[A reminder: this video is an electronic rendering of the score, offered to give listeners a sense of the composition. As such, the performance doesn’t include the lyrics — see those below. When a live performance is available, I’ll be removing this video and replacing it with that.]

They’re connected by Zoom, so chaos is assured. This movement tries to portray some events in the day of a virtual kindergartener to her class, with droning bass and tenor, and jumbled/intertwined teacher and student sense (and nonsense). There are three verses. The first portrays a first-time connection with students, the second a “show and tell” with pets. The third incorporates a song with the months of the year sung to the tune of “3 Little Indians.”

All three verses are in Lydian mode, with a repeating figure of cascading up and down parallel fifths.

Lyrics {tentative]:

[Verse 1]
As soon as we’re all here
We can begin
Be sure your desk is clear
When you log in
Now we all can un-mute
and say our “Hi,”
Yes, Catherine, your dress is cute,
Ben, please don’t cry.
Wait…Quiet! Turn down your volume! Attention!

[student responses:]
— Hi, Missus T! Can you hear me? This is fun! Is my mike on? Hey Todd! What’s up?

[Verse 2]
Okay, that went well,
Time for pet show and tell,
Introduce your dog or cat,
I have mine,
A stuffed animal
is fine.
Class! Wait, where’s that button?
Where? MUTE!

[Student responses]
— Oh, how cute! What kind? (It’s a golden doodle.)
— My cat threw up on the carpet. (Ewe, that’s gross!)
— Wait! I don’t have a pet! (Draw a picture.)
— I have a stuffed penguin. (I don’t see it!)
— My sister got a bunny, but I didn’t.
— Guess what? My goldfish died. We had to flush it.

[verse 3]
It’s time to practice the months
Of the year,
Make sure that you can hear.
Un-mute and sing along
With our song.
And then you turn around…
(January, February, March,…etc.)

Go to 5: The Introvert

Go to 20-20: A Choral Suite home