Choirs and Chorus Concert 12/6/25
Boston University School of Music presents:
Choral Orchestral Landscapes
Featuring BU Chamber Choir, Handel and Haydn Society Youth Choruses Chamber Choir, BU Symphonic Chorus, BU University Choruses & BU Chamber Orchestra
Dr. Daniel Parsley; Director of Choral Activities & Graduate Conducting programs, Alyson Greer Espinosa; Director, Handel and Haydn Society Youth Choruses Chamber Choir
| Leonardo Dreams of His Flying Machine
Hannah Prince & Yuki Frampton, sopranos
Alex Segreti, Ysobel Leonard, & Olivia Rhein, mezzo-sopranos Denny Veidelis, baritone Alex Segreti, percussion Ysobel Leonard, percussion Travis Benoit, percussion |
Eric Whitacre (b.1970) |
| Magnificat in D major, BWV 243
Magnificat Et Exultavit
Quia respexit
Quia fecit mihi magna
Et misericordia eius
Fecit potentiam Deposuit potentes
Esurientes implevit bonis
Suscepit Israel
Gloria patri
Sicut erat in principio Boston University Chamber Choir |
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) |
| — Intermission — | |
| Beatus Vir from Vesperae solennes de confessore K. 339
Zoe Bennett, soprano
Sergio Savala, countertenor Michael Bradley, tenor Jongho Woo, baritone Karen Frank, conductorBoston University Symphonic Chorus Boston University Chamber Choir Boston University Chamber Orchestra |
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791) |
| Missa in Angustiis (“Nelson Mass”), Hob. XXII:11
Erin Matthews, soprano Boston University Symphonic Chorus |
Joseph Haydn (1732–1809) |
Rosters
H&H Youth Choruses Chamber Choir
Alyson Greer Espinosa, conductor
Andrew Milne, associate conductor
Handel and Haydn Society Youth Choruses Chamber Choir
Sophie Chang
Joseph Choi
Caroline Cortright
Brooks Decoste
Colin Graves
Isaac Lee
Daniel Leonce Valz
Francesca Lucas
Emma Merry
Sonali Morrissey-Dhekne
Emma Oliphant
Zachary Park
Cameron Phillips
Maya Powers
Adam Quraishi
Thalia Ruark
Linus Schafer-Goulthorpe
Ruth Anne Sowa
Elodie Weinzierl
Lillian Wolf
Casey Wong
BU Chamber Choir
Dr. Daniel Parsley, Director of Choral Activities & Director for Graduate Conducting programs
Edith Mora Hernandez, graduate assistant conductor
Karen Frank, graduate student manager
Cheryn Pandora, collaborative pianist
Abigail Bancroft
Travis Benoit
Jerome Boxer
Michael W. Bradley
Jinho Cho
Sabrina Dagazai
Marie Davis
Cameron Edgar
Yuki Frampton
Karen Frank
Joseph Hall
Tessa Hayashida
Audrey Hyers
Kevin Lackie
Ysobel Leonard
Bianca Lucas
Morgan Lucero
Lauren Mahoney
Andrew Mak
Marco Marchant
Ilyena Metzger
Edith Mora Hernandez
Laura Morgan
Justin Moy
Sinead O’Mahoney
Janae Peterson
River Peterson
Hannah Prince
Bianca Rahme
Olivia Rhein
Max Romoff
Sergio Savala
Alex Segreti
Owen Shultz
Roshan Sivaraman
Shawn Smaldon
Samuel Soric
Matthew Sperling
Audrey Tang
Denny Veidelis
Braden Willenbrock
Monica Wu
Cindy Yao
Mengyue (Lydia) Yi
BU Tenor Bass Chorus
Dr. Daniel Parsley, Director of Choral Activities & Director for Graduate Conducting programs
Jinho Cho, graduate assistant conductor
Travis Benoit, graduate student manager
Jason Xue, collaborative pianist
Travis Benoit
Michael W. Bradley
Jinho Cho
Asher Cohen
Sabrina Dagazai
Zachary Held
Kevin Lackie
Marco Marchant
Justin Moy
Dylan Nunez
Oliver Oliva
Krishen Patel
Ziming Sun
BU Soprano Alto Chorus
Dr. Daniel Parsley, Director of Choral Activities & Director for Graduate Conducting programs
Marie Davis, graduate assistant conductor
