♪ ♪ - Announcer: The following program is a PBS Wisconsin original production.

["One Voice" by Ruth Moody] [soft guitar strumming] ♪ This is the sound of one voice ♪ ♪ One spirit, one voice ♪ ♪ The sound of one who makes a choice ♪ ♪ This is the sound of one voice ♪ ♪ This is the sound of one voice ♪ ♪ This is the sound of voices two ♪ ♪ The sound of me singin' with you ♪ ♪ Helping each other to make it through ♪ ♪ This is the sound of voices two ♪ ♪ This is the sound of voices two ♪ ♪ This is the sound of voices three ♪ ♪ Singin' together in harmony ♪ ♪ Surrendering to the mystery ♪ ♪ This is the sound of voices three ♪ ♪ This is the sound of voices three ♪ ♪ This is the sound of all of us ♪ ♪ Singin' with love and the will to trust ♪ ♪ Leave the rest behind, it'll turn to dust ♪ ♪ This is the sound of all of us ♪ ♪ This is the sound of all of us ♪ ♪ Ooo ooo, ooo, ooo ♪ ♪ Ooo ooo, ooo ooo ♪ ♪ Ooo ♪ ♪ This is the sound of one voice ♪ ♪ One people, one voice ♪ ♪ A song for ev'ry one of us ♪ ♪ This is the sound of one voice ♪ ♪ This is the sound of one voice ♪ ♪ Ooo ♪ [audience applauding] [sprightly band music] - Being a part of State Honors Project is just a powerful experience.

- I think it's really cool because it brings people together from all over the state.

- Just hearing that first sound, even if it's just a warm-up, is just breathtaking.

- This music comes from a variety of styles and cultures.

And these students have embraced it in such a beautiful way.

- I love to be able to connect with people that share a passion.

So it's really fun.

- You've got the best people coming together and playing together.

- Playing some really good music, in a really good venue, with a really good group of students.

[applause] - Announcer: Funding for the 2022 WSMA State Honors Concerts is provided by Focus Fund for the Arts and Friends of PBS Wisconsin.

["The Winds of Poseidon" by Robert W. Smith] [haunting cello solo] [rousing orchestral music] ["The Winds of Poseidon" by Robert W. Smith] ["The Winds of Poseidon" by Robert W. Smith] [gentle French horn music] [gentle sleigh bells] [whirly tubes whooshing] ♪ Aaah ♪ [gentle oboe music] ♪ Aaah ♪ ♪ Aaah ♪ ♪ Aaah ♪ ♪ Aaah ♪ [gentle orchestral music] ♪ Aaah ♪ ♪ Aaah ♪ ♪ Aaah ♪ ♪ Aaah ♪ ♪ Aaah ♪ [rousing orchestral music] ["The Winds of Poseidon" by Robert W. Smith] [audience applauding] - So we started in June this year and had a four-day camp and just lived with the pieces for four days, totally being immersed in it.

And then we come back together magically three and a half months later and spend an evening and a day, and then we do the concert.

[singing] Well, you just-- yeah-- do you hear how rhythmically more together that is?

That's what we need to do.

And it kind of shows what happens when you live with the music, once you've learned the notes and the rhythms, how music can sort of seep into your heart, into your mind, and into your soul, and then ultimately into your voice or into your instrument to allow the music to come alive in a new and a different way.

