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Rocky Mountain Chorale Artistic Staff
Jimmy was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. He began piano lessons at age seven after his parents heard him picking out tunes on the family piano. Jimmy began singing in high school after being urged to audition for the fall musical; he began singing in choir the next year and has remained in love with the choral experience ever since.
Jimmy received his B.A. in Music from Concordia University, where he studied piano with Ms. Patricia Riffel and conducting with Dr. Michael Busch. He recently received his Master’s Degree in Choral Conducting and Literature from the University of Colorado, Boulder, where he studied with Dr. Gregory Gentry and Dr. Andrea Ramsey. Jimmy has performed with the Denver Gay Men’s Chorus, the Collegium Musicum Early Music Ensemble at Regis University, and has conducted and sung with numerous church choirs throughout the Denver area. He is presently music educator at Lyons Middle/Senior High School. Jimmy served as Assistant Director for Rocky Mountain Chorale for two years and was appointed Director in 2017.
His experiences conducting and singing with community and church ensembles have provided him with unforgettable opportunities to share the enormously transformative power of singing in community. Jimmy’s excitement for choral music is unyielding and he believes the future holds unlimited potential for singing communities and their ability to enhance the human experience.
Parker Steinmetz, Assistant Director
Born in Greeley, Colorado, Parker began his musical journey as a clarinet player, though he quickly transitioned to the saxophone. He began singing in his church’s choirs in high school under the direction of Dr. Elmer Schock, and it was Dr. Schock’s nudging that inspired Parker to choose music as his college major.
Parker attended Hastings College in Hastings, Nebraska, where he studied saxophone under Dr. Debra McKim. After being coerced into auditioning for the Hastings College Choir, he quickly realized choral music was his true passion. He found a wonderful mentor in the choir’s director, Dr. Fritz Mountford.
Since moving back to Colorado in 2005, Parker has been an active church and community musician. In addition to directing several church music programs in northern Colorado, he has performed in the Greeley Chorale, the Greeley Chamber choir, the Kream of the Krop big band, and as a guest musician with Montview Westminster Choir for their performance of Dvorák’s Mass in D. He has performed under the direction of many fine conductors including Dr. Jill Burleson Burgett, Dr. Galen Darrough, Dr. Howard Skinner, and Dr. René Clausen. Parker is currently the Music Ministry Director at Longs Peak United Methodist Church in Longmont, Colorado. He joined the Rocky Mountain Chorale in January of 2022.
For over a decade, Walton Lott has explored and performed a diverse range of musical styles, from early Baroque music to works by contemporary composers. Deeply interested in different historical and social dimensions of musical practices, Dr. Lott holds certificates in Historical Keyboard Performance, Music Theory Pedagogy, and Musicology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. This entails rigorous and flexible interpretations of works on period and modern instruments that draw from coeval performance treatises and writings about aesthetics and music theory. The philosophical goal of these efforts is to craft a performance that presents the listener with a historically-contextualized reading of the musical score while also showcasing a unique individual interpretation of the work.
Simultaneously, Dr. Lott champions “newer” works, be they Modernist, avant-garde, Minimalist, or works by current composers, and has studied and performed works by Olivier Messiaen, Frederic Rzewski, Steve Reich, Julia Wolfe, Sean Friar, Carl Schimmel, Gyorgy Ligeti, Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, and others.
In addition to solo music, Dr. Lott has long been a participant in collaborative music, playing for a wide range of ensembles and genres of music, including: church choirs, chamber music, orchestral ensembles, chorale ensembles, vocal and instrumental soloists, and jazz and rock ensembles.
Dr. Lott holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Millsaps College, where he studied under Dr. Lynn Raley and Dr. Rachel Heard. In 2012, Dr. Lott completed a Master’s Degree in Music at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, studying under Dr. Andrew Willis, and has completed his Doctorate of the Musical Arts at the same institution.
Program
Jimmy Howe, conductor
Parker Steinmetz, assistant conductor
Walton Lott, pianist
I Thank You God
Music: Gwyneth Walker
Lyrics: E. E. Cummings
Lyrics
I thank You God for most this amazing day; for the leaping greenly spirits of trees and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes. I who have died am alive again today. And this is the sun’s birthday; this is the birthday of life and love and wings: and of the gay great happening illimitably earth. How should tasting touching hearing seeing breathing any human merely being doubt You? Doubt unimaginable You? Lifted from the no of all nothing, doubt You? Now the ears of my ears awake, now the eyes of my eyes are opened. I thank You God for most this amazing day, this day.
