The music and lyrics of We Have a Choice were composed as a reaction to the COVID-19 crisis. The piece explores aleatoric and performer-based textures that can be sung remotely through video conferencing platforms, such as Zoom, or in live settings. The text explores our ability to choose our own paths and reactions in every situation, hopefully ultimately choosing to embrace the story with love, joy, hope, and peace.
The piece alternates between mostly-unison chant-like textures and aleatoric branching textures, in which the performers may choose their own path.
This piece is suitable for any Treble-Voice Choir interested in exploring virtual singing and limited- aleatoric textures that give performers ownership of the material. The piece may be sung in virtual or live settings as circumstances allow.
We have a choice.
In the beginning of the story, there’s a choice.
We can choose to [accept, ignore] the call.
We might not know what the story is about.
It might be about
[lovers uniting, dragons and castles,
searching for treasure, or just everyday life].
And the story will continue on.
We have a choice.
In the middle of the story, there’s a choice.
We can choose to
[keep on going, give up and sit it out, give in to fear].
We have a choice.
At the end of the story, there’s a choice.
We will choose [love, hope, joy, peace].
In every story, we have a choice.