Past Repertoire

Since 1996, Bella Musica has performed a variety of classical, modern, and original works under the direction of different conductors. Check out our past concert themes and repertoire below.

Fall 2025: Dreams, Longing, and Beyond

  • To Sit and Dream, Powell

  • Magnificat, Vaugh-Williams

  • Tota Pulchra Es, Bruckner

  • O Nata Lux, Douglas Byler

  • Gaudete, anonymous

  • Two Ukranian carols

  • The Shepherds’ Farewell, Berlioz

  • Ave Verum Corpus, Mozart

  • New Year Carol, Britten

  • All Is Miracle, Kyle Pedersen

Spring 2025

  • God Bless the Moon, Jean Ritchie, arr. David Düsing

  • Bogoroditsye-Dyevo, Rachmaninoff

  • We Shall Walk Through the Valley, African American spiritual, arr. Undine Smith Moore

  • Psalm 23, Schubert

  • Ain’t No Grave Can Hold My Body Down, Traditional spirital, arr. Paul Caldwell & Sean Ivory

  • Lift Thine Eyes, Mendelssohn

  • “Der Abend” from Three Quartets, Op. 64, Brahms

  • “En Une Seule Fleur” and “Dirait-On” from Les Chansons des Roses, Lauridsen

  • Sure On This Shining Night, Barber

  • Sing Gently, Whitacre

  • Peace I Leave with You, Amy Beach

  • “The Promise of Living” from The Tender Land, Copland

Fall 2024: An Evening of Exploration

  • Kyrie from Mass for Three Voices by William Byrd

  • Riu, Riu, Chiu by Mateo Flecha the Elder

  • O Magnum Mysterium by Tomás Luis de Victoria

  • The Huron Carol by St. Jean de Brébeuf, arranged by Sarah Quartel

  • This Have I done for My True Love by Gustav Holst (1874: 1934)

  • My Good Lord Done Been Here, Traditional, arranged by Moses Hogan (1957: 2003)

  • The Road Not Taken, text by Robert Frost, music by Randall Thompson

  • Una Forma Más by René Baños (b. 1979)

  • Ubi Caritas by Ola Gjielo

  • Hymne au Soleil by Lili Boulanger 1893­–1918

  • Galaxias by Santiago Veros, b. 1990

Spring 2024: A Sprig of Thyme, Love and Other Ingredients

  • I am the Rose of Sharon by William Billings

  • Come Again, Sweet Love by John Dowland

  • April Is in my Mistress’ Face by Thomas Morley

  • Now Is the Month of Maying by Thomas Morley

  • Five Hebrew Love Songs by Eric Whitacre/Hila Plitmann

  1. Temuná (A Picture)

  2. Kalá Kallá (Light Bride)

  3. Lárov (Mostly)

  4. Éyze Shéleg (What Snow!)

  5. Rakút (Tenderness)

  • The Sprig of Thyme by John Rutter

  1. The Bold Grenadier

  2. The Keel Row

  3. The Willow Tree

  4. The Sprig of Time

  5. Down by the Sally Gardens

  6. The Cuckoo

  7. I Know Where I’m Going

  8. Willow Song

  9. O Can Ye Sew Cushions?

  10. Afton Water

Fall 2023: Seeking the Light: A Journey Out of Darkness

  • The Word Was God by Rosephanye Powell

  • Gute Nacht, O Wesen, from Jesu, meine Freude by J.S. Bach

  • When Jesus Wept by William Billings

  • Soon Ah Will Be Done by William Dawson

  • O Schöne Nacht by Johannes Brahms

  • O Nata Lux by Thomas Tallis

  • Exultate, Jubilate by Kyle Pederson

  • Illuminare by Elaine Hagenberg

Spring 2023: Ordinary Beauty: A Celebration of the Everyday

  • The Ground by Ola Gjeilo

  • Four Slavic Folk Songs by Bela Bartok 

  • Liebst du um Schönheit (If You Love for Beauty) by Clara Schumann

  • One May Morning, English Folk Song, arranged by C. Archibeque

  • Two Eastern Pictures by Gustav Holst

  • And Joy is Everywhere by Andrea Ramsey

  • Drop, Drop Slow Tears by Orlando Gibbons

  • The Last Words of David by Randall Thompson

  • Jubilate Deo by Peter Anglea

  • Grant Us Thy Peace by Felix Mendelssohn

  • Ain’-a That Good News by William Dawson

Spring & Fall 2020, Spring & Fall 2021, Spring 2022

  • Requiem in D Minor. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Seasons cancelled due to pandemic)

