Songs of Gratitude 

Program Notes

One Song       Lyrics by the Treble Choirs of the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra

                  Music by Jill Friedersdorf and Melissa Keylock

Composed by Jill Friedersdorf and Melissa Keylock, One Song was written in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra. The lyrics, created by members of their Treble Choir, reflects their personal connection to singing and the profound role it has played in their lives. The text expresses the joy and guidance music brings to us, describing a song that rises above the noise, acts as a compass in an uncharted world, and becomes a source of pride, freedom, and identity. The song reminds us that one song can bring hope and joy, just as a single smile, ray of sunshine, or word can create a positive impact.

Lullaby for a Little One                 Rick Asher

Composer and lyricist Rick Asher wrote this lullaby while awaiting the arrival of his grandchild. When his granddaughter was born, she heard the song every night at bedtime, making it a personal and lasting expression of love.

The introduction of the song evokes the gentle sound of a music box, immediately creating a soothing atmosphere. The text offers comfort and reassurance, while the middle section reflects the composer’s love and the quiet joy of those precious early days.

Edelweiss from The Sound of Music         Words by Oscar Hammerstein II

    Music by Richard Rodgers

            Arranged by Linda Spevacek

“Edelweiss” was written for the musical The Sound of Music by Golden Age Broadway collaborators, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. In the musical, the flower edelweiss serves as a symbol of love and loyalty to their homeland, Austria. The song brings the von Trapp family together, and is the last song they perform before fleeing to Switzerland. The musical was the duo’s final collaboration, and “Edelweiss” was the last song Hammerstein wrote before his passing in 1960, a year after the show premiered on Broadway.

Echoes of Freedom             Text by Darren Dailey

      Music by Rollo Dilworth

With text by Darren Dailey and music by Rollo Dilworth, Echoes of Freedom was composed and published in 2025. The song invites reflection on the spirit of the United States as it marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. It reminds us that freedom is not something simply given, but something that must be continuously sustained through effort and commitment. Like a symphony, the diverse voices, efforts, and perspectives of the people come together to shape a nation that is stronger and more meaningful than any single contribution alone.

Put a Little Love in Your Heart             Words and Music by Jimmy Holiday,   

                        Randy Myers and Jackie DeShannon 

                      Arranged by Cristi Cary Miller

Released at the close of a turbulent decade of social change, activism, and cultural upheaval, Put a Little Love in Your Heart became a timeless call for compassion and unity. Written by Jackie DeShannon, her brother Randy Myers, and Jimmy Holiday, the song was recorded by DeShannon in 1969 and stands as one of her most successful hits. With its upbeat rhythm and uplifting lyrics, it tells us that even small acts of care can ripple outward to transform communities and the world.

Family from Dreamgirls       Lyric by Tom Eyen

                                Music by Henry Krieger

          Arranged by Mac Huff

“Family” is a soulful ballad performed by Effie White and the Dreamrettes in the musical Dreamgirls. After facing personal struggles, the women pause to reflect on the bonds that sustain them. The song captures the emotional heart of Dreamgirls, underscoring the theme of loyalty and mutual support, and showing how family—both chosen and biological—can provide strength during life’s most challenging moments.

Consider Yourself from Oliver!                 Lionel Bart

      Arranged by John Leavitt

“Consider Yourself” is a joyous number in Oliver!, a musical based on Charles Dickens’s Oliver Twist. The leader of the gang of children, Artful Dodger, sings it to welcome Oliver into the circle. The song is about belonging, friendship, and chosen family. It highlights the joy of connection and sense of safety that comes from being accepted, offering a hopeful moment amid the story’s darker challenges. 

The Lion Sleeps Tonight                       New Lyrics and Revised Music by 

              George David Weiss,

        Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore

             Arranged by Roger Emerson

Famous for its iconic “Wemoweh” chorus, The Lion Sleeps Tonight was originally written and recorded by Solomon Linda with the Evening Birds in 1939 for the South African Gallo Record Company. Its original title “Mbube”—meaning ”the lion” in the Zuzu language—reflected its South African roots. The song reached the United States a decade later, where it was recorded by numerous artists throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s. In 1961, the teen doo-wop group The Tokens adopted the song with additional English lyrics, turning it into a No. 1 hit in the U.S. 

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Joseph W. Jenkins–Arranger, Composer, Conductor, and Educator

American composer Joseph W. Jenkins served as chief arranger for the United States Army Chorus as well as principal arranger for Westminster Choir College. Throughout his career, he created numerous choral settings of folk tunes and popular songs. The next three selections, written for the Westminster Singers, showcase Jenkins’s artistry featuring tight-knit voicing and virtuosic piano writing that revitalize familiar melodies.

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All the Things You Are         Words by Oscar Hammerstein II

           Music by Jerome Kern

         Arranged by Joseph W. Jenkins

Composed in 1939 for the Broadway musical Very Warm for May as a “show-within-a-show” number, “All the Things You Are” has become one of the most cherished jazz standards of the twentieth century. Its remarkable harmonic design–moving through a series of key centers along the circle of fifth–has long captivated musicians. In this arrangement by Jenkins, the tradition of improvisatory freedom is embraced through virtuosic piano writing and expansive texture. Towards the end, the music weaves in a quotation of Adagio from Symphony No. 2 by Sergei Rachmaninoff, which deepens the expressiveness of this beloved tune.

