Be part of creating new choral repertoire AND support Chorus America!
New Choral Music Honoring Civil Rights Icons
We are proud to share that the pieces for the 2021 Commission Consortiums will honor titans of the American civil rights movement:
- Roland M. Carter's piece will honor Congressman John Lewis
- Augusta Read Thomas' piece will honor Rosa Parks.
Congressman Lewis and Mrs. Parks were at the forefront of the fight for a more just and equitable society; as we endeavor to create the society they envisioned, we are honored to celebrate their legacies through song. These new pieces will examine the issues facing our society today and inspire hope for a brighter future. We invite your chorus to join us by premiering these inspirational new songs in your community while also supporting Chorus America:
Roland M. Carter (SATB Commission)
This composition will honor Congressman John Lewis, one of the founding leaders of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and a key organizer of the 1963 March on Washington. Rooted in the idiomatic melodic and rhythmic strains of traditional spirituals and designed to speak to the impacts of the pandemic and injustice, the piece will feature an original text by Carter that inspires hope for a new day, a new morning, and a new chance to improve in all we do or undertake.
Cost: $500-$1,025 USD (tiered pricing) | Click here to register today!
Augusta Read Thomas (Treble Commission)
This composition will honor the legacy of American civil rights activist Rosa Parks, best known for her pivotal role in the Montgomery bus boycott of 1955-56. Appropriate for children/youth choruses as well as adult treble choruses, it will inspire and motivate action to fight for freedom, human rights, and civil rights for all fellow human beings.
Text: "I would like to be remembered as a person who wanted to be free... so other people would be also free." –Rosa Parks
Cost: $300 USD | Click here to register today!
A New Pricing Structure to Make Commissions More Accessible
We're bringing tiered pricing to the SATB Commission Consortium this year! Our tiered pricing structure is based on your chorus' budget size and is designed to lower barriers to access for less-resourced and emerging choruses. The suggested pricing for this year's SATB commission is as follows:
- $1,025 for choruses with budgets of $1M or higher
- $850 for choruses with budgets from $500k - < $1M
- $675 for choruses with budgets from $87,500 - < $500k
- $500 for choruses with budgets less than $87,500
We do not want cost to be a barrier to participation for interested choruses! Please contact André Coleman via email ([email protected]) to discuss a variety of options if the suggested prices prohibit your organization's ability to participate in bringing these new pieces to life.
The Registration Window Has Been Extended
Don't miss this opportunity to be part of the commission consortiums! The registration window has been extended and will now end on August 31, 2021.
Each composer offers a 3-5 minute piece that will be delivered in PDF format on February 15, 2022. Participating ensembles will share the commissions and dedications equally and have exclusive rights to premiere the piece through August 31, 2022
Chorus America is committed to eliminating barriers to participation for interested choruses! Please contact André Coleman via email ([email protected]) to discuss a variety of options if the suggested prices or the August 31 deadline prohibit your organization's ability to participate in bringing these new pieces to life.
Click here to register today!
Questions? Contact André Coleman, associate director of philanthropy, at [email protected] or call 202-331-7577 x241.
| Previous Commissions: | |
|---|---|
| 2020 | Sarah Quartel (treble): After the rain |
| 2020 | Deke Sharon (SATB): America in Song |
| 2020 | Karen P. Thomas (SATB): Alchemy |
|
2019 |
Ola Gjeilo (SATB): Roots |
| 2019 | J. Reese Norris (children & youth): This is Who I Am |
| 2018 | Hussein Janmohamed (SATB): The Wedding |
| 2018 | Joan Szymko (children & youth): WORDS |
| 2017 | Craig Hella Johnson (SATB): Song From The Road |
| 2017 | Tom Shelton (children & youth): Old Tunes |
| 2016 | Dominick DiOrio (SATB): Change My Sorrow Into Song |
| 2016 | Andrea Ramsey (children & youth): But a Flint Holds Fire |
| 2015 | Bob Chilcott (SATB): The Real of Heart |
| 2015 | Mack Wilberg (children & youth): Come, Little Leaves |
| 2014 | Rene Clausen (SATB): Now Talking God |
| 2014 | Caldwell & Ivory (children & youth): Bengi Lele |
| 2013 | Rollo Dilworth (SATB): Shine the Heavenly Light |
| 2013 | Alice Parker (children & youth): Coo-Coo Bird |
| 2012 | Dale Warland (SATB): The Voices |
| 2012 | Jim Papoulis (children & youth): A World We Cannot See |
| 2011 | André Thomas (SATB): Someday Is Today |
| 2011 | Eleanor Daley (children & youth): A Celtic Blessing |
| 2010 | John Rutter (SATB): Dedication and Amen |
| 2010 | Rollo Dilworth (children & youth): Every Time I Feel the Spirit |
| 2009 | Eric Whitacre (SATB): Little Man in a Hurry |
| 2009 | David Brunner (children/youth): Spiritual Musick |
| 2008 | Caldwell & Ivory (children & youth): Witness |
| 2007 | Bob Chilcott (children & youth): Like a Singing Bird |