Vision
Music: Andrea Ramsey
Lyrics: May Thielgaard Watts
Lyrics
Today there have been lovely things I never saw before: Sunlight through a jar of marmalade, a blue gate, a rainbow in soapsuds on dishwater, candlelight on butter, the crinkled smile of a little girl who had new shoes with tassels. Empurpled mud where white geese slept under the willow, white ruffled curtains sifting moonlight on the scrubbed kitchen floor, an egg yolk in a blue bowl, the underside of a white oak leaf, ruts in the road at sunset. My love kissed my eyes last night.
Stars
Music: Eriks Ešenvalds
Lyrics: Sara Teasdale
Lyrics
Alone in the night on a dark hill, with pines around me spicy and still, and a heaven full of stars over my head, white and topaz and misty red; myriads with beating hearts of fire the aeons cannot vex or tire; the dome of heaven like a great hill.
Mystery
Music & Lyrics: Jennifer Lucy Cook
Lyrics
Life keeps her mystery carefully guarded. I hear the whispering of the uncharted. Fate likes to hide away, keeping me guessing. Once you tell a secret, there’s no secret left to tell. Tell me. Don’t tell me. I tried to know it all from the beginning, like it was logical, stepping-stone motion. But the plans changed. Trust is a miracle. I am still learning. I’m laughing, wondering, where am I going now?
Timor et Tremor
Music: György Orbán
Lyrics: Ancient Liturgical
Lyrics
Original text Timor et tremor venerunt super me, et caligo cecidit super me: miserere mei, Domine, miserere mei, quoniam in te confidit anima mea. Exaudi, Deus, deprecationem meam, quia refugium meum es tu et adjutor fortis. Domine, invocavi te, non confundar. English translation Fear and trembling have taken hold of me and darkness has descended upon me. Have mercy upon me, O Lord, have mercy, for my soul has trusted in thee. Hear, O God, my supplication, for thou art my refuge and strength; O Lord, I have called upon thee, let me never be confounded.
Mantra
Music: Timothy C. Takach
Lyrics: Sierra DeMulder
Lyrics
Vitamin D. Sunlight. Go outside. Get a good night of sleep. Not too good. Not shades drawn forever good. Not like you used to. Open the windows. Buy more houseplants. Breathe. Meditate. One day, you will no longer be afraid of being alone with your thoughts. Exercise. Actually exercise instead of just Googling it. Eat well. Cook for yourself. Organize your closet, the garage. Drink plenty of water and repeat after me: I am not a problem to be solved. Repeat after me: I am worthy. I am worthy. I am neither mistake nor the punishment. Forget to take vitamins. Let the houseplant die. Eat spoonfuls of peanut butter. Shave your head. Forget this poem. It doesn’t matter. There is no wrong way to remember the grace of your own body; no choice that can unmake itself. There is only now, here, look: you are already forgiven.
Legatum
Music: Ryan Main
Lyrics: Blake Richter
Lyrics
Original text Quomodo me memorari volo? Qualem vitam libeat vivere? Quomodo ictum faciam? Quod legatum relinquo? Ego amare legatum relinquo. Ego veritatis legatum relinquo. Amare, gaudium, gratia, veritas! English translation How do I want to be remembered? What kind of life will I choose to live? How will I make an impact? What legacy will I leave behind? I will leave a legacy of love. I will leave a legacy of truth. Love, joy, grace, truth!
Intermission
Hide and Seek
Music & Lyrics: Imogen Heap
Lyrics
Where are we?
What the hell is going on?
Dust has only just begun to fall,
crop circles in the carpet,
sinking, feeling.
Spin me round again and rub my eyes;
this can’t be happening.
When busy streets a-mess with the people
would stop to hold their heads heavy.
Hide and seek.
Trains and sewing machines.
All those years,
they were here first.
Oily marks appear on walls,
where pleasure moments hung before.
The takeover, the sweeping insensitivity
of this still life.
Hide and seek.
Blood and tears,
they were here first.
Mm, what d’ya say?
That you only meant well?
Well, of course you did.
Mm, what d’ya say?
That it’s all for the best?
Of course it is.
