SKU: BT.MUSM570368679

Isthmus denotes a narrow strip of land with sea on either side, forming a link between two larger ars of land. The title is a metaphor for an effort to bond artistically my experiences of living in Cyprus, my birthplace, and in the USA, my recently adopted homeland. Having lived in a small, partitioned island for my formative years and in England for eleven years, water has always had a double meaning: it has at once served as a gateway to other cultures but also as a border, a violent and absolute interruption of a continuum. While in the USA, or indeed in a now connected Europe, it is possible to travel on land for days without having to encounter a border, in the countries where I lived for most of my life, that was not possible. As an artist, this notion of establishing boundaries and consciously trying to break them is very close to me, as my music deals both with modernity but also with tradition and, similarly, with metaphor and reality. As a Cypriot, the sea, the world of antiquity, the mysteries of the oracles, the notion of borders and the pastoral are all very central to my way of thinking. In Cyprus, different layers of history are frequently superimposed on a single building that might still preserve its Roman, Byzantine, Venetian and Ottoman features in its layers of stone and architecture. Similarly, ancient ruins or the barbed wire of modern conflict often interrupt placid fields. An isthmus, therefore, can be seen to symbolize my artistic struggle to join strikingly different experiences and notions in a cohesive way. Similar to an isthmus, in this short piece, I connect these experiences with the purpose of creating a distinct and unique sonic context, connecting technology and tradition, the pastoral with the urban, the musical with the extra-musical and the abstract with the concrete. For example, the choir does not always sing in the traditional sense, but the singers imitate various natural sounds, such as water, air, crickets or birds, to create a vivid visual impression for the work. Scandinavian herding calls blend with field recordings from the seas of Cyprus and the lakes of Upstate New York, communicated within clearly defined, singular acoustic sources and spaces through wireless speakers. The text used is both onomatopoeic, articulating an imaginary language, but also literal, with a setting of the poem, “To make a prairie” by the iconic American poet Emily Dickinson and a tiny fragment from Callimachus’ “Hymn to Demeter.” Technology is used sparsely and very intentionally to articulate the expressive qualities of pastoral imagery, creating one unified synthetic timbre with the choristers’ sounds. This piece is dedicated to the wonderful singers of the Georgia Institute of Technology Chamber Choir with special thanks to Professors Hsu and Ulrich, without whose support this composition would not have been possible. Practical notes: A choir of no less than 24 singers is sought with 4 additional soloists (2 Sopranos and 2 Altos). Each singer must have their own wireless speaker, secured either in the music folder or as a strap inside their shirts. All sounds must match in volume the sound from the speakers, creating one unified timbre. The speakers should not be noticeable to the public. The four soloists are placed offstage at the beginning of the work. From 1:35’ onwards they enter the hall and take their positions, ideally at the four corners of the hall. If the hall is too large, the singers can find alternate positions, but these should always be antiphonal. The four soloists sing predominantly in the “kulning” style and the antiphonal aspect is very important to the work. There are two sound files for each section (SATB) that are triggered by each singer’s mobile device. The first occurs at the start of the piece, and the second, about a minute before the end. The sound files are able to be purchased separately, on CD, or are available directly from UYMP.

SKU: GI.G-9035

UPC: 785147903505. English. Text Source: Stream of Life, verse 69 from Gitanjali, 1912. Text by Rabindranath Tagore.

I have recently been incredibly inspired by the writings of the great Bengali mystic Rabindranath Tagore, whose monumental collection of poetry Gitanjali won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913. This book introduces the reader to a new awareness of the world that surrounds us, deepening the connection between nature and the human spirit that we all yearn for. Verse 69 is particularly joyful and life-affirming: an ecstatic realization of the energies that move in ceaseless ebb and flow through us, our lives, and our natural environment. Each individual line of this verse has a unique character and color, so I have placed each in a key that I feel suits the mood of the text. The constantly flowing ostinati that weave their way throughout are collectively a musical representation of the “stream of life” to which Tagore refers. This flowing line can be found even in the subdued third line of text, which makes reference to the “ocean-cradle of birth and of death.” In similar fashion, the more complex rhythmic cells found within the stream (e.g., measures 21–40) are a product of Tagore’s ecstatic tone. Ultimately this piece is simply meant to be an expression of joy. It is dedicated with great admiration to the commissioning ensemble, the Fort Myers High School Greenwave Singers, and their conductor Matt Koller. This tremendous ensemble is a prime example of choral music education in practice in the United States, and I feel honored to have been given this opportunity to work with them. —Thomas LaVoy.

SKU: HL.2050301

UPC: 797242269899. 6.75x10.5x0.221 inches.

The haunting words reach to us from antiquity.“The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, 'This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.' In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me.' For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.” - I Corinthians 11:23-26Remember. Remember. As commanded, the Israelites have retold the story of the faithfulness of their God for centuries. They have recounted how the blood of the lamb protected them from the angel of death. The world is on the brink of eternal change now, because it is Jesus, the Christ who is saying remember. Remember the things I taught you, remember the trials and the triumphs, remember the promises and the prayers, remember the bread and the wine. God will reclaim His people and it will be forever inscribed on their hearts, sealed by the Master, in His own blood. Remember. Once you encounter the Master, how could you ever forget?

SKU: JK.19990

Hebrews 9:28, John 14:6*** Some Janice Kapp Perry products may require a few days additional shipping time. Thank you!

46 new hymns, inspired by the General Conference addresses of Elder Jeffry R. Holland. (October 1994 - April 2017).
Collection includes:
All Ye Who Watch the Master's Sheep
Are the Heavens Truly Open?
Are We Not All Beggars?
As an Ensign to the Nations
A Sinless, Pure and Holy Man
Be Clean, Oh House of Israel
Be Not Afraid, But Be Believing
Bless Me to Be a Little More Like Thee
Do You Love Me?
Christ Can Heal the Broken Hearted
ever We'll Remember
For God Loves Us With All His Heart
For God So Loved the World
God Has Raised Up Noble Daughters
God will Never Leave the Weary
He Will Bring Rest to Your Soul
His More Excellent Way
Holy Father, King of Heaven
How Fair Upon the Mountain
I Am a Child of Destiny
I Bear My Witness of the Lord
In Heaven There Is a Law
Inviting All to Come to Christ
I Testify
I Would Be Thy True Disciple
let Not Your Heart Be Troubled
Let Thy Word Be In Our Hearts
Lord, Accept My Humble Offering
Lord, I Believe
Lord, I'll Strive to Live Worthy of Thy Love
Lord, We Pray For All the Children
May We Have the Tongues of Angels
My Life is Not My Own
None Were With Him
Oh Come Ye Heavy Laden Come
Our Faith Unites Us With One Heart
The Keys of the Kingdom
The Love of God Is Without End
The Mother of All Living
The Words of God Will Never Cease
The Worth of Souls Is Great Indeed
Through a Thousand Generations
To the Rising Generation
Who Will Now Speak For the Widow?
Wilt Thou, Lord, In Me Abide
You Can Always Come Back Home
Composer: Janice Kapp Perry
Lyricist: David B. Larsen
Reference: Hebrews 9:28, John 14:6
*** Some Janice Kapp Perry products may require a few days additional shipping time. Thank you!