Past Concerts
The repertoire of the Randolph Singers has been varied and far-reaching. Through the years the group has performed major choral pieces, anthems, newly commissioned works and Broadway show tunes, to name a few. Often other choral groups and/or musicians collaborate and perform with the Randolph Singers in concert. Here's a listing of recent concerts:
The Program for the 2023 winter concert featured Selections from Gloria, by Antonio Vivaldi with soloists Jan Fowler, Marjorie Drysdale, and Deadra Ashton. We sang the Cantique de Jean Racine by Gabriel Faure, and gave a rousing rendition of the traditional carol, Good King Wenceslas.
The Children’s Chorale opened Part Two with Merry Christmas Around the World, and joined us in many of the pieces which followed: Bidi Bom, Caroling, Caroling, Some Children See Him, with soloist Becky Kincaid, and We’ll Dress the House. Percussionists Scott Paulson & Barb Smith brought another dimension to Come Join the Angels Singing, with soloists: Julie Iffland, Tammy Limlaw & Becky Kincaid. The Winter Canon/ In the Bleak Midwinter was a special piece incorporating a theme by the medieval composer Thomas Tallis and a poem by Pre-Raphaelite Christina Rossetti set to music by Gustav Holst.
Part Two continued with a rousing African Noel, which opened with a conga drum solo by Dan Pritchard, brightened by Paulson & Smith on steel drums. The program ended with a tender carol, See Amid the Winter Snow, and the audience joined us in a carol Sing-Along.
We were accompanied by a delightful string quartet: Daryl Grout and Jane Tulloh on violin, Ellen Drysdale on viola and Becky McMeekin on cello.
The concert was recorded by ORCA Media and you can listen by clicking on the button to the left.
December 2022
Marta Borgstrom, Director
Susan Montgomery-Grout, Accompanist
We were so happy to sing at Chandler again, with a strong, nearly 40 voice group! We were joined by a string quartet and a children's choir.
December 2021
Pete Schmeeckle, Director; Marta Borgstrom, Accompanist
After a forced hiatus due to COVID, the Singers performed on the Chandler stage once more!
The Spheres (Kyrie Eleison,) Ola Gjeilo, 2016
Mary Had a Baby, William Dawson, 1947
The Little Drummer Boy, Katherine Davis, 1941
Bashanah Haba'ah, Nurit Hirsch / Ehud Manor, 1970
Ding Dong! Merrily on High, Traditional French
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Traditional English
Torches! Traditional Galician
Noble Train / Evacuation Day, Peter Schmeeckle, 2021
Grinch Medley, T. Geisel / Albert Hague / Arr. Andy Beck, 2000
White Christmas, Irvin Berlin, 1942
Szeroka Woda (Broad Waters,) Henryk Gorecki, 1979
December 2019
Bidi Bom, David Eddleman, 2003
The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy, West Indian Spiritual; arranged by Robert de Cormier, 1966
The Holly and the Ivy, arr. by Stephen Paulus, 1998. Flute solos by Edith Poor
Children Go Where I Send Thee, Traditional Spiritual; arranged by Robert de Cormier, 2004
Hanukkah Song, Israeli Folk Song, arranged by Vicki Tucker Courtney, 2016
Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Charles Wesley, 1739; Felix Mendelsohn, 1840; arranged by Dan Forrest, 2015
White Christmas, Words and Music by Irving Berlin, 1940
* Audience Singalongs: Deck the Halls, O Little Town of Bethlehem, The First Noel, Joy to the World, O Come, All Ye Faithful, Silent Night
Themes of War and Peace, Chandler Center for the Arts, April 2019
The major work for this concert was Dona Nobis Pacem, a powerful plea for peace written in 1936 as warlike and economic tensions were building in Europe. Vaughan Williams' music contrasts the discord of war, the grief of death, and through use of Walt Whitman's poetry, along with sacred texts, calls upon each of us to consider our role in containing acts of violence. Also on the program was the 1944 arrangement of Battle Hymn of the Republic by Peter Wilhousky, now the standard for military and high school bands; Earth Song written by Frank Ticheli in 2006, Soon I Will Be Done, a traditional spiritual, and Da Pacem Domine, a lesser known round begging for peace. Soloists Jenna Rae and James Anderson; orchestra members Jane Kittredge (concertmaster), Ben Livey, Ana Ruesink, Perri Morris, Eliot Porter, Joy Worland, Nicola Cannizzaro; directed by Jessie Pierpont; rehearsal accompanist Marta Borgstrom; concert accompanist Hugh Keelan.