Mm, what d’ya say?
That it’s just what we need?
You decided this.
Oh, what did you say?
Ransom notes keep falling out your mouth,
mid-sweet talk, newspaper word cut outs.
Speak no feeling, I don’t believe you.
You don’t care a bit.
Hide and seek,
they were here first.
Company
Music & Lyrics: Rosana Eckert
Lyrics
Take my hand, and I will walk with you for every mile, and give to you the promise that I’ll understand. Through any rain you need to reconcile, I’ll carry an umbrella to your door. For when the waves were crashing over, and my life was disappearing, you were there to breathe it right back into So take my hand, and I will be your company. Call my name, and I will fight the battle by your side, holding back the fire ’til we calm the flame, until we’re safe upon a mountainside. And anytime I’d do it all again. For when my hopeless heart was hiding, you were there to break the windows, letting every bit of light wash over me. So take my hand, and I will be your company. Take my hand, and I will walk with you toward the sun, sharing your tomorrows and the dreams you’ve planned. And if tomorrow just won’t seem to come, then I’ll carry a horizon to your door. For when I couldn’t hear my music, you were there to sing my song until the melodies came rushing back to me. So take my hand, and I will be your company. Take my hand. Oh, I promise I will understand. I will be your company. Let me be your company.
We Are
Music & Lyrics: Ysaye M. Barnwell
Lyrics
For each child that’s born, a morning star rises and sings to the universe who we are. We are our grandmothers’ prayers, and we are our grandfathers’ dreamings, we are the breath of our ancestors, we are the spirit of God. We are one. We are mothers of courage and fathers of time, we are daughters of dust and the sons of great visions, we’re sisters of mercy and brothers of love, we are lovers of life and the builders of nations, we’re seekers of truth and keepers of faith, we are makers of peace and the wisdom of ages.
Ffe Mwe, Mwe Ffe
Soloists: Yinan (Nancy) Deng & Ellen Henderson
Music: Joan Szymko
Lyrics: Adapted by Joan Szymko
Lyrics
Original text Ffe mwe, mwe ffe. Ggwanga mujje! Be the change you wish to see. You can start by looking at me and knowing that I am you and you are me. We are them and they are we. I am them and they are me. We belong to each other. English translation Ffe mwe, mwe ffe: They are us and we are them Ggwanga mujje: Come to our rescue.
Meet Me Here
Soloists: Anna Hansil
Music & Lyrics: Craig Hella Johnson
Lyrics
Meet me here Won’t you meet me here? Where the old fence ends and the horizon begins There’s a balm in the silence Like an understanding air Where the old fence ends and the horizon begins We’ve been walking through the darkness On this long, hard climb Carried ancestral sorrow For too long a time Will you lay down your burden? Lay it down, come with me It will never be forgott?n Held in love, so tend?rly Meet me here Won’t you meet me here? Where the old fence ends and the horizon begins There’s a joy in the singing Like an understanding air Where the old fence ends and the horizon begins Then we’ll come to the mountain We’ll go bounding to see That great circle of dancing And we’ll dance endlessly And we’ll dance with the all the children Who’ve been lost along the way We will welcome each other Coming home, this glorious day We are home in the mountain And we’ll gently understand That we’ve been friends forever That we’ve never been alone We’ll sing on through any darkness And our song will be our sight We can learn to offer praise again Coming home to the light
All of Us
Soloists: Anna Hansil, Elizabeth Tyson, & Emily Cogsdil
Music: Craig Hella Johnson
Lyrics: Michael Dennis Browne and Craig Hella Johnson
Lyrics
What could be the song? Where begin again? Who could meet us there? Where might we begin? From the shadows climb Rise to sing again Where could be the joy? How do we begin? Never our despair Never the least of us Never turn away Never hide our face Ordinary boy Only all of us Free us from our fear Only all of us What could be the song? Where begin again? Who could meet us there? Where might w? begin? From the shadows climb Rise to sing again Where could be the joy? How do we begin? Never our despair Never the least of us Never turn away Never hide your face Ordinary boy Only all of us Free us from our fear Only in the love Love that lifts us up Clear from out the heart From the mountain’s side Come creation come Strong as any stream How can we let go? How can we forgive? How can we be dream? Out of heaven, rain Rain to wash us free Rivers flowing on Ever to the sea Bind up every wound Every cause to grieve Always to forgive Only to believe Most noble Light, Creation’s face How should we live but joined in you Remain within your saving grace Through all we say and do And know we are the love that moves The sun and all the stars? O Love that dwells O Love that burns in every human heart Only in the love Love that lifts us up This evergreen, this heart, this soul Now moves us to remake our world, (Only in the love) Reminds us how we are to be (Love that lifts us up) Your people born to dream (Only in the love, only all of us) How old this joy? How strong this call To sing your radiant care? (Only all of us) With every voice, in cloudless hope Of our belonging here All of us, only all of us What could be the song? Where do we begin? Only in the love Love that lifts us up Only in the love Love that lifts us up
Caritas et Amor
Music: Z. Randall Stroope
Text: Traditional Latin antiphon
Lyrics
Latin text Caritas, amor. Deus ibi est. Deus est. Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est. Caritas ibi est. Alleluia ibi est, alleluia, Domine. Gaudium! Gaudium quod immensum est! Secula infinita! Alleluia! Amen. English translation Charity, love. God is there. God is. Where there are charity and love, God is there. Charity is there. Alleluia is there; alleluia, O Lord. Joy! Joy that is immense! Endless ages! Alleluia! Amen.
