Elizabeth Alexander. What s Keeping You From Singing? Seafarer Press. SSA and soloists SEA D - DIGITAL EDITION $2.25

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1 SE D - DIGITL EDITION $2.25 What s Keeping You From Singing? SS and soloists Elizabeth lexander Seafarer Press

2 What s Keeping You From Singing? Girl, you got yourself a heck of a smile, Rosy and rowdy and redeeming. But I can t help noticing that it s been awhile Since I have seen it beaming. The wind is beckoning! Come come on! Taste this moment before it s gone. Every breath is a secret dawn, So Sister, come on! CHORUS: What s keeping you from singing? What s keeping you from dancing? What happened the whispering sries that invite you listen your heart s own guide? What s spping the sweet, sweet silence of the night from gentling the winding of your mind? Oh, whatever s getting in the way of the truest part of you, Sister, lay that load aside. Oh, whatever s getting in the way of the truest part of you, Lay that load aside, lay it aside, lay it aside. lthough the road you re on may be as rough as they come, Walk walk walk on. Remember that the heart of a woman is a powerful drum: ten it beating in you, it s beating in you It s beating in you: CHORUS lthough the songs come harder when you re not feeling strong, Sing sing sing on. Remember that your voice is a ribbon braided in our song: ten it calling you, it s calling you It s calling you: CHORUS 2018 by Elizabeth lexander Cover Image by Mark Winter/Chicane: New Zealand-born, award-winning caronist and animar Mark Winter has been practising the fine art of visual satire for the best part of forty years under the pen name Chicane. He currently resides in London where he supplies a daily contribution back newspapers in his homeland as well as a number of British publications. To see more of Mark s art, including augraphed portraits of many famous musicians, acrs and public figures, visit

3 Commissioned by Rochester Women s Community Chorus What s Keeping You From Singing? SS & soloists, a cappella I Joyfully mp Elizabeth lexander Girl, you ve got your self a heck of a smile, ro sy and row dy and re deem ing,* But I mp Girl, you ve got your self a heck of a smile, ro sy and row dy and re deem ing,* But I mp 4 4 Girl, you ve got your self a heck of a smile, ro sy and row dy and re deem ing,* But I for rehearsal only 5 can t help no tic ing that it s been a while since I have seen it beam ing. The I can t help no tic ing that it s been a while since I have seen it beam ing. Oh, the can t help no tic ing that it s been a while since I have seen it beam ing. Oh, the * This song contains many words that end in -ing, which in merican folk and country styles is often sung as -in. s a choir you ll want decide how you wish pronounce this suffix. perfectly articulated -ing will certainly come across as fussy, especially in fun-loving passages like dancing, dancing, dancing. On the other hand, pronouncing the suffix with an overtly Southern or Southwestern accent may not be an authentic sound for your choir. Experiment as an ensemble until you find a way sing the -ing words that feels coortable and just right for you. Seafarer Press / SE D Copyright 2018 by Elizabeth lexander

4 2 10 What s Keeping You From Singing? (SS & soloists, a cappella) - Choral Score sweet & soulful wind is beck on ing: Come come on! Taste this mo ment* be fore it s gone, Ev ry sweet & soulful I wind is beck on ing: Come come on! Taste this mo ment* be fore it s gone, Ev ry sweet & soulful wind is beck on ing: Come come on! Taste this mo ment* be fore it s gone, Ev ry * One more articulation detail: This folksy style of singing doesn t call for overly articulated consonants. It can be tricky find the balance between relaxed articulation and sloppy singing, but doing so will make this song more effective in performance, as well as more fun sing. To my ear, the most important phonemes deemphasize are final unvoiced consonants like t and k. 15 earnestly breath is a se cret dawn, Oh earnestly Sis ter, come on! What s keep ing you from I breath is a se cret dawn, Oh Sis ter, come on! What s keep ing you from earnestly breath is a se cret dawn, Oh Sis ter, come on! What s keep ing you from Seafarer Press / SE D

5 20 What s Keeping You From Singing? (SS & soloists, a cappella) - Choral Score 3 sing ing? What s keep ing you from danc ing, danc ing, danc ing? What I sing ing? What s keep ing you from danc ing, danc ing, danc ing? What sing ing? Oh, from danc ing, danc ing, danc ing? What 24 hap pened the whis per ing sr ies that in vite you lis ten your heart s own I hap pened the whis per ing sr ies that in vite you lis ten your heart,* hap pened the whis per ing sr ies that in vite you lis ten your heart,* * The first sopranos carry the meaning of the phrase heart s own guide. In order help this lyric be undersod, the als and second sopranos will want dramatically under-articulate the t in heart. (This is not an issue when heart is repeated in the following measure.) Seafarer Press / SE D

