This project was a first for me, for several reasons — collaboration with a lyricist (Mike Wilson), written for a children’s choir, with an ensemble accompaniment (string trio). I wrote this in July 2022 for the Phoenix Boys Choir New Works Rising composition contest. Mike wrote a lyric set leveraging its theme. Since the project is already complete, and is a single “movement,” there’s no display page linked from this one, just the video of the final project, and Mike’s lyrics, below.

Technical note: In the absence of a recording with real human voices, expect playback of this work to sound much more mechanical than other compositions delivered here — there isn’t a way to render a realistic vocal performance with lyrics using electronic tools. When the work is complete, I’ll be leveraging real vocalists for a recorded performance, and will post the results.

Lyrics

Music is a passport to the world
Music is a passport to the world
I know who you are when you sing your song,
You know who I am when I sing along.

Music is a passport to the world
Music is a passport to the world
I know you when you sing your song
You know me when I sing along so
So raise your voice
and sing your song with me

BRIDGE
Sing high as a bird in the sky
Sing soft as a whisper in the wind
Sing back and forth and back and forth until we realize
everything sounds better when our voices harmonize.

When you hear my song, you know I belong

Music is a passport to the world
Music is a passport to the world
I know you when you sing your song
You know me when I sing along so
Raise your voice
and sing your song with me