Programming

Intermediate SSA/Advanced SSAA

Still I Rise - Rosephanye Powell

Text Source - Rosephanye Powell

Language - English
Genre - Spiritual/Gospel
Time Period - Contemporary (2005)
Interesting Information - Rosephanye Powell is well known and acclaimed for her
commissions, guest conducting, research on vocal pedagogy, and activism. As a black woman
herself, her lyrics "Though I have been wounded; aching heart, full of pain, still I rise, yes, still I
rise..." point to the struggle and triumph of African-American women.

She Rises - Catherine Dalton

Text Source - Catherine Dalton

Genre - Contemporary (Celtic melody)
Time Period - Contemporary
Interesting Information - Dalton’s lyrics are inspired by the Celtic sun goddess, Brigid, and of
Saint Brigid of Kildare, the irish saint of poetry, health, fire, the forge, and illumination. The
composer intended to explore the physics of light and the sun with the human voice - the sound
of electrons falling and the idea of “sunsounds” were some of her concepts.

Makedonska Humoreska - Todor Skalovski

Text Source - Traditional Macedocian Folksong

Genre - A Cappella Folksong
Time Period - 20th Century (1938)
Interesting Information - Skalovski, a Macedonian composer, arranged this Macedonian
melody that is over 100 years old. The song tells the story of a married couple arguing, and then
making up. There is mixed meter and modal harmonies.
Translation - “Hey! We always squabble, we always fight. Is this love? Since we got married,
we spent all our money. We squandered everything, for heaven’s sake.”
(I could not find the Macedonian lyrics)
 Advanced SATB + divisi
Magnificat, Op. 19, No. 10 - Isabella Leonarda

Text Source - Words of Mary in the Gospel of Luke

Language - Latin
Genre - Sacred Latin Motet
Time Period - Baroque
Interesting Information - Isabella was a nun in Italy from the time she was 16 to her death, and
she was one of the most prolific baroque female composers of her time. Coming from a high
status, it was thought that Isabella was given preferential treatment in the convent and given
more time to compose that the other nuns, but in fact, Isabella proclaimed that she wrote only in
the time the nuns were allotted time to rest.
Translation
Magnificat, anima mea, Dominum
et exultavit spiritus meus in Deo, salutari meo.
Quia respexit humilitatem ancillæ suæ:
ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes.
Quia fecit mihi magna, qui potens est, et sanctum nomen eius,
et misericordia eius a progenie in progenies timentibus eum.
Fecit potentiam in brachio suo,
dispersit superbos mente cordis sui.
Deposuit potentes de sede et exaltavit humiles;
Esurientes implevit bonis et divites dimisit inanes.
Suscepit Israel puerum suum recordatus misericordiæ suæ,
Sicut locutus est ad patres nostros, Abraham et semini eius in sæcula.
Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto:
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in sæcula sæculorum. Amen.

My soul doth magnify the Lord:2 and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded: the lowliness of his handmaiden.
For behold, from henceforth: all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me: and holy is his Name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him: throughout all generations.
He hath showed strength with his arm:
He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat: and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things: and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel: as he promised to our forefathers,
Abraham and his seed, forever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Come O Love - Stephan Carlson

Text Source - Stephan Carlson

Language - English (with some Latin dispersed)
Genre - A Cappella Contemporary
Time Period - Contemporary (2014)
Interesting Information - This song was written as a wedding gift by the composer to his two
dear friends. He calls the song a “plea of longing and celebration of joy”, calling love “the most
profound marriage of happiness and sadness one can know”.

True Colors - Arr. Saunder Choi (music and words by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly)

Text Source - Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly

Language - English
Genre - A Capella Contemporary
Time Period - Contemporary
Interesting Information - This is a truly novel arrangement of a classic tune known around the
world; In his writing, Choir is able to combine pop-sounding solos and tight choral harmonies to
create a piece that defies description.

Vocal Jazz

In a Mellow Tone - arr. Darmon Meader (melody written by Duke Ellington)

Text Source - Milt Gabler
Language - English
Genre - Jazz/Swing
Time Period - 20th Century/Contemporary Jazz
Interesting Information - Darmon Meader is well known for his vocal jazz arrangements, and
has written many arrangements, including this one, for the New York Voices.

Doctor Jazz - arr. Kirby Shaw (Joseph “King” Oliver)

Text Source - Walter Melrose
Language - English
Genre - Jazz/Swing
Time Period - 20th Century/Contemporary Jazz
Interesting Information - This authentic New Orleans swing tune from 1927 was reintroduced
to popular culture in the musical “Jelly’s Last Jam”.

Sambalele - arr. Will Lopes

Text Source - Brazilian Folk song
Language - Portugeuse
Genre - A Cappella, Samba
Time Period - Contemporary
Interesting Information - “Samba” is the traditional dance and rhythm that is characterized
through continuous 16th notes and syncopation, which can be found throughout this piece, and
“lele” can be considered an expression of excitement like “Yahoo!” The song is about the
character Sambalele, who although has a broken head, can’t seem to help himself from dancing
to the Samba.

Written Response
I realized how hard it can be to find music you are looking for - many listed songs do not
have audio recordings, text translation, and other important considerations readily available to
the buyer before purchasing. I also found many instances of ‘cultural’ songs, specifically from
Asia, who were written by white men, and although they were beautiful I decided not to program
them.There was even one song that said it was “influenced by Native American values”, written
by a white man, that was just cringey, considering ‘Native American’ does not properly describe
the specific tribe, and for the obvious reason of cultural appropriation, Additionally, it wasn't
taken from any formal text, indicating that stereotypes of ‘Native American values’ might have
inspired the lyric writing. However, I tried my best to be diverse in my programming. I took into
account the arranger/composer’s ethnicity, their gender identity, their background (if they had
done or composed anything a bit dicey), and the language that was employed. I went onto a
multitude of sites, including Earthsongs, CPDL and Wikipedia, JWPepper, the Institute for
Composer Diversity, Worldcat, the American Composers Forum, and many different individual
composer websites in order to find what I was looking for. In the future, I think I would like to
find a few less contemporary pieces, and more vocal jazz pieces that were written by women or
POC.