FYV Ballads of a College Basket Case March 7

Ballads of a College Basket Case

Evan Blaché

Performers:

Stephen White, Choral Director

Albert Lo, Director of Instrumental Studies

Topher sipes, Graphic Artist

Student Performers:

Bethany Wharton, Violin

Tiffany Lee, Viola

Cassidy Salow, Viola

Peter Northfelt, Cello

Soloists:

Keaton Casper, Baritone as Ve

Jalen Easley, Tenor as Jay

Catalina Hill, Alto as Van

Thursday, March 7th, 7:30 pm

Highland Recital Hall

Building 2000

Movement I

Van

I love to sing!my heart’s filled with song!it is healing and helps me move along.The sweetness of music’s like beautiful stars.Oh, Stars twinkling in an obsidian nightThey dance onto my headOh ivory moonHow amazing to be in the presence of a splendideve.
Vibrant briskAir gusts in meTender sunsets disappearThe loss and beauty of such planesMakes me cry

Anxiety

Spinning and spinning around and around.My life is hurtling and spinning to the ground.I often feel all alone.Nobody to talk to on the phone.All I get is a dial tone.I need helpI need helpwhy won’t you help?it feels like my feelings are not feltI walk in th the bitter night aloneI walk in the bitter night alonethe streetlight is the only light aglowI’m all aloneI need helpI need helpneed help I don’t needneed help I don’t needhelp I don’t needhelp I don’t needI don’t need help

You Are Not Alone

When I think about my lifeI start to worryI wonder what they think of meBut when I think negative thoughtsI start to scurry,Yet I know that I truly am.I am not aloneI have all of youYou keep me groundedI trust you all of youEven when I fallI can count on youNo matter how dark it becomesI am not aloneAnd love all of you
When I think about my lifeThere have been trialsyour back’s against the wallNobody is there for youBut when I look at thingsThat’s not true
I am not aloneI am not aloneYou are not aloneYou are not alone

Movement II

Who am I?Who am I?I am Ve?Ve, Ve, VeVe, Ve, Ve.
Who am I?Who am I?I’m just a boyI’m just a boy,Oh wait a girl, no a boy, okay I’m neithersometimes wear skirts or shirts, or corduroysOr even rompers, or flannels or overallsI’m just your average person.
I’m free to be me,My true self,Very happy.If you can’t accept that,I’m sorry,But that is not my problem.
The sun shines on meFueling my warmthI’ll leap out in laughterArms flailing and flailingNo cares in the in the world
I hope you love meThe way I amI hope you love methe way I amI love you tooI love you tooI loveI love

Lovely Afternoons

I love afternoons,Loud, but sometimes quiet and still
To me, they are peaceful,Especially when's pent on a hill.
These are...Lovely daysFull of fresh airThese are ...lovely daysFull of fresh airFull of fresh air...
I look up at the skiesThinking of how life has been.
I sing to the skies.Thinking of how life has been.I sing to the skies.Loving how life can be.
I’m surrounded by...
Sunny skiesSweet tonesSoft grass under my feet.
These are bright daysSweet and warmWhat a nice day alone.
AloneAloneAloneAloneAlone...

I Don't Need, But I Need

I don’t need, I don’t need, I don’t need, I don’t, I needI don’t need, I don’t need, I don’t need, I don’t, I needI don’t need, I don’t need, I don’t need, I don’t, I needI don’t need, I don’t need, I don’t need, I don’t, I need
You see me fall and struggleYou see me take a tumbleYou see me struggle to standMy kness strating to buckleYou offer your hand to meTrying to keep me standingI turn it down again and againI’m perfect on my own.
Tumbling, tumbling, falling, falling,Tumbling, tumbling, falling, falling,Trying to lift myself by my own shoes.
I don’t need, I don’t need, I don’t need, I don’t, I needneed, need, need, need, I needneed, need, I need help.
I need help.What a nice day alone.
Alone,Alone,Alone...

Movement III

We Come Together

We come togetherWe love togetherWe sing togetherAnd bring new life.
We come togetherWe laugh togetherWe cry togetherAnd bring new life.
Unity and harmonyWhat lovely tones.

Lift Every Voice and Sing

Lift every voice and singTill Earth and Heaven ringRing with the harmonies of lebrtyLet out rejoicing rise.High as the listening skiesLet it rebound, loud as the rolling sea.Sing a song, full of the faith that the dark past has taught us.Sing a song, full of the hope that the present has brought us.Facing the rising sunTill our new day beginsLet us march on, till victory is wonStony the road we trodBitter the chastening rod.Felt in the days when hope unborn had died.Yet with a steady bestHave not our weary feet.Come to the place for which our fathers sighed?We have commoner a way that with tears that wateredWe have comeTreading our path thru the blood of the slaughterOut from the gloomy pastTill now we stand at lastWhere the white gleamOf our bright star is cast.

Program Notes

This story takes place in Crisp Pines, Texas (not a real place, in case anyone decides to google this area). There are three students attending college named Van, Ve, and Jay. All three of them are very smart and hard working college students who always go the distance when it comes to their work and dreams. Despite this, all three of them go through certain problems unique to them that makes the college experience more complicated for them. While they are similar to each other for having their own hindrances in life, they are still different in their own ways because of the hindrances and the different lives all of them lead.
Van: Bright sophomore college student but has depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder and struggles with them both. Because of the amount of mental health issues they have, it can become hard for him to succeed in school as it can be a merry go round of emotions and mental trouble to deal with.
Ve: For a long time, Ve deals with his situation on his own because he feels anxious to ask others for help as he is worried that people will treat him differently, and always has had a knack to try to hide his problems from the world. Eventually, he realizes that he truly is never alone and that his friends and all the people around him will always be there for him. He realizes that a hole in his heart will be filled by those around him.
Jay: Jay is a junior college student, and biracial. They have been in college for quitesome time, and doing relatively well. However, living as a person of color still doescome with its set of difficulties. They still deal with microaggressions and racism.Despite this, they always are strong and everyday at the beginning of the day witha positive “I am” statement reminding themselves of their strength and how farthey have come. At the end of the day, they also know they have people in theircorner who will come together along with them to support them.

About the Composer

Evan Blaché is a non-binary choral composer and choral singer based out of San Marcos, Texas.
Never known to mince words, Evan has composed a lot of work combining the classical style with topics of social justice. Evan studied music at Austin Community College. While there, they were a part of the Austin Community College Chamber choir and was a part of the Texas Two Year All-State Choir for three years as the bass two section leader. Their most recent accomplishment includes being invited to Orange County, California for a one week residency with the choral ensemble, The Choral Arts Initiative and San Antonio, Texas with the chamber ensemble, Unheard of Ensemble.
They are currently in the undergraduate program at Texas State University for their B.M in Music Studies and Composition while singing in the Texas State University Chorale under the direction of Joey Martin and studying composition with Dr. Jack Wilds.
While at Texas State, Evan has been commissioned by various groups, including Conspirare, led by Craig Hella Johnson and Vocem Cordis, led by Texas State Graduates, Nathan Thompson & Christian Clow.
Evan currently sings in the groups, Tinsel Singers, Inversion Ensemble, and is an Insight Fellow in Conspirare.

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