Travis Benoit, graduate student manager
Annie Chen, collaborative pianist
Sulaf Al Jabal
Anna Beeken
Delainey Bostley
Alyssa Carlson
Olivia Comerford
Nicoleta Cutitaru
Marie Davis
Anna Driscoll
Hannah Dubroff
Raquel Figueroa
Ashley Ford
Karen Frank
Abigail George
Elena Guzman
Riley Haberman
Veronica Kogan
Caureen Lawrence
Kat Marsh
Alexa McGarrity
Edith Mora Hernandez
Keira Muselbeck
Sherra Ng
Catherine O’Donnell
Sinead O’Mahoney
Gianna Pasacane-Gallagher
Chloe Ploss
Reina Radnor
Wanda Sullivan
Jailyn Thompson
Calina Whitney
Serena Wong
Mengyue (Lydia) Yi
Allison Zeoli
Xilei (Bella) Zhang
Zijun (Claire) Zhu
BU Symphonic Chorus
Dr. Daniel Parsley, Director of Choral Activities & Director for Graduate Conducting programs
Kevin Lackie & Michael W. Bradley, graduate assistant conductors
Devin Barry & Sinead O’Mahoney, graduate student managers
Yuewen Wu, collaborative pianist
Emmanuel Aguirre Gutierrez
Caroline Ahn
Yuqing Bai
Alexandros Balaouras
Peter Balluffi-Fry
Abigail Bancroft
Robert Baron
Devin Barry
Alyssa Bauman
Anna Beeken
Travis Benoit
Jessica Bickerton
Michael Blackwell
Tyler Borges
Delainey Bostley
Jerome Boxer
Michael Bradley
Mackenzie Briggs
Alyssa Carlson
Raheem Champion
Elizabeth Chavez
Ariane Chen
Jinho Cho
Amanda Cohen
Emmalynn Craft
Bridgette Curran
Nicoleta Cutitaru
Corinne Davidson
Marie Davis
Hannah Dubroff
Sophie Duda
Renee Dvorske
Cameron Edgar
Amanda Forde
Yuki Frampton
Karen Frank
David Fried
Joseph Hall
Jaida Hawkins
Tessa Hayashida
Bethany He
Zachary Held
Mariko Henstock
Libby Herrenkohl
Ethan Huey
Audrey Hyers
Marshall Joos
Madison Jorgensen
Jessica Karasik
George King
Daniel Krewson
Gulce Kureli
John Kwon
Kevin Lackie
Jessica Laman
Jinny Lee
Ysobel Leonard
Grace Lesselroth
Sammi Levas
Zhifeng (April) Li
Catherine Li
Laura Long
Bianca Lucas
Charlotte Ma
Lauren Mahoney
Andrew Mak
Marco Marchant
Alexa McGarrity
Kaydence Meikle
Ilyena Metzger
Edith Mora Hernandez
Laura Morgan
Sherra Ng
Sinead O’Mahoney
Dana Oprisan
Alayna Pabon
Daniella Parkinson
River Peterson
Reina Radnor
Bianca Rahme
Sam Rekulak
Lucas Rie
Niklas Rietsch
Julia Rojkov
Max Romoff
Veer Sawhney
Alex Segreti
Jacqueline Shaw
Theo Sheldon
Owen Shultz
Roshan Sivaraman
Jacob Slade
Shawn Smaldon
Morgan Snoap
Samuel Soric
Daniella Spencer-Laitt
Matthew Sperling
Wanda Sullivan
Joshua Sultanik
Abigail Tadlock
Jailyn Thompson
Sophia Tigges
Katelyn Tobey
Ruby Voge
Junmin Wang
Keller Wegter-McNelly
Braden Willenbrock
Dakota Winslow
Cindy Yao
Mengyue (Lydia) Yi
Allison Zeoli
Xilei (Bella) Zhang
Xunuo (Nora) Zhang
Zijun (Claire) Zhu
BU Chamber Orchestra Roster
Violin
Patricio Flores Esquivel, Concertmaster Haydn
Jisoo Kim, Concertmaster Bach and Mozart
Sicong Chen⧫
Lana Crosson
Fandi Gao
James Huang
MarieFaith Lane
HaeJin Lee
Yin-Chi Lee
Linjun Li
Maya Lynn
Cecil Mummey*+
Wanting (Peter) Yu
Fujia Zhang
Viola
Ian Aistrup⧫
Avi Gahm-Diaz
Matthew Holzaepfel*+
Hyelim Kong
Dawson Yow
Cello
Nathaniel Aistrup
Abby Hanna⧫*+
Emilia Lacy
Ga Eun Lee
Charlotte Vincent
Bass
Olivia McCallum⧫
Xinyi Ruan*+
Flute
Ann Hsieh
Ying Jin⧫
Jungyoon Kim*
Oboe
Coleton Morgan*
Katherine Filiss⧫
Clarinet
Haotian Lian⧫
Nicholas Suarez
Bassoon
Oscar Garcia-Moreno+
Horn
Haley Klouda*
YiHao Lee
Trumpet
Reynolds Martin*
Jafet Diaz Martin
William Spear⧫
Tenor Trombone
Cassie Thomas
Yinci Zhang+
Bass Trombone
Changwon Park+
Timpani
Amy Hendricks*
Daulton Templet⧫
⧫Principal Haydn
*Principal Bach