Read the review of this ambitious concert as it appeared in The Herald of Randolph:
50th Anniversary Jubilee Concert, Chandler Center for the Arts, December 2018
Reportoire from the Randolph Singers' long and varied history, including works from Vivaldi, Mendelssohn, Handel, as well as Central Vermont's own Kathy Eddy and Gwyneth Walker. Included the Randolph Singers Youth Chorus, Festival Orchestra, and Holiday Brass Quintet. Directed by Dick and Marjorie Drysdale; Marta Borgstrom, accompanist. Watch our Jubilee concert on YouTube by clicking on this link: https://youtu.be/qnLNsFw8dtw
Lord Nelson Mass, Chandler Center for the Arts, May 2018
Joint endeavor with the Vermont Philharmonic Orchestra. Read Jim Lowe's review here. Directed by Marjorie and Dick Drysdale.
photo by Jim Lowe of the Times-Argus
"Handel with Care", Chandler Center for the Arts, December 2017
The concert began with a selection of our favorites from Carols for Choirs. John Anhorn, Elizabeth Winchell, Angelica Gaulin, and Bob Crino were the soloists. The Youth Festival Chorus also performed an original composition of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, accompanied by slides of illustrations the chorus had made. The second half of the concerted consisted of works by George Frideric Handel: "Zadok the Priest" from the Coronation Anthems, "O Sing Unto the Lord" from the Chandos Anthems with soloists Jan Fowler and Steve Augustus, and the "Hallelujah Chorus" from The Messiah. Dick and Marjorie Drysdale, co-directors; Marta Borgstrom, accompanist.
"Songs of the Sea", Chandler Center for the Arts, May 2017
The musical offerings included compositions by Ralph Vaughn Williams, Sir Arthur Sullivan, and Eric Whittaker as well as by Randolph’s two well-known composers, Gwyneth Walker and Kathy Eddy. Some of the music was inspired by great poetry, which was read during the performance. The Youth Festival Chorus joined the Singers for several pieces and performed one number on its own. Dick and Marjorie Drysdale, co-directors; Marta Borgstrom, accompanist, with flute obligatos by Marjorie Drysdale.
Schubert's Mass in G, Chandler Center for the Arts, December 2016
The concert also included favorite carols from the "Green Book," works by F. Melius Christiansen, and a lullaby by local composer Kathy Eddy, with Marjorie Drysdale accompanying on the flute. Six of Marjorie Drysdale's youth chorus joined the adults for several of the numbers, and the Mass was accompanied by a string quartet of Vermont musicians. Solo vocalists included John Anhorn, Tom Cooch, Marjorie Drysdale, Martha Hafner, Amber Leavitt, Jennifer Moore, and Sandy Stephen. Dick and Marjorie Drysdale, co-directors; Marta Borgstrom, accompanist.
"Return to Light", Chandler Center for the Arts, April 2016
The concert featured spirituals, classical works by Tallis, Brahms, Mendelssohn, and Fauré, and contemporary compositions by Rutter and Lauridsen, all centering on the theme of light. Solo vocalists included Olivia Swayze, Bob Crino, Chris Smith, Sophia Mueller and Natalie Strand. Marjorie Drysdale, guest director; Marta Borgstrom, accompanist.
Rachmaninoff's "Vespers, Opus 34", Chandler Center for the Arts, December 2015
62 voices strong, the Randolph Singers chorus was swelled by singers from Vermont and New Hampshire wishing to participate in the centennial performance of Rachmaninoff’s premier choral composition. The season was enhanced by a Russian banquet fundraiser and by Dmitri Andreyev’s beautiful iconography. Lindsey Warren, director; Marta Borgstrom, accompanist.
Our concert was recorded and posted on YouTube (thanks to Christopher Smith); click here to hear the performance:
RandolphSingers_Rachmaninoff_December 6, 2015
"How Can I Keep from Singing", Chandler Center for the Arts, May 2015
A collaboration with the Ensemble Zephyrus of music celebrating singing. Highlights included Braintree composers Gwyneth Walker's composition "Every Life Shall Be a Song" and the first public performance of Kathy Wonson Eddy's "A Grateful Bow." Lindsey Warren, director; Marta Borgstrom, accompanist.
"Mistletoe Memories", Chandler Center for the Arts, December 2014
A "wide-angled snapshot of American holiday favorites", including early shape-note tunes, familiar Irving Berlin classics, and compositions by local artists Kathy Wonson Eddy and Larry Hamberlin. The concert was a collaboration with a children's chorus led by Marjorie Drysdale, and included a special appearance by "Riley", the four-legged crooner. Lindsey Warren, director; Marta Borgstrom, accompanist.
