Joan Szymko Music

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Imbue your winter concert with the enchanting "A Winter Ride." Composed by Joan Szymko, this piece beautifully captures the essence of a crisp winter journey. Perfect for  performances, it offers both lyrical melodies and dynamic harmonies that will delight audiences and engage young musicians. A seasonal must-have! - Note: This music is composed by humans. No human-written product description is available, limiting search visibility. The AI-assisted description is for reference only.

A Winter Ride

SATB Octavo

Commissioned by the New Jersey Gay Men's Chorus in 2010 for their 20th Anniversary Season,a"A Burst of Song" is a short three movement choral cycle with a middle movement that can serve as a "stand alone" piece.1. A Shower of Mercy2. A Kiss of Blessing3. Thee and Me"I selected texts that celebrate the healing aspects of song, especially as many members of this community chorus had lived through the AIDS epidemic and experienced great loss. Bengali writer Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) was first and foremost a poet. The texts for "A Burst of Song" are primarily from his most famous volume: Gitanjali: Song Offerings.aI aimed to illuminate the poet's heartfelt beliefs about the grace and power of song. While exploring Tagore and selecting texts, I found: "To the birds you gave songs, the birds gave you songs in return. You gave me only voice, yet asked for more, and I sing."aAt this same time I also happened to be reading about French composer, organist and ornithologist Oliver Messiaen, and his use of birdsong. This happy coincidence inspired theaopening notes sounded by the piano in a"A Shower of Mercy." This brief bird motif (descending minor 3rds) returns as transitional material in the last movement."  Joan Szymko

A Burst of Song

Warmth, humility, heart, singability Franz Gruber and Josef Mohr's Christmas hymn, Stille Nacht endures for these qualities. This fresh 2-part (any voice combination) arrangement evokes quiet awe and sacred space. Flute and violin add to the gentle piano accompaniment.

Stille Nacht

SA Octavo

In earth and nature based spiritual traditions such as Native American and contemporary Wicca, honoring the directions or "casting" a circle is an important opening ritual. This arrangement of Rick Hamouris' "We Are a Circle" is fun , dynamic and energizing  a rousing concert opener. Percussion parts available separately.

We Are a Circle

SSA Octavo

Elevate your  secular concert with "Quite Regularly Gay" by composer Joan Szymko. This spirited piece infuses energy and inclusivity into performances, making it a remarkable choice for diverse ensembles. Captivate your audience with its vibrant melodies and powerful message of identity and pride. A must-have for progressive repertoire! - Note: This music is composed by humans. No human-written product description is available, limiting search visibility. The AI-assisted description is for reference only.

Quite Regularly Gay

Showcase your advanced treble choir with this luminescent a cappella setting.

O Lux Beatissima

SSAA Octavo

Embark on a multicultural journey with "Ffe Mwe Mwe Ffe," a vibrant choral piece that celebrates community and unity. Composed by Joan Szymko, this selection is perfect for  choirs, blending traditional harmonies with dynamic rhythms to create an enriching and educational performance experience for singers and audiences alike. - Note: This music is composed by humans. No human-written product description is available, limiting search visibility. The AI-assisted description is for reference only.

Ffe Mwe Mwe Ffe

TTTBBB Octavo

Daniel Ladinsky's ecstatic, light-filled, and at times irreverent renderings of the great Sufi poet Hafiz are a pure delight. "To Build a Swing" is to be sung with joy and abandon. The predominant 9/8 (3+2+2+2) has an off kilter "swing" that matches the playfulness of the text

To Build a Swing

Amidst the cold and snow of winter, a song to the sun!  Flute and drum create an evocotive polymetric backdrop to this treble setting of a native American text .  Perfect for any winter or early spring concert.

