Carmina Burana is a scenic cantata composed in 1937 by German composer Carl Orff (1895-1982). The title is Latin and translates as “Songs Of Beuern,” referring to a collection of 13th-century songs and poems that were discovered in Germany in 1803 at the Beuern Monastery. Carl Orff chose 24 of the poems and set them music in 1937. The result is Carmina Burana, one of the most widely performed oratorios ever written. In today’s concert we will perform 19 of the 24 movements.
The poems of Carmina Burana were written in a mix of Latin, middle high German and medieval French, but they are not sacred texts. They were written and performed by a medieval minstrel group called the Goliards, a band of poet-musicians comprising scholars and clerical students, who wrote satirical poetry that lampooned religious customs using earthy humor to celebrate the joys of the tavern, nature, vagabond life and love.
Carmina Burana is divided into three main sections – Springtime, In the Tavern and Courtly Love – but it begins and ends with an anthem to Lady Luck. ‘O Fortuna’ is perhaps the most widely recognizable choir theme ever written and has been used in countless movies, television shows and commercials.
FORTUNA, IMPERATRIX MUNDI (FORTUNE, EMPRESS OF THE WORLD)
O Fortuna
O, Fortune!
Fortune Plango Vulnera
I lament the wounds Fortune deals
I. PRIMO VERE (SPRINGTIME)
Veris Leta Facies
The merry face of Spring
Ecce Gratum
Behold the pleasant Spring
UF DEM ANGER (ON THE MEADOW)
Tanz
Dance
Floret Silva
The woods abound
Reie
Round dance
Swaz Hie Gat Umbe
Those who go around and around
Chume, Chum, Geselle Min
Come, come, my love
Swaz Hie Gat Umbe (reprise)
Those who go around and around
Were Diu Werlt Alle Min
If all the world were mine
II. IN TABERNA (IN THE TAVERN)
Estuans Interius
I am seething inside
Baritone: Stacey Murdock
Olim Lacus Colueram
Once I lived on lakes
Tenor: David Gustafson
Ego Sum Abbas
I am the abbot
Baritone: Stacey Murdock
III. COUR D’AMOURS (COURTLY LOVE)
Dies, Nox et Omnia
Day, night, and everything
Baritone: Stacey Murdock
Stetit Puella
There stood a girl
Soprano: Emily Evelyn Way
Circa Mea Pectora
In my heart
Baritone: Stacey Murdock
Veni, Veni, Venias
Come, come, O come!
In Trutina
In the wavering balance of my feelings
Soprano: Emily Evelyn Way
Tempus est Iocundum
This is a joyful time
Soprano: Emily Evelyn Way
Baritone: Stacey Murdock
Dulcissime
Sweetest one
BLANZIFLOR ET HELENA (BLANCHEFLOUR AND HELEN)
Ave Formosissima
Hail, most beautiful one
FORTUNA, IMPERATRIX MUNDI (FORTUNE, EMPRESS OF THE WORLD)
O Fortuna
O, Fortune!
When Carl Orff composed Carmina Burana in 1937-1938, he simultaneously focused listeners’ attention on the distant past and influenced artistic expectations for decades to come. The combination of text from the 11th-13th centuries with boldly modern rhythms, powerful solo vocal motifs, and grand choral/orchestral harmonic textures produced a work that has become one of the world’s most recognized compositions.
In the almost 100 years since this work was written our society has enjoyed many advancements and faced many difficulties. One of our greatest current challenges is the explosion of voices encouraging us to make snap judgments, ignore different points of view, and remain in our comfort zones with our biases confirmed. Art can be one of the best remedies for this affliction, if we allow it. Lasting art is often appreciated by a wide variety of people because it endures a wide variety of interpretations. Carmina Burana is such a piece. Its creators (1000 years ago or 100 years ago) did not live in our world (nor we in theirs) and we should allow room for that. And, yet, a timeless concept runs throughout Carmina Burana that should find resonance with each of us: as humans our most important growth comes from wrestling with the passions we feel during the good and bad we experience over our lives. We are all continually learning how to deal with fluctuating degrees of love, loss, wealth, gluttony, fortune, etc.
