NATIONAL PHILHARMONIC SINGERS

PREDRAG GOSTA, CONDUCTOR & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

SACRED MUSIC OF SERBIA, RUSSIA AND THE WEST

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2009 AT 6 PM

KENNEDY CENTER, MILLENNIUM STAGE

P R O G R A M

Isaiah the Serb (15th century):

Agios o Theos – Sveti Bože (Trisagion)*

Anonymous (17th century):

The Cherubic Hymn*

Stevan St. Mokranjac (1856-1915):

Excerpts from the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom:

Svjati Bože (Holy God) / Aliluja (Hallelujah) / Slava tebje, Gospodi (Glory to You, O Lord)*

The Cherubic Hymn

Tebe pojem (We praise Thee)

Predrag Gosta (*1972):

Blagoslovi, duše moja, Gospoda (Bless the Lord, O my soul)

Josif Marinković (1851-1931):

Oče naš (Our Father)

Pavel Chesnokov (1877-1944):

Vzbrannoy Voyevode (To Thee, the victorious Leader)

Thomas Tallis (c.1505-1585):

If ye love me

Henry Purcell (1659?-1695):

Thou knowest, Lord

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847):

Psalm 100: Jauchzet dem Herrn, alle Welt (Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands)

Psalm 43: Richte mich, Gott (Vindicate me, O God), Op. 78, No. 2

* Chants: Predrag Gosta, baritone

ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

The 24-member National Philharmonic Singers is a virtuoso chamber choir that specializes in works suited for a smaller ensemble, with accompaniment or a cappella. Its repertoire ranges from the 15th to 21st century, including the premieres of new compositions by local composers. The Singers perform throughout the Washington D.C. metro area, but most often at Christ Episcopal Church in Rockville, MD, where last year they were appointed as Ensemble-in-Residence. The ensemble regularly rehearses on Sunday evenings at the Music Center at Strathmore, and auditions are held periodically to fill existing vacancies. The Singers work under the direction of its Artistic Director, Predrag Gosta, who is also National Philharmonic’s Assistant Conductor. For more information, please visit www.nationalphilharmonic.org.

Predrag Gosta was appointed to the position of the Artistic Director of the National Philharmonic Singers last year. Born in Belgrade, Serbia, he received an undergraduate degree and a Postgraduate Certificate from Trinity College of Music in London, England, as well as three Master of Music degrees from Georgia State University in Atlanta. As the founder and the Artistic Director of Atlanta’s acclaimed period instrument orchestra New Trinity Baroque, Gosta is recognized around the country as a specialist in historically informed performance. As a conductor, singer or harpsichordist, Gosta appeared at many concerts and festivals in USA and overseas, including concerts in England, Russia, Sweden, Finland, Germany, and Mexico. Beside the National Philharmonic where he works as Assistant Conductor, he is also the Music Director of the Gwinnett Ballet Theatre in Atlanta. He is an active recording artist, with over a dozen recordings to his credit, and he was on the faculty at Oxford College of Emory University and was an Artist Affiliate at Georgia State University in Atlanta. A recipient of numerous awards and scholarships, he is also a member of the Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Scholars and Mu Phi Epsilon International Music Fraternity.

SOPRANO Kate Gordon Maria Lostoski Donna McLaughlin Fie Freja Sandkamm Pia-Rabea Vornholt Shannon Washington Lynne Woods	MEZZO-SOPRANO / ALTO Elizabeth Bishop Ruth Faison Martha Krieger Daryl Newhouse Katherine Schnorrenberg Caitlin Torgerson
TENOR Fritz Liao Aluben Michael Lodico Wayne Meyer Jason Saffell Robert Saffell Martin Vaughan	BARITONE / BASS Thomas Alun Russ Bowers Kent Mikkelsen Leif Neve Ed Rejuney

TEXTS & TRANSLATIONS:

Agios o Theos – Sveti Bože

Holy God, Holy Mighty,

Holy Immortal, Have mercy on us.

The Cherubic Hymn

We that mystically represent the cherubim,

and sing to the life-giving Trinity the trice-holy hymn,

let us now lay aside all earthly care. Amen

That we may receive the King of all,

invisibly escorted by the hosts of angels.

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Excerpts from the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

[I lift my prayer to the Lord.]

Have mercy on us, O Lord.

[You are indeed holy, O Lord,

and it is righteous to praise Thee,

the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,

now and for ever and ever.]

Amen.

Holy God, holy mighty, holy immortal, have mercy on us.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,

As it was in the beginning, now and ever shall be. Amen.

Hallelujah!

[Lord be with you.]

And also with you.

[Hear the word of the Holy Gospel.]

Glory to You, O Lord!

Many years to the Lord.

(prayers continue)

Have mercy on us, O Lord!

Amen.

The Cherubic Hymn

(text same as no. 2 above)

Tebe pojem

We praise Thee, we bless Thee,

we give thanks to Thee, O Lord,

and we pray to Thee, our God.

(continued)

Blagoslovi, duše moja, Gospoda

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

blest art Thou, O Lord.

O Lord my God, Thou art very great.

Blessed art Thou, O Lord.

Thou art clothed with honor and majesty.

Blessed art Thou, O Lord.

The waters stand upon the mountains.

Marvelous are Thy works, O Lord.

The waters flow between the hills.

Marvelous are Thy works, O Lord.

In wisdom hast Thou made all things.

Glory to Thee, O Lord, who hast created all!

Oče naš

Our Father, who art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy Name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

[For thine is the kingdom, and the power,

and the glory, for ever and ever.]

Amen.

Vzbrannoy Voyevode

To Thee, the victorious Leader of triumphant hosts,

we Thy servants, delivered from evil,

offer hymns of thanksgiving, O Theotokos!

Since Thou dost possess invincible might,

set us free from all calamities,

so that we may cry to Thee:

“Rejoice, O unwedded Bride!”

If ye love me

If ye love me keep my commandments

and I will pray the Father

and He shall give you another comforter

that he may bide with you forever

e’en the spirit of truth. Amen.

(continued)

Thou knowest, Lord

Thou knowest, Lord, the secrets of our hearts;

Shut not Thy merciful ears unto our prayer;

But spare us, Lord most holy, O God most mighty,

o holy and most merciful Saviour,

Thou most worthy Judge eternal,

suffer us not at our last hour,

for any pains of death to fall from Thee.

Amen.

Jauchzet dem Herrn, alle Welt (Psalm 100:1-5)

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands,

Serve the Lord with gladness, come before his presence with singing.

Know ye that the Lord, he is God; it is he that hath made us,

and not we ourselves, we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise;

be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

For the Lord, he is good; his mercy is everlasting,

and his truth endureth to all generations.

RIchte mich, Gott (Psalm 43)

Vindicate me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation;

rescue me from deceitful and wicked men.

You are God my stronghold. Why have you rejected me?

Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?

Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me;

let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell.

Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight.

I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God.

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

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FINIS