As Pooh Would Say...

I wanted to post just a taste the music we’ll be doing in the Vivace Youth Singers. As Pooh would say, it’s just a smallish smackeral of the music. 

During a recent visit with composer and conductor Sean Ivory, I had the good fortune to hear his choir sing a beautiful new piece of music. Chante Avem Haiti was written by Mr. Ivory and his composition partner Paul Caldwell not long after the tragic earthquake in Haiti. Featuring a rich piano accompaniment, soprano saxophone, wonderful choral parts, and several solo opportunities, the piece honors both the victims and the survivors of the earthquake. 

I’ve never been to Haiti, but just two weeks after the earthquake I had the opportunity to meet Makly Prophete, a professional musician from Haiti. He was in the United States on tour at the time of the tragedy, but his family was all still in his home country. He was blessed that they were all ok and accounted for, but thousands of others were not so fortunate. He is a tremendous musician and a wonderful person, and spoke of the exceptional beauty and nature of his country. This piece, I believe, helps to capture that beauty both of the nature and of the native people.

As musicians sometimes we feel like there is little we can do to help after massive events. But now, as the world’s attention moves to the latest disaster, we can offer comfort and hope to people whose lives will forever be changed by the earthquake on January 12, 2010. A sense of peace, hope, and the comfort that they are not forgotten can have a bigger impact on someone’s life than we may ever know. Here is a link to the website with a recording of this powerful piece of music.