Believe

Cantate Chamber Singers (CCS) performs choral literature of the past five centuries, championing neglected masterpieces and 20th- and 21st-century music, including premieres of choral works commissioned from young and diverse composers. CCS was founded in 1984 and has been under the direction of Victoria Gau since 2019. Cantate now encompasses CCS, Cantate Concert Choir (founded 2021), and the Summer Choral Institute (in partnership with Montgomery College), as well as the Lift Every Voice oratorio fellowship for pre-professional singers and the biennial Young Composers’ Competition, both of which provide paid opportunities for performance, training, and advancement to emerging artists. Learn more about Cantate here, including our pledge to equity.

Want to sing with us? Cantate singers are auditioned community volunteers from Montgomery County and surrounding areas in the D.C. region. Auditions for Cantate’s Chamber Singers and Concert Choir are held in June each year. Tenors and basses are welcome to audition anytime.

Victoria Gau, Artistic Director

Lauded by critics for her “strong sense of style and drama” (The Washington Post) and her “enthusiastic and perceptive conducting,” conductor Victoria Gau brings a wide range of musical experience and expertise to her work. In addition to her role as Artistic Director of Cantate, she is in her 29th season as Artistic Director and Conductor of the Capital City Symphony (DC). Read more about Maestra Gau.

Andrew Earle Simpson, Keyboard Artist

Andrew Earle Simpson, Cantate Chamber Singers’ keyboard artist since 2007, is ordinary (full) professor and founder/director of the Master of Music, Stage Music Emphasis Composition program at the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music, Drama, and Art at The Catholic University of America and a composer whose most recent projects reflect an interest in theatrical music and humanistic subjects. Read more about Andrew Earle Simpson.

SOPRANO

Ellen Beard
Clara Capili
Paula Chipman
Caitlin Garry
Sarah Kerr
Chelsea Bromstad Lee
Maria Lostoski
Zoe-Elizabeth McCray
Lorna Neill

ALTO

Stephanie Cabell
Carolyn Chuhta
Deirdre Feehan
Phyllis Fong
Martha J. Hersman
Jeanne Morin
Pat Pillsbury
Deb Silberman

TENOR

Nick Hopwood
Roberto N. Ifill
Jack Mountain
David O’Dette
Doug Throckmorton

BASS

Harry Dankowicz
Ulf Ekernas
Kent Mikkelsen
Devin Osborne
Dennis Reece
Alun Thomas
Dennis Tosh

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF & VOLUNTEERS

Cara Schaefer, Executive Director
Drew Cahoon, Production Manager
Martha J. Hersman, Chorus Manager, Chamber Singers
Chelsea Bromstad Lee, Program Design
Dennis Tosh, Copyeditor

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

William Newhouse, Board Chair
Roberto Ifill, Vice Chair
John Wiecking, Treasurer
Robert Gerard, Secretary
Ellen Beard
Sara M. Josey
Kent Mikkelsen
Alison Ottenbreit
Lorna Neill, Cantate Chamber Singers Representative
Katherine Schnorrenberg, Cantate Concert Choir Representative

Ex-Officio

Victoria Gau
Cara Schaefer

ADVISORY BOARD

Judith F. Davis, Coordinator Emeritus, Young Composers’ Competition
Rosa Lamoreaux
Laurel Ohlson
Philip J. Padgett
Scott Tucker
Bruce D. Wilson

ABOUT MELISSA WIMBISH, SOPRANO

Coloratura soprano Melissa Wimbish has built a daring career spanning opera, chamber music, musical theater, and pop. Known for her agile instrument and captivating stage presence, she has premiered numerous roles written specifically for her, notably the world premiere of Josephine by Tom Cipullo, when “the afternoon belonged to Melissa Wimbish … beautifully prepared, vocally stunning, and theatrically riveting, [she] effortlessly held the audience in her hand throughout this one-woman show” (The Washington Post).

Melissa made her Metropolitan Opera House solo debut in Max Richter’s Woolf Works with American Ballet Theatre. She made her Carnegie Hall recital debut after winning the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Artist Grand Prize. Other career highlights include the 50th anniversary performance of Bernstein’s MASS at the Kennedy Center, her solo debut with the Baltimore Symphony in Ligeti’s Mysteries of the Macabre, Anna in The Seven Deadly Sins at the National Gallery, and the U.S. premiere of Harriet, a chamber opera by Hilda Paredes at Yellow Barn Music Festival. Her recorded work spans opera, progressive rock, and pop and includes original music featured in film. She is lead vocalist and songwriter for the indie pop duo Outcalls.