+Principal Mozart
Program Notes
Leonardo Dreams of His Flying Machine - Eric Whitacre
Leonardo Dreams of his Flying Machine…
Tormented by visions of flight and falling
More wondrous and terrible each than the last
Master Leonardo imagines an engine
To carry a man up into the sun…And as he’s dreaming the heavens call him
“Leonardo. Leonardo, vieni á volare”. (“Leonardo. Leonardo, come fly”.)L’uomo colle sua congiegniate e grandi ale
Facciendo forza contro alla resistente aria
(A man with wings large enough and duly connected
Might learn to overcome the resistance of the air.)Leonardo Dreams of his Flying Machine…
As the candles burn low he paces and writes
Releasing purchased pigeons one by one
Into the golden Tuscan sunrise…
And as he dreams, again the calling
The very air itself gives voice:
“Leonardo. Leonardo, vieni á volare”. (“Leonardo. Leonardo, come fly”.)Vicina all’elemento del fuoco…
(Close to the sphere of elemental fire…)Scratching quill on crumpled paper
Rete, canna, filo, carta
(Net, cane, thread, paper.)Images of wing and frame and fabric fastened tightly
…sulla suprema sottile aria
(…in the highest and rarest atmosphere.)Master Leonardo Da Vinci Dreams of his Flying Machine…
As the midnight watchtower tolls
Over rooftop, street and dome
The triumph of a human being ascending
In the dreaming of a mortal manLeonardo steels himself
Takes one last breath
And leaps…“Leonardo vieni à volare! Leonardo, sognare!”
(“Leonardo, come fly! Leonardo, dream!”)
Leonardo Dreams of His Flying Machine was commissioned from Eric Whitacre by the American Choral Directors Association, making the composer the youngest recipient ever awarded the coveted Raymond C. Brock Commission. The work was premiered by the Kansas City Chorale, Charles Bruffy, Director, at the 2001 ACDA National Convention in San Antonio, Texas, with Eric Whitacre conducting.
Eric Whitacre (b. 1970) is one of the leading figures in contemporary concert music, known internationally for his distinctive choral and symphonic voice. He earned his M.M. in composition from the Juilliard School, studying with John Corigliano and David Diamond. Whitacre’s works—praised for their “electric, chilling harmonies” and imaginative sound worlds—include some of the most performed choral pieces of the modern era, such as Water Night and Cloudburst. His music has received major recognition from ASCAP, the Barlow Foundation, and the American Composers Forum, and his debut recording The Music of Eric Whitacre was named one of the top ten classical albums by the American Record Guide. An active conductor and clinician, he has led ensembles across the United States and internationally, including annual engagements in Tokyo, and has worked with organizations such as the Nevada Symphony Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony Chorus, and the Miami Children’s Chorus. He also writes for film, has earned a Grammy nomination, and currently serves as composer-in-residence for the Pacific Chorale.
Whitacre’s original commentary from the score
Magnificat - Johann Sebastian Bach
Magnificat anima mea Dominum;
et exultavit spiritus meus in Deo salutari meo,
quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae.
Ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes,
quia fecit mihi magna qui potens est,
et sanctum nomen eius,
et misericordia eius a progenie in progenies timentibus eum.
