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PERUSALSCORE

The Path

for soprano and baritone soloists, SATB chorus, and piano

Music by Damien Geter

Text by Jerre Dye

PERUSALSCORE

The Path

for soprano and baritone soloists, SATB chorus, and piano

Text by Jerre Dye

PERUSALSCORE

Music by Damien Geter

Text inspired by and adapted from conversations with Seattle Opera’s PATH WITH ART Veterans Choir

Chorus

The path I walk is more than me. I step towards mystery and keep on walking, taking each step in my stride. I cannot hide the truths that bring me to place.

I see your face and realize you’re walking next to me.

Soloists Next to me Talk to me just talk to me… I got discharged. I came back home to fnd this feeling of alone”ness”. I can’t remember having known this feeling, quite before. When “home” no longer feels the same and Life feels like this waiting game… trying to begin again… as a veteran.

Remember when you went through basic… Instantly, your whole life changes.

The second you sign on that line, you fnd these gifts inside the grime. And something inside’s amplifed

While other things just fade away. You’re in the moment

You meet the day. Remember it like yesterday. First time I found a way out of my head,

“Tell me all about your life and I will tell you mine.”

“words no longer necessary”

“I’ll bare the weight”

“It all becomes a part of you.”

“deep inside me, somewhere waiting”

into a life with purpose… action.

No looking backwards. No distractions. Crack that code. Navigate. You lose yourself. Recalibrate. Full surrender. Total breakthrough. Cut through all the noise around you, Finding what I’m/you’re meant to be. Inside this structured hierarchy Yet for the frst time, I felt free. I felt free. Like…this is me. Really me.

Chorus

It comes in waves. It comes in stages.

Soloists

I don’t know what-all inside changes. You give it all and push on through. Your fellow soldiers right beside you.

Chorus your fellow soldiers right beside you voices in cacophony completely…

Soloists

All those paths converge, completely…

camaraderie

“…belong in an essential way” “vulnerable."

“adaptation and connection”

“Walking down the corridor”

“In your midst as one who serves.”

“a need to feel like I belong.”

“powerful"

“I’ll carry you.”

“This was always in my soul.”

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“I could feel it. Tried to grasp it.”

“for my parents”

“I know what I am fghting for.”

“In your midst as one who serves.

“the produest moment of my life” “certainty"

“Rainbow rainbow”

“Don’t be blue…”

“Feel the story in their eyes”

Esprit de corp and dignity.

“I knew I was born for great things.”

“For my dad.”

“Remember me.”

“open door”

“A story worth the sacrifce.”

Soloists

All the paths converge, completely, completely

I found me.

You see the path. You take the path and suddenly you ARE the path.

Chorus

The path is a part of me… who I’m supposed to be. How do I walk, now, without purpose in my stride? I cannot hide the truths that bought me to this place.

I see your face and realize that you’re a part of me.

Chorus and Soloists

A part of me

A part of you

Soloists

But now, I’m here. That chapter’s over. The challenge is, I’m STILL that soldier. I’m stuck here.

My chapter’s over. The challenge is, I’m STILL that soldier. I’m STILL that soldier.

With stories that you need to tell.

Program Note

You made it through. You fought like hell… and landed on this other side.

Desperate for a start to guide me… t’wards a path that makes some sense

Chorus and Soloists

You’re standing in those yellow footprints! Still standing in those yellow footprints. And I SEE you. And you see me. I’m strong enough.

I’m strong enough to hold your story strong enough to hold your story

Take a step

And walk with me

Step into the myster. You can begin again… as a veteran.

You see the path. You take the path and suddenly… I am

The Path.

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The Path was commissioned by Seattle Opera for their partnership with Path with Art, an organization whose mission is to, “foster the restoration of individuals, groups, and society from the efects of trauma, through arts engagement and community building.” Written for Path with Art’s Veterans Choir, the libretto was written by Jerre Dye after conducting a series of interviews with members of the group. Jerre describes the overarching themes as, “the absolute challenge service members have with readjusting to civilian life, and the journey one takes to discover the next version of themselves.”

—Damien Geter 2022

Duration: c. 20 min.