More at melissawimbish.com and outcallsband.com.

About V. SAVOY MCILWAIN, BARITONE

V. Savoy McIlwain, American baritone, is a versatile singing actor with international credits. He is currently performing as Joe in Staatsoperette Dresden’s production of Show Boat (2024-2026) and recently appeared as Amonasro in FKP Scorpio’s tour of Aida.

McIlwain has performed leading roles with major opera companies throughout the United States and Europe. Recent engagements include Haly in Tulsa Opera’s 75th Anniversary production of L’Italiana in Algeri, Spencer Coyle in Owen Wingrave, and Officer Jones in Sunder. His concert repertoire includes Handel’s Messiah, Rossini’s Stabat Mater, and Vaughan Williams’s Serenade to Music.

Equally comfortable in musical theater, McIlwain has performed roles such as Sweeney Todd and Joe in Show Boat. He is a graduate of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts and holds degrees from the University of Northern Iowa (BM) and the University of Maryland (MM, DMA). As the creator of “The Savoy Series Emerging Artist Project,” McIlwain is an advocate for social justice, human rights, and diversity.

More at www.vsavoymcilwain.com.

TEXTS

Credo IV/Credo, from Mass in F minor, Op. 159

Credo in unum Deum,
Patrem omnipotentem,
factorem caeli et terrae,
visibilium omnium et invisibilium,
Et in unum Dominum Iesum Christum,
Filium Dei unigenitum,
et ex Patre natum, ante omnia saecula,
Deum de Deo, lumen de Lumine,
Deum verum de Deo vero,
genitum, non factum, consubstantialem Patri:
per quem omnia facta sunt.
Qui propter nos homines et propter nostram salutem descendit de caelis.

Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto
ex Maria Virgine, et homo factus est.
Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato;
passus et sepultus est,
et resurrexit tertia die, secundum Scripturas,
et ascendit in caelum, sedet ad dexteram Patris.
Et iterum venturus est cum gloria,
iudicare vivos et mortuos,
cuius regni non erit finis.
Et in Spiritum Sanctum, Dominum et vivificantem:
qui ex Patre Filioque procedit.
Qui cum Patre et Filio simul adoratur et conglorificatur:
qui locutus est per prophetas.
Et unam, sanctam, catholicam et apostolicam Ecclesiam.
Confiteor unum baptisma in remissionem peccatorum.
Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum,
et vitam venturi saeculi.

Amen.

Liber Usualis/Josef Gabriel Rheinberger

I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.

For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come.

Amen.

Crucifixus

Crucifixus etiam pro nobis,
sub Pontio Pilato,
passus et sepultus est.

Antonio Lotti

He was crucified for us
under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered and was buried.

Creeds

Roberto N. Ifill

Creeds
are as convenient as overcoats,
and irrelevant in calm weather.
While all is quiet—
nobody is arguing—
we can hang our beliefs up out of the way,
talk sense to each other.
But when a sudden storm erupts
we find we need some protection
&
we wrap ourselves up in our waterproof tenets.
It’s hard to see each other in the blazing downpour;
it’s harder yet, whilst we are cocooned in our opinions.
The lightning of angry words,
the thunder of dispute
drive us into separate holes for shelter
until
the storm passes.
We look, hesitantly, at each other,
attempt to resume our reasonable, pleasant conversation.
We find the words are pulled out of us
as if drawn by
syringes.

Credo/I Believe

[Structure of text for tenor and bass]

Credo in unum Deum, Patrem omnipotentem,
factorem caeli et terrae, visibilium omnium et invisibilium,
Et in unum Dominum Jesum Christum,
Filium Dei unigenitum, et ex Patre natum, ante omnia saecula,
Deum de Deo, Lumen de Lumine, Deum verum de Deo vero,
genitum, non factum, consubstantialem Patri:
per quem omnia facta sunt.
Qui propter nos homines et propter nostram salutem descendit de caelis.

Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto
ex Maria Virgine, et homo factus est.

Crucifixus [Lotti]

Crucifixus etiam pro nobis
sub Pontio Pilato passus,
et sepultus est, et resurrexit tertia die,
secundum Scripturas,
et ascendit in caelum,
sedet ad dexteram Patris.
Et iterum venturus est cum gloria,
iudicare vivos et mortuos,
cuius regni non erit finis.

