Mercyhurst senior Vanessa Nolan honors late friend through music – Mercyhurst

Vanessa Nolan ’25, a Music Composition major at Mercyhurst University, has written a deeply personal piece titled “Requiem for Joseph,” in tribute to her close friend and classmate, Joseph “Joey” Talarico, who passed away on August 17, 2023, at the age of 21.
The composition will be performed this Friday by the Concert & Chamber Choirs of the D’Angelo Department of Music at 7 p.m. in Walker Recital Hall. Sung in Latin under the direction of Choir Director Christopher Petit, the piece is both a musical and emotional centerpiece of the program.
Nolan was moved to compose the “Requiem” as a way to honor Joey’s memory. “As he was a fan of older works of music as well as sacred music, I wanted to compose something that would capture the art that he loved, as well as create a fitting last ‘farewell’ to my friend,” she said.
Professor Emeritus of Music Composition Dr. Albert Glinsky praised Nolan’s work as “a profound and moving elegy,” recognizing its emotional depth and artistic maturity.
The night in which you left us,
The angels wept stars into the sky.
And you took your final repose
In the palm of God.
On Earth below we look on,
Search for reason in the sundown.
A shepherd among sheep,
A light for the lost.
 
O save us, save us,
Guard our hearts from shadows,
In the Holy realm of Heaven
Hear our prayers.
Cloaked in the many colors
Of the kingdom of the Lord,
You are alive in paradise,
And in our dreams.
 
Farewell our brother and our son
Who sleeps above the stars.
 
–Vanessa Nolan
 
Talarico’s death left a profound effect on the Mercyhurst community. In response, his fellow seniors—alongside the Ridge Department of Intelligence Studies and the Men’s Rowing Team—established a scholarship in his name, raising more than $17,000 in his honor.
Talarico embodied the spirit of Mercyhurst. A dual major in Intelligence Studies and International Relations with a minor in Arabic and Islamic Studies, he also served as a coxswain for the Men’s Rowing Team, worked in the campus bookstore, and was a dedicated member of the Honors program. He was deeply faithful, intellectually curious, and always eager to share his love of history and learning.
Nolan remembers him most for his “sense of humor and willingness to support others.“
Above all, those who knew Joey remember him for his kindness and his ability to inspire others to be their best selves.
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