6 4 27 What s Keeping You From Singing? (SS & soloists, a cappella) - Choral Score warmly guide? What's sp ping the sweet, sweet si lence of the night I warmly lis ten your heart. What's sp ping the sweet, sweet si lence of the night warmly lis ten your heart. Oh, sweet, sweet si lence of the night 31 mp from gen tl ing the wind ing of your mind? Oh, what ev er s I mp from gen tl ing the wind ing of your mind? mp What ev er s Oh, from gen tl ing the wind ing of your mind? Oh, What ev er s Seafarer Press / SE D

7 Opal Palmer disa, poet B Margaret & George lexander, parents B Yehuda michai, poet B Bjorn rnes generous web designer B Scott Bates, poet B bbie Betinis, composer/colleague B Dennis Blubaugh, music dealer B Michael devernon Boblett, poet B Ray Bradbury, writer B Norbert Capek, visionary B e. e. cummings, poet B Philip Dacey, poet B Emily LOT Dickins OF poet B Evelyn HRD Dudley, poet B Rob WORK & Eller-Isaacs, minister/writer B Sophia Lyon Fahs, writer B Richard M. Fewkes, writer B Pesha Gertler, poet B Richard S. Gilbert, minister/writer B Jack Gallagher, CRETIVITY composer/teacher B Paul Gerike, proofreader B Steve Harper, technical advisor B Steve Hawkins, generous web designer B Edie Hill, composer/colleague B Langsn Hughes, poet B Mark Humphrey, piano technician B Karel Husa, composer/teacher B Kalidasa, poet B Garrison Keillor, sryteller B Denise Leverv, poet B George Ella Ly poet B Jonathan Machen, artist B Edna St. Vincent Millay, poet B J. David Moore, composer/colleague B Joan Wolf Prefontaine, WENT poet B Gerald Rich, INTO poet B Carl Sandburg, BRINGING poet B King Sigismund III, religious reformer B Steven Stucky, composer/teacher B Rabindranath Tagore, poet B Howard Thurman, civil rights leader/writer B John Greenleaf Whittier, poet B Theodore Chickering Williams, poet B Daniel Winter, pianist/teacher B Nancy Wood, poet B Yehudi THIS Wyner, composer/teacher MUSIC B Paul TO YOU... dams, technical advisor B Opal Palmer disa, poet B Margaret & George lexander, parents B Yehuda michai, poet B Bjorn rnes generous web designer B Scott Bates, poet B bbie Betinis, composer/colleague B Dennis Blubaugh, music dealer B Michael devernon Boblett, poet B Ray Bradbury, writer B Norbert Capek, visionary B e. e. cummings, poet B Philip Dacey, poet B Emily Dickins poet B Evelyn Dudley, poet B Rob Eller-Isaacs, minister/writer B Sophia Lyon Fahs, writer B Richard M. Fewkes, writer B Pesha Gertler, poet B Richard S. Gilbert, minister/writer B Jack Gallagher, composer/teacher B Paul Gerike, proofreader B Steve Harper, technical advisor B Steve Hawkins, generous web designer B Edie Hill, composer/colleague B Langsn Hughes, poet B Mark Humphrey, piano technician B Karel Husa, composer/teacher B Kalidasa, poet B Garrison Keillor, sryteller B Denise Leverv, poet B George Ella Ly poet B Jonathan Machen, artist B Edna St. Vincent Millay, poet B J. David Moore, composer/colleague B Joan Wolf Prefontaine, poet B Gerald Rich, poet B Carl Sandburg, poet B King Sigismund III, religious reformer B Steven Stucky, composer/teacher B Rabindranath Tagore, poet B Howard Thurman, civil rights leader/writer B John Greenleaf Whittier, poet B Theodore Chickering Williams, poet B Daniel Winter, pianist/teacher B Nancy Wood, poet B Yehudi Wyner, composer/teacher B Paul dams, technical advisor B Opal Palmer disa, poet B Margaret & George lexander, parents B Yehuda michai, poet B Bjorn rnes generous web...nd designer B Scott SOME Bates, poet OF B bbie IT Betinis, composer/colleague B Dennis Blubaugh, music dealer B Michael devernon Boblett, poet B Ray Bradbury, writer B Norbert Capek, visionary B e. e. cummings, poet B Philip Dacey, poet WS B Emily Dickins EVEN poet B MINE. Evelyn Dudley, poet B Rob Eller-Isaacs, minister/writer B Sophia Lyon Fahs, writer B Richard M. Fewkes, writer B Pesha Gertler, poet B Richard S. Gilbert, minister/writer B Jack Gallagher, composer/teacher B Paul Gerike, proofreader B Steve Harper, technical advisor B Steve Hawkins, generous web designer B Edie Hill, composer/colleague B Langsn Hughes, poet B Mark Humphrey, piano technician B Karel Husa, composer/teacher B Kalidasa, poet B Garrison Keillor, sryteller B Denise Leverv, poet B George Ella Ly poet B Jonathan Machen, artist B Edna St. Vincent Millay, poet B J. David Moore, composer/colleague B Joan Wolf Prefontaine, poet B Gerald Rich, poet B Carl Sandburg, poet B King THIS PGE HS BEEN INTENTIONLLY LEFT BLNK. (YOU KNOW WHY.) COMPLETE PERUSL COPY MY BE PURCHSED FROM ELIZBETH LEXNDER T Seafarer Press

