The New York Festival of Song (NYFOS) began its Juilliard School concert promptly at 8:07 p.m. on January 13. I'm not certain why the precision, but I was grateful for it. Coming from Jersey to Juilliard was not a jubilant journey, but NYFOS is always a joyful destination.

Steven Blier as pianist and arranger, with Michael Barrett's piano, and the choreography of Jeanne Slater, set the stage for a lively concert featuring a dazzling array of young graduate students. The men, bass-baritone Adrian Rosas and baritones Carlton Ford and Timothy McDevitt, were in a uniform of dark suit and black shoes, with each sporting a shirt of a different color. The women, more colorful in jewel toned gowns of various cuts, were mezzo-sopranos Carla Jablonski in sapphire and Naomi O'Connell in amethyst, and sopranos Meredith Lustig in emerald and Catherine Hancock in ruby. The septet made for a winsome group, if there ever was one, and just as talented.

Leading off the section The Early Years was Irving Berlin's "Let Me Sing and I'm Happy" in a delightful ensemble setting. There was a wee bit of dance along with it that foreshadowed a fresh and sassy program and spoke eloquently of the esprit de corps of the ensemble.

Next, the simple and satisfying "Jean," by Harry Burleigh, sung by Ford, was evocative and clear in pining for one who has gone on-very somber and beautiful. It was followed by Hancock's "When Roses Cease to Bloom, Dear," by Ernst Bacon, in which she ably displayed strength and control. And where did she find the Jungle Red lipstick to match the dress (and presumably the roses that ceased to bloom)?

Survival was the next section, and Irish mezzo O'Connell regaled us with Marc Blitzstein's "Nickel Under the Foot," the basis of what was ultimately to become a much larger work, the political opera "The Cradle Will Rock." O'Connell has enough bark, bite and beauty of tone for a chewy steel and silk performance. Lustig's rendition of Blitzstein's "I Wish It So," from the musical "Juno," was a beautiful soprano obverse of the coin of desire-wishing for life beyond what is presently known and seeing it as amorphous and glamorous, since it is not within the purview of such a small burg. Jablonski then rocked us with the sexy, bluesy "Song Without Words" of Charles Brown, buttery smooth, thick as molasses, perfect for the woman in the sapphire blue dress. She was joined by Ford in Bernstein's inspired settings of "I, Too Sing America/Okay, 'Negroes'," from "Songfest," and the blending call and response, sung conversation of the piece contrasts Langston Hughes' elegiac dreams with June Jordan's later century Civil Rights-infused call for the present mind not to settle.

All of this made a fitting segué to the final section of the first act, when we all get down to Love. The men ranged near Blier's piano, while the women gather around Barrett. The men began, with Rosas advising McDevitt and Ford that there are lots of lonely women, and "Ya' Gotta Git the Gittin' While the Gittin's Good," Eubie Blake's song, written in 1969. Truly, nothing has changed! The women then sang Blake's lament "My Handyman Ain't Handy No More," punctuated with ad lib remarks that provided the feel of a coffee klatsch over the back fence or a conversation behind some paper fans-ribald fun well acted by the women. The metaphor of trimming-ahem-lawn returned with William Bolcom's "A Lot of Lawn to Mow," from the opera "A Wedding," featuring O'Connell and Rosas. A woman of experience knows exactly what a man needs to do around the, um, well, house! And Rosas finally caught on.

Next was "Temptation (A Miracle Would Happen)," limning the perennial whine of the married man. Jason Robert Brown's show "The Last Five Years" features his characters in contrary motion, one traveling forward, one traveling back where their time lines collide only at their wedding. McDevitt bemoans the fact that now he's married, he's ragingly attractive and the women who wouldn't glance his way before find his ring compelling. Lustig's walkthrough as the wife and Hancock's as the siren were part of the breezy sharp humor of the piece-excellent modern choice echoing many past interior monologues for many in attendance.

Hancock's return to Berlin, Irving that is, in "I Used to Be Color Blind" used the movie idol look and sound that she has to bring us to a time that looks more happy and simple from some 60 years in the future. First debuted by Fred Astaire in the movie "Carefree," there was a sweet quote from the movie in a small dance break with Hancock and McDevitt. One could feel Fred and Ginger smiling. The ensemble joined the couple for a spirited arrangement of Berlin's "Outside of That, I Love You," with arguments consisting of several pas de don'ts until the ensemble reunited as one.

The second act's beginning vignette was Night Scenes where Lustig's ethereal "I Send My Heart Up To Thee," by Amy Beach, reminded us of the glorious floating high notes of the American art song. Truly Victorian, from three texts of Robert Browning, this was set in lush beauty by the only female composer to have her name inscribed on granite wall of Hatch Shell, home of the Boston Pops. The passion and flow of the high notes and Lustig's use of dynamics sealed the deal-one could see the hearts sent her way during the song.

