Halfway There



Newman

HALFWAY THERE songs

full score

poems by Kate Baer soprano, string quartet, piano

OK

FEEL

GOOD

MUSIC

Kate Baer's poetry sings with a beautiful mixture of vulnerability, evocative imagery, celebration, and humor. This set of songs was happily made for my longtime friend Emily Martin, with whom I've musically collaborated since we were (so very) young, and who was literally my rst commissioner when I was 18 years old. The work—performable with piano, or piano and string quartet—is lovingly dedicated to her and to our long musical history.

1. Idea -----------------------1 2. To Take Back a Life ------15 3. Moon Song ---------------23 4. Halfway There ------------30

INSTRUMENTATION Soprano Violin 1 Violin 2 Viola Cello Piano

DURATION ca. 12’

RECORDING Halfway There | Albany Records (2026) Emily Martin, soprano | Alan Johnson, piano | Tesla Quartet

www.jonathannewman.com

OK

fi



ABOUT HALFWAY THERE

FEEL

GOOD

MUSIC

Idea

Moon Song

I will enjoy this life. I will open it

You are not an evergreen, unchanged

like a peach in season, suck the juice

by the pitiless snow. You are not a photo,

from every nger, run my tongue over

a brand, a character written for sex or

my chin. I will not worry about clichés

house or show. You do not have to choose

or uninvited guests peering in my windows.

one or the other: a dream or a dreamer, the

I will love and be loved. Save and be saved

bird or the birder. You may be a woman of

a thousand times. I will let the want into

commotion and quiet. Magic and brain.

my body, bless the heat under my skin.

My life, I will not waste it. I will enjoy this life.

You can be a mother and a poet. A wife and a lover. You can dance on the graves you dug on Tuesday, pulling out the bones of yourself you began to miss. You can be the sun and the moon. The dance a victory song.

To Take Back a Life

Halfway There

First, you must learn desire. Hold its

Whatever happens,

fruit in your hands. Unmarry it from

you are free to go. Free

the hunger to be held, to be wanted, to

to peel off what's left of this story and choose

be called from the streets like the family

another. It is not

dog. You are not a good girl. You are not

too late.

somebody's otherness. This is not a dress

It is de nitely worth the trouble.

rehearsal before a better kind of life.

Remember the story of the lion Pick up your heavy burdens and leave

lost without his courage.

them at the gate. I will hold the door for

Too scare, full of fury,

you.

the great wizard standing in the emerald tower, knowing the lion was already brave.

texts used by kind permission of Kate Baer and Harper Collins

fi

OK

fi



TEXTS

FEEL

GOOD

MUSIC

for Emily Martin

HALFWAY THERE

KATE BAER

Idea

Big-time showtune  = ca. 69

    

Soprano

    I

 Violin 1

   

will

       

Violin 2

   

Viola

    

      Violoncello  

    

-













-

-



-

-

       

      

   

gliss.

en

    





Piano



1st Edition (2026)

con molto Ped.

-

  

joy





this life.









                                         

                               

Big-time showtune  = ca. 69

                 

JONATHAN NEWMAN

  

    

i ss gl

   

.

 

Copyright © 2025 by Jonathan Newman, OK Feel Good Music (ASCAP)

 

  

 

 

2

4



HALFWAY THERE

 

    I











       

  

will

op

    

    

    

     

       





          







      

                      4

    

  

  

  

-



en





      

it



like

    



                                                                                                                

        

  





  

  

a

        

  

          

 



          

 





 

HALFWAY THERE

3

A



8

       peach





in

sea - son,

    





suck

            

                



 

 

   

           

     





     



                   ( )  



                  8  

 

 

   the juice

 from



ev - er - y

                                                       

                                     

 

A

gliss.

      

                           

 



                 

      

  

4

HALFWAY THERE

       

12

    



fing - er,





     

run





my

tongue

         



                              



     

     







         

     





        

                               



                    12  

 

    

 

     

   

 

  



ov - er

my

chin.

I





     

   





   





        



 









 

 

 

 







 



      

 





     

                                                         

HALFWAY THERE

5

B 16



 



will







      

 not

wor - ry





ab - out

  



cli - chés

or

un

 -

in

-

    

                               

              

    

  

                          

               

  







 

 





         



16

ss gli

 

.



    

  

                    

B

   

      

                  

   

 

 

   



 

 

  

              



 

      

  





  

   

   

6

19



HALFWAY THERE

   







- vit - ed



           





 

  

        19

 

guests







   



 







 

peer





 

   



-

ing

     





    

in

my

wind - ows.