8 6 44 What s Keeping You From Singing? (SS & soloists, a cappella) - Choral Score get ting in the way of the tru est part of you, Lay that load a side, I get ting in the way of the tru est part of you, Oh, lay that load a side, get ting in the way of the tru est part of you, Oh, lay that load a side, 48 p 1. l 2. l though though the the p I lay it a side, lay it a side, p 1. l though the 2. l though the lay it a side, lay it a side, lay it a side, 1. The 2. The Seafarer Press / SE D

9 52 B What s Keeping You From Singing? (SS & soloists, a cappella) - Choral Score 7 road you re on may be as rough as they come, walk walk walk on. songs come har der when you re not feel ing strong, sing sing sing on. I road songs you re on come har may be der when as rough you re not as feel they ing come, strong, walk sing walk sing walk on. sing on. road you re on may be as rough as they come, walk walk walk on. songs come har der when you re not feel ing strong, sing sing sing on. 55 Re mem ber that the heart of a wom an is a pow er ful drum. Re mem ber that your voice is a rib bon braid ed in our song. I Re Re mem mem ber ber that that the your heart voice of is a a wom rib an bon is braid a ed pow in er ful our drum. song. Re Re mem mem ber ber the your heart, voice, Seafarer Press / SE D

10 8 What s Keeping You From Singing? (SS & soloists, a cappella) - Choral Score 58 p subi ten ten it beat ing it call ing in you, you, ten, ten, lis lis ten: ten: p subi I ten ten it beat ing it call ing in you, you, ten, ten, lis lis ten: ten: p subi Oh, Oh, ten ten it beat it call ing, ing, ten ten it beat it call ing, ing, 62 ten, ten, lis lis ten: ten: it s it s beat call ing in ing you: you: What s keep ing you from I ten, ten, lis lis ten: ten: it s it s beat call ing in you, ing you, it s beat it s call in in in you: you: What s keep ing you from ten ten it it beat call ing in ing you, you, in you: you: What s keep ing you from Seafarer Press / SE D