Portland Choir & Orchestra strives to provide inspiring concert experiences in the Pacific Northwest. We invite you to join us in this quest today as we celebrate some of humankind’s most fundamental shared experiences: the glorious moments of triumph, and the fallible moments that remind us we need help and redemption.
David Thomas, Artistic Director
Edward Higgins, Orchestra Director
Ken Hollenzer, Executive Director
Thank you for buying tickets to our concert today. If you want to support more of this kind of uplifting, family-friendly music please consider supporting Portland Choir & Orchestra with an additional tax-deductible donation like these sponsors. Just click here to visit our sponsorship page.
Thank You To Our
2023-2024 Season Donors:
Anonymous – $80,000
Meinzer Family Trust – $12,000
Gold Family Farm – $1,000
Eddie Hernandez – $854
George & Janis Wallace – $600
PGE Employee Giving – $450
Robert & Janet Watkins – $250
Mike & Sue Doherty – $200
Janna Nichols – $200
Benevity Giving – $180
Karen Morgan – $100
Kaiser Foundation Community Giving – $90
Kroger’s $44
Thank You To Our
PCO Golf Classic Sponsors:
Eldon Reese Advisory Group
Northstar Mortgage
Vial Fotheringham LLC
Amish Traditions
Arvory
Portland Piano Company
Golden Valley Brewery
Mad Greek Deli
Soprano 1
Jamey McClellan*
Elizabeth Polay
Emily Thomas
Soprano 2
Alyson Broberg
Deb Dougal
Lauren Drossel
Tammy Fry
Tara Janson
Brittany Jones
Susie Josephson
Barbara Laney
Wendy Latta
Erin Owens
Jennie Peterson
Brooke Ryles
Amy Updike
Ellynn Willmore
Alto 1
Janet Apostalon
Laurie Bailey
Amy Bak
Stefani Carlton
LeAnne Draney
Jenny Gennings*
Kristen Hess
Kathryn Latour
Helen Shellman
Ellie Tracy
Kathleen Westhora
Lindsey Yun
Alto 2
Kara Anderson
Margie Armstrong
Courtney Atack Pixton
Jennifer Edwards
Jackie Emmett
Stephanie Fields
Cheryn Hunter
Kyleen Hunter
Rachel Mohlman
Mary Anne Shamrell
Nicole Stoddard
Daya Tracy
Tenor 1
Keith Biggs
Darren Boss
Chris Harris*
Steve Pitzel
Tarry Smith
Patty Weenig
Tenor 2
Ken Hollenzer
Doug Lowder
Gerald Whisenant
David Robbins
Matt Davis
Bass 1
Curtis Bedont
Stephen Blinco
Adam Cluff
Marc Davis
Mark Deason
Erich Drossel
James Evensen
Clark Green
Steve Maxfield
Joe Menard
Rob Perkins
Craig Walker
Ryan Wolsey
Bass 2
Jackson Burkhalter
Dustin Geddes
Russ McMurdie
John Meagher
David Monson
Michael Rex
Piano
Kathy Jensen
* Section Leader
1st Violin
Ann Christensen**
Alberta Barnes
Tara Burke
Erin Hatch
Andrew Poole Todd
2nd Violin
Briana Nielson*
Shion Yamakawa
Bev Louthan
Jessica Scott
Elisa Boynton
Lacey Peters
Viola
Carson Mangum*
Anamaria Ghitea
Maren Knopp
Kim Burton
Cello
Kristopher Duke*
Kevin Jackson
Amelia Hunnicutt
Paula Flynn
Hannah Hiskey
String Bass
Garrett Jellesma*
Kevin Deitz
Flute
Abby Mages*
Pippa Randolph
Oboe
Alan Juzza*
Oboe/English Horn
Nick Thompson
Clarinet
Andy Sharma*
Chris Cox
Bassoon
Nicole Buetti*
Gary Zaganiacz
French Horn
Jen Harrison*
Kurt Heichelheim
Trumpet
Brett Randolph*
Jason Gunderson
Trombone
John Warton*
Heidi Aispuro
Kenneth Biggs
Tuba
Stephen Fulks*
Percussion
Brian Gardiner*
Nick Rose
Joel Bluestone
Timpani
Will Reno
Piano
Kathy Jensen*
** Concertmaster
* Principal
PCO ARTISTIC STAFF
Artistic Director – Dr. David M. Thomas
Orchestra Director – Dr. Edward Higgins
Assistant Choir Director – Jennie Peterson
Concertmaster – Ann Christensen
ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD
Executive Director – Ken Hollenzer
Finance Manager – Kerry Morgan
Treasurer – Tara Janson
OPERATIONS
Technology – Mark Deason
