So it was I
This text is set in a landscape of conflict and beauty. Where the conflict lies – within the narrator’s being or as part of a landscape scarred by an actual current war, is left ambiguous, for, as Thomas Merton understood, all wars have their origin in individual human hearts. However, another keynote of this text is tenderness, towards the beauty of the damaged landscape, but also towards human lives damaged by our conflicts. The narrator meets a wounded young soldier, becoming his reluctant healer, welcoming him as a stranger, just as we pilgrims are on a journey to bring ourselves back from exile into a home in our own selves.
Memento Vivere (Where We Find Ourselves)
The final movement from Where We Find Ourselves, this exuberant piece features lyrics about honoring the past while living in the present and celebrating each day. Let us sing to the mystery of life!
Peacebomb
Long after warplanes disappear, UXO (unexploded ordnance) remains hidden in the earth, leading to food insecurity and unnecessary suffering. From the collaborative team of award-winning composer Michael Bussewitz-Quarm and acclaimed poet Charles Anthony Silvestri, and in partnership with Mine Advisory Group and Article 22, comes an inspirational work honoring the casualties of war and the people who aspire to transform the wounded countryside, landmine by landmine, for decades to come.
Still the Same Love
We have to find a way back to loving ourselves and loving each other. We are held by love, even when we do not realize it. An inspirational message from the team of composer Michael Bussewitz-Quarm and poet Euan Tait can be featured in any season. Each section builds upon the previous, building in sheer volume and fullness. “Yet it is ourselves, at the beginning of a healing. Still I love. Still I am loved.”
The World, This Wall, and Me
This song begins in a transgender woman's dream. The post-transition female is sitting with friends with her back to the dreamer, who is still presenting as male in the dream. The female turns to the young woman and smiles at her. In this moment, the young woman understands that, no matter the struggle she faces, everything will be okay. Musically, the song moves along with a sense of urgency after an introduction featuring the tenors. Arriving at the middle, the choir sings "I will not let fear become my beacon!" And finally, the young woman is able to come out, and the choir sings "Now I can see you in all your wondrous colors." Also about how we use walls when we need to, this is a fitting reminder that it is okay to take the time we need to heal.
I’ll Fly Away
I’ll Fly Away sings about the spirit of a loved one about to be set free from pain and suffering. Asymmetrical meter and a tenor-bass ostinato figure create a rhythmic base for the lilting melody presented in unison and canon that is optimistically focused on the future and the beauty of a shared past.
My Name is Lamiya: Don't Call Me "Refugee"
This composition was written to bring attention to one of the most significant and challenging issues in our world today, the global refugee crisis. Nine-year-old Lamiya Safarova lost her home and her village, and she began writing poems to express her feelings. The stirring text and repeated rhythmic elements persist throughout this work, along with body percussion that represents the journey of the refugee, forced away from their home, most often by foot.