♪ I carry your heart with me ♪ ♪ I carry it in my heart ♪ ♪ In my heart ♪ ♪ I am never without it ♪ ♪ Anywhere I go, you go ♪ ♪ I carry your heart, my dear ♪ ♪ I carry your heart with me ♪ ♪ My dear ♪ ♪ I carry it in my heart ♪ ♪ I am never without it ♪ ♪ I carry your heart ♪ ♪ I fear no fate ♪ ♪ For you are my fate ♪ ♪ My fate ♪ ♪ I want no world ♪ ♪ I want no world ♪ ♪ For beautiful ♪ ♪ You are my world, my world ♪ ♪ I want no world ♪ ♪ I want no world, my dear ♪ ♪ I want no world ♪ ♪ For beautiful, you are my world ♪ ♪ My dear ♪ ♪ I carry your heart with me ♪ ♪ I carry it in my heart ♪ ♪ In my heart ♪ ♪ I am never without it ♪ ♪ Anywhere I go you go ♪ ♪ Anywhere I go you go ♪ ♪ I carry your heart ♪ ♪ I carry your heart ♪ ♪ I carry your heart ♪ ♪ I carry your heart ♪ ♪ I carry your heart ♪ ♪ I carry your heart ♪ ♪ My dear ♪ ♪ I carry your heart with me ♪ ♪ I carry it in my heart ♪ ♪ In my heart ♪ ♪ My dear ♪ ♪ Alleluia, alleluia ♪ ♪ Alleluia, alleluia ♪ ♪ Alleluia, alleluia ♪ ♪ Alleluia, alleluia ♪ ♪ Alleluia, alleluia ♪ ♪ Alleluia, alleluia ♪ ♪ Alleluia, alleluia ♪ ♪ Alleluia, alleluia ♪ ♪ All shall be Amen and Alleluia ♪ ♪ All shall be Amen ♪ ♪ We shall rest and we shall see ♪ ♪ We shall see and we shall know ♪ ♪ We shall know and we shall love ♪ ♪ Behold our end which is no end ♪ ♪ Our end which is no end ♪ ♪ No end ♪ ♪ Alleluia, alleluia ♪ ♪ Alleluia, alleluia ♪ ♪ Alleluia, alleluia ♪ ♪ Alleluia, alleluia ♪ ♪ Alleluia, alleluia ♪ ♪ Alleluia, alleluia ♪ ♪ Alleluia, alleluia ♪ ♪ All shall be Amen ♪ ♪ Amen ♪ ♪ Amen ♪ [audience applauding and cheering] - The joy in this kind of an experience brings a diverse group of people together.

And the only thing we're focusing on is our similarities, which is our love for making music, our commitment to the music, our commitment to ourselves and our development, and our commitment to do our best for the person next to us to have the same kind of experience.

[lively band music] We have this vision and this goal that this is going to be really special.

It's like pulling a rubber band.

When you pull, there's more and more tension.

And it's not just when the lights go down at Overture.

I want it to be special from the beginning of the tuning note to the end of rehearsal, 'cause I think that's what impacts the people in the group the most.

["Fanfare Jubilee" by Stacey Berk] [lively brass music] [bright woodwind music] ["Fanfare Jubilee" by Stacey Berk] ["Fanfare Jubilee" by Stacey Berk] [audience applauding] - That's the main part of jazz, is the improvisatory aspect of jazz, certainly with-- there's 18 students in the group.

So there are written parts; of course we can't have them just free improvising all the time.

But especially with jazz, it's very communicative, and we play from one another in the moment and sometimes very spontaneously.

The line needs to sit back a little bit.

"Zoo dat, do dat, do."

Play like you're a 50-year-old, you know, grumpy, old guy.

And these kinds of connections are things that are emotional and special and different than what we do in normal, everyday settings, where we're asked to sort of play by the rules.

Especially in jazz, we're allowed to sort of break the rules.

And again, it connects us in a very meaningful way very quickly.

And the friendships that are built in these moments are lifelong.

["Ya Gotta Try" by Sammy Nestico] [lively jazz music] [audience applauding] [saxophone solo] [saxophone solo] [saxophone solo] [audience applauding] [trombone solo] ["Ya Gotta Try" by Sammy Nestico] [drum fill] [sustained ending note] [audience applauding and cheering] - Music is as our feelings go.

It is a way that we can connect not only to each other and to our audience, but to our own inner selves as people.

We get to know ourselves better, we get to know each other better, and we get to know the world better.

