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Joan Szymko
Joan Szymko is a composer and conductor from the Pacific Northwest. With a catalog of over 100 published choral works, her music is performed by ensembles across North America and abroad. Abundant lyricism, rhythmic integrity and a vigorous attention to text are hallmarks of Szymko's diverse and distinctive choral writing. Fresh and inspiring, her text selections are as notable as her music. Especially significant is Szymko's contribution to the body of quality literature for women's voices. Her music is frequently heard at regional, national and international choral festivals and competitions. Since 2003, her music has been performed at every National Conference of the American Choral Directors Association. The ACDA recognized Szymko's lasting impact on the choral arts in America by selecting her as the recipient of the prestigious Raymond W. Brock Memorial Commission in 2010. Groups directed - Aurora ChorusOfficial Site |
Arrangements | Recordings
Displaying 1-39 of 39 items.
The gals can really ring out on this festive arrangement. To be sung in Spanish, it will add a special merriment to the holiday concert. Flute part available as a free download.
The arranger cleverly weaves together two folk lullabies of African origin: the soothing African American song, "Angels Watching Over Me" and "Abiyoyo," from the Bantu people of southern Africa. Choirs of all ages will enjoy this beautiful arrangement.
This stunning 2010 Raymond Brock Commission for ACDA concludes with the text: "All works of love are works of peace." Joan Szymko is at her best as she takes the text from Mother Teresa and sets it to music, building and weaving beautiful lines to create drama and passion.
Written for a large, adult women's choir, the Aurora Chorus, Joan has crafted a piece that explores the full dynamic range and the subtle emotions that a mature women's choir can deliver.
Rich textures, close harmonies, a fresh setting for the four-part women's choir.
Composer: John Newton
The famous "Song of Solomon" text is joined by the text of the hymn tune "At the River". A dramatic piece with colorful support added by the piano. With minimal divisi most of which is in octaves, and conservative ranges, this piece is accessible to the average choir.
All the beauty of Renaissance vocal lines in a dramatic, contemporary setting. Conservative ranges will allow many age groups to enjoy this beautiful piece.
Inspired after a visit to Assisi, the composer uses as text the Italian version of the beloved Blessing of St Francis, "The Lord Bless You and Keep You." The beginning and ending of the piece feature a beautiful unison melody; the middle section divides briefly into 4 parts for a dramatic contrast.
Set to an ancient Latin text that proclaims, "seize the day," composer Szymko is at her creative best, offering lots of drama as the piece unfolds. Tambourine part available as a free download.
A modified round with added descant and hand clapping, this piece is loaded with excitement and spirit.
The composer's creativity never ceases to amaze. She discovered the text for this piece when researching the Celtic ritual Imbolc for a Candlemas choral presentation. Her notes explain: The Imbolc festival, celebrated at the very first signs of spring was originally dedicated to the goddess Brigid. Brigid is a triple goddess. The Goddess Triad archetype is found in many ancient Indo-European cultures, as well as in some mythologies of Africa and Asia.
This sprightly piece celebrates something we all love on a cold winter's day: the crackling logs in the fireplace. A colorful piano accompaniment adds great interest to the clever melodic realization of the text as it describes the various kinds of logs and how they react when lit.
Joan's music beautifully captures the hope, promise, and contentment of being here and having what we need and want. The solo violin part is included in the choral score and requires an accomplished player.
The opening unison chant is first contrasted by vigorous rhythmic sections, then developed with masterful weaving of the vocal line. A must for outstanding treble choirs.
An art song for the choir, beautifully crafted and inspired. Set to a poem by Hafiz.
The famous text is set to a beautiful melody with a dramatic buildup midway emphasizing the powerful meaning herein. Suitable for all ages of treble choirs; some unison, some two-part, and some four-part writing.
A provocative text combining the sentiment of Psalm 121 (I lift my eyes to the hills), with a quote from the Vietnamese Buddhist Monk Thich Naht Hanh (I am solid as a mountain). The composer opens the piece with a beautiful unison melody set to the biblical text. In typical Szymko style, we are treated to a dramatic exploration of the theme, a harmonization of the original melody, and finally a strong statement to end the piece.
