Children’s Park at Jenks School
Today I delivered my new work for The Crossing on a wonderful poem by Ryan Eckes, a setting of May Day for The Crossing and a choir of 4th- and 5th-graders from the Jenks School in Philadelphia.
For SATB and 2-part children’s choir, it runs about 10 minutes.
Ryan’s poem is filled with haunting imagery of hope in the midst of hunger. Cats, wolves, South Philly, and Chernobyl make appearances. More details later as we get closer to the 18 Apr 2015 premiere, but for now, The Crossing will be working throughout the year with the students in this educational outreach, bringing them into the creative process. Poet and composer have already met with them a few times; now the stunning singers of The Crossing will take them through the performing part!
The Friends of Jenks, the Chestnut Hill Community Fund, the Presser Foundation, and of course The Crossing’s conductor Donald Nally and managing director Steven Gearhart made this all happen. Thanks to them, and to Ryan Eckes for knocking me out with this poem.