11 Opal Palmer disa, poet B Margaret & George lexander, parents B Yehuda michai, poet B Bjorn rnes generous web designer B Scott Bates, poet B bbie Betinis, composer/colleague B Dennis Blubaugh, music dealer B Michael devernon Boblett, poet B Ray Bradbury, writer B Norbert Capek, visionary B e. e. cummings, poet B Philip Dacey, poet B Emily LOT Dickins OF poet B Evelyn HRD Dudley, poet B Rob WORK & Eller-Isaacs, minister/writer B Sophia Lyon Fahs, writer B Richard M. Fewkes, writer B Pesha Gertler, poet B Richard S. Gilbert, minister/writer B Jack Gallagher, CRETIVITY composer/teacher B Paul Gerike, proofreader B Steve Harper, technical advisor B Steve Hawkins, generous web designer B Edie Hill, composer/colleague B Langsn Hughes, poet B Mark Humphrey, piano technician B Karel Husa, composer/teacher B Kalidasa, poet B Garrison Keillor, sryteller B Denise Leverv, poet B George Ella Ly poet B Jonathan Machen, artist B Edna St. Vincent Millay, poet B J. David Moore, composer/colleague B Joan Wolf Prefontaine, WENT poet B Gerald Rich, INTO poet B Carl Sandburg, BRINGING poet B King Sigismund III, religious reformer B Steven Stucky, composer/teacher B Rabindranath Tagore, poet B Howard Thurman, civil rights leader/writer B John Greenleaf Whittier, poet B Theodore Chickering Williams, poet B Daniel Winter, pianist/teacher B Nancy Wood, poet B Yehudi THIS Wyner, composer/teacher MUSIC B Paul TO YOU... dams, technical advisor B Opal Palmer disa, poet B Margaret & George lexander, parents B Yehuda michai, poet B Bjorn rnes generous web designer B Scott Bates, poet B bbie Betinis, composer/colleague B Dennis Blubaugh, music dealer B Michael devernon Boblett, poet B Ray Bradbury, writer B Norbert Capek, visionary B e. e. cummings, poet B Philip Dacey, poet B Emily Dickins poet B Evelyn Dudley, poet B Rob Eller-Isaacs, minister/writer B Sophia Lyon Fahs, writer B Richard M. Fewkes, writer B Pesha Gertler, poet B Richard S. Gilbert, minister/writer B Jack Gallagher, composer/teacher B Paul Gerike, proofreader B Steve Harper, technical advisor B Steve Hawkins, generous web designer B Edie Hill, composer/colleague B Langsn Hughes, poet B Mark Humphrey, piano technician B Karel Husa, composer/teacher B Kalidasa, poet B Garrison Keillor, sryteller B Denise Leverv, poet B George Ella Ly poet B Jonathan Machen, artist B Edna St. Vincent Millay, poet B J. David Moore, composer/colleague B Joan Wolf Prefontaine, poet B Gerald Rich, poet B Carl Sandburg, poet B King Sigismund III, religious reformer B Steven Stucky, composer/teacher B Rabindranath Tagore, poet B Howard Thurman, civil rights leader/writer B John Greenleaf Whittier, poet B Theodore Chickering Williams, poet B Daniel Winter, pianist/teacher B Nancy Wood, poet B Yehudi Wyner, composer/teacher B Paul dams, technical advisor B Opal Palmer disa, poet B Margaret & George lexander, parents B Yehuda michai, poet B Bjorn rnes generous web...nd designer B Scott SOME Bates, poet OF B bbie IT Betinis, composer/colleague B Dennis Blubaugh, music dealer B Michael devernon Boblett, poet B Ray Bradbury, writer B Norbert Capek, visionary B e. e. cummings, poet B Philip Dacey, poet WS B Emily Dickins EVEN poet B MINE. Evelyn Dudley, poet B Rob Eller-Isaacs, minister/writer B Sophia Lyon Fahs, writer B Richard M. Fewkes, writer B Pesha Gertler, poet B Richard S. Gilbert, minister/writer B Jack Gallagher, composer/teacher B Paul Gerike, proofreader B Steve Harper, technical advisor B Steve Hawkins, generous web designer B Edie Hill, composer/colleague B Langsn Hughes, poet B Mark Humphrey, piano technician B Karel Husa, composer/teacher B Kalidasa, poet B Garrison Keillor, sryteller B Denise Leverv, poet B George Ella Ly poet B Jonathan Machen, artist B Edna St. Vincent Millay, poet B J. David Moore, composer/colleague B Joan Wolf Prefontaine, poet B Gerald Rich, poet B Carl Sandburg, poet B King THIS PGE HS BEEN INTENTIONLLY LEFT BLNK. (YOU KNOW WHY.) COMPLETE PERUSL COPY MY BE PURCHSED FROM ELIZBETH LEXNDER T Seafarer Press

12 10 Solo 74 What s Keeping You From Singing? (SS & soloists, a cappella) - Choral Score Oh Sis ter, lay that load a side side,* lay it a side, lay it a side, lay it a side, lay it a I side,* lay it a side, lay it a side, lay it a side, lay it a * Choristers, you are going be repeating this measure for the next 3 pages, so please do two things for me. First, get your eyes out of the *!%^>@! music. Secondly, sing each new phrase as if it were a matter of life or death. You never know; it might be. Solo 78 port. Oh the I Seafarer Press / SE D

13 Solo 82 What s Keeping You From Singing? (SS & soloists, a cappella) - Choral Score wind is beck on ing, Oh the sr ies are whis per ing, I 86 Solo Come come come keep sing ing, Come come and lay it a side. I Seafarer Press / SE D

14 12 What s Keeping You From Singing? (SS & soloists, a cappella) - Choral Score 90 Repeat once or twice if you need more time for solos. Solo Oh Sis ter, Lay that load a side. I 94 poco a poco meno mosso Solo Oh Sis ter, Lay it a side, Lay down that side, lay it a side, lay it a side, I side, lay it a side, lay it a side, side, lay it a side, lay it a side, side, lay it a side, lay it a side, Seafarer Press / SE D

