Where We Find Ourselves
A major work in five movements, this selection features a variety of pieces that reflect diversity, acceptance, and an appreciation for living in the present moment.
To Avielle, On Her Fifth, Sixth Birthday (The Unarmed Child)
From the large choral work, "The Unarmed Child." There's really no way to appropriately recognize your lost child's birthday, Jeremy said as he and Jennifer talked about what life has been like for their family since the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School took the lives of twenty children and six educators in 2012.
The Unarmed Child
The Unarmed Child by composer Michael Bussewitz-Quarm is a gorgeous, riveting, deeply moving and important work that is thoroughly accessible at the very first listening. Composed in response to gun violence against children, the work sensitively navigates this difficult, heart-wrenching subject with beautiful, poignant, healing words and music. Each movement deals with a different aspect of emotion in a uniquely expressive way. One cannot get through the experience without tears. But the vibrant final movement releases the audience and performers with an energized call to action that is infused with hope. - Dr. Diane Retallack, Artistic Director, Eugene Concert Choir.
Requiem (The Unarmed Child)
Part hip hopera, part choral, this work challenges the audience to listen to the families of the victims of gun violence. This is an impassioned plea to take a stand against not only gun violence, but to take a stand for under-represented communities who experience a disproportionate level of violence resulting from a variety of factors playing out in contemporary society. Extracted from the larger work "The Unarmed Child" this stand-alone third movement is for tenor soloist with a mixture of sung and rapped lines and dramatic choir reinforcement.
How Did You Feel?
This piece in a moderate but thoughtful tempo features lyrics about transgender people's feelings about their experiences with coming out. With repeated rhythmic phrases, this selection emphasizes the strong feelings of its lyricists.
Hair (Where We Find Ourselves)
The second movement from Where We Find Ourselves, this piece is about the manipulation of hair and the conformity or nonconformity of following hair "rules." This selection is built on repetitive rhythms with some vocally percussive consonants that mimic the pushing and pulling of hair.