Thompson | Amadou Diallo (SATB)

E

Amadou Diallo

SC O

R

from Seven Last Words of the Unarmed for SATB chorus and piano

PE

R

U SA

L

Joel Thompson 2014

PROGRAM NOTE

SC O

R

E

is piece is the third movement of Seven Last Words of the Unarmed, an elegiac choral setting of the last words of unarmed Black men unjustly killed by authority gures. Of the last sayings in the piece, Amadou’s words are the only ones uttered away from the point of death: “Mom, I’m going to college” were the last words he shared with his mother over the phone. He had saved enough money to nally ful ll his dream of pursuing a degree in computer science.

Despite Amadou’s tragic death after being shot at 41 times, his last words should be sung with hope. It is my dream that, in doing so, we can transform Amadou’s hope into our com-mitment to nd every opportunity we can to actively create a more just and equitable world.

PE

R

U SA

L

With love, Joel ompson

Duration: ca. 2 minutes 30 seconds

Dedicated to the victims and their families, to Dr. Laura Emiko Soltis, Dr. Eugene Rogers, and Andre Dowell for their inspiration, wisdom, and support, and to the Sphinx Organization for changing lives through music

Amadou Diallo from Seven Last Words of the Unarmed for SATB chorus and piano Joel ompson (2014)

With calm ( = ca. 72)



Mom,

                  

-

Solo





ing

R



PE



go



                   



U SA

   

Solo



L

   

5

E

R

  Solo *   3



               

SC O



                          





 I’m

               







               

7

   





 

Mom,









        

 

  





 I’m

               

* e soloist may be drawn from any voice group; or may be a separate singer entirely.

Copyright © 2021 by Joel ompson (BMI). All Rights Reserved.

Published by Just a eory Press | www.justatheorypress.com

14 November 2024

Amadou Diallo

2

go

          



     



      

     

13

-

-

 

 

R



-

-

-



-

lege.

 



 

  





 

 

  

  





 

  



Mom

 



Mom



 



Mom



                      

-

            

PE





 

E

col



  

 

R

11

   

 

to







ing

  

  B 





      



T

-



        

   

  S  

A



SC O





L

Solo



   

U SA

Solo

9

 



Mom

               



Amadou Diallo

3

15



   

T



   

go





I’m

go





I’m

go





I’m

go





U SA







PE







R







I’m

                   17

T





 -

ing

 -



ing

 -



ing

 -





ing

SC O

   

  S   

A





L







E

   

A

B



R

  S   

   B 







               

 





Mom

 







Mom

 





Mom





 



Mom

       

          

  



        

 

 

  

Amadou Diallo 19

   S  









I’m

   

A

go







   



 



 

  











   B 





R -

ing

               



   

to

col



   

to

col



   

to

col



   

to

col

U SA

PE

T





ing



go

        

R



A





I’m

21

  S   



-

SC O



   







ing



go

L

   B 

-



I’m

ing



go





-



I’m

T



E

4

 -

-

 -

      -

 -

-

-

-





-

-

 -

-

-

-

 

 -

-

 

 -

-

 -

-

-

-

-

 

 -

-

-

-

-

                                                       

Amadou Diallo

5

23

   S   









- lege.

to

    

A









- lege.















SC O

- lege.

U SA

25



col -

   







col

  



to

col

  



to

col

- lege

PE

    col

-

   



 



 

- lege

         

lege



col -



-



    

       

 

 







B





to





  

 



to

R col -

T



 

  

- lege



        



L

                          

   S  

A



R

     



 to

E

- lege.

B

 to

    

T



 -

-

lege

 -

-



lege

  -

-



lege



to

col



                   



-



-



    

lege



 



Amadou Diallo

6

rit.

28   S   A   T  B

  

a tempo

















































E

R

SC O







                                                            31       Solo           Mom,

I’m



34

     

A

L

 

   

  

   

      



-

 

ing…

  

  

      

mm



    



    

 

mm

  

T

 



PE

S





R

   

Solo

U SA



 

     

                

go

 

mm



    



 B     



 



 

 

  

 

mm







  

 

        

   