This seasonal showcase will bring to life the sounds of Chicago's Albany Park neighborhood through a concert featuring original music, exciting choreography and multimedia presentations.
Learn more about the Albany Park Neighborhood Choir.
Tickets are $10* per person, available for purchase at the concert. All seating is general admission. Doors open 30 minutes prior to showtime.
*Uniting Voices Chicago has a pay-what-you-can policy, allowing guests to pay as much or as little as they like per ticket, including requesting free tickets if desired*
Uniting Voices Chicago strives to make music and performance accessible to anyone who wants it. To request accommodations, please email info [at] unitingvoiceschicago [dot] org.
Use this text-only program to access translations using your web browser.
Albany Park Neighborhood Choir Community Concert
May 6, 2025
Irish American Heritage Center
CONDUCTORS
ABOUT UNITING VOICES CHICAGO
Founded in 1956 at the dawn of the Civil Rights Movement, Uniting Voices Chicago (formerly Chicago Children’s Choir) empowers and unites youth from diverse backgrounds to find their voice and celebrate their common humanity through the power of music. As a leading nonprofit organization, we serve thousands of youth ages 6-18 from every zip code of Chicago through transformative and accessible music education programs and performance opportunities.
AFTER THE SHOW
Get Amp’d
Give Your Child the Power of Song Registration is now open for our 2025-26 Neighborhood Choir Program! Early Bird tuition rates apply through June 30. Learn more
about Uniting Voices Chicago and our sliding scale tuition at unitingvoiceschicago.org/join
Paint the Town Red
May 22 | Navy Pier
Paint the Town Red is one of our biggest events of the year, uniting singers from across the city. This year, we’re taking the stage at Navy Pier! Join us for a morning or evening performance with the skyline as our backdrop. Learn more about this and other exciting events at unitingvoiceschicago.org/upcoming-events
CONCERT PROGRAM
ALBANY PARK - ALLEGRO
Yen Yeré Gumá
Folklore Cubano/Afrocubano
Earth is Ghetto
Alliah Sheffield; arr. Bailey Haynes
ALBANY PARK - ALLEGRO & VIVACE
Just Sing
Max Martin, Sarah Aarons, Ludwig Göransson, Justin Timberlake; arr. Mark Brymer; choreography by Aubry Nelson
ALBANY PARK - VIVACE
Sembrando Flores
Los Cojolites; arr. Julio Morales
ALBANY PARK - VIVACE & PRESTO
Cosmic Colors
Stella Jang, KENZIE, Jonatan Gusmark, Ludvig Evers, Adrian Mckinnon, Ellen Berg Tollbom; lyrics by KENZIE and Stella Jang; opb. Red Velvet / Stella Jang; arr. Tyler Henderson; choreography by Kevin Rudzinski
SELECT SINGERS
Nothing Changes
Anaïs Mitchell
The Parting Glass
Trad. Scottish folk song
ALBANY PARK - PRESTO
Ad Astra
Jacob Narverud
Jericho
opb. Iniko; arr. Rogier Ijmker; choreography by Ellie Georgas, Pepper Wilbur, Pearl Marino-Beard, Ari Montijo, Leyla Castro, Emmy Bassik
ALBANY PARK & WEST TOWN ST. LOUIS TOUR ENSEMBLE
Vaishnava Jana To
Traditional Gujarati Bhajan, text by Narsinh Mehta; arr. Nicki Sekhar
One Single Flame
Joakim Arenius, Hanjo Gäbler
Marina Satti Medley
Marina Satti; arr. W. Mitchell Owens III; choreography by Farlanda Buchannon
ALBANY PARK - ALL & SCHOOL SINGERS
Still Here
W. Mitchell Owens III
TODAY'S PERFORMERS
ALBANY PARK ALLEGRO
Vera Bruno
Rosalie Duncan
Elaya Fleming
Jack Gillette
Ari Gumiran
Isaac Martin
Luke Martincic
Tali Martincic
Aivelynn Martinez
