The Minnesota Boychoir, the original boychoir in the Twin Cities area, has enchanted audiences throughout the world for forty years. The choir's Music Director, Mark S. Johnson, has worked with the choir since 1991, and has been the Music Director since 1993. He became the choir's full-time Music Director in the fall of 1997. There are over 100 boys in the organization's three ensembles: the Junior Chorus, the Concert Choir, and the Allegro(Concert Choir Alumni) Choir. These young men range in age from 7 to 18 years, and come from all over the Twin Cities area, representing St. Paul, Minneapolis, and over 30 surrounding communities. They perform a variety of choral literature from classical to contemporary in up to 40 concerts each season, for a total audience of approximately 40,000 people.

Potential members audition for the choir each year. Once accepted, boys may be placed in the Concert Choir, which rehearses one day a week, Cantabile, a smaller group from within the Concert Choir that rehearses twice a week, or in the Junior Chorus, which rehearses one day a week. The Allegro Choir also rehearses once a week; these singers are high school-age graduates of the Concert Choir. In addition to musical skills, the boys develop poise, self-confidence, and discipline through extensive preparation and public performance; these outcomes are valued by choir members, alumni, and families, and are reflected in our mission statement. The choir's reputation for excellence has brought invitations to perform in a variety of venues, including a New Year's Day appearance on "A Prairie Home Companion."

The choir has sung for the National Convention of Music Educators, the American Choral Directors Association, the American Guild of Organists National Convention, and the Junior Achievement National Business Hall of Fame Awards Dinner. The choir has performed locally with the Minnesota Orchestra, the Chieftains, and at the Guthrie Theater. Boys from the choir are regularly invited to sing with various productions in the Twin Cities, including those of the Minnesota Opera, Theatre de la Jeune Lune, and national touring companies. In the 1999-2000 season, the choir had two separate engagements as the only local children's choir to sing in the touring production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." The choir has toured internationally, participating in festivals and other performance venues. These trips have included tours to Vienna (1982), Japan (1987), Czechoslovakia (1991), England and France (1994), Costa Rica (1996), and Norway (1998).

Mark Johnson began his work with the choir in 1991 as the accompanist. He was hired as the Music Director in 1993. Mr. Johnson holds a degree in music education from St. Olaf College, and he taught junior high choral music for six years before becoming full-time director for the Boychoir. Since 1995, he has been a member of the staff at Albemarle, a summer music camp program of the American Boychoir School in Princeton, New Jersey. Mr. Johnson1s reputation in choral work, especially with children1s groups, has led to many invitations to work as a clinician and accompanist for choirs around the country. He has been a clinician/conductor for honors choirs and festivals in Louisiana, Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa and North Dakota. He has also accompanied choirs around the country, including performances with groups in Texas, Virginia, New York and North Carolina. Mr. Johnson is active in Minnesota1s chapters of ACDA and MMEA, and has served as the Repertoire and Standards Chair for Boychoirs at the state and regional level. Director Mark S. Johnson

Discography

Forty & Fine

Festival Sanctus Pie Jesu The Strom Is Passing Over The Gift To Be Simple Rise Up, O Men Of God Steal Away Yo Le Canto Todo El Dia Quando Corpus Morietur & Amen Wind You Are The New Day Wanting Memories Zian's Walls Freedom Come Lux Aeterna The Lord Bless You And Keep You Loch Lomond Dulaman Worthy To Be Praised If Music Be The Food Of Love

Composed of four ensembles and including members of diverse faiths, races, social and economic backgrounds, the Minnesota Boychoir boasts over 100 members, representing the Twin Cities and over 25 suburbs. "Forty & Fine" refers to the year of the group's founding, 1962, to the date of this recording, 2002. Included are 19 of the MB's favorite and most-requested songs. Plenty of (piano-accompanied) religious and spiritual songs are here, "Festival Sanctus," "The Storm is Passing Over," the lovely "Quando Corpus Morietur & Amen," "Rise Up, O Men of God," "Steal Away," "Zion's Walls," "Freedom Come," "The Lord Bless You and Keep You" and many others. Secular tunes like "Loch Lomond," Michael McGlynn's "Dulaman," John David's wonderful a cappella "You are the New Day" and Ysaye M. Barnwell's haunting "Wanting Memories" are other favorites. In fact, every one of these songs touches and moves us—a truly beautiful collection!

8580 CD $15.95

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We Rise Again

Consecrate The Place And Day Three Madrigals Erev Shel Shoshanim Ride The Chariot Tres Cantos Nativos Dos Indios Krao Danny Boy Congori Shango True Light We Rise Again Until We Meet Again

Mark S. Johnson directs his renowned 87-member Minnesota Boychoir in a strong, varied 10-song program that includes some Christian music, "Consecrate the Place and Day" form Lloyd Plautsch's "Triptych," the title tune by Leon Dubinsky, and the spiritual "Ride the Chariot;" some nice folk tunes including "Three Madrigals" by Emma Lou Diemer, the lovely "Danny Boy" and "Londonderry Air", and the Israeli Folk song "Erev Shel Shoshanim (Evening of Roses"), Keith Hampton's "True Light" and more. There is some piano accompaniment. "We Rise" is another beautiful collection by one of our favorite Boychoirs!