And in that way, in informing that connection to each other, and through our music, that is a way that we become more human and carry that forward into what happens tomorrow or what happens the day after the concert.

You've got 30 seconds to meet the human beings that are going to become your new best friends.

It's having that experience with some special moment that makes all the difference in someone's life.

So our concert theme is "From Many Voices, We Are One."

[somber piano music] [soft cello with piano accompaniment] ♪ From my spirit's gray defeat ♪ ♪ From my pulse's flagging beat ♪ ♪ From my hopes that turned to sand ♪ ♪ Sifting through my close-clenched hand ♪ ♪ From my spirit ♪ ♪ From my spirit's gray defeat ♪ ♪ From my pulse ♪ ♪ From my pulse's flagging beat ♪ ♪ From my hopes that turned to sand ♪ ♪ Sifting through my close-clenched hand ♪ ♪ From my own fault's slavery ♪ ♪ From my own fault's slavery ♪ ♪ From my own fault's ♪ ♪ From my own fault's ♪ ♪ If I can sing ♪ ♪ If I can sing ♪ ♪ I still am free ♪ ♪ If I can sing ♪ ♪ For with my singing I can make a refuge ♪ ♪ For my spirit's sake ♪ ♪ Refuge ♪ ♪ For my spirit's sake ♪ ♪ Refuge ♪ ♪ A house of shining words ♪ ♪ To be my fragile immortality ♪ ♪ If I can sing ♪ ♪ If I can sing ♪ ♪ I still am free ♪ ♪ If I can sing ♪ ♪ If I can sing ♪ ♪ I still am free ♪ ♪ I am ♪ ♪ Free ♪ ♪ Free ♪ [audience applauding] - I think this generation, if I could say, is very altruistic, very into helping each other.

They all have this sort of teamwork mentality, and they really naturally bond with each other.

The fact that there is a project, to me, means success has already been put out there in the world, and I'm just there to help unfold the process forward.

["Mambo" by Leonard Bernstein] [lively orchestral music] - In unison: Mambo!

Mambo!

["Mambo" by Leonard Bernstein] [audience applauding] - Some of these students will go on and will teach and be musicians.

But a lot of these students will go out and they're gonna be our doctors and our teachers and our social workers and our engineers.

And those are the people that I want leading in those professions, people who know how to work together, how to work hard, and how to dedicate yourself and not take the easy way out.

See how fast we're putting that "st" on?

"We, shall shall re...st, ah, V." So the "st" connects to the next one.

You can't go into this process and not learn things like self-discipline, hard work, collaboration, being part of a team, giving up part of your own self for the greater good around you.

And that translates into all different things in life, all different workplaces, and just how to live your life.

♪ You know that death came a-knockin' ♪ ♪ On my mother's door, singin' ♪ ♪ Come on mother, ain't ya ready to go?

♪ ♪ And my mother stooped down ♪ ♪ Buckled up her shoes ♪ ♪ And she moved on down ♪ ♪ By the Jordan stream ♪ ♪ And then she shout ♪ ♪ Hallelujah ♪ ♪ Done my duty ♪ ♪ Got on my travelin' shoes ♪ ♪ You know that death came a-knockin' ♪ ♪ On my sister's door, singin' ♪ ♪ Come on sister, ain't ya ready to go?

♪ ♪ And then my sister stooped down ♪ ♪ Buckled up her shoes ♪ ♪ And she moved on down ♪ ♪ By the Jordan stream ♪ ♪ And then she shout ♪ ♪ Hallelujah ♪ ♪ Done done my duty ♪ ♪ Got on my travelin' shoes ♪ ♪ Hey hey ♪ ♪ Hey hey ♪ ♪ You know that death came knockin' ♪ ♪ On my brother's door, singin' ♪ ♪ Come on brother, ain't ya ready to go?

