- Lauren Fowler-Calisto: I think what surprised me the most
is that we were able to find this really common, strong bond.
We had been so hungry for creating choral music
in an ensemble environment ever since the COVID shutdown
that we didn't realize how much we needed each other
as musicians and as human beings.
And I think for that reason
it really created an extraordinarily strong bond
between us: the staff, the students, and myself.
I think that even I was surprised
by how closely we all related
and how much we were able to find each other
in this really beautiful space,
and I'm not quite sure how that happened.
I think it was a combination
of working with three very different composers
and having them talk with us
so that we were able to dive so much deeper into the text
than we would in a normal choral environment.
And I think it was also the fact that Jake Runestad,
the composer of "We Can Mend the Sky"
was able to work with us and find this beautiful space
where we were talking about the reason
that he created this particular composition
and talking about the plight of refugees in America
and the words, and through this diving deep into the text,
we all were able to find a way to connect
that I didn't think any of us were aware of
and that we had really been missing
while we were in lockdown.
And frankly, by the time that we were done
with the last run-through of "We Can Mend the Sky,"
we could actually hear each other sing
even though none of us could hear each other sing.
It was so beautiful,
and I don't think I'll ever forget, at the very end
when we finished "We Can Mend the Sky,"
and everybody in the choir just lifted up their hands
and did a beautiful heart.
And I had to turn off my camera for a minute
because it just made me so emotional.
As I'm getting right now, so it was pretty amazing.
["Dúlamán" by David Mooney]
[percussion]
* O dülamán na binne bui, dülamán a' tsleibhe (O thulamawn na binya bwee, thulamawn a tlayve) *
* Dülamán farraige, dülamán farraige (Thulamawn farrige, thulamawn farrige) *
* Dülamán, dulamán, dülamán, dülamán (Thulamawn, thulamawn, thulamawn, thulamawn) *
* O dülamán na farraige is dülamán a' déidigh (thulamawn na farrige iss thulamawn a jethy) *
* dülamán farraige dülamán farraige dülamán dulamán dülamán dülamán *
* O dülamán na binne bui, dülamán Gaelach (Thulamawn na binya bwee thulamawn Gayluck) *
* Dülamán farraige, bhfearr a bhi in Eirinn! (Thulamawn farrige, bar a vee in Airinn!) *
* O chuir mé scéala chuici go gceanóinn cíor dí (O kur may shkayla hicky go gyanowínn keer thee) *
* 'S é'n scéal a chuir chugham go raibh a ceann cíortha (Shane Skayle a kur she hugum go row a kyaun keer ha) *
* O dülamán na binne bui, dülamán Gaelach (Thulamawn na binya bwee, thulamawn Gayluck) *
* Dülamán farraige, bhfearr a bhi in Eirinn! (Thulamawn farrige, bar a vee in Airinn!) *
* La la la la la (Ah) *
* 0 chuir mé scéala chuici go gceanóinn bád dí (O kur may shkayla hicky go gyan owinn keer thee) *
* 'S é'n scéal a chuir sí chugham nach suífeadh sí 'gceann rámha (Shane skayle a kur she hug um go row a kyaun keer ha) *
* O dülamán na binne bui, dülamán Gaelach (Thulamawn na binya bwee, thulamawn Gayluck) *
* Dülamán farraige, bhfearr a bhi in Eirinn! (Thulamawn farrige, bar a vee in Airinn!) *
* Ah
[descending] * Ah
* 0 chuir mé scéala chuici go gceanóinn long dí (O kur may shkayla hicky go gyanowinn lung thee) *
*'S é'n scéal a chuir sí chugham nach rachadh sí i gcontúirt (Shane shkale a kur she hugum knock rocka she i gunthoorch) *
* O dülamán na binne bui, dülamán Gaelach (Thulamawn na binya bwee, thulamawn Gayluck) *
* Dülamán farraige, bhfearr a bhi in Eirinn! (Thulamawn farrige, bar a vee in Airinn!) *
* Ta ceann buí óir ar a' dúiamán Gaelach (Thaw keown bwee ore err a thulamawn Gayluck) *
Tá dhá chluais mhaol' ar a' dúlamán Maorach (Thaw gaw kloosh wail err a thulamawn Mwayrock)
* O dülamán na binne bui, dülamán Gaelach (Thulamawn na binya bwee, thulamawn Gayluck) *
* Dülamán farraige, bhfearr a bhi in Eirinn! (Thulamawn farrige, bar a vee in Airinn!) *
* La la la la (Ah la la la la la) *
* Ta bróga breátha dubha ar a' dúlaman Gaelach (Thaw brogabraha thooha err a thulamawn Gayluck) *
* Ta bairéad agus triús ar a' dúlamán Gaelach (Thaw baraytheawgus throosh err a thulamawn Gayluck) *
* O dülamán na binne bui, dülamán Gaelach (Thulamawn na binya bwee, thulamawn Gayluck) *
* Dülamán farraige, bhfearr a bhi in Eirinn! (Thulamawn farrige, bar a vee in Airinn!) *
* Aw
[descending] * aw
* La la la la la la la la la la la *
* La la la la la la la la la la la la la la *
* La la la la la (Ah) *
* La la la la la la la la la la la *
["Ego sum panis vivus" by Blaz Strmole]
* Ego sum panis vivus
* qui de caelo di descendi (qui de caelo di descendi) *
* descendi (descendi) *
* descendi (descendi)
* descendi (descendi) *
* Si quis mandu caverit
* si quis mandu caverit *
* si quis mandu caverit
* ex hoc pane
* Vivet vivet
* vivet vivet *
* vivet vivet
* vivet vivet *
* vivet vivet
* vivet
* Ego sum panis vivus
* vivus (Ego sum panis vivus) *
* vivet vivet (Ego sum panis vivus) *
* vivet vivet (vivus) *
* vivet vivet
* in aeternum (in aeternum) *
* vivet vivet
(vivet vivet) *
* vivet vivet (vivet vivet)
* vivet (in aeternum) *
* in aeternum (in aeternum) *
* Amen (amen) *
* Amen (amen)
[silence]
["Mend the Sky" by Jake Runestad]
* In my dream I saw
* A world free of
* Violence hunger suffering
* A world filled with love
* Now awake this world
* I beg, let my dream come true *
[guttural chanting in Somali] Soo baxa (Let's go)
Naftu orod bay kugu aamintaa (To save your life, run with all your might)
* If we come together
* We can mend a crack in the sky *
* If we come together
* We can mend a crack in the sky *
* Oo Oo
* If we come together
* We can mend a crack in the sky *
* Oo
* If we come together
* Come together
* Oo
* We can mend
* Oo
* A crack in the sky
* Oo
* If we come together
* We can mend a crack in the sky *
* Oo
* If we come together
* Come together
[percussion] * We can mend
[tempo and volume accelerating] * If we come together
* We can mend
* A crack in the sky (If we come together) *
* We can mend a crack in the sky *
* If we come together
* We can mend
* A crack in the sky
* If we come together
* We can mend a crack in the sky (improvised groove) *
[vocalizing]
* If we come together
* Come together
* If we come together
* A crack in the sky (If we come together) *
* If we come together
* We can mend a crack in the sky *
* If we come together
* We can mend
* A crack in the sky
* If we come together
* O
* We can mend
* O
* A crack in the...
* Sky