"Swing Into Spring", Randolph Union High School, May 2014
A collaboration with the Randolph Union High School Jazz Band, featuring music from Hoagy Carmichael, classic jazz standards such as In the Mood, Chattanooga Choo Choo, and Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, two pieces composed by Kathy Wonson Eddy, Downriver and Farewell and Return: Circle of Love. Kathy Wonson Eddy, director; Marta Borgstrom, accompanist.
"Dancing at the Edge of Mystery", Chandler Center for the Arts, December 2013
Kathy Wonson Eddy's title piece, Dancing at the Edge of Mystery: Celtic Music for Advent and Christmas, as well as carols from around the world, and our traditional holiday sing along. Kathy Wonson Eddy, director; Marta Borgstrom, accompanist.
"In the Spirit, Sing!", Tunbridge Community Church and Bethany Church, May 2013
A collection of spirituals, old and new, Kathy Wonson Eddy's Swimming Lesson, and various choral works, including several pieces by John Rutter. Steve Finner, director; Kathy Eddy, guest director; Marta Borgstrom, accompanist.
Handel's "Messiah," Chandler Center for the Arts, December 2012
Randolph Singers and Sounding Joy! joined forces to present Handel's Messiah, Marjorie Drysdale's own Wreck of the Hesperus, and carols by Alfred Burt. Jennifer Moore, director; Marjorie Drysdale, director; Marta Borgstrom, accompanist.
"Catch a Falling Star," Our Lady of the Angels Church, May 2012
Fourteen different songs that had "star" as the unifying theme. Of note was selection by Ms. Moore of same anthem (text) - Sure on this Shining Night - arranged by three different composers, J. Ray, Randall Stroope, and Samuel Barber. Other selections included Choose Something Like a Star by Randall Thompson, My Lord What a Morning by H.T. Burleigh, and Stars I Shall Find by V. Johnson and S. Houston (another two version set.) Jennifer Moore, director; Marta Borgstrom, accompanist.
"Songs for the Seasons," Chandler Center for the Arts, December 2011
The Singers' traditional holiday concert featuring anthems, carols with audience sing-along, and the featured presentation of John Rutter's Magnificat; Karen Lundry of New York, soloist. Jennifer Moore, director; Marta Borgstrom, accompanist.
"Our Wish For Peace," Our Lady of the Angels, May 2011
Music performed included The Peaceable Kingdom by Randall Thompson, Bashana Haba'ah by Manor, Hirsch, Leavitt, Our Wish This Year is Peace by Erik Neilsen, Peace I Ask of Thee, O River by Gwyneth Walker, Brothers by Carl Stubing. Jennifer Moore, director; Marta Borgstrom, accompanist.
"Gloria!" Chandler Center for the Arts, December 2010
Vivaldi's Gloria, traditional carols, Bach's Sheep May Safely Graze. Featured soloists Marjorie Drysdale, Linda Radtke, Molly Clarke and Lillian Schley. Instrumentalists included Raymond Karl Malone, Bob Blais, Sophia Pelligrino, Jody Racht, Ann Greenawalt and Phyllis Kadlub. Lindsey Warren, director; Marta Borgstrom, accompanist.
“Grand Night for Broadway,” Our Lady of the Angels Church, May 2010
Selections from Grease, Paint Your Wagon, Fiddler on the Roof, My Fair Lady, Jesus Christ Superstar, Cats, Phantom of the Opera, Showboat, West Side Story, The Sound of Music, and Oklahoma. Lindsey Warren, conductor; Marta Borgstrom, accompanist
"Tapestry of Carols," Chandler Center for the Arts, December 2009
With Sounding Joy!, Bethany Church Youth Choir and Sounding Joy! Youth Chorus. Lindsay Warren and Marjorie Drysdale, directors; Marta Borgstrom, accompanist.
“International Songs of the Season,” Chandler Music Hall, December 2008
Music by Benjamin Britten, Sir David Willcocks, William Dawson, Roy Ringwald. Lindsey Warren, director; Timothy Guiles, accompanist.
“Richly Rutter,” Baptist Fellowship Church, Randolph, May 2008
A collection of music by John Rutter, including “Requiem.” Kathy Rotondi, director; Timothy Guiles, accompanist.
“Christmas with the Randolph Singers," Chandler Center for the Arts, December 2007
Music by Gustav Holst, Stephen Paulus, Jay Althouse, plus traditional audience sing-along of traditional carols.
“Songs of America," Chandler Music Hall, May 2007
Music by Gwyneth Walker, Robert DeCormier, Irving Berlin, Leonard Bernstein. Piero Bonamico, director; Timothy Guiles, accompanist.