UMKC 2025 Reading Session by MusicSpoke

UMKC CONSERVATORY CHORAL CONDUCTING SYMPOSIUM

In collaboration with MusicSpoke

June 30 - July 2, 2025

Reading Session

Symposium Faculty

Dr. Charles Robinson

UMKC Conservatory

Dr. Jennifer Sengin

UMKC Conservatory

Dr. Sandra Snow

Michigan State University

Phone & FAX: 844.687.7653 • Email: notes@musicspoke.com

P.O. Box 10026 | Kansas City, MO 64171

UMKC Conservatory

Choral Conductiong Symposium 2025 Reasing Session

Quantity Printed* Digital

My Heart’s In The Highlands | Zachary J. Moore | SATB

Senzeni na/Khaya la bazali bam | Thabo Matshego | SATB

Dum Spiro Spero | Andrea Ramsey | SSA

In Flanders Fields | Kolby Van Camp | TB

City of Fountains | Kurt Knecht | SSAA

Winter Stars | Valerie Crescenz | SATB

If Ye Love Me | Tim Brent | SSAATTB

Psalm 61 | Zanaida Robles | SATB divisi

Morir non può il mio cuore | ed. Liza Calisesi Maidens | SATB

We Are Timeless | Moira Smiley | SAA

* If ordering printed scores, shipping will be added to the invoice

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UMKC 2025

For SATB with piano, snare drum, and violin

Duration: 3:53

My Heart's In The Highlands

ZACHARY J. MOORE

Due to his broad popularity and cultural importance, Robert Burns (1759 – 1796) is often dubbed the national poet of Scotland. In fact, around January 25th, Burns Night is celebrated annually to honor his many contributions to the Scottish culture. Burns had a clear love and devotion for his country and that can be seen in his poem, My Heart’s in The Highlands.

While studying this text, the idea of an anthem immediately came to mind. Because of this, simple chord progressions, strong ascending melodies, and secondary dominant chords are used to embody the style of an anthem. The composition starts with a subtle buzz of energy as a soloist delivers the opening chorus. As the piece unfolds, the music builds and becomes more dramatic to reflect the overwhelming emotion found in Burns’ words. At measure 68 the music and words embody a steadfast love for the highlands. To reflect this notion, a snare drum is used to symbolize an unwavering march within one’s heart. This all builds to the climax at measure 84 when the text exclaims, “my heart’s in the highlands!”

Beyond an anthem, the poem is clearly a farewell. Saying “goodbye” to a place one loves can be difficult. When it is time to spread our wings and fly, we have an idea of where life will take us, but the winds of fate often take us in unexpected directions. We go off to school, to new jobs, or search for new adventures. Sometimes those adventures are simply down the road, while others may be thousands of miles away. But no matter how far one is taken from home, that connection is never truly lost. For whether one’s home is a country, a choir, close friends, or family – that home will always exist in one’s heart wherever they go.

Performance Notes:

Although the snare drum dynamics are written loudly, they should still be balanced with the choir and not overpower the choir.

My Heart's in The Highlands

My heart's in the Highlands, my heart is not here, My heart's in the Highlands, a-chasing the deer; Chasing the wild-deer, and following the roe, My heart's in the Highlands, wherever I go.

UMKC 2025

Farewell to the Highlands, farewell to the North, The birth-place of Valour, the country of Worth; Wherever I wander, wherever I rove, The hills of the Highlands forever I love.

Farewell to the mountains, high-cover'd with snow, Farewell to the straths and green vallies below; Farewell to the forests and wild-hanging woods, Farewell to the torrents and loud-pouring floods.

My heart's in the Highlands, my heart is not here, My heart's in the Highlands, a-chasing the deer; Chasing the wild-deer, and following the roe, My heart's in the Highlands, wherever I go.

- Robert Burns (1759 - 1796)

Words

by:

Robert Burn

dedicated to the Plano Civic Chorus and their 50th anniversary Ralph Stannard, conductor

My Heart's in The Highlands

for SATB with Piano, Violin and Snare Drum

Duration: ca 3:53

Music by: Zachary J. Moore

& & V ? & ?

highlands, my

V & & V ? &

T raditional Afr ican S ongs, Ar ranged by T habo Matshego, T ranscr ibed by Peter Brown

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To Coda

Senzeni na/ Khaya la bazali bam medley

Lyrics

Senzeni na, senzeni na

Senzeni na, senzeni na (What have we done)

Khaya, Khaya ( Home, home)

Khaya la bazali bam (My parents home)

Khaya, Khaya ( Home, home)

Khaya la bazali bam (My parents home)

Sengikhumbula ikhaya labazli Bam (I miss my parents home)

O mama no baba bangishiya ngsese mncane

(My mother and Father left me when I was still young)

O mama no baba bangishiya ngsese mncane (My mother and Father left me when I was still young)

Extended translation

What have we done to deserve this plight

I miss my parents home, my mother and father left me when I was young

UMKC 2025

Text: Latin phrase of unknown origin; State motto of South Carolina

Commisioned by the Niceville High School Chorus Catherine Feazell, conductor

Dum Spiro Spero

(While I breathe, I hope)

SSA Chorus with Piano

Music by Andrea Ramsey

b b b b b

Tempo primo ( q»120 - 136 )

spi ro

b b b b b b b b b b

dum

b b b b b b b b b b

dum spi ro spe ro, dum

Tempo primo ( q»120 - 136 )

A bit slower, rubato

molto legato molto legato molto legato

molto legato

A bit slower, rubato

UMKC 2025

Dum

Tempo primo ( q»120 - 136

& ?

b b b b b

b b b b b b b b b b

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To my relative, Cpl Francis Mar ion Fierce (1887-1959) and all those who made the ultimate sacr ifice dur ing the 'Great War' Commissioned by Dr Joshua J Oppenheim for the Fresno State University "Real Men Sing" festival, September 13-14, 2018 Ar rangement for cello, piano, and male chor us is offered humbly to my mentor and fr iend, Dr Chr istopher Smith and to my brothers in Alleg ro con Spir ito for their perfor mance at the 2019 National ACDA Conver ntion in the Kauffman Center for the Perfor ming Ar ts, Kansas City, MO

Dr John McCrae (1872-1918)

Gently, with r ubato q = ca. 60

In Flander s Fields

Kolby Van Camp

Gently, with r ubato q = ca. 60

Flan der s - ﬁelds the pop pies - blow* be tween - the cross es - row on row, that mark our

And in the sky the larks, still brave ly - sing ing ,

place, that mark our place; and in the sky the larks, still brave ly - sing ing , -

guns be low - We

are the Dead Shor t days a go - we lived, felt

guns be low. - We

are the Dead. Shor t days a go - we lived, felt

loved, and now we lie, in

loved, and now we lie,

In Flander s Fields

friend, Hilary

City of Fountains kurt

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sha la la la la la

sha la la la

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sha

Winter Stars

written to commeorate the 100th anniversary of the end of World War

& V ? &

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Soprano Alto

Tenor

Bass

Piano

Valerie Showers Crescenz, ASCAP

Sara Teasdale

& V ? & ?

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& V ? & ?

& & V ? & ?

Performance Time: c. 4:00

Performance Notes

John 14: 15-17

If ye love me

Keep my commandments.

And I will pray the Father.

And He shall give you

Another comforter.

That He may bide with you forever.

E’en the sp’rit of truth.

This response to Thomas Tallis’s iconic setting of this text was commissioned by the Amor Artis choral ensemble of New York City under the direction of Dr. Ryan Brandau and premiered in March 2022.

The piece begins by presenting Tallis’s original opening phrase “If Ye Love me, keep my commandments” establishing the harmonic and melodic framework from which the piece will depart.

The soprano solo enters at m5, at which point the harmonic material begins to expand and the texture thickens. The incorporation of the soprano saxophone adds remnants of Tallis’s original melody as a soloistic voice superimposed with the new melodic and harmonic material that is present in the vocal score.

UMKC 2025

There are many independent phrase entrances that will require singers to be confident when the harmonic shifts might not always be diatonic. In particular, m25 has a dramatic harmonic shift to the key of Cb which needs to be anticipated by all voice parts, but basses in particular, as they execute the Bb to Cb interval that lays the foundation for that phrase.

Attention to all dynamics is crucial to deliver the most emotional and captivating performance possible.

This piece works very well when paired with the original Tallis setting of the text. Thank you to Thomas Tallis for inspiring this work.

Tim Brent

John 14: 15-17

If Ye Love Me

SSAATBB a cappella with soprano saxophone

Inspired by Thomas Tallis

For Amor Artis 2020 Dr. Ryan Brandau, director

Tim Brent

UMKC 2025

& & & V

& &

e'en the

sp'rit of truth,

e'en the

of truth,

e'en the

sp'rit of truth,

e'en the

of truth,

e'en the

sp'rit of truth,

e'en the

UMKC 2025

of truth,

e'en the

sp'rit of truth,

e'en the

of truth,

e'en the

sp'rit of truth,

e'en the

www.ZanaidaRobles.com

Music

SATB divisi Chorus, Soprano Soloists, a cappella

About the Composer

Dr. Zanaida Stewart Robles (b. 1979) is an award-winning Black American female composer, vocalist, and teacher. She is a fierce advocate for diversity and inclusion in music education and performance. Authentic interpersonal connection and relationship-building are core principles of her

teaching and performance methods. Born, raised, and educated in Southern California on the unceded lands of the Gabrielino-Tongva people, she is in demand as a composer, vocalist, clinician and adjudicator for competitions, festivals, and conferences related to choral and solo vocal music.

Dr. Robles’s original music has been performed by professional ensembles, community choirs, educational institutions, churches, and individuals worldwide. Her works are published by Stewart Robles Music, Music Spoke, E.B. Marks Music, Pavane Publishing, Stainer and Bell and Hinshaw Music. Her compositional style can be described as energized, soulful, contrapuntal, harmonically colorful, rhythmically driven, heavily modal, occasionally with African elements and touches of progressive rock.

Dr. Robles holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the USC Thornton School of Music, a Master of Music degree from CSU Northridge, a Bachelor of Music degree from CSU Long Beach, and she is a graduate of the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts.

Psalm 61

SATB divisi Chorus, Soprano Soloists, a cappella

Slow, pleasingly ( q»64 )

Soprano Alto

cry,

Slow, pleasingly ( q»64 )

Piano (for rehearsal only)

ZANAIDA STEWART ROBLES

lis

UMKC 2025

Morir non può il mio cuore

for SATB choir

UMKC 2025

edited by Liza Calisesi Maidens

Maddalena Casulana (c. 1544 – c. 1590)

Historical and Performance Notes

What composers come to mind when thinking about 16th-century Italian madrigals? Marenzio… Gesualdo… Monteverdi? Let’s add Maddalena Casulana (c. 1544 – c. 1590) to the list. Born in Siena, educated in Florence, a composer in Venice, she holds the title of the first woman to publish her own musical compositions. However, much of her music has remained underperformed, most likely due to persistent patterns in classical music that have kept women and other historically excluded people in the shadows of the choral canon.

Casulana published five books of madrigals and dedicated her first book of madrigals to her patron, Isabella de Medici, noting that she wanted “to show the world the futile error of men who believe themselves patrons of the high gifts of intellect, which according to them cannot also be held in the same way by women.”

Maddalena Casulana’s work is becoming more widely available and Morir non può il mio cuore is just one example. It features attractive Renaissance modes of expression with its striking text painting and interchange of homophony and accessible imitative polyphony It is a wonderful addition to an SATB choral program, a gateway into teaching Italian madrigals, and an opportunity to position this trailblazing composer closer towards the center of our choral canon. This performance edition includes articulation and dynamic markings, as well as the text and translation. For more information visit lizacm.com.

Text and Translation

Morir non può il mio cuore from Il Desiderio, Primo libro (1566)

Morir non può 'l mio cuore

E ucciderlo vorrei poi che vi piace

Ma trar non si può fuore

UMKC 2025

Dal petto vostr' ove gran tempo giace, Ed uccidendol' io come desio, So che morreste voi morend' anch'io.

My heart cannot die

And I would like to kill it, since that would please you but it can’t be ripped from your breast where it has rested so long; if I were to kill it—as I want to— I know my death would be your death too.

rei, poi che vi pia

Il Desiderio libro primo (1566)

Maddalena Casulana c. 1544-1590

ed. Liza Calisesi Maidens

2 Morir non può il mio cuore

voi, mor re ste voi, mor

WE ARE TIMELESS SAA + Piano

by Moira Smiley

A fierce, hopeful anthem celebrating LGBTQIA experience and joy. Commissioned by Mirabai and Denver Women’s Cho rus

CHORUS

For we are timeless, we are far, we are near. We are alive beyond the poison of fear We are all stronger when we are open and true You with me, me with you.

VERSE - CHANT

I am alive in the 21st century, everyone said to me Ooh, child, you may be unlucky to be born now, but be calm, child. Many things are wrong, child, so try to get along, put your head down…. watch out for the bully! Oh! They say I’m just a girl, just a boy, don’t play with that toy! But I come to know what I love more than what I hate Do not negotiate who I am, who I love, what I’m made of And if you say you hate me that’s all you, not me I’m sorry someone lied and told you what you couldn’t be Have they never seen a rainbow? So many colors in a rainbow. Have they never seen a rainbow? They don’t know… They don’t know…

VERSE 2

I came to you, my guardian angels With hope that you would see all of me When I was shunned away to darkness And I yearned for chosen family.

I found myself through community Bloomed into a glorious me I stand on the shoulders of my elders Who fought so I could live to be free We need every color in the rainbow

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P n o

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P n o

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n e e d e ve r y - c o l o r - i n t h e r a i n b o w -

We n e e d e ve r y - c o l o r - i n t h e r a i n b o w - We

n e e d e ve r y - c o l o r - i n t h e r a i n b o w - We n e e d e ve r y - c o l o r - i n t h e r a i n b o w - We

n e e d e ve r y - c o l o r - i n t h e r a i n b o w -

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S 1 A 1

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n e e d f e ve r y - c o l o r -

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i s

p o i s o n - o f fe a r

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S S A A d i v + B P, C o m m i s s i o n e d b y M i r a b a i & D e n ve r Wo m e n ' s C h o r u s , 2 0 2 3

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B P t h e n v o i c e s b a r 2

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C H O R U S 1 /

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c l c l c l a p c l a p c l a p c l a p + s to m p 2 /

4 4

s to m p s to m p

c l c l c l a p c l a p c l a p s to m p s to m p

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c l c l

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c l c l

c l a p c l a p c l a p s t s t s t s t s to m p

c l c l c l a p c l a p c l a p s to m p s t s t s t /

V E R S E 2 - S 1 + A 1 L e a d /

s to m p s to m p s to m p s to m p s to m p s to m p

B R I D G E / 2 3

s to m p ! s to m p ! s to m p ! s to m p ! 3

P R E - C H O R U S 2

C H O R U S 3 /

s to m p

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c l c l s t . c l . s t . c l . s t . c l . s to m p c l c l s t . c l . s t . c l . s t . c l .

c l c l s t . c l s t . c l s t . c l s to m p c l c l s t . c l s t . c l s t . c l s to m p c l c l s t . c l s t . c l s t . c l s to m p c l c l s t . c l s t . c l s t . c l /

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2 4 4 4 3 4 4 4 4 4 2 4 4 4 4 4 /

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S u p po r t L i v i n g A r t