Fecit potentiam in brachio suo;
dispersit superbos mente cordis sui;
deposuit potentes de sede
et exaltavit humiles;
esurientes implevit bonis
et divites dimisit inanes.
Suscepit Israel puerum suum,
recordatus misericordiae suae,
sicut locutus est ad patres nostros,
Abraham et semini eius in saecula.
Gloria Patri, et Filio,
et Spiritui Sancto.
Sicut erat in principio,
et nunc, et semper,
et in saecula saeculorum.
Amen.Magnificat (Luke 1:46–55, NRSV)
My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
Johann Sebastian Bach’s Magnificat stands among his most vibrant and concise sacred works, written early in his Leipzig tenure for liturgical use on the Feast of the Visitation. Although the piece survives in two versions, the revised D-major setting heard today is the one most frequently performed. In this form, Bach refines the orchestration and heightens the work’s festive brilliance, blending German contrapuntal craftsmanship with the fluid, expressive charm of Italian Baroque style. The result is a compact yet striking musical tapestry that moves swiftly through a wide range of colors and affects.
The work sets Mary’s canticle from Luke 1:46–55, a hymn of praise that celebrates divine mercy and the reversal of human power. Bach divides the text into twelve short movements, each shaped to reflect the imagery and emotional character of its verse. The listener encounters radiant choral exclamations, intimately shaped arias, and movements of intricate imitation, all of which give musical form to the shifting contours of the text. Though not a cantata or oratorio, the Magnificat shares with these genres the alternation of solos and choruses, the use of instrumental ritornellos, and an Italianate sense of dialogue between voices and instruments.
Bach’s instrumentation provides much of the work’s expressive variety. Flutes, oboes, strings, continuo, and—for its most jubilant moments—three trumpets and timpani are deployed in combinations that illuminate specific lines of text. At times the scoring feels almost pictorial: the austere bass-and-continuo texture of “Quia fecit mihi magna,” the unison strings that drive “Deposuit potentes,” or the expressive lament bass underpinning “Suscepit Israel.” Such details guide the ear through a sequence of vivid and sharply profiled musical scenes.
We invite you to enjoy this work as a vivid expression of Bach’s genius, where a festive or anticipatory text is rendered through a rich variety of musical forms, textures, and figures. The Magnificat combines the German contrapuntal tradition with Italian Baroque lyricism, offering a listening experience that highlights both the structural ingenuity and the expressive depth for which Bach is celebrated.
-Marco Marchant, DMA Choral Conducting student
Psalm 112: Beatus vir - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Beatus vir qui timet Dominum;
in mandatis eius volet nimis.
Potens in terra erit semen eius;
generatio rectorum benedicetur.
Gloria et divitiae in domo eius,
et iustitia eius manet in saeculum saeculi.
Exortum est in tenebris lumen rectis;
misericors, et miserator, et iustus.
Iucundus homo qui miseretur et commodat,
disponet sermones suos in iudicio;
quia in aeternum non commovebitur.
In memoria aeterna erit iustus.
Ab auditione mala non timebit;
paratum cor eius sperare in Domino.
Confirmatum est cor eius,
non commovebitur donec despiciat inimicos suos.
Dispersit, dedit pauperibus;
iustitia eius manet in saeculum saeculi;
cornu eius exaltabitur in gloria.
Peccator videbit et irascetur,
dentibus suis fremet et tabescet;
desiderium peccatorum peribit.Gloria Patri, et Filio,
et Spiritui Sancto.
Sicut erat in principio,
et nunc, et semper,
et in saecula saeculorum.
Amen.Psalm 112
Happy are those who fear the Lord,
who greatly delight in his commandments.
Their descendants will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches are in their houses,
and their righteousness endures forever.
They rise in the darkness as a light for the upright;
they are gracious, merciful, and righteous.
It is well with those who deal generously and lend,
who conduct their affairs with justice.
For the righteous will never be moved;
they will be remembered forever.
They are not afraid of evil tidings;
their hearts are firm, secure in the Lord.
Their hearts are steady; they will not be afraid;
in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.
They have distributed freely; they have given to the poor;
their righteousness endures forever;
their horn is exalted in honor.