A provocative text combining the sentiment of Psalm 121 (I lift my eyes to the hills), with a quote from the Vietnamese Buddhist Monk Thich Naht Hanh (I am solid as a mountain). The composer opens the piece with a beautiful unison melody set to the biblical text. In typical Szymko style, we are treated to a dramatic exploration of the theme, a harmonization of the original melody, and finally a strong statement to end the piece.
The recording, done in a reverberant hall, provides the best description of this outstanding piece. The text is one of the oldest prayers of St. Francis of Assisi. The composer states: "My intention was to create a setting both spacious and intimate." She has succeeded beautifully.
The familiar African saying, "It takes a village to raise a child," is given an African-style treatment. A great closer, this piece is a proven audience favorite.
Ever seeking dramatic texts, for this piece the composer chose an excerpt from text traditionally held to have been inscribed on the breastplate, or "lorica," of Saint Patrick. As we have come to expect from Szymko, the drama of the music brings the text to brilliant and colorful fruition. Flute part available as a free download.
Always stylish and highly creative, composer Szymko has great fun with this e e cummings poem.
Saint Teresa of Avila, Spain authored the sixteenth century sacred text, here rendered both in Spanish and in English. The accompanying cello first plays in the style of a guitar, then in a lyric counterpoint to the drama of the voices. Cello part available as a free download.
The text, taken from a sermon by Martin Luther King, Jr.: "Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction." Composer Szymko shows her skill and compassion with the artistic setting of this powerful text.
Composer Szymko had great fun with this the third piece of the set titled "This Wonderful Feeling." The word painting is extensive and highly dramatic, the conclusion rousing supported by the marimba and the percussion instruments. Marimba and percussion parts available as a free download.
Famous statements of Eleanor Roosevelt provide the text for this inspiring piece. The dramatic writing of Joan Szymko vividly brings the text to life. A special showpiece for the women's choir.
With her great sensitivity to text, the composer has created a musical painting of Amy Lowell's touching poem. Anyone who has experienced romantic love will relate to the message and enjoy the expressive melodies that abound in this piece.
Wendell Berry's poem offers respite from the "despair of the world" in the peace found in nature. Composer Szymko does an outstanding job connectng the music to the spirit of the text. A dramatic piece for women's choirs.
The composer paints a musical picture with this setting of a Wendell Berry poem. The piece begins dramatically with a reading of the short but poignant poem above a quiet choral underlay that creates the mysterious mood of the dark.
Wendell Berry's poem inspires us to imagine the extreme reaches of the "holy spirit." As always, Joan Szymko perfectly captures the sense of the text to bring us a dramatic piece.
The text consists of Virtutes, literally, "moral virtues," the name given to the short statements inscribed (primarily in Latin) on church tower bells in medieval times. Bells rang outward, chasing away the evil spirits that were believed to hover over the rooftops, and upward, as prayers to the heavens. Not only were church bells rung to ward off evil spirits, but to protect the faithful from storms, fires, human enemies and disease. The handbell part is available as a free download.
At times woven like a tapestry, other times in rich harmonic texture or simply in unison, this is a masterful setting of this long-time favorite Scottish ballad.
Country: Scotland
From the notes by the composer: I am an admirer of traditional West African music, with its direct simplicity and wonderful rhythmic complexity. I have composed an original piece of music with text excerpts from "The Pulse of Life" by Catherine De Vinck interwoven with the dominant Lambango lyric: "Ye Jaliya-o, Allah le ka Jaliya da" (Oh music, God created music.) The "you are the heart, you are the sound...." "Pulse of Life" chant begins as an undercurrent that rises and falls until it overtakes the piece. The rhythms in this piece are clearly African influenced, as is its tonality. The raised fourth (C sharp) is characteristic of Sauta, one of the kora traditional tunings. The kora is a 21 string harp-lute played by the griots as a lead instrument. Percussion part is available as a free download.
Inspired by the sensitive, imaginative text, the composer has painted a glorious picture with soaring melodies, building to a dramatic climax, supported along the way by an artistic piano accompaniment. Wonderful for the large choir.
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