Wardrobe – Marci Dayley
Orchestra Music Librarian – Curtis Bedont
Orchestra Personnel Manager – Tara Burke
Box Office Coordinator – Mark Deason
Marketing – Kathryn Latour
Public Relations – Keith Biggs
PRODUCTION
Executive Producer – Brad Goodwin
Stage Manager – Peggy Goodwin
Ticketing – Solomon Gordon, Stephanie Fry
Equipment Transportation – Michael Rex, Bob Anthony
Audio – Mark Deason, Clark Green, Rob Perkins, Matthew Percy, Duane Rodakowski
Recording Engineer – Greg Blaisdell
Photographer & Video Team Leader – Jordan Bigelow
Camera Crew – Kathie Robbins, Tucker McLain, Liam Grant
Promotional Collateral Design – Jordan Hayter
Projected Videos – Brad Goodwin
Printed/digital Program – Brad Goodwin/Mark Deason
Thanks to Rolling Hills House & Production team!!
Dr. David M. Thomas, Artistic Director 
David M. Thomas enjoys a strong reputation throughout the Pacific Northwest as a conductor who fuses technique and artistry to provide a compelling and transformative musical experience.
Dr. Thomas excels as a choral musician through his unwavering commitment to healthy vocal production in the choir. He attributes much of his success as a conductor and pedagogue to the early influence of his mother, Beverly (soprano and conductor), and his years of study and performance with Dr. Ronald Staheli. Dr. Thomas (baritone) soloed in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s well-known weekly television broadcast, on the Mariinsky Theatre stage, and has prepared choirs or collaborated as a guest conductor with many prestigious ensembles including the Oregon Repertory Singers and the Newport Symphony Orchestra.
After earning additional degrees in Russian language (BA) and choral conducting (MM) at Brigham Young University, Dr.Thomas received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatoire in St. Petersburg Russia. He has continually integrated Russian music in his performance and research, providing performance coaching for ensembles and soloists, and presenting scholarly work at national and regional level professional conferences. Dr. Thomas is highly sought after as a clinician and adjudicator. Artistic Director of Portland Choir & Orchestra since 2007, Dr. Thomas also finds great joy teaching and performing with his wife, Emily (Soprano), and together, raising their five children.
Dr. Edward Higgins, Orchestra Director
Applauded as a true bright light in artistry and expression, Dr. Edward Higgins, is currently a Professor of Music at Portland State University in Portland Oregon. He also serves as the Orchestra Director of Portland Choir & Orchestra, and has authored four books with subjects ranging from musical performance practice, to the Motown Record Company, and its relationship with the City of Detroit.
Dr. Higgins began his multifaceted career with the Spoleto Festival Orchestra in Spoleto, Italy, where he served as Principal Trumpet on such works as the Grammy-winning recording of Samuel Barber’s Antony and Cleopatra. After two seasons, Dr. Higgins went on to hold the Principal Trumpet position of the Sacramento Symphony. He achieved comparable accolades in the Midwest as a professional tubist, holding principal tuba positions in the La Crosse Symphony and the St. Joseph Symphony Orchestras.
His educational career has seen similar success with brass pedagogy and conducting positions at the University of California Davis, California State University Sacramento, Winona State University in Minnesota, and Washburn University in Kansas.