Elena Nieves Bosque
Lupita O. Rivera
Aadya Patel
Marion Rodemeyer
Houston Smith
Vivienne Weltzer
Naomi Wright
ALBANY PARK VIVACE
Zola Baumgaertner+*
Amelia Berlin*
Mimi Bhutt*
Scarlett Burnett+
Frida Charriez+
Scarlett Colon
Olive Cunningham
Jay Edwards
Mia Gaconnet+*
Indigo Greenberg
Desi Holmberg+
Olivia Hurtado
Lillian Krane+*
Sylvia Kurtz
Josie LaRue
Naima Lassio-Bueno+
Iris Lee+
Leyla Mbanefo
Roberta Mollner
Rose Neely
E. Patton+
Krystal Perez
Izzy Presas+
Avi Rico
Eunice Rodriguez+
Priscila Ruangturakid
Noah Schmidt
Lee Sellers-Varela+
Neala Unterbrunner
Elliot Wilbur+
Caleb Wong
Josh Yuknis+
ALBANY PARK PRESTO
Emmy Bassik+
Johnloyd Bulawin+
Leyla Castro+
Emily Cordova+
Elsa Fallen+*
Luna Garcia
Ellie Georgas+*
Marlin Hortillo+
Keira Kreidler+
Beatrix Kurtz
Pearl Marino-Beard+*
Evie Molden+*
Ari Montijo+
WEST TOWN TOUR ENSEMBLE
Gianna Chumil
Zoe Dean
Avery Levitt
Neela Lingelbach
Sahana Malkani
Frances Mulcahey
Victoria Munoz
Aubrey Owens
Meera Revuluri
Sonia Sanders
Viktoriia Sirko
Leo Smith
Evelyn Vold
Jane Wiltrout
Anne Zweidinger
MUSICIANS
Wes Dziedzic - Piano
Tim Seisser - Bass
Jim Tashjian - Guitar
Matthew Smalligan - Drums
Meena Cho - Cello
Krissy Bergmark - Tabla
Anna Piotrowski - Violin
The Albany Park Neighborhood Choir is supported, in part, by the following:
Crown Family Philanthropies, Illinois Arts Council Agency, Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Peoples Gas Community Fund at the Chicago Community Foundation, Charles and M.R. Shapiro Foundation, Siragusa Family Foundation, The Wicklander Family Foundation
Special Thanks
North Park Covenant ChurchThank you to our Program Assistants, Aubry Nelson and Daniela Lakosilova.
Yen Yere Guma (Traditional Cuban, Spanish)
Good evening! How are you?
Just Sing
Just sing
Sing it together
Louder than ever, ever
Forget everything
Just sing
Like it's what we've been missin'
And they're gonna listen, listen
Forget everything (let me hear ya)
You think you've gotta hide it
Don't keep it on the shelf
Let your waist start movin'
Watch the way I do it, do it
See me do it like nobody else
Let me hear you sing
Don't you stop it, don't you fight it
Let me hear you sing
If you got it, can't deny it
Let me hear ya
It's waitin' for ya
Already you know that you do it like nobody else
Just sing
Sing it together
Louder than ever, ever
Forget everything
Just sing
Like it's what we've been missin'
And they're gonna listen, listen forget everything
If we sing it all together
(If we sing it all as one)
It's louder than yourself
(All together everyone)
Everybody's lookin'
Watch the way we do it, do it
'Cause we do it like nobody else
Let me hear you sing
Don't you stop it, don't you fight it
Let me hear you sing
If you got it, can't deny it
Let me hear ya
It's waitin' for ya
Already you know that you do it like nobody else
Just sing
Sing it together
Louder than ever, ever
Forget everything
Just sing
Like it's what we've been missin'
And they're gonna listen, listen
Forget everything (let me hear ya)
Sembrando Flores (Spanish)
My mother told me one day spring blooming
Blooming spring my mother told me one day
My mother told me one day spring blooming
Blooming spring my mother told me one day
With a lot of wisdom to live life
To live life with a lot of wisdom
With a lot of wisdom to live life
To live life with a lot of wisdom
My mom told me
to sow flowers
to go out to the field
to look for love
Oh... Ah...
