Socially Responsive Selections

This three-movement suite for tenor-bass choirs is intended to elevate conversations regarding mental health. The composer brings his sense of the dramatic to this powerful score. The first movement,

Remembering a time when life was full of promise and dreaming was an activity filled with hope, a tenor soloist carries this stirring piece from Craig Hella Johnson's major work. With a contemporary

This setting of We Shall Overcome, a key anthem of the civil rights movement is both dynamic and well crafted. Great attention has been paid to the construction of the vocals, which throughout the work act

This contemporary a cappella arrangement of Marvin Gaye's popular and influential hit is funk and soul wrapped up in a timeless protest song. Featuring a soloist throughout, this rendition with close jazz

This lovely selection has a message of peace and justice. Stated as a gentle prayer based on Psalm 85:10, it includes subtle harmonic hues in a gorgeous concert piece that will melt your audience's

This classic song, written in the 1940s and made popular by Peter, Paul and Mary, is taken outside the box with this contemporary setting. Hand percussion underpins the layers of rhythmic choral lines which

This popular song, often referred to as the "Black National Anthem," is frequently chosen to celebrate important moments in gatherings and commemorations of the African American Civil Rights Movement. In

The profound work Considering Matthew Shepard has been moving audiences around the world with its compelling message of love and acceptance. An abbreviated version of the larger work, this

Celebrating the life and legacy of civil rights icon John Lewis, this gospel-style song calls us to action: to work for justice and make the world a better place for all. Easy to learn, hard to forget, this

Capturing the importance of the Eloise Greenfield poem and the dramatic story of Harriet Tubman's life, this original work also includes the spirituals If I Got My Ticket and Go

A strong, resolute setting of the familiar civil rights "marching song" vividly calls to mind the images which add depth of meaning and emotion to the notes sung. From the distant beginning to the powerful

From Craig Hella Johnson's important work, this movement for treble chorus with three soprano soloists was inspired by a deer that had been lying by the fence near Matthew when he was found, near death:

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

A dramatic and encouraging text by Georgia Douglas Johnson provides the inspiration for the music in this choral piece. Well-crafted choral lines with occasional counterpoint drive home the uplifting

Stellar a cappella harmonies shine in this song also known as the Black national anthem. James Weldon Johnson's text is highlighted in this modern arrangement for solo and divisi choir with the jazz and

In her poem Human Family, Maya Angelou teaches us the importance of recognizing and respecting differences while celebrating our common humanity. This gospel setting of these words uses dissonance,

Adapting the Reinhold Niebuhr Serenity Prayer, this selection encourages your students to accept what we are given and do what we can to become the kind of people we want to be. The piano offers

The youngest Nobel Prize laureate in history, Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani activist for female education. Malala has encountered many serious challenges but continues to find ways to make a significant

Steadfast and strong, this contemporary setting of the traditional spiritual connects with history in a powerful way. Ideal for festival choruses and combined choirs, this is an inspirational selection

Written with Young Voices Toronto, this song calls for us to stand up, speak up, and stand for justice. A mid-tempo ballad that grows in the bridge, with gentle syncopation. Includes a QR code to a video

Winner of the 2020 Genesis Prize from ACDA, this is a piece about facing the fear to breathe, and the courage to be together once more. With text and music knitted together in a soundscape of layers and

We are constantly bombarded with language and images that challenge us to consider our world from many points of view. While important, perhaps even more important is what do we do with all these

Commissioned by the professional choir EXIGENCE and using the famous Maya Angelou text The Caged Bird, here is a concert setting that explores various tonalities and will challenge even the