The Fox                   Folk Song

        Arranged by Joseph W. Jenkins

The Fox is one of the oldest folk songs in the English language. Scholars suggest that the song had already been in oral circulation before the earliest documented texts from the 15th century, which were written in Middle English. The song comically depicts a cunning fox that goes out hunting one night, gets caught by a farmer’s wife, and then flees back to his den to feed his children. While keeping the simplicity of the original tune, Jenkins’s use of varied voicing effectively enhances the storytelling.

That Old Black Magic         Words by Johnny Mercer 

          Music by Harold Arlen

        Arranged by Joseph W. Jenkins

Composed in 1942 by Harold Arlen with lyrics by Johnny Mercer, “That Old Black Magic” was written for a film Star Spangled Rhythm and quickly became a popular standard. The syncopated rhythm and sweeping melody capture the dizzying feeling of falling love expressed in Marcer’s text. Over the decades, the song has been recorded by numerous artists and remains a vibrant example of mid-twentieth-century American popular song. Through tight voicing, Jenkins’s arrangement creates the warm and rich color of jazz.

The Earth Beats a Rhythm             Text by Darren Dailey

      Music by Rollo Dilworth

The Earth Beats a Rhythm brings together the vibrant music of Rollo Dilworth and the evocative words of Darren Dailey. The work was inspired by Dailey’s experience watching The National Parks: America’s Best Idea, the epic documentary by Ken Burns that captures both the majesty of America’s landscape and the tireless work devoted to preserving them. 

Drawing from two of Dailey’s original poems, Nature’s Care and Nature’s Embrace, the text is filled with vivid, descriptive imagery. Through colorful language and dynamic musical writing, the piece celebrates the beauty, power, and vitality of the natural world.

Serre-moi plus fort           Words by Sabine Sicaud

          Music by Tom Shelton

Sabine Sicaud, born in 1913, was a French poet of remarkable early talent. She earned her first poetry award at the age of eleven and published Childhood Poems when she was thirteen. Tragically, she died from rare bone disease at just fifteen. In the final year of her life, she poured her suffering into her writing; these poems were released thirty years after her death. Shelton’s music captures the transcendent quality of her poignant work and expresses the beauty found in every moment in life. 

Seasons of Love from RENT                     Jonathan Larson

            Arranged by Roger Emerson

“Seasons of Love” opens the second act of Rent and serves as the emotional heartbeat of the show. Set in New York City during the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis, Rent follows a group of young artists—much like those in La Bohème by Giacomo Puccini—struggling to create, connect, and survive. Rather than measuring life in minutes, days, or years, this song poses a deeper question about what gives a human life meaning and answers with a simple but profound truth: measure it in love.

For Good from WICKED   Stephen Schwartz

        Arranged by Mac Huff

From the musical Wicked by Stephen Schwartz, “For Good” is a tender duet between Elphaba and Glinda as they reflect on how their unlikely friendship has changed them forever. Though their paths diverge, they recognize that knowing each other has made them better. The song reminds us that we are shaped by those around us. We all need friendship that helps us grow, and we should strive to be the kind of friend who leaves a positive, lasting impact, for good.

Jazz Missa Brevis       Will Todd

Jazz Missa Brevis is a vibrant creation of British composer Will Todd, a musician celebrated for blending the richness of classical choral tradition with the rhythmic vitality and harmonic color of jazz. Written for Portsmouth Cathedral in Hampshire, England, this work offers a fresh and concise setting of the traditional Latin Mass texts–Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Benedictus, and Agnus Dei. The work moves fluidly through a range of jazz influences, from buoyant, syncopated rhythms to warm, lyrical ballad. 

Todd envisioned the piece as music that would work equally well in worship or in the concert stage. Drawing from his experience as a pianist, he initially shaped each movement through spontaneous improvisation before structuring the material into its final form. This creative process gives the work an authentic jazz spirit, resulting in a Mass setting that feels both deeply relevant and vibrantly contemporary.   

Make Our Garden Grow from Candide       Lyrics by Richard Wilbur

              Music by Leonard Bernstein

“Make Our Garden Grow” is the closing number of the operetta Candide, composed by Leonard Bernstein with lyrics by Richard Wilbur. Premiered in 1956, Candide is based on the French satire written by Voltaire (the pen name of François-Marie Arouet). The operetta follows the optimistic young man Candide as he navigates a world filled with misadventures and disasters.

In this song, Bernstein and Wilbur culminate the operetta’s theme of resilience and hope. Candide, Cunegonde, and the ensemble sing about embracing a simple and honest life—nothing flashy, but rooted in community, dedication, and optimism. This commitment to cultivating their “garden” becomes a metaphor for finding true happiness.

Program notes by Yukino Miyake