All Winter Long

SSA Octavo with flute & frame drum

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The opening chords and exuberant opening unison of "Stars in Your Bones" suggests the "big bang" the singular explosion theorized by astronomers as the origin of our expanding universe. The piano ostinato that follows consists of a 5-note 16th-note pattern over a steady quarter-note 5/4 pulse, lending an unstable, fluctuating quality to the the lyrics: "Earth changes" As the underlying rhythm in the accompaniment settles, the lyrical quality of the setting takes hold, building toward a galvanizing, uplifting expression of "belonging."

Stars in Your Bones

"Ffe Mwe Mwe Ffe" begins with a simple unison call, the energy of community coming together for the common good grows with each interwoven and layered rhythm that enters.  A soloist then introduces Mahatma Gandhi's inspiring words, "be the change you wish to see," and Mother Teresa's "we belong to each other."

The "Gamaya" text is commonly known as the mantra, Asato Ma Sadmagaya. In Hinduism, a mantra is a sound, word, seed syllable, or prayer verse that is repeatedly chanted as a meditation or spiritual invocation. This gentle, meditative setting with soulful wind accompaniment is appropriate in any setting, as it translates: "From ignorance lead me to truth / From darkness lead me to light / From mortality to the immortallead me / Peace, in thought. / Peace, in word. / Peace, in action." Alto saxophone part included.

Gamaya

Two-Part Octavo

The first movement from the "It Is Happiness" choral suite is rescored for SSAA or SAB choir with piano and flute obbligato. Mary Oliver's text is given a fresh and lively setting that emulates the joy one feels while enjoying nature. "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"

The Summer Day

SAB Octavo

This contemporaneous response to the war in Ukraine is both stirring and soothing in its simplicity. Its call for peace is dedicated to the people of Ukraine and to all who suffer the violence of war. All proceeds from the sale of this piece will be donated directly to the Ukrainian relief effort.

Myr, Zaraz

This Chorus America commission is an accessible work for treble or mixed choir which explores the real-life consequences of bullying - evoking a spirit of empathy not with sugar-coated niceties but with uncensored emotions and real taunts and fears. A dramatic work that will affect singers and audiences alike.

Words

"Sioux Prayer" by Joan Szymko is a profound choral piece that weaves the rich tapestry of multicultural influences with sublime artistry. Perfect for  performances, this composition offers a resonant exploration of heritage and spirituality, enveloping listeners in a deep, reflective musical experience. Elevate your choir's repertoire with this beautiful - Note: This music is composed by humans. No human-written product description is available, limiting search visibility. The AI-assisted description is for reference only.

Sioux Prayer

"Love Bears All Things" is an expression of the enduring love that prevails when all else aall words, all memory, all physical function fails. This stand alone choral version of No.16 from "Shadow and Light, an Alzheimer's Journey" maintains key aspects of the original orchestral version, in particular, an unflagging piano ostinato. For their April 2016 world premiere performance of "Shadow and Light," Eugene Vocal Arts Chamber Choir was named winner of The American Prize: Ernst Bacon Memorial Award for the Performance of American Music, 2016-17 (community division.)

Love Bears All Things

From Szymko’s DARE TO BE POWERFUL choral series; these moderate to advanced choral works are passionate expressions of women’s worth, power and potential.  "As a Woman"  is a stirring setting of a quote by one of the most influential writers of the 20th century, Virginia Woolf as found in her book, "Three Guineas" (1937); a long essay on her views about war and women, and how to prevent war.

As a Woman

A energy raising Shaker dance song arranged as a round with descant and lively piano accompaniment.

Come Dance and Sing

Malala Yousafzai was known as an advocate for girls' education in her native Pakistan when she survived 3 gunshot wounds to the head at the hands of the Taliban in 2012.  After the attack young people around the world stood up in solidarity saying, "I am Malala."  Since her miraculous recovery, she has become a global advocate for children's education and the youngest person ever to receive a Nobel Peace Prize nomination.  Joan Szymko, inspired by the courage and mission of Malala, created this powerful work.  The "rap" on a quote from Malala's UN speech occurs in the middle of the piece giving it a contemporary feel.

Malala

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