Fall 2019

  • Mass in D Major, Antonin Dvorak

Spring 2019

  • Christus Factus Est & Locus Iste, Bruckner

  • Solemn Vespers, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

  • Ave Verum Corpus, Robert Chastain

Fall 2018

  • Petite Messe Solennelle, Gioachino Rossini

Spring 2018

  • American Songs, Aaron Copland

  • It Must Be So; Life is Happiness Indeed, Leonard Bernstein

  • The Eyes of All Wait Upon Thee; A Rose Touched By the Sun’s Warm Rays, Jean Berger

  • The Last Words of David; The Best of Rooms, Randall Thompson

Fall 2017

  • Dido & Aeneas, Henry Purcell

Spring 2017

  • Liebeslieder Waltzes, Johannes Brahms

  • Polovtsian Dances, Alexander Borodin

Fall 2016

  • Rejoice in the Lamb, Benjamin Britten

  • Cantique de Jean Racine, Gabriel Fauré

  • Requiem, Gabriel Fauré 

Spring 2016

  • Frostiana, Randall Thompson

  • Nänie, Johannes Brahms

  • Four Songs, with Two Horns and Harp, Johannes Brahms

Fall 2015

  • Messe de Minuit de Noël, Marc-Antoine Charpentier

  • Oratorio de Noël, Camille Saint-Saëns

Spring 2015 Three 20th Century French Organ Masters

  • Jehan Alain: Litanies, JA119; Messe modale en septuor, JA 136; Aria, JA138A for Flute and organ

  • Jean Langlais: “Prélude (Entrée)” from Suite médiévale en forme de messe basse; Messe en Style Ancien

  • Louis Vierne: Messe Solennelle, Op. 16

Fall 2014

  • A Ceremony of Carols, Benjamin Britten

  • Carols and Lullabies: Christmas in the Southwest, Conrad Susa

Spring 2014

  • Jesu Meine Freude and Prelude in E Minor, J. S. Bach

  • Šest Moravských Dvojzpévů (Six Moravian Duets), Antonin Dvořák, arr. Janáček

  • “Abendlied zu Gott,” “Aus dem Dankliede zu Gott,” and “Wider den Übermut,” Franz Joseph Haydn

Fall 2013

  • Prophetiae Sibyllarum, Orlando Di Lasso

  • “Twelfth Night,” Samuel Barber

  • “Uns kompt ein Schiff gefahren,” Ann Callaway

  • “Our Joyful’st Feast,” Einojuhani Rautavaara

  • “Today the Virgin,” John Tavener

  • “Canto de la Sibila,” Cristobal de Morales

Spring 2013 Gypsy Songs & Love Songs

  • Brahms, Zigunerlieder

  • Shearer, Romanç de Matinet

  • Sibelius, Rakasatava

  • Verdelot, Three Madrigals from Machiavelli’s La Mandragola

  • Callaway, Valentine

  • Liszt, Petrarch Sonnet 104

Fall 2012

  • Vesperae Solennes de Confessore, W. A. Mozart

  • Ave Maria… virgo serena, Josquin des Prez

  • O Heiland Reiß die Himmel auf, Johannes Brahms

  • Alleluia, vidimus stellam, Ann Callaway

  • Andante in F Major for a Musical Clock, Mozart

Spring 2012 In Praise of Spring

  • Johannes Brahms: Missa Canonica and Four Quartets, Op. 92

  • Part songs from the German Romantic and Classical schools by Franz Joseph Haydn, Felix Mendelssohn, Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, and Franz Schubert

Fall 2011 Magnificat! 

  • J.S. Bach: Magnificat in D-dur

  • Tomás Luis de Victoria: Magnificat Primi Toni

  • Arvo Pärt: Magnificat

  • Peggy Hart: Canticle of the Creatures

  • David Childs: O Magnum Mysterium

Spring 2011

  • Morten Lauridsen: Lux Aeterna

  • J.S. Bach: Lobet den Herrn

Winter 2010 An Evening of Mystery and Song

  • Victoria: Missa O Magnum Mysterium

  • Britten: A Ceremony of Carols

Spring 2010 Slavic Lights, Russian Songs, and Slovak Dances

  • Rachmaninoff: Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

  • Bartok: Slovak and Hungarian Folk Songs

Winter 2009

  • Ralph Vaughn Williams: Dona Nobis Pacem

  • Samuel Barber: Agnus Dei
    Featuring: Mark Bruce, Organ

Spring 2009 El Abrazo Largo (The Long Embrace): Latin American Songs from the Old and New World

  • Featuring music from Brazil, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Spain, Mexico and a composition from composer-in-residence Peggy Hart

Winter 2008 

  • Brahms: Ein deutsches Requiem

Spring 2008

  • Poulenc: Mass in G major and music by Ravel, Massenet, Saint-Saens, and Faure
    Featuring: Nadia Blank, piano

Winter 2007

  • Vaughan Williams: Mass in G minor and Brahms Quartets for Choir and Piano
    Featuring: Nadia Blank, piano, and Asher Davison, clarinet

Spring 2007 Her Infinite Variety: Four Centuries of Shakespeare in Song

  • Featuring songs by Morley, Verdi, Vaughan Williams, Shearing, Mäntyjarvi, Harris, P.D.Q. Bach, and more.