8622 CD $15.95

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Impart

Holy Holy Holy - LaValley Et Exultavit - Vivaldi Esurientes - Vivaldi Esurientes - Dilworth Jordan's Angels - Lotti Cum Sancto Spiritu - Porterfield Laudate Dominum - Poelinitz City Called Heaven - Faure Sanctus - Faure O Sifuni Mungu - Maddox, McCall, Mulongoy, Mukalay Cantique De Jean Racine - Faure Ozi VeZimrat Yah - Trad Yeminite Let The NAtions Sing - Knowles Der Herr Segne Euch - Bach One By One - Lebo M. True Light - HAmpton Impart - Stephen Paulus

The oldest boychoir in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area (founded in 1962), The Minnesota Boychoir's reputation for excellence has led to invitations local and national music conventions, touring Broadway companies, orchestras, operas and symphonies. They have toured in 10 states and on five continents. "Impart" is a piano-accompanied collection of 16 sacred and religious songs, beginning with Jeffrey LaValley's "Holy, Holy, Holy" and Vivaldi's "Et Exultavit" and "Esurientes" from "Vivaldi for Treble Voices." Rollo Dilworth's "Jordan's Angels," "Sherri Porterfield's "Laudate Dominum," Antonio Lotti's short-but-lovely a cappella "Cum Sancto Spiritu," Gabriel Faure's "Sanctus" and "Cantique de Jean Racine," Julie Knowles' "Let the Nations Sing," Bach's "Der Herr Segne Euch," Keith Hampton's "True Light" and the title song by Stephen Paulus are some favorites, but in fact every cut is beautifully chosen and performed. A deep, confident, impressive recording by one of our favorite boychoirs.

8585 CD $15.95

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Winter Wonderland

Winter Wonderland It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year I Saw Three Ships True Light Mid-Winter Riu, Riu, Chiu Candlelight Carol African Noel Climb To The Top Of The Highest Mountain Once In Royal David's City

Building their excellent reputation since 1962, the Minnesota Boychoir applies their rich, youthful sound to 11 piano-accompanied Christmas standards. Favorites such as "Winter Wonderland," "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year," a rich a cappella arrangement of "I Saw Three Ships," "Riu, Riu, Chiu" and "Once in Royal David's City" are here, as well as more unexpected gifts: Keith Hampton's spiritual medley "True Light," Bob Chilcott's lovely "Mid-winter," John Rutter's "Candlelight Carol," Carolyn Jennings' "Climb to the Top of the Highest Mountain" and the rhythmic gem, "African Carol." "Wonderland" is exactly that, a sweet gift to all from Minnesota's talented Boychoir.

8582 CD $15.95

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Look To This Day

Look To This Day - Chilcott Adiemus - Karl Jenkins Hymn From Songs Of Sanctuary - Karl Jenkins Niska Banja O Colored Earth - Steve Heitzeg Land Of The Silver Birch Reel a'Bouche - Malcolm Dalglish The Wind - Susan Brumfield J'entend Le Moulin - Carl Nelson The Lake Of The Isle Of Innisfree - Eleanor Daley Mi Yitneni Of Who Will Give Me Wings Vive La Quince Brigada Away From The Roll Of The Sea - Allister MacGillvray I Cannot Count The Stars - Eugene Butler The Violet - Mark Patterson Come Travel With Me - Scott Farthing

The first and oldest choir in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, the Minnesota Boychoir brings us a spirited, exuberant collection of 17 songs, beginning with the inspirational title tune by Bob Chilcott and three selections from Karl Jenkins' "Songs of Sanctuary," "Adiemus," "Kayama" and "Hymn." The Serbian Gypsy Dance "Niska Banja," the Canadian Indian folk song "Land of the Silver Birch," Susan Brumfield's "The Wind," Eleanor Daley's "The Lake Isle of Innisfree," the Spanish folk song "Vive la Quince Brigada," and Allister MacGillivray's "Away from the Roll of the Sea" are particularly fine. But although there's some light accompaniment, there are no weak cuts here. Another winner from one of our favorite ensembles, the talented Minnesota Boychoir!

8579 CD $15.95

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How Can I Keep From Singing?

