Scored for: SSAATTBB & piano
Level: Challenging
Duration: 12 mins
Other Info: The choral suite Kites, Cards and Constellations was commissioned by the Blanco family for the tenth Anniversary of Mark Blanco's death. The work was first performed by St Martin's Voices with Will Todd at Westminster Cathedral Hall as part of a celebration of Mark's life and a reflection of the last ten years in 2016. The work is featured on a new disc by The Bach Choir on the Signum Classics label entitled Lights, Stories, Noise, Dreams, Love and Noodles.
I worked with Mark Blanco’s mother Sheila (a tireless advocate for justice in the tragic case of her son’s death) to try and find a way to express something about the life of Mark (who I never knew). Sheila gave me lots of great anecdotes and stories and also supplied some reminiscences of Mark’s friends and family. Gradually as I mixed these ideas up the final text emerged as a tribute to Mark. In the premiere performance I added a live improvisation. I have now transcribed this and added it as the third section: Memories.
Will Todd
1.Kites
Kites high, high in the sky blue sky
Kites dancing with me
Driven by the wind.
Pulling me,
Leading me,
Changing me,
Teaching me,
(High, high, high)
I learn to read the wind
And where the wind goes,
Eternity is waiting.
Driven by the wind.
Pulling me,
Leading me,
Changing me,
Teaching me.
2.Cards
Dung do do do
Dum ba dung
Ka do do do
Ga do ga
Da dum dum dum
Dun ga ding
Shuffle the deck,
Pick a card
I’ll show you a trick
Show you a great trick
Take you on a magical journey
Illusions: Holding us for a brief moment,
The wonder of it, the surprise.
Shuffle the deck,
Pick a card
I’ll show you a trick
Show you a great trick
Cards full of patterns, chaos,
Full deck, mixed up deck
Everything makes sense in a magic trick.
3. Memories
(transcription of live improvisation from premiere performance)
4. Constellations
The stars are bright and so are you
On a clear night all is clear,
All is understood
When I look up into the dark,
Brilliant, unfathomable Universe
I see magical patterns,
Logical impossibilities.
Questions no one will ever answer.
I am so small but love makes me magnificent
Reaching out and burning into infinity
Like a star,
Like a brilliant star
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Music is available as a hard copy or a downloadable PDF with a license to make a single copy.
Vocal Score ISMN 9790570701476, Catalogue number TP701476