The wicked see it and are angry;
they gnash their teeth and melt away;
the desire of the wicked comes to nothing.Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
Beatus Vir is the second movement of the Vesperae solennes de confessore KV 339, the last major sacred work Mozart composed in Salzburg before departing for Vienna. Written and premiered in 1780 for the Vespers service at Salzburg Cathedral, it does not belong to his late output, though it already displays remarkable stylistic maturity. Scored for mixed choir, soloists, orchestra, and continuo, the piece belongs to the tradition of Catholic liturgical music. Its text comes from Psalm 112, which opens with “Beatus vir qui timet Dominum,” a hymn praising the blessedness of the righteous man.
Mozart composed this work during the final months of his professional stagnation in Salzburg, a period marked by tension with Archbishop Colloredo but also by decisive growth in his musical language. Beatus Vir reflects a fully formed Classicism: clean lines, balanced formal design, and a confident handling of liturgical rhetoric. Although written at the age of 24, the work reveals striking maturity, in which Mozart naturally blends the clarity of ecclesiastical style with a more expansive expressivity—one that already hints at the operatic and Viennese spirit he would soon develop.
The instrumentation of Beatus Vir combines brilliance and solemnity: agile strings, luminous oboes, and the ceremonial presence of trumpets and timpani, all underscoring the festive nature of the psalm. The choir, the central protagonist, moves mostly in homophonic textures, allowing for clear declamation of the text and a direct sonic impact. The orchestra supports and enhances this choral energy with lively rhythmic figures and a compact, vibrant instrumental color. The movement radiates a jubilant, shining character, where classical architecture coexists with the emotional warmth so characteristic of Mozart.
Within a broader musical context, Beatus Vir connects both with earlier sacred traditions and with the developments that would follow. It resonates with Mozart’s early masses through its concision and clarity, yet anticipates the breadth and drama of the Great Mass in C minor and the later Requiem. In the context of this program, its presence is especially meaningful: it converses with Haydn’s monumental Nelson Mass, sharing the luminous, festive spirit of Viennese Classicism, and it stands in vivid contrast to J. S. Bach’s Magnificat, whose contrapuntal architecture and Baroque depth further highlight Mozart’s transparency and equilibrium. Heard together, these works illuminate three distinct ways—Baroque, Classical, and early Classical maturity—of celebrating spiritual exaltation through music.
-Marco Marchant, DMA Choral Conducting student
Missa in Angustiis - Joseph Haydn
Kyrie
Kyrie eleison,
Christe eleison,
Kyrie eleison.Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.Gloria
Gloria in excelsis Deo,
et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis.
Laudamus te, benedicimus te, adoramus te, glorificamus te,
gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam,
Domine Deus, Rex caelestis, Deus Pater omnipotens.
Domine Fili unigenite, Jesu Christe,
Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris,
qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis;
qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram.
Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis.
Quoniam tu solus Sanctus, tu solus Dominus,
tu solus Altissimus, Jesu Christe, cum Sancto Spiritu:
in gloria Dei Patris. Amen.Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to people of good will.
We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you,
we give you thanks for your great glory,
Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father.
Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us;
you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer.
You are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us.
For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father.
Amen.Credo
Credo in unum Deum, Patrem omnipotentem,
factorem caeli et terrae, visibilium omnium et invisibilium.
Et in unum Dominum Jesum Christum, Filium Dei unigenitum,
et ex Patre natum ante omnia saecula.
Deum de Deo, Lumen de Lumine, Deum verum de Deo vero.
Genitum, non factum, consubstantialem Patri:
per quem omnia facta sunt.
Qui propter nos homines et propter nostram salutem descendit de caelis.
Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto ex Maria Virgine, et homo factus est.
Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato; passus et sepultus est,
et resurrexit tertia die, secundum Scripturas,
et ascendit in caelum, sedet ad dexteram Patris.
Et iterum venturus est cum gloria judicare vivos et mortuos,
cuius regni non erit finis.
Et in Spiritum Sanctum, Dominum et vivificantem,
qui ex Patre Filioque procedit.
Qui cum Patre et Filio simul adoratur et conglorificatur:
qui locutus est per prophetas.
Et unam, sanctam, catholicam et apostolicam Ecclesiam.
Confiteor unum baptisma in remissionem peccatorum.
Et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum,
et vitam venturi saeculi. Amen.I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son
is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins,
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.Sanctus
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth.
Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua.
Hosanna in excelsis.Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.Benedictus
Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.