My mother told me that I should go out into the field
That I go out to the field my mother told me
My mother told me that I should go out into the field
That I go out to the field my mother told me
That I cut a flower to carry it to her saint
To carry it to her saint that I cut a flower
That I cut a flower to take it to her saint
My mother told me that I should go out into the field
My mom told me
to sow flowers
to go out to the field
to look for love (repeat)
(Zapateado)
My mom told me
to sow flowers
to go out to the field
to look for love (repeat)
My mom told me.
Cosmic Colors (English/Korean)
What's your color?
I wanna know (x3)
I wanna know (x4)
I could be red
Or I could be yellow
I could be blue
Or I could be purple
I could be green
Or pink or black or white
I could be every color you like (x3)
What's your color?
I wanna know (x3)
I wanna know (x4)
I could be red
Or I could be yellow
I could be blue
Or I could be purple
I could be green
Or pink or black or white
I could be every color you like (x3)
Verse 1
A far-flung star, that funny story (It’s electric)
That landing so turbulent
Meeting you as the stars would have it
First star was too cold
So went galaxy-hopping
Into this uninvited crash-landing
A stranger to me, you are, should I ignore you?
I can't get you off my mind
So just to pass time, should I troll you?
Pre-Chorus
Hey, what did you do to my mind?
I wanna know you
(I wanna know you)
Maybe all night I could throw questions (When the stars align)
You said if the sky's clear tonight
Tomorrow you'll be taking off, but
I got a plan, just you and I
Chorus
How about you stay a little longer?
My star tells me she's a bit lonely
Sing this hidden song to you, if you let me
Love is cosmic
I'm riding on your rhythm
Through the solar system, come with me
You and I, crossing the night
Cosmic love, woah-oh
Post-Chorus
Riding your rhythm
Through the solar system
Wanna know you more
Cosmic love, woah-oh
Verse 2
Never had this feeling before
Thought about it hard, but, still remains a question mark
(Even this strange ruckus)
Even to you I'm a stranger
You'd stare like you're seeing an alien
You know that could be hurtful
Pre-Chorus
On my star, time flows slowly
You don't have to rush, yeah (When the stars align)
Perhaps we're travelers searching
For orphaned dreams
Shooting stars lost and wandering
Ad Astra
To the stars through difficulties
Look upward.
Move forward.
Leave all cares behind.
When you’re tired and troubled
And you have lost your way,
Don’t let hard times lead you astray
Though you may be weary just
Know you’re not alone
For the stars will guide you home
Jericho
Jericho, jericho, walls come down
Jericho, jericho, walls come down
Walls come down like jericho
Walls come down like jericho
I’m high, I’m from outer space
I got Milky Way for blood
Evolution in my vein
I’m gone, I’ve been far away.
I’m a lumineer now,
makin’ moves, startin’ waves.
I’ve been dreaming about flying for a long time
I had a vision from the grey’s they wanna cosign
Artificially intelligent, new AI
I’m your future, past and present,
I’m the fine line. Yeah
I’m a missing link of this illusion.
I am not really here, I’m an intrusion
I don’t swim or sink, I just float.
I don’t need gravity, I just need growth.
When I move it’s an earthquake rumble
I will never, ever fall, never stumble
And I don’t need to be humble
Break down walls like Jericho, crumble
I can go higher, past the stratosphere
I can catch fire.
I can go hard, I don’t even need to try, yeah.
Starblood I don’t ever get tired.
Predestined, written in stone,
I feel it coming in,
I feel it in my bones.
Heavily protected, never alone.
Tapped in, I’m connected to the unknown.
When I move it’s an earthquake rumble
I will never, ever fall, never stumble
And I don’t need to be humble
Break down walls like Jericho, crumble
Jericho, jericho, walls come down
Jericho, jericho, walls come down
Walls come down like jericho
Walls come down like jericho
Nothing Changes
Why the struggle, why the strain?
Why make trouble?
Why make scenes?
Why go against the grain?
Why swim upstream?
