The Gotham City Music Collective presents
Winter 2025 Choral Concert
ST PAUL’S GERMAN EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
7 MARCH 2025
Please join us post-concert for a short reception followed by an afterparty at a American Whiskey.
Thank you to Spinor Photos for photography. Instagram @spinorphotos
Program Leaflet
Additional Notes on Repertoire
by Performance Order
I Sing Because I’m Happy
We Are the Music Makers
Ngizocula
Such Great Heights
The Story
Yellow
Latch
Rather Be
Blackbird
And So It Goes
Reflection
I Was Here
Mama Who Bore Me
I Believe
The Song of Purple Summer
I Sing Because I’m Happy
by Charles H. Gabriel. Arranged by Kenneth Paden and Rollo Dilworth. Lyrics by Civilla D. Martin.
A reinterpretation of the Gospel staple His Eye is on the Sparrow. Martin wrote the original in 1905, and it has been made famous over and over by the likes of Ethel Waters, Mahalia Jackson, Whitney Houston, Lauryn Hill, and Tanya Blount.
Why should I feel discouraged
Why should the shadows come
Why should my heart feel lonely
And long for heaven and home
When Jesus is my portion
A constant friend is He
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches over me
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches me
I sing because I’m happy
I sing because I’m free
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches me
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches me
We Are the Music Makers
by Reginal Wright.
This uplifting work by American composer Reginal Wright sets a text by the nineteenth-century poet Arthur O’Shaughnessy. The powerful words are sung to a memorable melody embellished with syncopation and triplets. The voices are accompanied by rippling broken chords enriched with falling chromatic lines.”
We are the music makers,
And we are the dreamers of dreams,
Wandering by lone sea-breakers,
And sitting by desolate streams;
World-losers and world-forsakers,
On whom the pale moon gleams:
Yet we are the movers and shakers
Of the world for ever, it seems.
Ngizocula
by Thomas Yonke.
Published in 2021. The title means “I will sing” in Zulu and references the joy and resilience of making music, even in tribulation. Yonke’s composition embraces a fusion of traditional African musical elements and contemporary choral writing.
Such Great Heights
by The Postal Service.
Originally released by The Postal Service in 2003, this indie anthem reached 21 on the Billboard Hot 100. It explores love and distance with poetic lyricism and shimmering melodies.
The Story
by Brandi Carlile.
Brandi Carlile’s raw and powerful ballad tells a deeply personal narrative of love and self-discovery. This emotionally charged performance highlights the song’s soaring vocals and evocative storytelling, bringing its heartfelt message to life.
Yellow
by Guy Berryman, Jon Buckland, Will Champion, and Chris Martin.
From the album Parachutes. Coldplay’s iconic love song is known for its dreamy, introspective lyrics and sweeping melodies. This rendition reimagines the song’s warmth and sincerity, offering a unique interpretation of its timeless message.
Latch
by Sam Smith.
Originally recorded by Disclosure and featuring Sam Smith’s soaring vocals, Latch blends electronic and soulful elements into a mesmerizing love song. This rendition emphasizes the song’s heartfelt lyrics and passionate vocal delivery, bringing new depth to its theme of devotion.
Rather Be
by Grace Chatto, Jack Patterson, Nicole Marshall, and James Napier. Arranged by Mark Brymer.
A vibrant fusion of classical strings and contemporary dance music, Rather Be became an instant hit for Clean Bandit. This rendition captures its infectious energy and uplifting lyrics, celebrating the joy of unwavering love and commitment.
Blackbird
by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Arranged by Audrey Snyder.
A familiar ballad from The White Album (1968), Blackbird carries a message of hope and resilience. This choral arrangement preserves the song’s simplicity while expanding its harmonies, offering a fresh perspective on its enduring significance.
And So It Goes
by Billy Joel. Arranged by Bob Chilcott.
Though unreleased till 1989, Joel wrote the piece in 1983 about his relationship relationship with model Elle Macpherson, of whom Joel also wrote This Night and, at least in part, Uptown Girl.
Reflection
by Matthew Wilder.
From Disney’s Mulan, originally performed by the great Lea Salonga. The film retells the Chinese folk story of Hua Mulan, a daughter who disguises herself as her father when he is conscripted into military service. Reflection explores themes of self-identity and acceptance.
I Was Here
by Stephen Flaherty. Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens.
A moving ballad from The Glorious Ones, this song reflects on the desire to leave a lasting impact.
Mama Who Bore Me
by Duncan Sheik. Arranged by AnnMarie Milazzo. Lyrics by Steven Sater.
From the musical Spring Awakening. Opening Spring Awakening with haunting simplicity, this song conveys a deep yearning for understanding and freedom. Its folk-inspired melody and raw emotion set the tone for the musical’s themes of sexual awakening and rebellion. Spring Awakening opened at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre on December 10, 2006.
I Believe
by Duncan Sheik. Lyrics by Steven Sater.
From the musical Spring Awakening. I Believe builds from delicate harmonies into a soaring expression of love and vulnerability. Its emotional depth and lyrical beauty make it a poignant moment in the concert program.
The Song of Purple Summer
by Duncan Sheik. Arranged by Mark Brymer. Lyrics by Steven Sater.
From the musical Spring Awakening. This song symbolizes hope, transformation, and new beginnings. Its lush harmonies and poetic lyrics create a stirring and reflective closing to the program.