Hosanna in excelsis.Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.Agnus Dei
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.
The Missa in angustiis, commonly known as the Nelson Mass, is one of the crowning achievements of Joseph Haydn’s late sacred output. Composed in 1798, during the turbulence of the Napoleonic Wars, it belongs to his final, most mature period, in which the composer reaches extraordinary expressive depth. Written for soloists, choir, orchestra, and organ, the Mass combines liturgical solemnity with a dramatic force that surpasses what is typical of the Classical style. Its original title, “Mass in Troubled Times,” reflects the uncertainty of its creation, although it later became associated with Admiral Nelson, giving the work its familiar name.
Haydn composed this Mass during a period of intense creativity, concurrently with the composition of The Creation. Despite instrumental limitations at Esterháza, he developed a musical language that, while rooted in Classical clarity, anticipates a broader and more intense expressivity. The Nelson Mass demonstrates refined late Classicism: well-defined lines, symmetrical structures, and masterful contrapuntal writing. Yet it also includes unusual elements for strict Classicism: heightened drama, sudden contrasts, harmonic tension, and a nearly theatrical energy that foreshadows Romantic sensibilities.
The reduced instrumentation—due to the lack of clarinets, bassoons, and horns at Esterháza—accentuates the work’s distinctive character. Trumpets and timpani, used boldly from the Kyrie, create an intense, almost martial atmosphere, while the strings sustain a luminous and continuous tension. Haydn shows remarkable expressive imagination: the Credo is presented as a two-voice choral canon of striking Classical clarity; the Qui tollis features an intensely expressive bass solo; and frequent choral unisons function as a dramatic device to emphasize moments of supplication or urgency. The Mass alternates episodes of commanding power with passages of delicate introspection, creating a spiritual landscape of vast emotional range.
In the broader context of music history, the Nelson Mass can be seen as a true bridge to the Romantic era. While remaining firmly Classical in language, Haydn introduces an emotional intensity and dramatic charge reminiscent of his earlier Sturm und Drang style, now elevated within a sacred context. Rhythmic tension, dynamic contrasts, and the incisive use of brass expand the expressive boundaries of the traditional Classical Mass. This work embodies the transition from the measured balance of Enlightenment Classicism to a new, more subjective and impassioned sensibility that would define the early nineteenth century. Its spiritual power lies not only in the devotion of the text but also in the emotional magnitude with which Haydn envelops it, making the Mass one of the most daring and visionary creations of his late period.
-Marco Marchant, DMA Choral Conducting student
Biographies
Alyson Greer Espinosa
Alyson Greer Espinosa is thrilled to be in her fifteenth season on the H+H Youth Choruses faculty where she is the conductor of the Chorus of Sopranos + Altos and the Chamber Choir. Most recently, Ms. Greer has prepared the HHYC Chamber Choir for performances at H+H’s Love, Handel, Baroque Christmas, with the H+H Chorus and Orchestra under the baton of Jonathan Cohen for Handel’s Messiah CitySing and for Raphaël Pichon for Beethoven Symphony No. 9, collaborations with the American Spirituals Ensemble and the MIT Chorale, and for the 2023 performance on GBH Christmas Music Spectacular. Ms. Greer has prepared CSA and Chamber Choir for performances with Harry Christophers and the H+H Chorus and Orchestra for Bach’s St. Matthew’s Passion, Handel’s Messiah and Saul, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Mozart’s Requiem, and Monteverdi’s Vespers.
Other ensemble collaborations include the Back Bay Chorale, Harvard-Radcliffe Chorus, Cappella Clausura, Boston Musica Viva, MIT Concert Choir, Metropolitan Chorale, Heritage Chorale, the Eureka Ensemble Women’s Chorus, Mother Caroline Academy, and the NEC Youth Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorale. The former Young Women’s Chamber Choir performed on From The Top and CSA was featured in BBC’s Great American Railroad Journeys under her direction in 2017. Such collaborations and performances have afforded Ms. Greer and her singers inspire musical-educational performances with conductors such as Raphaël Pichon, Harry Christophers, Ian Watson, Dr. Scott Allen Jarrett, Dr. Anthony Trecek-King, Dr. Andrew Clark, Dr. Lisa Graham, John Finney, Dr. Lynnel Jenkins, George Steel, and Ismael Sandoval.