I believe in…
Credo!
I believe.
Credo!
I believe in…
Credo in unum Patrem…
I believe in Me.

(Amen)

Matej Kastelic

[Structure of text for soprano and alto]

Do you believe in one God,
Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth?
Do you believe in one Lord,
Jesus Christ,
the only begotten Son of God?
Do you,
Do you believe?

Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto
ex Maria Virgine, et homo factus est.

Crucifixus [Lotti]

Crucifixus…
Who believes in salvation, judging,
glorifying, rulers, kingdom?
Do you believe in Apostolic church, confession,
Holy Bible, baptism, christianization,
manipulation, power, corruption, wealth,
control, inquisition, terror, intimidation,
murder, crucifixion… No! I do not!
Want to believe!? Do you? Do you still believe?

I believe in light, heaven,
Holy spirit, incarnation,
Do you believe?
I believe in Virgin Mary,
Jesus Christ, resurrection.
Do you believe?
I believe.

Credo, from MASS

Leonard Bernstein

I believe in God,
but does God believe in me?
I’ll believe in any god
if any god there be.
That’s a pact.
Shake on that.
No taking back.

I believe in one God,
but then I believe in three.
I’ll believe in twenty gods
if they’ll believe in me.
That’s a pact.
Shake on that.
No taking back.

Who created my life?
Made me come to be?
Who accepts this awful
responsibility?

Is there someone out there?
If there is, then who?
Are you list’ning to this song
I’m singing just for you?

I believe my singing.
Do you believe it too?
I believe each note I sing
but is it getting through?

I believe in F-sharp.
I believe in G.
But does it mean a thing to you
or should I change my key?

How do you like A-flat?
Do you believe in C?

Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub …

Do you believe in anything
that has to do with me?

I believe in God,
but does God believe in me?
I’ll believe in thirty gods
if they’ll believe in me.
That’s a pact.
Shake on that.
No taking back.

I’ll believe in sugar and spice,
I’ll believe in ev’rything nice;
I’ll believe in you and you and you
and who …
Who’ll believe in me?

Let us pray.

Let us pray!

Credo

I cannot find my way: there is no star
In all the shrouded heavens anywhere;
And there is not a whisper in the air
Of any living voice but one so far
That I can hear it only as a bar
Of lost, imperial music, played when fair
And angel fingers wove, and unaware,
Dead leaves to garlands where no roses are.
No, there is not a glimmer, nor a call,
For one that welcomes, welcomes when he fears,
The black and awful chaos of the night;
For through it all—above, beyond it all—
I know the far sent message of the years,
I feel the coming glory of the light.

Edwin Arlington Robinson

I Believe

Mark A. Miller

I believe in the sun
I believe in the sun
Even when, even when it’s not shining

I believe in love
I believe in love
Even when, even when I don’t feel it

I believe in God
I believe in God
Even when, even when God is silent

Credo

Jessica Rudman, setting of a text by Alfred Kreymborg

I sing the will to love:
the will that carves the will to live,
the will that saps the will to hurt,
the will that kills the will to die;
the will that made and keeps you warm,
the will that points your eyes ahead,
the will that makes you give, not get,
a give and get that tell us what you are:
how much a god, how much a human.
I call on you to live the will to love.

“Still I Rise”

Maya Angelou

You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I’ll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
‘Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I’ll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don’t you take it awful hard
‘Cause I laugh like I’ve got gold mines
Diggin’ in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I’ll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I’ve got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history’s shame
I rise
Up from a past that’s rooted in pain
I rise
I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.

Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.

Excerpt from “The Hill We Climb”

Amanda Gorman

With every breath from my bronze-pounded chest,
we will raise this wounded world into a wondrous one.
We will rise from the gold-limned hills of the West.
We will rise from the wind-swept Northeast
where our forefathers first realized revolution.
We will rise from the lake-rimmed cities of the Midwestern states.
We will rise from the sun-baked South.
We will rebuild, reconcile and recover
in every known nook of our nation,
in every corner called our country
our people diverse and beautiful
will emerge battered and beautiful.
When day comes, we step out of the shade
aflame and unafraid.
The new dawn blooms as we free it.
For there is always light,
if only we’re brave enough to see it.
If only we’re brave enough to be it.

if I am silent

David Lang

if I am silent
I cannot think
that I will be saved
if I am silent

If I am silent
help will come
from somewhere else
but not for me
if I am silent

everything I have
everything I am
everything I know
everything I feel

maybe everything I have I have for such a time as this

Credo

Margaret Bonds, setting of the “Credo” text by W.E.B. Du Bois

I Believe in God

I BELIEVE in God who made of one blood all races that on earth do dwell. I believe that all men, black and brown and white, are brothers, varying through time and opportunity, in form and gift and feature, but differing in no essential particular, and alike in soul and the possibility of infinite development.

