Castle of our Skins | Boston Public Schools Collection
Sunny Sunny Strums Strums
AboutThe Creators
COMPOSER ANDRE MYERS
Called “an insightful and skillful new voice” (Times Union), and “ingenious. . . powerful” (icareifyoulisten.com), the music of Andre Myers mixes narrative drama, poetry, and meditations on color to create work that aspires to moments of honesty, poignancy, and depth. Andre’s music has been commissioned and performed by the Albany Symphony Orchestra, the Michigan Philharmonic, Orchestra Santa Monica, and presented across the United States and Europe. A committed musical educator, Andre Myers is on the music faculty of the University of Redlands in Redlands, California. Learn more at andremyers.com.
CASTLE OF OUR SKINS
Castle of our Skins is a Black arts institution dedicated to fostering cultural curiosity and celebrating Black artistry through music. In classrooms, concert halls, and beyond, Castle of our Skins invites Black heritage and culture exploration, spotlighting both unsung and celebrated figures of past and present. Learn more about Castle of our Skins' educational and performing work by visiting www.Castleskins.org
BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
The Boston Public Schools (BPS), the birth place of public education in the United States, serves nearly 50,000 pre-kindergarten through grade 12 students in 122 schools. BPS is committed to transforming the lives of all children through exemplary teaching in a worldclass system of innovative, welcoming schools. We partner with the community, families, and students to develop in every learner the knowledge, skill, and character to excel in college, career, and life.
RISING TIDE MUSIC & ARTS
Rising Tide Music & Arts is a nonprofit organization that creates career-building opportunities for Black, Brown, Indigenous and Asian music makers and creatives. Their vision is an arts ecosystem that mirrors our country’s diverse cultural landscape. As a rising tide raises all ships, they work to raise awareness of BBIA voices in music education and throughout the creative economy. Learn more by visiting www.risingtidearts.org
GRAPHIC DESIGNER SHARON UDOH
Sharon Udoh is a Nigerian-American pianist, composer, arranger, vocalist, and graphic designer based in Chicago. Her work combines vocals that seemingly erupt from the center of the earth with a stage presence that somehow feels both dangerous and kind. Their collaborators have included clipping, Tune-Yards, Los Angeles Gay Men's Chorus, Ben Lamar Gay, and Angel Bat Dawid. His performances have been described as a warm bowl of soup, a tornado, a jalapeño pepper, a Jackson Pollock painting, a bulldozer, and magnetic. Find out more at counterfeitmadison.com
ProgramNotes
Sunny Strums: Take Care of the Earth is a ukulele ensemble piece that showcases bright, whimsical strumming patterns, highlighting the playful potential of both the instrument and the group. Dynamic swells in volume and pitch mirror the natural ebb and flow of the tides.
Sunny Strums: Take Care of the Earth
lyrics by Andre Myers
Verse 1
I see leaves falling from the trees and I wonder what that has to do with me I see water falling from the sky
I see lightning and I hear the thunder cry. I see everything, I see everything and I wonder what it means or what it’s worth until a sprout pops up through the hard concrete and reminds me to take care of the earth.
Verse 2
Winter wind blows in from the east and I wonder what that has to do with me. and the sun sets onto the west then I go to bed and try to get some rest I dream everything, I dream everything but I wonder what it means or what it’s worth until a sprout pops up through the hard concrete and reminds me to take care of the earth
Refrain
Take care of the earth
Pick up litter from the streets and from the sky. Take care of the earth
Tell the people why it matters that you try, try, try I feel everything, I feel everything I feel happy, I feel sad, and then I wonder what it’s worth until a sprout pops up through the hard concrete and reminds me to take care of the earth
copyright © 2024 by Andre Myers. All Rights Reserved.
won won der derwhat what that that has has to to do do with with me me I and see the wa sun -ter fal sets ling on - from -to the the sky west I then see I
and bed I and hear try the to thun get der some
Uke.1
Uke2
Uke2 sproutpops upthroughthe hard con-crete and re-mindsme totakecare of the earth un-til a
Uke.1
Uke2
Uke2 sproutpops upthroughthe hardconcrete - andre-mindsmetotakecare oftheearth!
RisingTideArts.org