Hancock returned with Barber's tale of paradise lost and bittersweetly regained in "Nocturne," modern and beautiful, with Hancock evoking the feelings of betrayal and the overwhelming love that brings forgiveness.

Bolcom's "Love in the Thirties" brought us up a bit, with Rosas as storyteller, acting the roles of a father and son both as the child is being put to bed. So many questions, so little time, so much love. The resonance of the father was so separate from the energy of his offspring-and so well done.

Ford returns with the lovely "Blues" from the opera "Regina," based on Lillian Hellman's play "The Little Foxes." Marc Blitzstein had Paul Robeson in mind, but when Robeson pulled out of the project, Blitzstein made it Addie, the contralto's aria. Ford's rendition was lilting and beautiful, all of the things that night may be, and each is what we choose.

"Johnny's Room," a new wave a cappella piece by The Bobs, put McDevitt in front of a vocal orchestra cum Greek chorus, as he sang the all too familiar tale of what happens with a brand new young couple goes to visit for their first overnight at the significant other's parents' house. McDevitt's delivery was as varied as a summer sky as his pendulum swings from the sweetness of hearing about his new love as a child to the teeth grinding angst of being on the bottom bunk of the baby brother with bad habits. The entire arrangement was pure joy!

McDevitt's crooning side comes out next with Blitzstein's loving paean to his wife, "Stay in My Arms." When new love becomes mature and the fullness of that love comes home to roost, we hear the robust depth and sweet pain in every word that's sung.

The final song in Night Scenes was the a cappella "In My Room" by the Beach Boys, with the ensemble, and featuring Lustig and Rosas. The sonorous motion of the voices evoked at once swelling waves and lullabies. The careful listening of the singers to one another, the sense of wholeness and outrageous beauty, were captivating-I didn't realize I was holding my breath at the cadence-not wanting to disturb the peace it brought.

Higher Education was the next uplifting section and the mood change ushered in by Jablonski was just what the doctor ordered. A young woman who is more of a mass-media type deciding to change her luck with "A Trip to the Library," Jablonski brought Jerry Bock's song from "She Loves Me" to vivid life. The joy and changing emotions in the performance were refreshing and brought the liveliness back to the program after all the quiet contemplation. One of my favorite pieces of the evening was "What a Waste" from Bernstein's "Wonderful Town." Teaming McDevitt with O'Connell and Lustig as they pointed out each of the people-in the audience no less-who had come to town with big dreams and ended up doing somewhat glamorous jobs like flipping flapjacks at Child's and yelling "FISH" at Fulton Street. Giddy good fun!

Bringing us back to the ground, the final section was The Past and The Future. Jablonski's rendition of Bolcom's "Never More Will the Wind" brought tears to my eyes. The song cycle "I Will Breathe A Mountain," commissioned by Carnegie Hall twenty years ago fulfilled Marilyn Horne's desire to sing settings of American women poets. This particular lyric is a setting of one of H.D., Hilda Doolittle's poems, "Never More Will the Wind," and, in the deep cold of this winter, brought to my mind the loved ones I'd lost. The ensemble shared the final song in the program and our end is our beginning, in a way. "Spring Will Come Again" from Bernstein's never born musical "Skin of our Teeth" is a beautiful acknowledgement of the eternal cycle of the seasons and of another great evening with talented people to watch.

But Blier and Barrett, our own Killer B's, would never let us out the door on such a quiet note! Something special was in store, we knew, when the men left the stage, but the women queued up with other ideas...they shared a quote from Burt Bacharach and burst into an adorable girl-group arrangement of Bachrach's "Wishin' and Hopin," a huge hit for both Dusty Springfield and Dionne Warwick. Treated to the toe-tapping inspiration of our jewel-toned chanteuses, the mood lifted physically in the room, and the men peered out from the open stage door and then took over with the James Brown hit "I Got You (I Feel Good)," then the women joined in, and then the ensemble wanted us to sing back to them. By the time we donned our winter coats to walk in to the river wind, there was no way winter's chill could touch us!

The next NYFOS performances will be February 16 and 18 when the company presents "The Voluptuous Muse," a celebration of Romanticism, at Merkin Concert Hall, with Dina Kuznetsova, Kate Lindsey, Joseph Kaiser, Blier and Barrett. Visit www.NYFOS.org for tickets from $40 to 55 or for more information.

Killer B's - American Song from Amy Beach to The Beach Boys was well worth the hour-plus sojourn on the Lincoln Tunnel helix.