Dr. Higgins holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in trumpet performance from the Juilliard School, and a doctorate in conducting from the University of Missouri, Kansas City.
Jennie Peterson, Assistant Choir Director
Jennie Peterson received her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education with a secondary education choral emphasis from Brigham Young University in 2007. She has a passion for choral music that started from a very young age and has enjoyed participating in and directing various choirs throughout her life at church and in her community. She is a proud mother of five children.
Emily Evelyn Way, Soprano
Emily Evelyn Way is a lyric coloratura soprano based in the Pacific Northwest. In the 2023-2024 season, Ms. Way can be seen as Zina in Dark Sisters with OrpheusPDX, the Soprano in Renegade Opera’s production She Loves You Back, and as Sandman/Dew Fairy in Hansel and Gretel with Eugene Opera. Other recent performances include Madame Herz in Der Schauspieldirektor (Opera Bend/Central Oregon Symphony), Adina in L’Elisir d’Amore (Opera Bend), Adele in Die Fledermaus (Eugene Opera), Laurie in The Tender Land, Héro in Berlioz’s Béatrice et Benedict (Eugene Opera), Beth in Little Women (Eugene Opera, Astoria Music Festival), Flora in The Turn of the Screw (Eugene Opera, Opera on the Avalon), and Carrie Pipperidge in Carousel (Opera on the Avalon). A frequent presence on concert stages, Ms. Way has performed as the Soprano Soloist in many works including Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, Carmina Burana, Mozart’s Requiem, Exsultate, Jubilate, and Bach’s Cantata No. 51, among others.
Stacey Murdock, Baritone
David Gustafson, Tenor
Internationally recognized for his robust, expressive voice, tenor David Gustafson made his San Francisco Opera debut in 2010 as Sentinelle in Cyrano De Bergerac starring Placido Domingo.
Most recently heard as Canio (Leoncavallo, Pagliacci, Rodolfo (Puccini, La Boheme), Marcello (Leoncavallo, La Boheme), Radamés (Aïda), Maurizio (Adriana Lecouvreur), Alfredo (La Traviata), Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde, Namahage (Monster), Anthony (Tango of the White Gardenia), Jupiter (Semele), King Herod (Salome), Kagemusha (Nen-Nene-ko), L’Aumonier (Dialogues des Carmélites), Erik (Der Fliegende Holländer) Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly), Edgardo (Lucia di Lammermoor), Turridu (Cavalleria Rusticana), Otello (Otello), Cavaradossi (Tosca), Tony in the world premier of Heart of the Soldier at San Francisco Opera, Gustafson’s roles range from Calaf (Turandot), Ernesto (Don Pasquale), Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni), Tamino (Magic Flute), Ferrando (Così fan tutte), Ramiro (Cenerentola), Lionel (Martha), Beppe (Pagliacci), Alfred (Fledermaus), Nemorino (Elixir of Love), and others.
A frequent oratorio singer, Gustafson has sung masses of Beethoven, Verdi, Mozart, Schubert and Haydn, Messiah (Handel), Magnificat in D and cantatas of J.S. Bach, as well as Carmina Burana (Orff), Rachmaninoff Vespers, Seven Deadly Sins (Weill) and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. In addition he sang the world premiere, presented by Eugene Symphony, of Robert Kyr’s Symphony No. 9 as well as its European premiere, in Denmark.
Heard internationally as Count Almaviva (Barbiere) with the Shanghai Broadcasting Orchestra, the production being the Chinese premier of the Rossini masterpiece. In addition to live London performances Gustafson recorded at Abbey Road Studio, London, Prince Hal/Henry V (Getty’s Plump Jack) with the London Philharmonia. In 2006 Gustafson headlined the Gala Opening Concert of the Cesky Krumlov International Music Festival in the Czech Republic.
Upcoming performances include: Turridu (Cavalleria Rusticana), Canio (Pagliacci), Hoffman (Tales of Hoffman), Paolo (Fraceska da Rimini), several opera concert appearances, Beethoven’s 9th symphony, and the requiems of Verdi and Mozart.