Music Notes
Performers
The New England Brass Consort features Robert Couture, trombone; Dana Oakes, trumpet; Dana Russian, trumpet; Fred Aldrich, horn; and Don Rankin, tuba. The Consort traditionally plays the prelude, processional, recessional, anthem, and Alma Mater at Dartmouth Convocation ceremonies.
The repertoire of the Korean Traditional Performing Arts Association spans a vast range of styles and settings, from classical court music to popular narrative vocal arts, solo instrumental folk genres, and farmers’ percussion music. Under the direction of dancer Sue Yeon Park and composer/ ethnomusicologist Ju-Yong Ha, the organization has performed in major concert venues, including the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City and various national festival stages. Members participating in Inauguration are: Gee Sook Baek, Ji- Young Park, Hyun-A Lee, Min-Ji Kim, Woo-Hyang Kim, Adam Yim, and Seung-Whan Yang.
Heidi J. Kim, sister of President Jim Yong Kim, has performed as a soloist and member of several prestigious professional choirs, including Conspirare, the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, and the Robert Shaw Festival Singers. Kim is currently the Director of Diversity at Seattle Preparatory School.
Associate Professor of Music Steven R. Swayne is the author of a book on Stephen Sondheim and a forthcoming book on William Schuman. He teaches courses in music from 1700 to the present day, opera, Russian music, and American music. An accomplished concert pianist, he has four nationally distributed recordings currently in release.
The Dartmouth College Glee Club, directed by Louis G. Burkot since 1981, comprises more than 40 singers with a repertoire spanning four centuries. The group’s distinguished performance history includes numerous masterworks of choral-orchestral literature, fully staged Gilbert and Sullivan operettas with all-student casts, large and small a cappella works, and the cherished songs of Dartmouth College.
The Occom Pond Singers, Dartmouth’s powwow drum group, sings generally in the southern style of powwow singing. Its membership is representative of tribal nations throughout the continent. Participants include John Around Him ’12; Joseph Brewer, former Associate Director of Dartmouth’s Native American Program; Daron Carreiro ’02; Schuyler Chew ’09; Cory Cornelius ’07; Michael Hanitchak ’73; Benjamin Parker ’11; Brittany Garcia ’11; Kayla Gebeck ’12; Kellyn James ’10; and Kiva Sam ’12.
During her time at Dartmouth, Courtney A. Davis ’09, the second-place winner of Dartmouth Idol 2009, majored in theater modified with English and was active in theater department productions. Since graduation, the Colorado native has been spending her time developing her skills as a performer.
Jamie T. Y. Hwang ’10 is a government major from Marlboro, New Jersey. She is the Dartmouth Idol 2009 third-place winner and sings with the a cappella group X.ado. Committed to service in the developing world, she recently completed Tucker Foundation and Dickey Center internships in Ethiopia and Tanzania.
Michael C. Odokara-Okigbo ’12 is a global health major from Portland, Maine. He is the first-place winner of Dartmouth Idol 2009 and is a member of the varsity rowing team and the a cappella group Dartmouth Aires.
Selections
Take Care of This House was composed in 1976 by Leonard Bernstein, with lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, for the musical production 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. In this show, conceived for the United States Bicentennial Celebration, Bernstein explored the history of the White House through the stories of its occupants, often focusing on race relations. The song was performed by renowned mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade at President Jimmy Carter’s Inaugural Gala. Lyrics follow:
Take care of this house.
Keep it from harm.
If bandits break in Sound the alarm.
Care for this house.
Shine it by hand,
And keep it so clean
The glow can be seen
All over the land.
Be careful at night;
Check all the doors.
If someone makes off with the dream,
The dream will be yours.
Take care of this house.
Be always on call,
For this house is the hope of us all.Be careful at night;
Check all the doors.
If someone makes off with the dream,
The dream will be yours.
Take care of this house;
Be always on call.
Care for this house;
It’s the hope of us all.
My Lord What a Morning is a spiritual originating in the 18th or 19th century. Spirituals—religious folk songs created and first sung by African Americans in slavery—are considered the first uniquely American music. Serving primarily as expressions of religious faith but also as sociopolitical protests, spirituals were created in expression of struggle and overcoming, in faith, forbearance, and hope, often incorporating Christian theology as an instrument of liberation. Lyrics follow:
My Lord, what a morning
My Lord, what a morning
Oh, my Lord, what a morning
When the stars begin to fall
When the stars begin to fall.Done quit all my worldly ways
Done quit all my worldly ways
Done quit all my worldly ways
Join that heavenly band.Oh, my Lord, what a morning
My Lord, what a morning
Oh, my Lord, what a morning
When the stars begin to fall
When the stars begin to fall.
The Honor Song of the Occom Pond Singers conveys the honor and respect that the Native American community at Dartmouth holds for President Kim as he formally assumes leadership of the College. It also expresses the good thoughts that are being sent to him as he accepts the College Charter, the heart of the long relationship between Native people and the College.
< Return to The Inauguration Ceremony
Join the Conversation
Follow tweets about the Inauguration and Convocation events at Twitter.
Video Gallery
Watch videos of the ceremony and inauguration events at Dartmouth's YouTube channel.
Photo Gallery
View photos of President Kim at Dartmouth's Flickr photostream.
Stay Connected
Join President Kim at Dartmouth's Facebook page and stay connected with everything happening at Dartmouth.