15 Solo What s Keeping You From Singing? (SS& soloists, a cappella) - Choral Score p Slowly and deliberately port. load. Oh Sis ter, Oh. pp (but still with passion) lay it a side, lay it a side. pp (but still with passion) I lay it a side, lay it a side. pp (but still with passion) lay it a side, lay it a side, lay it a side. Composer Note: My mission in composing this song was respond the joys, sorrows, hopes and dreams of Rochester Women s Community Chorus. Soon after the contract was signed, the choir sent me a rich letter describing what was important its members community, joy, song, peace, courage... In the letter were some poems and quotes, including an excerpt from ngeles rrien s book, The Four-Fold Way: Walking the Paths of the Warrior, Teacher, Healer and Visionary (HarperCollins, 1993): In many shamanic societies, if you came a shaman or medicine person complaining of being disheartened, dispirited, or depressed, they would ask one of four questions. When did you sp dancing? When did you sp singing? When did you sp being enchanted by sries? When did you sp finding coort in the sweet terriry of silence? Meanwhile, I had more commissions than I could coortably keep up with. s a self-publisher I was scrambling keep up with order fulfillment, printing, bill paying, special requests, editing, and the endless correspondence that comes along with running one s own business. I loved the music I was composing and the musicians I was writing for. But with every week bringing some new deadline or unexpected challenge, I was not really resting. My brain felt full all the time. In short, I was not singing. I was not dancing. I was not hearing sries. I was not enjoying silence. Yes, my mission was respond the joys, sorrows, hopes and dreams of Rochester Women s Community Chorus...but in every commission I also have engage the yearnings of my own heart. I wrapped rrien s four questions in the chorus of What s Keeping You From Singing?, and wrote a song of encouragement and love both the choir and myself. Composing this song encouraged me slow down, trust more, and accept less work. s I write these words two years later, I am happy report that I am singing. Seafarer Press / SE D

16 Selected Choral Music by Elizabeth lexander pril Rain Song (Langsn Hughes) STB SE Blessed Be the Flower That Triumphs (Michael devernon Boblett) STB SE Cherish Your Doubt (lexander) STB & piano / SS & piano SE / SE Climb (Edna St. Vincent Millay) STB & piano SE Dragon Dance (Elizabeth lexander) S & piano SE Die Gedanken Sind Frei (15 5h century German protest song, arr.) STB & piano SE The Earth Called To My Friend (Nancy Wood) SS & piano SE Even a Fist Was Once an Open Palm (Yehuda michai) STB SE Faith Is the Bird That Feels the Light (Rabindranath Tagore) SS SE Fighting Over What We Believe (lexander) SB youth choir, STB & piano SE Finally On My Way To Yes (Pesha Gertler) SSTB & piano SE Folks, I m Telling You (Langsn Hughes) SSTB & piano SE For So the Children Come (Sophia Fahs) STB & piano SE Glen Song (Scott Bates) SSTB & piano SE Go Out! (John Murray) STB & piano SE I Write This Poem Out of Darkness (George Ella Lyon) SS, flute, violin & piano SE If You Can Walk You Can Dance (Zimbabwean Proverb) SB & piano / TTB & piano.. SE / SE Immortal Love (John Greenleaf Whittier) STB SE Infant Holy, Infant Lowly (arr. Polish carol) SS SE The Journey (Evelyn Dudley) TTBB / STB SE / SE Jump! (Ray Bradbury) SS & string quartet SE Life is not a Garden (lexander) STB & piano SE May This Be a Working lleluia (lexander) Children s choir, STB & piano (opt. flute & trumpets). SE Morning Bread (my Lowell) STB SE or a musician (Philip Dacey) STB & orchestra SE Palette To Paint Us s We re (Gerald Rich) S & piano / STB & piano SE / SE Praise Wet Snow Falling Early (Denise Leverv) STB & piano SE Reasons for the Perpetuation of Slavery (lexander) SS SE Spring Grass (Carl Sandburg) STB SE They Have Freckles Everywhere (lexander) SS & piano SE Those Who Wish To Sing lways Find a Song (Swedish proverb) SSS, oboe & piano SE To Make a Prairie (Emily Dickinson) SS & piano SE Tomorrow, God Willing (Garrison Keillor) TTBB SE Trust the Seeds (lexander) STB SE We Lift Up Our Hearts (Richard Fewkes) Children s choir, STB & piano SE We Remember Them (Sylvan Kamens & Jack Riemer) STB & piano SE Where There Is Light in the Soul (Chinese proverb) SB/STB SE / SE When the Song of the ngels Is Stilled (Howard Thurman) SS / TTBB SE / SE Why I Pity the Woman Who Never Spills (Joan Wolf Prefontaine) SS SE For more information about these and over 100 other titles, visit Seafarer Press ~