“A Picture Paints A Thousand Words…”

“An Afternoon with the Choral Masters”
(Works By: Haydn, Mozart, & Vivaldi)

This was the official inaugural performance of the GNCA, along with the Wausau Symphony & Band, which took place in the late afternoon of Palm Sunday on March 24^th of 2024, in the beautiful and sonorous sanctuary of the Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church on the west side of the city of Wausau, Wisconsin. This performance’s main pillars featured a Chorus of “The Heavens Are Telling”, from the Oratorio, “The Creation” by Classical composer Franz Josef Haydn, a magnificent Marian antiphon in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s, “Regina Coeli” (K. 276), and a 12-movement pinnacle of choral and symphonic mastery of the traditional mass ordinary in the “Gloria” (RV 589) by Baroque composer, Antonio Vivaldi. The performance also featured selections from a wide spectrum of cultural diversity and language ranging from the driving traditional Hebrew in Julius Chajes’s transcription of “Song of Galilee”, to the swinging Bemba language in the traditional Zambian folk song of “Bonse Aba”, arranged by Victor C. Johnson. The Wausau Symphony & Band, led by Daniel Larson, featured a trio of dances by German composer, Michael Praetorius, from Terpsichore, a compendium of orchestral music from 1612. The performance closed with the GNCA staple of a traditional moving spiritual and field song in, “Soon-ah Will Be Done”, by William Dawson. This balanced performance featured not only the members of GNCA and the WS&B, but talented soloists and instrumentalists, ranging from the Wisconsin Rapids, Wausau, and Owen-Withee areas. We were graced with the accompaniment talents of organist/pianist, George Felty, and percussionist/music educator, Ryan Gutsch. This performance was also an opportunity to witness masterful leadership from conductors; Professor William Day Emeritus and WS&B Leader, Daniel Larson, as well as the first for GNCA chairman, Brian Zell.

2025 – A New Beginning

“The magic in new beginnings is truly the most powerful of them all.” — Josiyah Martin

“A New Beginning”
(Works By: Handel, Mozart, & Thompson)

This was the first solo performance of the GNCA, without any other community group sharing the marquis, and like the year before, it took place in the late afternoon of Palm Sunday on April 13^th of 2025, in the beautiful and sonorous sanctuary of the Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church on the west side of the city of Wausau, Wisconsin. This performance’s central piece was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s, “Missa Brevis Spatzenmesse in C, No. 5” (K. 220). The concert began in true traditional processional fashion with George Friedric Handel’s majestic, “Coronation Anthem No. 1”, or as it is also known as “Zadok the Priest” (HMV 258), which is still used in Great Britain’s monarch coronations to this day. The choir, then, transitioned to a lyrical and legato listening of an “Alleluia” by 20^th century composer, Randall Thompson. A spirited, acapella, American Folk Song in Alice Parker’s, “Goin’ to Boston”, which featured body percussion, followed. The GNCA gentlemen featured an unaccompanied, awe inspiring, and emotional performance of Kurt Bestor’s, “Prayer of the Children”, in tribute to the children of the Bosnian civil war. After the Mozart work was completed, the GNCA choir bounced the performance back in style with Edwin F. Ferguson’s Shaker Tune rendition of “Ye Followers of the Lamb”. We returned to the brilliance of composer, Randall Thompson, with one of his seven country songs, “Choose Something Like a Star”, from Frostiana. A collection of Robert Frost’s poems set to music in the 1950’s. The performance closed with the GNCA staple of traditional spiritual in, “Ain’ A That Good News!”, by William Dawson. This balanced performance featured members of GNCA ranging from the communities of Plover, Stevens Point, Wausau, and Wisconsin Rapids. Just like a year ago, we were graced with the accompaniment talents of pianist, George Felty. This performance was an opportunity to witness strong leadership from GNCA’s head conductors, Colleen Doucette and Brian Zell.