Youth and Pioneers: An Ode (2012; rev. 2015) for SATB chorus a cappella

6’30”

Commissioned by Knox College for their 175th Anniversary

Click here for a perusal score

I am a deep admirer of Carl Sandburg’s work, and this was my first opportunity to set his words to music. It was also my first opportunity to compose for the wonderful Knox College Choir, a group I had worked with often as a collaborative pianist. The singers came from a wide variety of majors and minors — mostly not music majors — and I wanted to compose something practical and approachable while still challenging them and honoring Sandburg’s profound address.

This work was meant to be a celebration of not only the college’s 175th anniversary but also the installation of their first female president, Teresa Amott.

I took the work of three of my musical heroes as inspiration: Leo Sowerby, Roy Harris, and Ruth Crawford Seeger, all of whom had worked closely with Sandburg.

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