Second printing of this edition, November 2023

Published by Just a Theory Press | www.justatheorypress.com

C ommi ssioned by Se attle O pera in coll aboration w ith the United St ate s Ar my Field B and T he Path for S oprano and B aritone S oloist s , SATB Chor us , and Piano

by Jerre D ye

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Spirite

Music by D amien G eter

Text

I can not hide the truths that bring me to

place I see your face and re a lize you ’ re walk ing next to

place. I see your face and re a lize you ’ re walk ing next to place I see your face and re a lize you ’ re walk ing next to place I see your face and re a lize you ’ re voix mixte walk ing next to

round you, all a round, all the noise

round you, all a round you

Cut through all the round all a round, a round you

round you, a round, all a round you

Cut through all the

round you ﬁnd ing what I’m meant to be

round you ﬁnd ing what you ’ re meant to be. in side this hi er arch y.

All those paths con verge Com plete ly

All those paths con verge. Com plete ly…

For approximately a minute, starting with one voice and gradually adding more voices, members of the choir will read the quotes below in no particular order creating a cacophony of voices that crescendos through the end of the minute

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i n g f o r. "

" I n y o u r m i d s t a s o n e w h o s e r v e s " " C a m a r a d e r i e " " . . . b e l o n g i n a n e s s e n t i a l w a y. " " V u l n e r a b l e . "

"A d a p t i o n a n d c o n n e c t i o n . " " Wa l k i n g d o w n t h e c o r r i d o r. "

" T h e p r o u d e s t m o m e n t o f m y l i f e " " C e r t a i n t y "

" R a i n b o w, r a i n b o w, d o n ' t b e b l u e . " " F e e l t h e s t o r y i n t h e i r e y e s . "

"A n e e d t o f e e l l i k e I b e l o n g . " " P o w e r f u l . "

" I ' l l c a r r y y o u "

" T h i s w a s a l w a y s i n m y s o u l . "

" I k n o w I w a s b o r n f o r g r e a t t h i n g s . " " F o r m y d a d . "

" R e m e m b e r m e "

" O p e n d o o r. "

"A s t o r y w o r t h t h e s a c r i f i c e . "

“Tell

“Tell me me a a bout bout your your life…” life, and I’ll tell you

“Words mine ” are no long er

“Tell me a bout your life…”

“Tell me a bout your life ”

“Words are no long er

in side me, some where wait ing ” “Cam ra der ie.”

“Deep in side me, some where wait ing.”

“Cam ra der ie ”

“Deep in side me, some where wait ing ” “Cam ra der ie ”

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“Deep in side me, some where wait ing ” “I’ll car ry

was al ways in my

feel it Tried to grasp it

“In your feel it. Tried to grasp it.”

was al ways in my soul.” “In your “I could feel it Tried to grasp it ”

“I could feel it, tried to grasp it ”

was al ways in my soul.” “In your

midst as one who ser ves ” “Rain bow,

midst as one who ser ves ” “Rain bow, rain bow don’t be blue ” “Feel the sto ry in their

midst as one who ser ves ” “Rain bow, rain bow don’t be blue ”

“I know I was born for great things ” “Re mem ber me ”

“I was born for great things ” “Re mem ber me ” “Re

“I know I was born for great things ” “Re mem ber me ”

And sud den ly you are the path.

path And sud den ly you are the path

who I’m sup posed to be. How do I walk now who I’m sup posed to be How do I walk now

I’m sup posed to be. …walk now

I’m sup posed to

with out pur pose in my stride

not hide the truths that brought me to this with out pur pose in my stride

not hide the truths that brought me to this

(no rit .)

place. I see your face and re a lize that you ’ re a part of

place I see your face and re a lize that you ’ re a part of

place. I see your face and re a lize that you ’ re a part of

place I see your face and re a lize that voix mixte you ’ re a part of

chal lenge is I’m still that sol dier. I’m still that sol

“You

Spoken: made it through. You fought like hell.”

Des

Stand ing in those yel low foot prints! Stand ing in those yel low foot prints!

yel low foot prints! Stand ing in those yel low foot prints! Stand ing in those foot prints! Stand ing in those yel low foot prints!

Stand ing in those yel low foot prints!

yel low foot prints! Stand ing in those foot prints! Stand ing in those yel low foot prints!

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