Winter 2006

  • Bach: Mass in B minor

Spring 2006 A Choral Menagerie

  • Benjamin Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb, plus Hindemith, Copland, Carmichael, madrigals, and more.

Winter 2005 To Drive the Cold Winter Away

  • Featuring the Tomás Luís de Victoria O Magnum Mysterium Mass, plus Rossi, Lassus, del Encina, Eccard, and more.

Spring 2005 America in Song

  • Featuring Morton Lauridsen’s Lux Aeterna, and songs by Billings, Joplin, Ives, Bernstein, Hogan, and Callaway

Winter 2004

  • Rachmaninoff’s All-Night Vigil (Vespers)

Spring 2004

  • Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6, Brahm’s Schicksalslied, and Zoltán Kodály’s Missa Brevis, performed in collaboration with The Prometheus Orchestra (Eric Hansen, conductor)

Winter 2003 La Rose Complète

  • Morten Lauridsen’s Les Chansons des Roses

  • Benjamin Brittin’s Hymn to St. Cecelia

  • string music of Byrd and Holborne

Spring 2003 A Night at the Opera

  • Selections from Leonard Bernstein’s Candide, plus opera choruses from Bizet, Offenbach, Mussorgsky, and Verdi, and the world premiere of the complete Songs from the Gardener song cycle by composer-in-residence Ann Callaway

Winter 2002 A Winter Concert

  • Maurice Duruflé: Requiem

  • Benjamin Britten: Ceremony of Carols

  • Ann Callaway: “O Magnum Mysterium: and “Unspoken Things” from Songs from the Gardener

Spring 2002 O Sacred Earth; Early Music of the Sacred and Secular

  • Works by Bach, Rossi, le Jeune, Josquin, de Lasso, Morley, Monteverdi, Weelkes, Hildegard von Bingen and Ann Callaway

Winter 2001 Beethoven, Weber, Callaway

  • Beethoven: Mass in C Major

  • Weber: Bassoon Concerto in F Major

  • Callaway: Valentine

Spring 2001 Isn’t it Romantic? Songs of Love and Romance Through the Centuries

  • Works by Haydn, Bartók, Brahms, Barber, Rodgers, Ravel, Billings, Callaway (world premiere), & Ellington, and chamber and solo pieces featuring chorus members

Winter 2000 Dona Nobis Pacem: Songs to Peace

  • Excerpts from Handel’s Messiah, plus Bernstein, Barber, and Callaway

Spring 2000 A Bouquet of Italian Music

  • Rossini: Petite Messe Solennelle

  • Works by Verdi, Monteverdi, Josqin, Vecchi and two premieres by Ann Callaway

Winter 1999 Two Faces of Sacred Space

  • Pärt: Te Deum

  • The Missa Luba, a Congolese Mass
    Guest artists: Otello Jefferson, tenor Malonga Casquelord, Tacuma King and Sanga of the Valley; percussion

Spring 1999

  • Brahms: Piano Concerto #1 in C minor

  • Bizet: Symphony in C major
    Featuring: Matthew Edwards, Piano

Spring 1999 Sure On This Shining Night…

  • Bach: Lobet den Herrn

  • Barber: Sure on this shining night

  • Bartók: Two Slovak folk songs

  • Bernstein: Dona nobis pacem from the Missa Brevis

  • Britten: Deus in adjutorium meum

  • Fauré: Madrigal

  • Ligeti: Ejszaka and Reggel

  • Poulenc: Un soir de neige

  • Thompson: “The Road Not Taken” from Frostiana

  • Poulenc: Un Soir de Neige

  • Brahms: Capriccio Op 67

  • Brahms: Intermezzo Op 118

  • Brahms: Intermezzo Op 119

Winter 1998

  • Bernstein: Chichester Psalms

  • Barber: Adagio for Strings

  • Barber: Agnus Dei

  • Bach: Concerto for Oboe and Violin

Spring 1998

  • Fauré: Requiem

  • Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 24

  • Brahms: Schicksalslied

Winter 1997

  • Mozart: Great Mass in C Minor

  • Vivaldi: Concerto for Two Trumpets

Spring 1997

  • Orff: Carmina Burana

Winter 1996

  • Bach: Magnificat

  • Charpentier: Messe de Minuit

Spring 1996

  • Brahms: Ein deutsches Requiem