It ain't, it ain't, it ain't no use
You're bound, you're bound, you're bound to lose
What's done, what's done, what's done is done
That's the way the river runs
So why get wet? Why break a sweat?
Why waste your precious breath?
Why beat your handsome brow? Nothing changes
Nothing changes
Nothing changes anyhow
The Parting Glass
Oh all the money that e’er I spent,
I spent it in good company,
And all the harm that e’er I’ve done,
Alas it was to none but me.
And all I’ve done
For want of wit
To mem’ry now I can’t recall.
So fill to me the parting glass.
Goodnight and joy be with you all.
Oh all the comrades that e’er I’ve had
Are sorry for my going away.
And all the sweethearts that e’er I’ve had
Would wish me one more day to stay
But since it falls unto my lot,
That I should rise, and you should not,
I’ll gently rise and I’ll softly call:
Goodnight and joy be with you all.
Goodnight and joy be with you all.
Vaishnava Jana
A good human being is one
who feels the pain of others
Helps those in misery,
bars pride from entering the mind
A good human being
accepts, respects, the entire world,
speaks ill of none
Keeps his words, thoughts and actions pure
Such a person’s mother
is blessed indeed
One Single Flame
There will be joy after this
There will be peace after this
There will be victory
Over grief
Victory over fear
Victory over pain
Victory over death
One single flame ooo
One single flame will conquer
Will conquer darkness
People will come they will go
Kingdoms will rise they will fall
We have no time but now
Time to pray
Now′s the time to hope
Now's the time to love
Now′s the time for faith
One single flame ooo
One single flame will conquer
Will conquer darkness
One single flame ooo
One single flame ooo
There will be victory
Over grief
Victory over fear
Victory over pain
Victory over death
One single flame ooo
One single flame will conquer
Will conquer darkness
Marina Satti Medley
LALALALA
Opa, opa, you
Like a breeze it goes and vanishes
Like a river, you can't reach me
Make a stop
Ah, how rushed I am!
Relax
I'm leaving, I'm not getting caught
Raise your glasses high to the dance and the joy (opa)
In dancing and in joy
Full glasses and stomp on death (oops)
Full glasses and stomp on death
Lalala lalalala
Lalala lalalala
Lalala lalalala
Joy flies like a butterfly
Lalala lalalala
Joy brings laughter and giddiness
Lalala lalalala
And then thе joy goes and flies away (whoops, we said)
Aaah - uhh - ooooh - uhh
Tucutum
Tucutu-tucutu-tum, tucutucu-tucutu-tum
Tucutucu-tum, (you say)
Tucutu-tucutu-tum, tucutucu-tucutu-tum
(Just say, just say)
Tucutu-tucutu-tum, tucutucu-tucutu-tum
Tucutucu-tum, (you say)
Tucutu-tucutu-tum, tucutucu-tucutu-tum
(Just say, just say)
I'll speed up
You'll hear me now, hey (hey)
Just words
And all the clocks stopped
You tell me I go alone, I don't hang out with anyone
All you say, say, say, you're all lost (hey)
Don't break these dishes for me
When I'm done, everything here will be burnt, hey
Tucutu-tucutu-tum, tucutucu-tucutu-tum
Tucutucu-tum, (you say)
Tucutu-tucutu-tum, tucutucu-tucutu-tum
(Just say, just say)
Zari
Ta-ta-ta-ta, ta-ta-ta-ta
May no pain come to us
I fall and roll like a dice
I pretend to forget your name
And everything changes around me suddenly
Where will the wind take us?
I fall and roll like a dice
I pretend to forget your scent
And everything is changing around me
Yee-yee-yee-yee-yee-yee
Yee-yee-yee-yee-yee-yee
Eh, I'm gonna do it my way, in your mind I'll be, in and out
Why did you not even give me your hand to hold on to?
I once had a secret heartache for you
I let it all out
Come on, put your hands up, I pretend it wasn't a lie
Throw one last time
And lеt it bring us whatever it wants next
Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta
Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta
And lеt it bring us whatever it wants next
Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta
To bring us whatever it wants
Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta
Let it bring us whatever it wants next
Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta
To bring us whatever it wants