♪ ♪ And my brother stooped down ♪ ♪ Buckled up his shoes ♪ ♪ And he moved on down ♪ ♪ By the Jordan stream ♪ ♪ And then he shout ♪ ♪ Hallelujah ♪ ♪ Done done my duty ♪ ♪ Got on my travelin' shoes ♪ ♪ You know that death came a-knockin' ♪ ♪ On my neighbor's door, singin' ♪ ♪ Come on neighbor, ain't ya ready to go?

♪ ♪ And my neighbor stooped down ♪ ♪ Buckled up his shoes ♪ ♪ And he moved on down ♪ ♪ By the Jordan stream ♪ ♪ And then he shout ♪ ♪ Hallelujah ♪ ♪ Done done my duty ♪ ♪ Got on my travelin' shoes ♪ ♪ Hey hey hey hey ♪ ♪ Hey hey ♪ ♪ Hey hey ♪ ♪ You know that death came knockin' ♪ ♪ On my preacher's door, singin' ♪ ♪ Come on preacher, ain't ya ready to go?

♪ ♪ And then my preacher stooped down ♪ ♪ Buckled up his shoes ♪ ♪ And he moved on down ♪ ♪ By the Jordan stream ♪ ♪ And then he shout ♪ ♪ Hallelujah ♪ ♪ Hallelujah ♪ ♪ Done done my duty ♪ ♪ Hallelujah ♪ ♪ Got on my ♪ ♪ Got on my ♪ ♪ My travelin' ♪ ♪ My travelin' ♪ ♪ Got on my ♪ ♪ Got on my ♪ ♪ Got on my travelin' shoes ♪ ♪ You know that Death came a-knockin' ♪ ♪ On my front door singin' ♪ ♪ Come on sister, ain't ya ready to go?

♪ ♪ I'm gonna stoop right down ♪ ♪ Buckle up my shoes ♪ ♪ And I'll move on down ♪ ♪ By the Jordan stream ♪ ♪ And then I'll shout ♪ ♪ Hallelujah ♪ ♪ Done done my duty ♪ ♪ Got on my travelin' shoes ♪ [audience applauding and cheering] - The UW Madison program commissioned the piece that Omar Thomas has composed, entitled "Of Our New Day Begun," which is inspired by the events at Mother Emanuel Church.

What is interesting about this piece is that it starts in a very macabre mood.

It could just be a mass of sound.

And then as it gets towards the end, it has become much more determined and joyous and hopeful.

I asked Omar if he would just come to the stage and say a few words about this piece, "Of Our New Day Begun," which will close our program.

Would you please welcome Omar Thomas?

[all applauding] - Good afternoon, everyone.

This piece is in remembrance of the Charleston Nine of Charleston AME, South Carolina.

And I ask that as we take in the movement, this music, that we keep them at the focus of our collective energy.

Thank you, and let us march on until victory is won.

Thank you.

[all applauding] ["Of Our New Day Begun" by Omar Thomas] [stately band music] ["Of Our New Day Begun" by Omar Thomas] [solemn oboe music] ["Of Our New Day Begun" by Omar Thomas] [solemn saxophone music] [cymbal crash] [swelling brass music] [solemn chime music] ["Of Our New Day Begun" by Omar Thomas] [band members stomping and clapping] ♪ Lift every voice and sing ♪ ♪ Till earth and heaven ring ♪ ♪ Ring with the harmonies of liberty ♪ ♪ Let our rejoicing rise ♪ ♪ High as the listening skies ♪ ♪ Let it resound loud as the rolling sea ♪ [band members stomping and clapping] [triumphant brass music] [drum roll] [cymbal crash] [triangle dinging] ["Of Our New Day Begun" by Omar Thomas] [slow crescendo to final chord] [band members stomping and clapping] [final crescendo continues] [sustained cymbal ending note] [audience applauding and cheering] - Announcer: Funding for the 2022 WSMA State Honors Concerts is provided by Focus Fund for the Arts and Friends of PBS Wisconsin.