Daniel Parsley, Director of Choral Activities
Daniel Parsley enjoys an active career as a conductor, educator, scholar, and professional chorister. Daniel serves as Director of Choral Activities at the historic School of Music at Boston University, the oldest degree-granting music institution in the United States. At BU, Daniel serves as Chair of Graduate Conducting programs where he oversees the comprehensive MM, MSM, and DMA conducting programs, teaches graduate conducting and choral literature, and leads the BU Singers, Symphonic Chorus, and Soprano Alto Chorus. Upcoming highlights for the 2024-2025 academic season includes performances of David Lang Little Match Girl Passion, Bernstein Chichester Psalms, and Bach St. John Passion BWV 245. In addition to collegiate teaching, he serves as Principal Conductor for the GRAMMY® Award-winning National Children’s Chorus where he leads the Boston/New England NCC chapters. Daniel was most recently the Director of Choral Activities at Thomas More University in the Cincinnati region and associate conductor at the Cincinnati Youth Choir, Ensemble-in-Residence at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.
Since 2019, Daniel has served as associate conductor of the SummerMusik-Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra (CCO). At CCO, he leads the We Are One series, special events such as the Walk with Amal project, and assists with an annual mainstage SummerMusik festival. In addition to professional orchestral conducting engagements, Daniel previously served as assistant conductor and choral conducting fellow for the Cincinnati May Festival, where he prepared choruses for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Pops.
Daniel has enjoyed a wide breadth of diverse professional experiences ranging from roles as a research fellow in Ghana with the Edward Brueggeman Center for Dialogue to conducting engagements with the National Chorus of Korea in Seoul. He has recently guest conducted professional symphonic and choral ensembles including the Portland Symphony Orchestra (ME), Coro Volante (Cincinnati), and the Seraphim Singers (Boston) in concert. Upcoming concert events and conducting residencies include the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München (DE), Universität Mozarteum Salzburg (AT), and the Cité de la Musique et de la Danse | Conservatoire de Strasbourg (FR). In September 2025, Daniel began as music director and conductor for ISSEA and led the annual Pan-African choral festival held in Nairobi, Kenya (2025.) He served as faculty for the Kentucky Institute of International Studies (KIIS) Salzburg Program and Cooperative Center for Study Abroad (CCSA) London summer study abroad program from 2013-2023.
Daniel’s passion for choral arts extends beyond conducting: He has performed with many choruses as a professional singer, including the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus, Cincinnati May Festival Chorus and Youth Chorus, Toledo Opera, Tuscia Opera Festival (Viterbo, Italy), and Berkshire Choral Festival. As a conductor of symphonic choral literature, Parsley has most recently prepared choruses for John Morris Russell, Gerhardt Zimmermann, James Meena, and Giordano Bellincampi. He currently serves as Director of Music at First Parish Universalist Unitarian in Arlington, MA and was most recently the Music in Worship Chair for the Ohio Choral Directors Association (OCDA/ACDA).
A Cincinnati native, Parsley completed a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in Choral Conducting with a cognate in orchestral conducting at the University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music (CCM). Daniel also holds a M.M. in Choral Conducting from Bowling Green State University and a B.M. Voice Performance and B.A. International Studies with concentrations in economics and history from Xavier University. In 2019, Daniel was selected as one of four finalists for the 2019 American Choral Directors’ Association National Graduate Conducting Competition held in Kansas City. Parsley has studied conducting under Robert Porco, Earl Rivers, Brett Scott, AikKhai Pung, Mark Gibson, and Mark Munson.
Parsley’s current research interest focuses on the integration of Body Mapping, a method of instruction typically reserved for the private studio, in conducting pedagogy and the overall choral rehearsal. Recent scholarly publications include a curriculum guide for collegiate educators to apply Body Mapping techniques in ensemble rehearsals. Daniel is currently a Body Mapping Educator Affiliate with Andover Educators.
Daniel was most recently the Music in Worship Chair for the Ohio Choral Director’s Association. He has most recently served as Director of Music at St. Timothy Episcopal Church in Cincinnati and as associate conductor for Cincinnati’s Music Sacra from 2017-19. He currently serves as Director of Music at First Parish Unitarian Universalist of Arlington, MA. Daniel is an active member of ACDA, ChorusAmerica, AGO and NAfME.