Especially Do I Believe in the Negro Race

Especially do I believe in the Negro Race; in the beauty of its genius, the sweetness of its soul, and its strength in that meekness which shall yet inherit this turbulent earth.

I Believe in Pride of Race

I believe in Pride of race and lineage and self: in pride of self so deep as to scorn injustice to other selves; in pride of lineage so great as to despise no man’s father; in pride of race so chivalrous as neither to offer bastardy to the weak nor beg wedlock of the strong, knowing that men may be brothers in Christ, even though they be not brothers-in-law.

I believe in Service – humble, reverent service, from the blackening of boots to the whitening of souls; for Work is Heaven, Idleness Hell, and Wage is the “Well done!” of the Master, who summoned all them that labor and are heavy laden, making no distinction between the black, sweating cotton-hands of Georgia and the First Families of Virginia, since all distinction not based on deed is devilish and not divine.

I Believe in the Devil and His Angels

I believe in the Devil and his angels, who wantonly work to narrow the opportunity of struggling human beings, especially if they be black; who spit in the faces of the fallen, strike them that cannot strike again, believe the worst and work to prove it, hating the image which their Maker stamped on a brother’s soul.

I Believe in the Prince of Peace

I believe in the Prince of Peace. I believe that War is Murder. I believe that armies and navies are at bottom the tinsel and braggadocio of oppression and wrong, and I believe that the wicked conquest of weaker and darker nations by nations whiter and stronger but foreshadows the death of that strength.

I Believe in Liberty

I believe in Liberty for all men: the space to stretch their arms and their souls, the right to breathe and the right to vote, the freedom to choose their friends, enjoy the sunshine, and ride on the railroads, uncursed by color; thinking, dreaming, working as they will in the kingdom of beauty and love. I believe in the Training of Children, black even as white; the leading out of little souls into the green pastures and beside the still waters, not for pelf or peace, but for life lit by some large vision of beauty and goodness and truth; lest we forget, and the sons of the fathers, like Esau, for mere meat barter their birthright in a mighty nation.

I Believe in Patience

Finally, I believe in Patience – patience with the weakness of the Weak and the strength of the Strong, the prejudice of the Ignorant and the ignorance of the Blind; patience with the tardy triumph of Joy and the mad chastening of Sorrow; – patience with God!

Note: There are a number of variants among the printings of this text. Since Bonds appears to have used the first edition of Du Bois’s autobiography Darkwater as her text, the text as given here follows that version, including in its capitalization.

A NOTE OF THANKS

Cantate would like to thank…

Christ Episcopal Church for providing space for the concert
the staff and residents of Ingleside at Rock Creek for providing rehearsal space for the chorus
Temple Shalom for providing meeting space for the Board
our volunteers: box office staff, ushers, chorus managers, program designer, proofreader, and more

Cantate’s 2025–2026 Concert Season is supported in part by funding from the Montgomery County government and the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, the Maryland State Arts Council, and The Dallas Morse Coors Foundation for the Performing Arts.

Cantate is also supported by the generous donations and underwriting of individuals and corporations, whose support we warmly welcome.

Learn more about Cantate’s donors and how you can support Cantate.

Join us for Cantate’s next concert: YEARN

Saturday, March 7, 2026 • 5:00 p.m.
St. Paul’s United Methodist Church
10401 Armory Ave, Kensington, MD 20895

This program by Cantate Concert Choir presents themes of separation and yearning with Maurice Duruflé’s haunting Requiem as the centerpiece. This chant-based masterwork, focused on peace and forgiveness, is complemented by Alan Hovhaness’s From the End of the Earth, Shruthi Rajasekar’s A Heart in Port, and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s By the Waters of Babylon. Featuring baritone James Rogers, mezzo-soprano Magdalena Wór, organist Marvin Mills, and cellist Stephen Czarkowski.

Get tickets to YEARN

Words From Our Partners

Select the partner’s image to learn more.