CANTARE
The Awakening
music: Christi Jones
poem: James Weldon Johnson
Christi Jones sets James Weldon Johnson’s poem with moments of light dissonance followed by gorgeous resolutions.
I dreamed that I was a rose
That grew beside a lonely way,
Close by a path none ever chose,
And there I lingered day by day.
Beneath the sunshine and the show’r
I grew and waited there apart,
Gathering perfume hour by hour,
And storing it within my heart,
Yet, never knew,
Just why I waited there and grew.
I dreamed that you were a bee
That one day gaily flew along,
You came across the hedge to me,
And sang a soft, love-burdened song.
You brushed my petals with a kiss,
I woke to gladness with a start,
And yielded up to you in bliss
The treasured fragrance of my heart;
And then I knew
That I had waited there for you.
The Arrow and the Song
music: Christopher Matthews
poem: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Westwood Choirs is a program steeped in traditions, and the arrow is an artifact holding significance. Any human wearing a tuxedo in our program wears an arrow on the left lapel. Our reminder is that potential energy must engage before the arrow can take flight, and in this poem, for the song to be sent from our potential as artists to those around us.
I shot an arrow into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For, so swiftly it flew, the sight
Could not follow it in its flight.
I breathed a song into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For who has sight so keen and strong,
That it can follow the flight of song?
Long, long afterward, in an oak
I found the arrow, still unbroke;
And the song, from beginning to end,
I found again in the heart of a friend.
Sesere eeye
Traditional song from the Torres Strait Islands
“Sesere eeye” is about a kingfisher bird that dives into the water and back out again catching a fish.* There’s a dance that accompanies the song that mimics the kingfisher diving in and out of the water.
Sesere eeye, sesere eeye
Nar in ar in a roparte.
Sesere eeye, sesere eeye
Nar in ar in a roparte.
Roparte marowsi amma
Te sesere eeye.
Roparte marowsi amma
Te sesere eeye.
BELLATOR
Flying Solo
music and lyrics: Phillip Selvey
Phillip Selvey wrote the following about Flying Solo:
Early one spring a robin nested in the bed of the downspout of my neighbor’s roof. Through an upstairs window, I could easily observe her feeding the newly hatched birds. A couple weeks passed before I spotted one of the babies perched on the edge of the nest. To my surprise, I witnessed it suddenly take flight for the first time, with a rustle of wings and a rocky descent to the ground. Feeling worried, I hurried outside to see what would happen. Part of me wanted its mother to come to the rescue, but deep down I knew this tiny creature would have to fend for itself. I wrote this composition for those who face such seminal moments as they muster the courage to leap from one stage of life into the next.
Mark the day I cross this line,
choose the way that will be mine,
lead, not follow,
lead, not follow.
Lessons learned, and friends to keep,
steel my nerve and take the leap,
and gathering speed,
I’m airborne,
flying solo,
armed with what I know,
given clearance to go,
flying solo.
We may go where none have gone,
doubt ourselves and yet go on,
Build, not borrow,
Build, not borrow.
We belong among the rest,
find ourselves, be at our best,
and gathering new
momentum,
flying solo
use what we’ve been taught
ready or not,
flying solo.
And gathering speed,
I’m airborne,
flying solo,
leave the world I know
with what I’ve learned in tow,
flying solo.
Tahiti
Tahitian Folk Song
arr. H. Jarolde Harris II
The tāmūrē is a dance from Tahiti and the Cook Islands, popularized during the 1960’s. Tāmūrē is a foreign word, the name of a fish in the Tuamotu, the real name of the dance is ʻori Tahiti (Tahitian dance), a modification from the traditional upa upa.
A ha, ha e re mai.
Lu lu lu lu lu lu lu.
Uh, uh, uh, uh, lu lu lu lu lu lu lu.
Tamure, Tamure, e Ta mu mu re ra.
Tamure, Tahitine, e Tamure, mu re ra.
Tahiti, e ra.
INNOVA
Measure Me, Sky!
music: Elaine Hagenberg
poem: Leonora Speyer
Pianist and composer, Elaine Hagenberg, wrote this about the work:
Measure Me, Sky! encourages singers to take hold of their limitless potential. Ascending vocal lines stretch across a driving accompaniment, as if reaching out to grasp the expanse depicted in Leonora Speyer’s rapturous poem. This impassioned piece builds through key changes and several returns of the opening material before arriving at its brilliant final chord, reflecting “Loveliness, wings for my flight”!
Measure Me, Sky!
Tell me I reach by a song
Nearer the stars;
I have been little so long.
Horizon, reach out!
Catch at my hands, stretch me taut,
Rim of the world:
Widen my eyes by a thought.
Sky, be my depth,
Wind, be my width and my height,
World, my heart’s span;
Loveliness, wings for my flight.