Exultate justi in Domino (Brant Adams) Blagoslovi, dushe moya, Ghospoda (arr. Pavel Chesnokov) Goin' Up to Glory (Andrew Thomas) I Love the Lord (Richard Smallwood) Media Vita (arr. Michael McGlynn) Listen to the Sounds in Heaven (arr. John C. Phillips) Song of Peace (Vincent Persichetti) Prayer of the Children (Kurt Bestor, arr. Andrea Klause) Jingle Bells (James Peirpont) Exultate Justi in Domino (Viadana, arr. R. Vene) Lullaby (Goodnight, My Angel) (Bill Joel, arr. Kirby Shaw) La Carolina (Trad. Cuban Habanera) Fergus an' Molly (Vijay Singh) Two Folk Songs for Male Voices (John Rutter): - Down by the Sally Gardens - The miller of dee What Shall We Do With the Drunken Sailor (arr. Alice Parker and Robert Shaw) How Can I Keep from Singing (arr. Robert Hugh)

How Can I Keep From Singing features the Allegro Choir of the Minnesota Boychoir. This group of tenors and basses was formed in 1997 as a graduate program of the Boychoir. They sing sacred and folk song arrangements as well as some lighter pieces with arrangements by Kirby Shaw, Andrea Klause, John C. Philips and others. Lanell Lightfoot is the featured soloist for "I Love the Lord."

7192 CD $15.98

35th Anniversary Concert

Musiken Klang Ave Maria Le Sommeil De L'Enfant Jesus Agnus Dei (from Missa Brevis) Let the Nations Sing Innoria Land of the Silver Birch Nodle Kangbyon Al Shlosha D'Varim Gloria Tibi (from Mass) Go Where I Send Thee! Lone Dog There Was a Man of Newington Some One Bumblebee Summer Song Blustery Day For the Longest Time We Shall Not Give Up the Fight Old King Cole Pala Pala A-Tisket, A-Tasket I Give You Thanks Never Tell Thy Love He Never Failed Me Yet Blessing

The 35th Anniversary Concert of the Minnesota Boychoir was recorded in Benson Great Hall in St. Paul and includes a wide variety of music sung by the Concert Choir, Training Choir and Alumni Choir. The songs range from world folk songs to pieces by Brahms, Britten and even Billy Joel. The twenty six tracks display a breadth of repertoire, arrangements and performed by one of the nation's top boychoirs.

7196 CD $15.98

Rise Up Singing

Al HaNissim (D. Frimer, arr. Jacobson and Netsky) Agnus Dei (Peter Williams) He Has the Power! (Leon C. Roberts) Gentle Annie (Stephen Foster, arr. Robert Lau) Emperor Waltz (Johanna Strauss) Weep No More (David Childs) See the Gipsies (Zoltan Kodaly) When Children Sing (Mary Goetze) A-Tisket, A-Tasket (arr. David J. Elliott) The Pasture from "Where the Earth Meets the Sky" (Z. Randall Stroope) Sing Me to Heaven (Daniel E. Gawthrop) I Hear America Singing (Andre Thomas) South African Suite: - Singabhambayo (ed. Anders Nyberg) - Sivela Kwazulu (arr. E. Van Wyk) - Freedom is Coming (ed. Anders Nyberg) - Siyahamba (ed. Anders Nyberg) The Star Spangled Banner (Francis Scott Key and John Strafford Smith)

Rise Up Singing, features the combined choirs of the Minnesota Boychoir. This release includes sacred, classical, secular, folk and contemporary choral music. The gospel selection "He Has the Power" features guest soloist Lanell Lightfoot. A nice mixture of material from Kodaly's "See The Gypsies", Stephen Foster's "Gentle Annie", Mary Goetz's "When Children Sing" and a lovely medley called "South African Suite".

7193 CD $15.98

Until We Meet Again

Siyahamba Thuma Mina Niska Banja Bashana Haba-A from Three Hungarian Folk Songs: - The Handsome Butcher - The Old Woman Freedom is Coming The Lion Sleeps Tonight Non Nobis, Domine Da Pacem Domine And Did Those Feet in Ancient Time Sound the Trumpet Al HaNissim Revelations Beautiful Savior Haleluya!Pelo Tsa Rona I Hear America Singing Who Can Sail O Sifuni Mungu Blessing

Until We Meet Again, by the Minnesota Boychoir, contains folk songs from around the world, including many from South Africa. Also included are several hymns such as "And Did Those Feet in Ancient Time" and Beautiful Savoir. This highly regarded group is led by Mark Johnson.

7194 CD $15.98

When the Snow Lay Round About

Gloria Winter Song Angels' Carol Cuncti Simus A La Russe Water Under Snow Is Weary Hope For Resolution A Song For Mandela And DeKlerk Jingle Bells Prayer Of The Children Dance And Turn Listen To The Sounds In Heaven Good King Wenceslas

Mark S. Johnson leads his internationally renowned, 117-strong Boychoir in this beautifully performed, piano and organ-accompanied Christmas CD. 12 songs, from familiar tunes like Carole Stephens' "Gloria," John Rutter's "Angels' Carol," the exciting "The Sleigh," "Jingle Bells," Kurt Bestor's "Prayer of the Children" and "Good King Wenceslas;" and less familiar (but no less enjoyable) tunes like Joseph Martin's "Winter Song," Richard Soto's "Cuncti simus," "Hope for Resolution (A Song for Mandela and DeKlerk)," the lively "Dance and Turn from Six Folksongs" and John Phillips' "Listen to the Sounds in Heaven." The rich harmonies and spirited, joyous singing from these talented boys and young men are sure to add to your holiday enjoyment!

7194 CD $15.98

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