Rocky Mountain Chorale Members
Soprano 1
Eileen Christofferson
Emily Cogsdill
Anna Hansil
Megan Rogers
Leslie Schumacher
Roberta Shanahan
Christie Swoboda
Alix Vézina
Katherine Ware-Wolniewicz
Adamari Zavala
Soprano 2
Nathalie Bleuzé
Ruth Bleuzé
Yinan (Nancy) Deng
Claire Douglas
Linda Hattel
Christina Schappacher
Annie Scott
Marilyn Scott
Elizabeth Tyson
Alto 1
Riven Evenson
Kathrynn Goff
Pam Guthrie
Chelsea Haag-Fernandez
Melissa Johnson
Zoe Lewis
Amanda Paolucci
Beth Reid
Pam Sjoerdsma
Gini Sykes
Alto 2
Isabella Becker
Nancy Belkov
Susan Bryant
Betsy Feldman
Sade Gutierrez
Julie Hale
Caren King
Cécile Penland
Pamela Puhl-Quinn
Alicia Yoho
Tenor 1
Denver Alexander
Sam Bruckner
Robin Guthrie
Ellen Henderson
James Lockhart
Tenor 2
Cole Evenson
Paul Gibb
Burke Green
Nicholas Martini
Paul Ward
Phil Weber
Baritone
David Abbott
Reed Bailey
Rolan Christofferson
Sam Hahn
Jack Harless
John Lee
Keiran McGee
Kelly McKee
Bass
Paul Hartman
Bob Hopper
Erik Jensen
Put Lee
Terry Mattison
Tom O’Brien
Caleb Rice
Small Group
Denver Alexander
Isabella Becker
Sam Bruckner
Susan Bryant
Emily Cogsdill
Anna Hansil
Ellen Henderson
Erik Jensen
Melissa Johnson
Put Lee
Kelly McKee
Christina Schappacher
Marilyn Scott
Pam Sjoerdsma
Paul Ward
Welcome and Land Acknowledgement
Founded in 1978, Rocky Mountain Chorale (RMC) is one of the Boulder area’s oldest and finest community choirs. Thank you for joining us.
As we gather, we acknowledge that we are on the ancestral homelands and unceded territory of Indigenous Peoples who have traversed, lived in and stewarded the lands of Boulder County. The Indigenous Nations include the Cheyenne, Arapaho, Ute and many other Native American nations who were removed unjustly, and that we in this community are the beneficiaries of that removal. We honor them as we gather here to engage as a community to work toward healing and develop a culture of inclusion through music.
Please silence your cell phones and other electronic devices during the concert.
Thank you.
Support RMC
RMC has been a source of joy, inspiration, and community for nearly 50 years. Our work isn’t possible without the generous support of donors like you. Every contribution – of ideas and imagination, of time, energy, and resources – is a crucial part of our success. Your generosity helps us move our community forward in tangible, exciting, and lasting ways. Please consider giving a gift to support RMC.
New this season, RMC is proud to introduce four unique giving society levels as a way to show our gratitude and recognition to our generous financial supporters. Give today and join as a Friend of Rocky Mountain Chorale, Singers Society, Director’s Circle Society, or Musical Legacy Society.
