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A Thanksgiving of Song


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Andrew Egbuchiem full profile / Soprano, Countertenor and Piano / 3 musicians


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A Thanksgiving of Song: From Praise to Home

Andrew Chukwuka Egbuchiem, Countertenor
Jasmine Thomas, Soprano
Yukimi Song, Piano

Music has long been our way of giving thanks — a language that gathers prayer, memory, and joy into sound. This program celebrates gratitude in its many forms: the sacred awe of the divine, the tenderness of human love, and the deep-rooted songs of home. From the gilded grace of Handel and Brahms to the soulful echoes of Florence Price and Jacqueline Hairston, these works remind us that thanksgiving is not only a day, but a way of being.

Part I — The Lyrical and the Divine

(Songs of praise, beauty, and devotion)

Camille Saint-Saëns (1835–1921) – Ave Maria (Duet)
A timeless expression of sacred reverence.

Francesco Durante (1684–1755) – Vergin, tutto amor
A prayer to the Virgin for mercy and compassion.

Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741) – Vedrò il mio diletto
Joy in anticipation — love as divine longing.

George Frideric Handel (1685–1759) – Empio, diro, tu sei (from Giulio Cesare)
Righteous indignation turned to faith in justice.

Vincenzo Bellini (1801–1835) – Vaga luna, che inargenti
A moonlit prayer of love and remembrance.

Vincenzo Bellini (1801–1835) – Ma rendi pur contento
A wish for the beloved’s happiness — a quiet thanksgiving of the heart.

Francesco Cilea (1866–1950) – Io son l’umile ancella
“I am the humble servant of the creative spirit” — a perfect offering of gratitude for the gift of song.

Johannes Brahms (1833–1897) – Die Mainacht, Op. 43 No. 2
Spring’s beauty mingled with loneliness — yearning transformed into reflection.

Johannes Brahms (1833–1897) – Von ewiger Liebe, Op. 43 No. 1
Eternal love as a symbol of unbreakable devotion.

Johannes Brahms (1833–1897) – Drei Duette, Op. 20

No. 2 Weg der Liebe (Poco Adagio) – The path of love, patient and true.

No. 3 Die Meere (Andante) – The vastness of love, deep as the sea.

— Intermission —
Part II — Songs of Spirit, Soul, and Home

(Gratitude, resilience, and the joy of belonging)

Gerald Finzi (1901–1956) – Two Lips
Love’s tenderness — thanksgiving in fleeting beauty.

Leslie Adams (1932–2024) – The Heart of a Woman
Strength, love, and grace — a quiet hymn to resilience.

Claude Debussy (1862–1918) – C’est l’extase, Il pleure dans mon cœur – from Ariettes oubliées
The bittersweet beauty of emotion — longing transformed into art.

Alban Berg (1885–1935) – Die Nachtigall – from Seven Early Songs
The nightingale sings of hope renewed.

George Gershwin (1898–1937) – What You Want Wid Bess? – from Porgy and Bess
Love, forgiveness, and homecoming in the American idiom.

Andrew Lloyd Webber (b. 1948) – Memory – from Cats
Remembering what was lost — gratitude for what remains.

Henry Krieger (b. 1945) & Tom Eyen (1940–1991) – Changing – from Dreamgirls
The courage to begin again.

Innocent Okechukwu (b. 1988) – Egwu Onwa (Moonlight Play)
Celebration of community and shared joy under the moonlight.

David Ibinaiye – Gbamu Gbamu (Filled to Overflowing)
A jubilant song of abundance and divine blessing.

Henry T. Burleigh (1866–1949) – Deep River
A yearning for peace and the promised rest.

Hall Johnson (1888–1970) – River Chant
The voice of the spirit carried by living waters.

Jacqueline Hairston (b. 1932) – Lord, I’ll Go
A declaration of faith and service.

Florence Price (1887–1953) – You Won’t Find a Man Like Jesus
Joyful affirmation — gratitude that finds its voice in praise.


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