  





   

 







      





  



 



                  









      

   

   

 

   

      

  

 

  









 

 

 

                                 

     

     

HALFWAY THERE

21

      



     

will

  



   



         

   

          





            









                        

          ( )   



love

           



21

    

    

               



C

( )

I

7

   



  

        



    





be

      





           





   

              

 

              





and

    

     

  

                         

      



 

     



 

            

 

C

ss gli

.



8

HALFWAY THERE

        

24







    

  

loved,



      



                                                

 

    



 



 



 





 



    



                                                            24





and

be

    



save

                    

               



    

   



   



 

                 

    

 

    



   

   

            

 



  

 



HALFWAY THERE





 

   



saved









a







   



   





 

 

  







27

 





     

  





 



 

    

           





 



  

 

  

   



  



  



     



thous

      



27

9

-

















   

   





-

-

and

                    

    

    



 







    

    

   





 

      

    



 







 

 





 

 

 

times.

                                     

  

10

HALFWAY THERE

D

        

30

I



will

      

let



   

 

         

      

 



      









    

the want

in - to

   









                

      

D

ss gli



  

my

bod - y,



 







                    30 

    

       





                        

      



  

    





      

  

.

    

    

  con Ped.



             

 

 



     

          



      



    

 

 

   

 

 

      

   

33

 

bless







the heat

11

             



un - der my skin.





  





                   

 





HALFWAY THERE

 

 





    









  

                   33  

  





 

 

  

  

 

My

                           

             

 

                       ( )                        ( ) 

                                        

      

 









  

 

 

  

 





 

12

HALFWAY THERE

E

      

36

 



 



 

life,





 



     



  

   

 

   

   

   

      







E



I

 

   

               36  



    

 







 



 



 



  

    





  

   



 will

 not



 



   

 



 





 



    





 



  

  

     





     

       

     

  

 

   

  

HALFWAY THERE

    

38







  

 

  

waste

it.

 

 

  

poco allarg.

 

I









will

gliss .



en

-

-



 

  

       

       

  

  

    





 

                        

              38 



  

 

         

 



 

   

    





  















  

               

poco allarg.

 

      cresc.



 

   



 

 

    

   

     

    

-

 

  

 

  

-

 

     

  

  

13

s. glis

 

14

HALFWAY THERE

a tempo

 41      







 



 

           

            

           



   41





                     



                  





               cresc. 

                   





              cresc.

                   







           

  cresc.                cresc. 





a tempo

      



this life.

          

  



       

                                             

  

            

 

     

       



- joy

 cresc.   

HALFWAY THERE

15

To Take Back a Life Adagio  = 60

 Violin 1

Violin 2 Viola Violoncello





Soprano



 



 



 

    espr.  











 











 

 





























I





Adagio  = 60

Piano



             

 







 

  



   





    



sim., con molto Ped.

F 7

  

 









   

First,





   





 ()

II



you must



 )   





    



learn





de -























 

(



   espr.  







 

 F



     



  



   7

     ()     



 



  



   



 

16 13



HALFWAY THERE

  

 



 

    

- sire.













           















19



   











 





  



    



its

fruit

in





your



 

   



    









hands.









  

   



   



 









    





 13







      



Hold

 Un







 

           









  





 

  



  

  





mar

ry

it

                 







-



-

 





    









from

the





   





  



      

 





 



19





     







 











HALFWAY THERE



23

 



hun -





  



 



 





 



to







be

held,







    

   



    



 



 



 





be







want

 -

ed,

   

 



  







                

 



   

   

     

poco cresc.

   

   

  

    

23

     to





  

 

  

 

     28

be

 

 

   



     

        





  

    sub.   



      



 



 



from the

streets

like the

fam

        







-

i

 -



    

    

   

 





 

dim.

called







to



  



28



  



 

G





 

- ger

   

G

17

    

             

        

ly

18

HALFWAY THERE

33



  dog.





        cresc.



  cresc.    cresc. 



   cresc.     

 

H

 

     

 

You

are

not

a

       

      

   

 





  

   



 



 



         

 

  

     

 



 

 

 



good

girl.

              to the fore

H



  























 





 

                

     









  

  

 



33

37



 



        



       cresc.



 

               37



       You

are



 





 







  

         

   



   

          





not

  









             

                          



    

some - bod - y’s





























                  

 

HALFWAY THERE

42





oth - er - ness.



 





  





   

    

 

   



      





         



 

This

is

not







 



  





  



   



   



a

      dress re - hear

-

sal





     LH 

 







 







42

  



 be





     



48



 

  

  



      

19

-







fore

a

bet



















   



     48 









 



 

 

-

     

ter



kind

 of

 













 







 







  



20

HALFWAY THERE

I

52

 

















life.



 



  

    espr.

II















 

52















I

 

  

 



  



    



  







Ped. as beg.



 











I









Pick

up

 ()





    





your heav - y





  burd - ens









and





























 

I

















     



   



58

    

III



 





    ()       





  

 espr.

58









  espr.

 espr.





as before

     ()     





  



   





HALFWAY THERE 64



  

 

leave









them

at

the

gate.



 







      



  

  









   





 













  cresc.   cresc.   cresc.











    





      cresc.     



   



 

  

    

64

70   

 

I

will

     

 





       

hold



the

door









 



                  





  







 



 

 



 



J

 

 

  





      

 

                                       

          

70





   for



                 

J









 cresc.

            





 



    





 

21





22

HALFWAY THERE

  

74

  

 





you.



    

      

















  

   79



 

  

 

















     







































      









      () 

 





 







pizz.

pizz.

         74







  

79

pizz.



 espr.

   





  espr.







 

 



  

arco

 





arco

  arco

 

         





 

   

     

HALFWAY THERE

23

Moon Song Andante ( = ca. 76–80)

Violin 1

       

Violin 2

     

Viola

      

6      

 

   



 







 











  

 



 



  





K

















 











 







 



 



 











  

  

 



 

 

 





 



















are

not

an

ev

-

 -





 













 



er - green,

































 K

 



una corda con molto Ped.





 contantly flowing          12



 

  





 







You







 



 





6

  













   





 











espr.

  

12



         

Violoncello



 

















 













 

 

 

 



 





24

HALFWAY THERE



 







  



 



17



 un -



 











- changed

by

the

pi





 

     



17

 

         You

          



     



     





 



  

 

 

















 







 



 

 



 

 



      



      

are

  

       

not a pho - to,

 

 

  

 



  





















 





    



         

a brand,











L

                     22

snow.

ti - less







 



tres corda

L



-





 

      



 



-



22





   

  

 

  

  

 

a char - ac - ter

          

 





 



 

  

 





  

 



 

  

 

  

     

 

     

                 



HALFWAY THERE

    

           

28

writ - ten for sex



                             



              

























 

house



or

show.















   



You do not

have

to choose

               

       









   



 



 

   

 

   

     

    

or

  





cresc. poco a poco

 

   



    sim. 

  cresc. poco a poco

         

      sim.



dream

  

or

    





       

       













   



a dream - er,

the



 





      



 

cresc. poco a poco

 

a



      

  

 (cresc.)         

the o - ther:



 

                 33



  



one

        

      



 cresc. poco a poco      

     





    

28

33



or

25

  

 

 





   





   

      

 

 

26

HALFWAY THERE













37

          bird









 ()

 ()



   

 

   

 

  





      





 

      

  

     

 





er.

   

















   

  

    



 

M

You



 

 



    may be

   a





wo - man

                 

of com - mo

-

-

tion

and qui - et.

  











  











 











 









 

M

 

   

 



 

 



  

        

   



  



 

 



41



una corda

     





   

37

41



-



   



 

the bird



 ()

 



or



 



  

HALFWAY THERE

     

         

46



Mag





  



  

  









 

     

46

tres corda

 



ic and

 

cresc.





  



  



 



 



 



   

 







 



  









 



  





 



  

  



  





 





 

can

be

po

a moth - er









and



a

















 



      

 

 







-



     a

 



 





     

wife

           





    



 

  

        



         



   

et



 

 

  

 









     

51

  







You

       



    

brain.

III



you



 

     

51

-





IV

  

 

-

27

and

a

        



   





 

 

 

28

55



HALFWAY THERE

 

N





   lov - er.



       





 

     



   





   

cresc. poco a poco









 



   

 





                        59  

  

 



 





   





   

     

 



   





  

      

  

    you

  

 

      



    

     

     

be - gan to miss.





 

 

(cresc.)

your - self











of



  

       

   

 

bones





cresc. poco a poco

pul - ling



    

   

the

you dug on Tues - day,







  

out

the graves



  

sim.



on



cresc. poco a poco



dance

      

 



                          cresc. poco sim. a poco 

         55









59

can

cresc. poco a poco

         () 

N









 



You

  

      

        



  

 

         

  





    



 

       

HALFWAY THERE

63

 







   







can be

the

 





    



  



 









moon.

and







 









 





 





 

 



 

    

  



The



 









 









  











     

      



























 

con Ped as before

rallentando



   

  



   













  

song.



  











           

rallentando

 

 

 

  

 



 

 

        

 



   













  

the





  

68



sun







a victor - y



  



  







dance





       

       O                           

    63



You



   

68





   

 



 







 

 



 



O

29

       

   

  



dim.

    

 

   

   

         

 

  

30

HALFWAY THERE

Halfway There Moderate ( = 112–116)

 

Soprano









           Violin 2               Viola            Violoncello   Moderate ( = 112–116) Violin 1

Piano

6

  









 



      

     



 







   

   

  

con Ped.

    

   

are

 



  

   



  

  

to

     poco

 

    

 

  

     

   poco

                         



free

 

 





 

pens

 



poco



-







  

hap

   



  

  

What - ev - er

  



 

you







   



  



     

poco

                       

   

         

6





go

      

 





 

 

   

    

  

   

 

         

 



  

                     

 

 

  

HALFWAY THERE

 

P

10

  

   





Free



  

           

 

 

 

          

  

               10  

 





 -

-

-



 

















 



y



 



to

peel







 

what’s

left

of

 



 

 

  



 



 

 

  



 

   



 



     





and

choose

        

  

            



 



 this









   

  

  

    

  

      15

 

  

  





 

15

stor

 



 

LH

P





31



poco

  



an





 





 



 

 





            

 

      

-

 

-

oth

   -

er.

        



                      

32

HALFWAY THERE

   



    cresc. 





 

















  

 



 



cresc.









  

   cresc.  



 



  



 

  

 

    

 

















not

too

late.

  





 





  





 

         Q



                     

 







           

     







It

is

 



 

 



 





 



 





loco



Q

 

    

 

  

25



         

 







20









 

25



  









8va both hands

20

         



  

 

    

It

is

def -

- i - nite - ly

    



 

 







  

  

   

 

 

   





         

HALFWAY THERE

 

29



  worth



 

the

  

  

     







  

  

 

  











   

 espr.  

  



  

 

 



         







  



 











 











 









    

  







  

 -

 

   

ble.



R

   





  

Re - mem



-



     

29

 

-





                  

35

 

trou

  

33





ber

 the



        



       

  

 sto

-

 



   



of

the

 







ry

    

    

 

 

  

 





      

      



R



            35



  



  

 



34

40



HALFWAY THERE

  li

 -

-

-



                  



40

  

 











 

  

 



 



espr.







 



 

  



- out

his

cour

 

  

 

 

     

 

  

 





   -

   ()

 







   



age

Too

     

 

 

  

 

        

 

 







 with -

  

  





  

  







 

     

     



S

          

  

 

 

                      45







  

 



lost





45



on

 

 

-

   

 

  

   

S

   

               



 cresc. poco a poco

      

   



full

of

scared,

  



     

















 

    





   

 



     

 

    



        

 



HALFWAY THERE

        fu



 



-



-

-

-



 

  











 

 





 









  



















  

ard















 













great









 



 



 

 

wiz



a tempo



     

the



           

 

 



   



  

T

                          54









      



-

 

 

T

-



 



50

wiz



poco rit.

   









  







a tempo



 



54



the

 

                  



 

ry,

 

    





-

      

poco rit.

 

50

35

        

  

-





    -





ard

 

    

                      

36

HALFWAY THERE

   

57

stand



 

 -

-

-

ing

  

 

  

60



 



   

        U

        60   

 



tow -







   

in

the

em





 





 





  





  

   -

-

er - ald



 

 

 





 

 

 





 

 

 



 

 

 









                                        cresc. poco a poco                           57    U





 

     







         



 

-

-

-

-

 -

 



 



 



 

 



 



           



-

 -

 



 



                   

-

 - er,



  





 



 



 



               

 



know - ing





   

 the



 

 

 



 

 



                



HALFWAY THERE 64

 

  li -





 





  

was

al

 





 



 



 

  

   

   



   



   

a tempo

    

-

-

-

rea

-

-





 





 





 





 

  





  

  





  



 





    -

                                     lunga

  rall.











brave.



 



 



 



 



 





     





    68

 











a tempo

























 

 

 





 





 



 







rall.

 

 

 

       

LH



dy

                                                         

  

64

-

  



  

68

-

    



 

  

  



 

    



(ossia)

- on





 

   

37 lunga

            