Recent Performances
“Lux Brumalis: A Collection of Secular Music Inspired by Winter’s Light” Sunday, January 28, 2024 2pm Ingram Hall, Blair School of Music
The VCC celebrates the mystery of the heart of winter, with the many sensations it evokes– solitude, darkness, cold, but also light, togetherness, and beauty. Our repertoire showcases works by many living composers, ending with a stirring arrangement of “Auld Lang Syne” as we toast the New Year together in song.
Friday, May 5, 2023 8pm Turner Hall, Blair School of Music “Mozart and Other Choral Works” David Binns Williams, artistic director.
The VCC performs some of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s most beloved choral works with orchestra and organ, including the Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, the Solemn Vespers K. 339, and the unfogettable “Ave Verum Corpus.”
Sunday, November 13, 2022 2pm Ingram Hall “An Afternoon with Sondheim!” David Binns Williams, artistic director, Horacio Guendulain, pianist
For our post-COVID debut performance we celebrated the works of Stephen Sondheim, genius composer of many beloved musicals, with selections from “Sweeney Todd,” “Company,” “Into the Woods,” “Sunday in the Park with George,” and many others.
Sunday, February 23, 2020 2:30pm Ingram Hall “Brahms to Broadway: Love is in the Air!” David Binns Williams, artistic director, Horacio Guendulain, pianist
The Song That Goes Like This from Spamalot — John DuPrez & Eric Idle, Sam Cummins & MC Davidson, soloists
If Ever I Would Leave You — Alan Lerner & Fred Loewe from Camelot, Sam Cummins, solo
Night and Day — Cole Porter, Becky Young, solo
When I Fall in Love — Victor Young & Edward Heyman, Riley Crabtree, Erika Leicht, David Linn, Susan Wood, soloists
Stars and Moon — Jason Robert Brown from Songs for a New World, Zarabeth Davis, solo
Let Me Call You Sweetheart — Leo Friedman & Beth Slater Whitson, Riley Crabtree, Sam Cummins, David Linn, Brian Wilcox, soloists
Adelaide’s Lament –Frank Loesser from Guys and Dolls Elaine Braun, solo
I’ve Got a Crush on You — George and Ira Gershwin, Zarabeth Davis, Emily Rich, Susan Wood, soloists
It Had to be You — Isham Jones & Gus Kahn, Mike Coker, solo
At Last — Mack Gordon & Harry Warren, Natalie Boyd, solo
Liebeslieder Waltzer, Op. 52 Johannes Brahms
Horacio Guendulain & Nicholas Bergin, pianists Audrey Bounds & Dustin Derryberry, soloists Laura Powell & Hal Reid, Ballroom Dancers
Sunday, November 24, 2019 2:30pm Turner Hall “A Brief Fauré” Chorus and Orchestra David Binns Williams, dir. Horacio Guendulain, piano
Trois Chansons — Maurice Ravel (1835-1937)
Cantique de Jean Racine — Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924)
Requiem Op. 48 — Gabriel Fauré Ben Troxler, Baritone Susan Wood, Soprano
Saturday, May 4, 2019 8pm Ingram Hall “Women in Artistry” David Binns Williams, dir. Horacio Guendulain, piano
Sing All Ye Joyful [text: JRR Tolkein] — Ruth Watson Henderson (b. 1932)
My Cathedral [text: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow] — Christina Whitten Thomas (b. 1979)
Be Like the Bird [text: Victor Hugo] — Abbie Betinis (b. 1980) Audrey Bounds, Natalie Boyd (solo), Zarabeth Davis, Alyson Graham, Emily Kimball
Three Selections based on sacred texts
Nada te Turbe [text: Saint Theresa of Avila] — Joan Szymko (b. 1957) Emily Azzarito, cello
My Master from a Garden Rose [text: Gordon Young] — Eleanor Daley (b. 1955)
