Choir Director

Upcoming Events

Wednesday516

US Assembly - Poley Festival

Loeb
10:05 AM - 10:50 AM

Poley Festival

Yarnall
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Thursday517

Poley Festival

Yarnall
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Friday518

Poley Festival

Yarnall
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Saturday519

Poley Festival

Yarnall
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM