Stand Up: Creative Programming for Social Consciousness Monday, May 03, 2021
recommended by Jen Sper and Lora Moore, School Choral Music Specialists
Say Her Name by Alysia Lee, SATB a cappella with body percussion
Written as a vehicle to bring the powerful Kwanzaa ceremony to the concert stage with a call to action. The #SayHerName movement resists police brutality against Black women. If you say the name, you’re prompted to learn the story, and if you know the story, then you have a broader sense of all the ways Black bodies are made vulnerable to police violence.
Stand Up (from Harriet) arr. Mac Huff, SATB with piano and optional rhythm
There was no greater live performance on the night of the 2020 Academy Awards ceremony than Cynthia Erivo’s dynamic and compelling performance of “Stand Up,” the lead single from the soundtrack to the biographical film Harriet. Backed by a gospel choir, this song is ready to be performed across the nation, from choirs large to small, to further the message of abolitionist Harriet Tubman.
Water Fountain arr. Kristopher Fulton, SATB divisi a cappella with percussion & electric bass
Premiered at the National ACDA Conference in Kansas City by Carrie Tennant and the Vancouver Youth Choir in 2019. This piece combines the different aesthetics of drought politics, dance hall dub and youthful drive to create something that is at once as ordered as it is chaotic.
No Color by Stacey V. Gibbs & Shawn Kirchner, SATB divisi with piano
This is a monumental work from composers Stacey Gibbs and Shawn Kirchner. The lyrics challenge ideas of racism and discrimination while the music combines jazz and traditional choral techniques. “No Color” offers choirs the chance to declare that “no color can come between us.”
Mama Said by Ruthie Foster/arr. Paul Rardin, SATB divisi a cappella
American blues icon Ruthie Foster released “Mama Said” on her 2007 recording “The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster.” This arrangement is deliberately “choral,” preferring to honor Ms. Foster’s exquisite vocal shadings – a bend here, a fall-off there – by avoiding exact imitation. The basses provide the rhythm section of electric bass and closed hi-hat cymbal, leaving the upper three parts in gospel harmony in all but a few measures of the piece. The divisi is confined to a few chords and is not difficult. An arresting and totally unique setting that will be a favorite with any group that is comfortable singing unaccompanied.
The Talk by Damien Geter, SATB divisi a cappella
In the life of every black child, they will have “the talk” with a trusted adult: what to do if they are pulled over, or have an encounter with the police. This powerful new choral sheds light on the sad but true situation that people of color experience when dealing with law enforcement. This music and the instructions are succinct and straight to the point. “Pull over. Don’t run. Keep calm.” The setting of these words allows for a much needed discussion by students and audience alike.
Malala’s Dream by Ethan McGrath, SA with piano
Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Prize Laureate. Malala was shot in the head in an assassination attempt in retaliation for her activism. Following her long recovery, she became a prominent activist for the right to education. As we all struggle to find ways that we can make a difference in the world, this musical setting of a passage from her memoir, “I Am Malala,” offers an avenue for your singers to spread the message of peace and equality.
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About the Authors:
Jen Sper has been with Stanton’s since 2006. A former middle school and high school choral director, she holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Baldwin Wallace College Conservatory of Music. An active choral singer and accompanist throughout the Central Ohio area, she also enjoys good food, running (to counteract the good food…) and the Muppets.
Lora Moore joined the Stanton’s choral staff in July 2018. A former middle school and high school director of 32 years, she holds a Bachelor of Arts in Choral Music from Capital University and a Master’s of Arts in Choral Music from The Ohio State University. Currently she is a church choir director, operates a private voice/piano studio and is active as a clinician and accompanist. During the off hours, Lora enjoys scouting out new day trips in Ohio to balance what her budget allows for her frequent trips to New York City to visit family and take in a Broadway show or two!