Non Nobis, Domine [biblical text] — Rosephanye Powell (b. 1962)
The Promise of Light [text: Len Schiff] — Georgia Stitt (b. 1972)
Emily Kimball, Alyson Graham, Elizabeth Powell, soprano
Zarabeth Davis, Sarah Loch, Laura Powell, alto
Cody Bartone, Harrison Hall, tenor
Riley Crabtree, John Lyons, Eric Wyse, bass
My Gentle Harp (“Londonderry Air”) [text: Thomas Moore] — arr. Alice Parker (b. 1925) Colleen Murray, harp
The Settling Years: Three Pioneer Texts — Libby Larsen (b. 1950)
Texts by Robert V. Carr and Vesta Pierce Crawford
- Comin’ to Town
- Beneath These Alien Stars
- A Hoopla
Saturday, December 15, 2018 8pm Turner Hall “Noel, Noel, Noel!” Chorus and Baroque Ensemble. David Binns Williams, dir., Jeffrey Williams, guest baritone, Nicholas Bergin, organ
Messe de Minuit pour Noel (Midnight Mass for Christmas) — Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1634?-1704)
Magnificat — Ruth Watson Henderson (b. 1932), Elizabeth Powell, solo
Fantasia on Christmas Carols — Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958), Jeffrey Williams, guest baritone, Christine Kim, cello
Saturday, May 5, 2018 8pm Turner Hall “Bernstein: A 100th Birthday Tribute” David Binns Williams, dir. Horacio Guendulain, piano
Warm-Up — Leonard Bernstein (1918 – 1990)
Three Selections from Candide — Leonard Bernstein arr. Robert Page
Life Is Happiness Indeed
The Best of All Possible Worlds
Make Our Garden Grow
Chichester Psalms — Leonard Bernstein
Patrick Dailey, Special Guest counter-tenor soloist
Nicholas Bergin, organ; Alan Fey, percussion; Kirsten Agresta Copely, harp
Vanessa Jackson, soprano; Zarabeth Davis, alto; Joshua McCluey, bass
Saturday, December 9, 2017 8pm Ingram Hall “The Sounds of Wintertide” David Binns Williams, dir. Horacio Guendulain, piano
O Magnum Mysterium Giovanni Gabrieli (1557 – 1612)
Jeffrey Keever, Allie Bridger, Peter Gair, trumpet; Samantha Hartsfield, Katie McMurray, French horn; Matt Tuggle, Hiram Rodriguez & Evan Lyons, trombone
O Magnum Mysterium Ivo Antognini (b. 1963)
O Magnum Mysterium Hyo-Won Woo (b. 1974) Morgan Matchok & Greg Gunther, soloists
Hodie, Christus Natus Est G.P. Palestrina (1524 – 1594)
Hodie, Christus Natus Est Kola Owolabi
Jeffrey Keever, & Allie Bridger, trumpet; Samantha Hartsfield, French horn; Matt Tuggle, trombone
Hodie, Christus Natus Est Jonathan Adams (b. 1962) Josh McCluey, solo
Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind (William Shakespeare) John Rutter (b. 1945)
Wintertide (Charles Anthony Silvestri) Ola Gjeilo (b. 1978)
Like Snow From Mid-Winter Songs (Robert Graves) Morten Lauridsen (b. 1943)
Alleluia Ralph Manuel (b. 1951)
Saturday, May 6, 2017, 8pm Turner Hall “Music of Life and Hope: A Concert of American Sacred Music” Chorus & Orchestra, David Binns Williams, dir. Caitlin Dowling, Organist
Have Ye Not Known? & Ye Shall Have a Song From The Peaceable Kingdom Randall Thompson (1899-1984)
O Nata Lux From Lux Aeterna Morten Lauridsen (b. 1943)
Pilgrim’s Hymn From The Three Hermits Stephen Paulus (1949-2014)
Requiem for the Living Dan Forrest (b. 1978)
Cameron Ware, boy solo, Becky Young, soprano solo, Tucker Biddlecombe, tenor solo
Teče Voda, Teče (“Waters Ripple and Flow”) Trad. Czecho-Slovak Folksong/Arr. Deems Taylor Bethany Trainor, solo
Sunday, February 19, 2017, 2pm Ingram Hall “We Shall Have a Song: American Choral Music Through the Centuries” David Binns Williams, dir.