Individual donations can be made by clicking here.
Rocky Mountain Chorale is a 501(c)(3) organization. All contributions are tax deductible.
Thank You!
The Rocky Mountain Chorale would like to extend a special thank you to the following individuals and organizations for their generous contributions.
Advertisements: Anna Hansil
Grants: Pamela Puhl-Quinn, Marilyn Scott, & Ellen Henderson
Program: Christie Swoboda
Lyric Sheet: Pam Sjoerdsma
All Ticket Table / Ushers including Jodie Cottrell, Jeff Hale, Donna Bryant, Betty Rasmussen, Robyn Morgan, Liz Durfee, Jennie Fenton, Amine Tarhini, and Lesley Smith
Section Leaders: Christina Schappacher – Soprano, Pam Sjoerdsma – Alto, Ellen Henderson – Tenor, Erik Jensen – Bass
Venue Coordinator: Kelly McKee
Volunteer Coordinator: Kelly McKee
Grace Commons Church
Heart of Longmont Methodist Church
Valmont Community Presbyterian Church
RMC Board of Directors
- President – Anna Hansil
- Vice President – Gini Sykes
- Secretary – Kelly McKee
- Treasurer – Pam Puhl-Quinn
- Web Master – Christie Swoboda
- Marketing Lead – Denver Alexander
- Grants & Partnerships – Marilyn Scott & Ellen Henderson
- Tech Master – Emily Cogsdill
The Board of the Rocky Mountain Chorale would also like to thank all the members of the Chorale, not only for their commitment to making beautiful music but also for doing the multitude of volunteer jobs that support this wonderful non-profit. From taking on board positions to coordinating tasks and outreach concerts to setting up risers and helping out with other miscellaneous tasks, the community effort is what makes it work. Thank you all for your contributions!
We gratefully acknowledge our donors!
(Recent donations as of 10/31/26)
Individuals
Denver Alexander
Benji Archer
Erika Archer
Judith Auer
Reed Bailey
Nancy Belkov
Jerry & Joyce Bennett
Nathalie Bleuzé
Ruth Bleuzé
Susan Bockhoff
Susan Bryant
Lisa & Dennis Buechler
David Butler
Eileen & Roland Christofferson
Emily Cogsdill
Joyce Costello
Linda Degolier
Rebecca Dickson
Jack Doggett
Paul Doherty
Sue Erickson
Dianne H. Ewing
Betsy Feldman
Sarah Frank
Patricia Gaggiani
Paul & Gay Gilbertson
Sean Goralski
Guthrie Charitable Fund
Chelsea Hahn
Julie & Jeff Hale
Peter Hall
Anna Hansil
Leslie Hartten
Linda Hattel
Ellen Henderson
Jeffrey Joe Hinton
James Hopper
Tom Hunt
Catherine Jenni
Erik Jensen
Jillian Jensen
Melissa Johnson
Caren King
Kathy Krol
Lois Labanoski
George Lawrence
John Lee
Zoe Lewis
Ben Lewis
Jani Little
Kim Madigan
Terry Mattison
Keiran McGee
M McGee
Kelly McKee
Heather McLaughlin
Jordan Morrison
David & Kay Norris
Ann Oglesby
Cody Oreck
Kyla Palmer
Amanda Paolucci
David & Celia Powell
Pamela Puhl-Quinn
Ronald D. Puhl (Estate of)
Betty & Doug Rasmussen
Beth Reid
Katherine Rice
Megan Rogers
Carol Saunders
Beth Sawyer
Christina Schappacher
Leslie Schumacher
Marilyn Scott
Susan Secord
JoAn Segal
Roberta Shanahan
Elizabeth Shaw
Pam Sjoerdsma
Anthony Stalion
Bill Stange
Babs Steinmetz Wagner
Christie Swoboda
Ryan Theurer
Elizabeth Tyson
Bibi Vellandi
Julia A. Wallman (Estate of)
Jing Wang
Philip F. Weber
Cameron Wickham
Kathleen Windor (Estate of)
Katherine Wolniewicz
Alicia Yoho
Corporations
Elevations Credit Union
King Soopers
Lumen Technologies
Medtronic
RaiseRight
Grants
Boulder County Arts Commission
Scientific and Cultural Facilities District