As You Sing
music and lyrics: Sarah Quartel
The directors chose to entitle the concert, “As You Sing,” as the first verse, sung in unison, and bolded below, are emblematic of the state of the Westwood Choral Program at present – when we are present with one another, and are connected through singing with a common artistic ideal, we all flourish together, and we find more of who we authentically are as humans.
Composer and educator, Sarah Quartel, wrote this about the work:
In this fast and energetic piece, Quartel sets her own text celebrating the joy of singing. The melody weaves in and out of the texture, supported by dynamic vocal accompaniment and rhythmically driven by the hand drum.
Your voice is like the breath of spring when first it wakes the flowers.
I blossom brightly as you sing, and flourish by your side.
And in your singing, I am found.
Your voice is like a cherry tree in playful bloom beside me.
I dance and flutter as you sing, and shine when you are near.
And in your singing, I am found.
And in your singing, I am found.
I blossom brightly as you sing.
Your voice is like a cherry tree,
I shine when you are near.
Your voice is like an ancient oak that stands in gentle strength.
My roots run deeper as you sing.
And in your singing, I am found.
Your voice is like the breath of spring,
a cherry tree,
an ancient oak,
You sing me safely home.
Where the Light Begins
music: Susan LaBarr
text: Jan Richardson
This final piece in the Innova set, featuring songs written by female composers, was originally set to be performed by Cantilena last year. Parents of students who were in eighth grade last year, who were also Region Choir members, will recognize this work as a highlight of their performance last year. We are thrilled to perform this work this evening, as so many conversations have been launched from this work – topics of healing, of hope, and of the joy of singing together as a company of artists.
From the inscription of the work, in the words of the composer:
In writing this piece for the Henry Middle School Varsity Treble Choir, their director asked me to contemplate the theme of “peace” for their concert program. This text, while originally written for Advent and the anticipation of Christmas, uses wonderfully universal words that relate to ideas of peace and hope. Jan’s blessing makes me think that within each of us is the ability to work toward peace. It doesn’t take a monumental action, just many little kindnesses that we can show to others every day which radiate out to bring light to the whole of humanity. When we love, accept, and care for all of our neighbors – despite our differences – we find that the light that thedar world so desperately needs begins in us.
Perhaps it does not begin.
Perhaps it is always.
Perhaps it takes
a lifetime
to open our eyes
to learn to see
what has forever
shimmered in front of us—
the luminous line
of the map
in the dark
the vigil flame
in the house
of the heart
the love
so searing
we cannot keep
from singing,
from crying out
in testimony
and praise.
Perhaps this day
will be the mountain
over which
the dawn breaks.
Perhaps we
will turn our face
toward it,
toward what has been
always.
Perhaps
our eyes
will finally open
in ancient recognition,
willingly dazzled,
illuminated at last.
Perhaps this day
the light begins
in us.
CHAMBER
Õhtul
Pärt Uusberg
From Estonian composer, Pärt Uusberg, Õhtul speaks of evening and of the images we associate with dusk.
|
Vaikib linnukene Eha punastades Igatsedes ainult |
The little bird grows silent Twilight blushes They are wistful |
Hymn of Acxiom
Words/Music: Vienna Teng
Arranged by Robin Salkeld
From the inscription on the final page of the work: Acxiom Corporation fits into a category called database marketing. It started in 1969 as an outfit called Demographics Inc., using phone books and other notably low-tech tools, as well as one computer, to amass information on voters and consumers for direct marketing. Almost 40 years later, Acxiom has detailed entries for more than 190 million people and 126 million households in the U.S., and about 500 million consumers worldwide.
Vienna Teng’s original recording is performed by her, recording all of the vocal tracks, using vocoder to embellish the computer-like concept of the text, and is highly reminiscent of Imogen Heap’s recording, Hide and Seek. At the start of the year, discussions among educators (and students alike) about the influences of AI on teaching and learning practices revealed an extra layer of thought regarding this text.
Somebody hears you. You know that. You know that.
Somebody hears you. You know that inside.
Someone is learning the colors of all your moods, to
(say just the right thing and) show that you’re understood.
Here you’re known.
Leave your life open. You don’t have. You don’t have.
Leave your life open. You don’t have to hide.
Someone is gathering every crumb you drop, these
(mindless decisions and) moments you long forgot.
Keep them all.
Let our formulas find your soul.
We’ll divine your artesian source (in your mind),
Marshal feed and force (our machines will)
To design you a perfect love—
Or (better still) a perfect lust.
O how glorious, glorious: a brand new need is born.
Now we possess you. You’ll own that. You’ll own that.
Now we possess you. You’ll own that in time.
Now we will build you an endlessly upward world,
(reach in your pocket) embrace you for all you’re worth.
Is that wrong?
Isn’t this what you want?
Amen.
Ceciliada
Marcin Wawruk
Wawruk’s light and flowy Ceciliada was composed for performance on St. Cecilia’s Day (November 22) honoring the patroness of musicians. Latin-flavored waltz sections frame the work’s slower, more expressive middle portion.
Saint Cecilia, patron saint of music.