I Am the Rose of Sharon William Billings (1746-1800)
At the River arr.Aaron Copland (1900-1990)
Hark I Hear the Harps Eternal arr. Alice Parker (b. 1925) Susan Wood, solo
Shenandoah arr. James Erb
How Can I Keep From Singing arr. Ronald Staheli Emily Kimball, solo
Sourwood Mountain arr. John Rutter Mike Coker & Riley Crabtree, solos
Ain’t Got Time to Die Hall Johnson Vanessa Jackson, solo
In His Care-O William Dawson
I’m Gonna Sing Moses Hogan
Two Short Anthems Amy Beach (1867-1944)
Sure on This Shining Night Samuel Barber (1910-1981)
Three Madrigals Emma Lou Diemer (b. 1927)
- O Mistress mine, where are you roaming?
- Take, O take those lips away
- Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more!
The Promise of Living Aaron Copland Caitlin Dowling, Betty Polk, piano
To Sappho Riley Crabtree (VCC member b. 1992)
The Word Was God Rosephanye Powell (b. 1962)
Astronaut Anthem Meredith Monk (b. 1942)
Alleluia Jake Runestad (b. 1986)
Tuesday, November 29, 2016, 7:30pm West End United Methodist “The American Choir: A Lecture Concert” with Vanderbilt Chorale/Symphonic/Community Choruses, Blair Collegium and Blair Children’s Chorus
Beautiful Savior arr. F. Melius Christiansen (combined with all choirs)
How Lovely Are the Messengers Felix Mendelssohn
Ave Verum Corpus (1791) W.A. Mozart
Hallelujah from The Mount of Olives (1803) L. van Beethoven
In His Care-O (1961) William H, Dawson
Ain’t Got Time to Die (1956) arr. Hall Johnson Vanessa Jackson, solo
Let the River Run (1989) Carly Simon arr. Craig Hella Johnson (combined with all choirs)
Saturday, May 14, 2016, 8pm Turner Hall “Duruflé” Chorus & Orchestra David Binns Williams, dir.
Quatre Motets sur des Thèmes Grégoriens Maurice Duruflé (1902-1986)
Ubi caritas et amor
Tota pulchra es
Tu es Petrus
Tantum ergo
Requiem Op. 9 Maurice Duruflé Nicholas Bergin, Organist
Saturday, December 12, 2015, 8pm Ingram Hall “In Dulci Jubilo” Chorus & Orchestra, David Binns Williams, dir.
In Dulci Jubilo Arr. R.L Pearsall (1795-1856)
Spring-2017-Concert-8×11Christmas Night Arr. John Rutter (b. 1945)
Once As I Remember Arr. Charles Wood (1866-1926)
I Wonder As I Wander Arr. John Rutter Rose Christian, solo
Cherry Tree Carol Arr. David Willcocks (1919-2015)
Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day Arr. David Willcocks Vanessa Jackson, solo
A Virgin Most Pure Arr. Charles Wood
I Sing of a Maiden Patrick Hadley (1899-1973)
O Little One Sweet Old German melody harmonized by J.S. Bach (1685-1750)
Greensleeves arr. Samuel Milligan (b. 1932) Colleen Murray and Margot Revet, harp
There is a Flower John Rutter Susan Wood, solo
Rejoice and Sing From the Christmas Oratorio J.S. Bach
All My Heart this Night Rejoices Johann Georg Ebeling (1637-1676)
I Saw a Maiden Old Basque Noel arr. Edgar Pittman (1865-1943)
Nativity Carol John Rutter