MusicSpoke | Artist Owned Sheet Music™

About the Score

Composer's Note: This piece was born out of a conversation at a conference about a possible commission for Aurora High School in Aurora, Nebraska. After some consideration, the school's choral director, my friend and colleague, Jason Frew, had the thought to commission a graduation anthem that could be used annually, which intrigued and excited me, and added some gravity to the project as I considered the longevity of the piece. With that in mind, I set to researching texts that I hope will be meaningful to seniors for years to come, and settled on a hybrid poem which includes paraphrased writings from Christina Rossetti and John Donne, and an original refrain. Verse 1 is an adaptation of text by Rossetti. The poetic tone and imagery of the opening verse (“Morning has broken across the skies…”) draw on the devotional lyric style of Christina Rossetti, particularly her recurring themes of light, renewal, and self-giving love as found in works such as “A Better Resurrection” (1862) and “Up-Hill” (1861). Verse 2 paraphrases and metrically adapts ideas from Meditation XVII in Donne’s Devotions upon Emergent Occasions (1624), particularly the lines: “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main… any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind…” In this case we're not dealing with 'death', per se, but we are acknowledging a 'passing on' of seniors whose legacy lives in the traditions they've initiated or upheld, and in their legacy of relationships with faculty, staff, and classmates during their time at the school.

Rehearsal Notes: The style is most important to get right here. While the piece has pop characteristics, it is not intended to be performed as a pop song. At the same time, an overly-classical interpretation will compromise the feel, so regard the score as is. The piece should feel easy (rhythmically speaking) but performers should not add ornamentation or 'swooping' into their interpretation. Try to strike a balance between classical and pop (show choir) style and you'll be in the 'sweet spot' for this piece. Finally, be aware of the syncopated rhythms at M. 19, 36, and 44 in contrast to M. 49 which is intentionally stretched to land on beat one. NOTE: Consider adding some light percussion (cajon preferred) to lock in the groove.

Text: Verse 1 Morning has broken across the skies and lifted every shade; The day stands fair before our eyes, where all our dreams are laid. Refrain Let the light we leave behind us Shine on those who follow near; Every kindness, every promise, turns to light that lingers here. Verse 2 No one is an island, all by themselves, we’re together through it all. The love we’ve given, and mem’ries made give us strength to carry on!

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