From Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa.

Its the 2023 All-State Music Festival.

Tonight well see performances by Iowa's finest high school musicians and vocalists who were selected to be part of the 2023 All-State Band, Chorus and Orchestra.

Funding for this program is provided by Friends.

The Iowa PBS Foundation.

And by The Pella Rolscreen Foundation is a proud supporter of Iowa PBS.

Pella Windows and Doors strives to better our communities and build a better tomorrow.

Oh beautiful, For spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain!

America!

America!

God shed his grace on thee And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet Whose stern, impassioned stress A thoroughfare of freedom beat Across the wilderness!

America!

America!

God mend thine every flaw, Confirm thy soul in self-control Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for patriot dream That sees beyond the years Thine alabaster cities gleam Undimmed by human tears!

America!

America!

God shed his grace on thee And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful, O beautiful America!

America!

[ applause ] But for me, music makes us better people.

It addresses our our soul, it reaches us, and it communicates things that other mediums, including language, simply can't express.

And I think perhaps most important, during our day and time at music teaches empathy.

Teachers a realization that collaboration and the role that everybody plays not only in an orchestra, but in our society, no matter how they look or what they believe is a good thing and should be embraced.

[ applause ] [ applause ] [ applause ] [ applause ] The students have really, one, been very open as an Iowan that made me really proud and excited to know that the young people here are are like, I would want my own people, my own children to be.

And they've been very open, very much willing to do anything And also expressive and vulnerable in a way that I think is is very powerful and something that frankly we need to empower more of in people, especially young people.

Regina Coeli, laetare Regina Coeli, laetare Regina caeli, Alleluia!

Regina caeli Regina caeli Alleluia!

Quia quem meruisti portare Alleluia!

Quia quem meruisti portare Alleluia!

Quia quem meruisti portare Alleluia!

Resurrexit, sicut dixit Resurrexit, sicut dixit Alleluia!

Ora pro nobis Deum Alleluia!

Regina caeli Regina caeli Alleluia!

Quia quem meruisti portare Alleluia!

Quia quem meruisti portare Alleluia!

Quia quem meruisti portare Alleluia!

Resurrexit, sicut dixit Alleluia!

Resurrexit, sicut dixit Alleluia!

Ora pro nobis Deum Alleluia!

Ora pro nobis Deum Alleluia!

Alleluia!

[ applause ] [ applause ] Ama namin sumasalangit Ka (Our Father, who art in heaven) Ama namin sumasalangit Ka (Our Father, who art in heaven) Sambahin ang ngalan Mo (hallowed be thy name) Mapasaamin ang kaharian Mo (Thy kingdom come) Sundin ang loob Mo (Thy will be done) Dito sa lupa para nang sa langit (on earth as it is in heaven.)

Ama namin sumasalangit Ka (Our Father, who art in heaven) Ama namin sumasalangit Ka (Our Father, who art in heaven) Sambahin ang ngalan Mo (hallowed be thy name) Mapasaamin ang kaharian Mo (Thy kingdom come) Sundin ang loob Mo (Thy will be done) Dito sa lupa para nang sa langit (on earth as it is in heaven.)

Bigyan Mo kami (Give us this day) Ng aming kakanin sa araw-araw (our daily bread.)

At patawarin Mo kami (And forgive us) Sa aming mga sala (our debts) Para nang pagpapatawad namin (as we forgive) Sa nagkakasala sa amin (our debtors.)

At huwag Mo kaming (And lead us not) ipahintulot sa tukso (into temptation.)

At iadya Mo kami (But deliver us) At iadya Mo kami (But deliver us) sa dilang masama (from the evil one.)

Sapagkat sayo nagmumula (For thine is the kingdom,) ang kaharian (For thine is the kingdom,) at kapangyariha at kalwalhatian (and the power, and the glory) magpakailanman.

(forever.)

Amen.

[ applause ] What if instead of more violence We let our weapons fall silent?

No more revenge or retribution No more war or persecution.

It could be beautiful.

What if instead of our judgment We soften our hearts that have hardened?

Instead of certainty and pride We love and sacrifice.

It could be beautiful.

Can we see the other as our brother?

Can we sing the darkness to light?

Sounding chords of compassion and grace Set the swords of judgment aside Let mercy's eyes See the other human face.

Can we sing the darkness to light?

Can we sing Through love to light!

Oh, wonderful the way That leads from darkness to the perfect day!

From darkness and from sorrow of the night To morning that comes singing o'er the sea.

From darkness and from sorrow of the night To morning that comes singing o'er the sea.

Through love to light!

Through light, O God, to thee, Who art the love of love, the eternal light of light!

Through love to light!

[applause] I am wild, I will sing to the trees, I will sing to the stars in the sky, I love, I am loved, he is mine, Now at last I can die!

I am sandaled with wind and with flame, I have heart-fire and singing to give, I can tread on the grass or the stars, I am wild, I will sing I am wild, I will sing to the trees, I will sing to the stars in the sky, I love, I am loved, Now at last I can live!

[applause] All the pieces were playing on the program, have some sort of connection to America, and there's a lot of deep meaning to them.

And these students have done a really wonderful job engaging with that meaning, with playing the notes and rhythms, but also trying to seek out the message behind it and share that with the audience [applause] [applause] Memento is written in honor at the time of my maternal grandmother, who was one of millions of Americans suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

So I sought to write a piece that had to do with memory and with nostalgia.

And so it's sort of an homage and in honor of that generation, this World War II generation, and kind of looking back at their lives and forward through their lives.

[ applause ] Lift every voice and sing, 'Til earth and heaven ring, Ring with the harmonies of Liberty; Let our rejoicing rise High as the list'ning skies, Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.

[ applause ] Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword His truth is marching on.

Glory, Glory, hallelujah!

Glory, Glory, hallelujah!

Glory, Glory, hallelujah!

His truth is marching on.

I have seen Him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps His day is marching on.

Glory, Glory, hallelujah!

Glory, Glory, hallelujah!

Glory, Glory, hallelujah!

His truth is marching on.

In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free While God is marching on Glory, Glory, hallelujah!

Glory, Glory, hallelujah!

Glory, Glory, hallelujah!

His truth is marching on.

Glory, Glory, hallelujah!

Glory, Glory, hallelujah!

Glory, Glory, hallelujah!

His truth is marching on.

Amen!

Amen!

[ applause ] Funding for this program is provided by Friends, the Iowa PBS Foundation.

And by...

The Pella Rolscreen Foundation is a proud supporter of Iowa PBS.

Pella Windows and Doors strives to better our communities and build a better tomorrow.