(bright upbeat music) (bright orchestra music) - Welcome to the fourth and final concert of Albany Premier Seekers, 40th Anniversary season.

This program which we are pleased to present in partnership with WMHT will take you on an emotional journey from fear, conflict and death to joy, peace and love.

From despair to light.

We dedicate this program to the victims of COVID-19 and the millions of families who have been touched by these devastating pandemic.

We hope that our music brings you hope for healthier and more peaceful world.

(bright orchestra music) - My candle burns at both ends.

It will not last the night.

But ah, my foes and oh, my friends, it gives a lovely light.

Only when it's dark enough, can you see the stars.

(soft opera music) (group singing in foreign language) - Observe good faith and justice toward all nations.

Cultivate peace and harmony with all.

- It isn't enough to talk about peace.

One must believe in it.

And it isn't enough to believe in it, one must work at it.

(soft opera music) (group singing in foreign language) - Death, be not proud, though some have called thee mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so.

For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow die not, poor death, nor yet canst thou kill me.

From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be, much pleasure, then from thee much more must flow and soonest our best men with thee do go, rest of their bones and soul's delivery.

Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men.

And dost with poison, war and sickness dwell.

And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well and better than thy stroke.

Why swell'st thou then?

One short sleep past, we wake eternally.

And death shall be no more.

Death, thou shalt die.

(soft opera music) ♪ Just a minute ♪ ♪ I have a few questions ♪ ♪ Can we take a snowy owl ♪ ♪ Or the legions of poppies ♪ ♪ Who have softly ignited all our spring time ♪ ♪ And the scarlet macaws ♪ ♪ Cut loose, laughing ♪ ♪ Sensual, who call at morning ♪ ♪ Ragged in joys ♪ ♪ We'd like a rainforest full of them ♪ (soft piano music) ♪ About those blue whales ♪ ♪ May we attend upon them ♪ ♪ In the next world ♪ ♪ Write every day ♪ ♪ In praise of them ♪ (soft piano music) (soft opera music) ♪ And the grass ♪ ♪ And oceans, girls and books ♪ ♪ The laws we made for love of justice ♪ ♪ As we pass onto your road ♪ ♪ Know what we sing of ♪ ♪ What we made of life ♪ ♪ Far gone in love ♪ (bright orchestra music) (group singing in foreign language) In the days of spring and autumn when day and night are of nearly equal length, we are reminded of the presence of the light and darkness within each of us.

And as we contemplate the shadows that sometimes seems so overwhelming, let our love be heard, whispering in your wings.

(soft opera music) ♪ Angels where you soar ♪ ♪ Up to God's own light ♪ ♪ Take my own lost bird ♪ ♪ On your hearts tonight ♪ ♪ And as grief once more ♪ ♪ Mounts to heaven and sings ♪ ♪ Let my love be heard ♪ ♪ Angels where you soar ♪ ♪ Up to God's own light ♪ ♪ Take my own lost bird ♪ ♪ On your hearts tonight ♪ ♪ And as grief once more ♪ ♪ Mounts to heaven and sings ♪ ♪ Let my love be heard ♪ ♪ Let my love be heard ♪ ♪ Whispering in your wings ♪ (soft opera music) ♪ Let my love be heard ♪ ♪ Let my love be heard ♪ ♪ Let my love be heard ♪ ♪ Let my love be heard ♪ ♪ Angels where you soar ♪ ♪ Up to God's own light ♪ ♪ Let my love be heard ♪ (bright orchestra music) - Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul.

And sings the tune without the words and never stops at all.

And sweetest in the Gale is heard and sore must be the storm that could abash the little bird that kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chillest land and on the strangest sea yet never in extremity, it asked a crumb of me.

(bright orchestra music) ♪ The old oak tree in the center of town ♪ ♪ Rustles his leaves in the summer breezes ♪ ♪ It's a quiet night, a night for wondering ♪ ♪ Only the crickets and frogs by the river ♪ ♪ Sing tonight, tonight ♪ (bright violin music) ♪ The river flows as she always has ♪ ♪ Lazy and indifferent ♪ ♪ Past the city hall and the courthouse ♪ ♪ Under the bridge and round the old mill ♪ ♪ On her way to the sea ♪ ♪ How many summer breezes like this ♪ ♪ Have blown through the leaves of the old oak tree ♪ ♪ How many seasons, how many people have sat in his shade ♪ ♪ And played in his leaves ♪ ♪ In the autumn ♪ (bright violin music) (soft orchestra music) ♪ Sure on this shining night of starmade shadows round ♪ ♪ Kindness must watch for me this side the ground ♪ ♪ On this shining ♪ ♪ This shining ♪ ♪ Sure on this shining night of starmade shadows round ♪ ♪ Kindness must watch for me this side the ground ♪ ♪ On this shining ♪ ♪ This shining ♪ ♪ The late year lies down the north ♪ ♪ All is healed, all is health ♪ ♪ High summer holds the earth ♪ ♪ Hearts all whole ♪ (group singing foreign language) ♪ Sure on this shining night ♪ ♪ I weep for wonder wandering far alone ♪ ♪ Of shadows on the stars ♪ ♪ Sure on this shining night ♪ ♪ This shining night ♪ ♪ This shining night ♪ ♪ Sure on this shining night ♪ From despair, we learn to move on.

We learn to love.

We grow strong.

We grow deep.

- From despair comes the wind, comes the fire.

We feel the earth.

- From despair, the seed of hope grows.

- Pushing through the earth, past the worms and pebbles until our yellow leaves break through.

- We see the sky.

- Finally from despair, light.

- From despair, light.

(bright orchestra music)