Basic Information

Instrumentation: Treble voice and piano
Duration: 3:30
Year composed: 2024

Description

I was grateful to have the opportunity to write an art song for White Snake Projects’ Sing Out Strong concert series, a multi-year community-based project in which we reach out to ordinary people in their community and commission them to write texts on activist themes that resonate with them personally. 2024’s theme, Emancipated Voices, had authors explore the the theme “voting as freedom”. My goal was to capture author Ivete Souza’s powerful feelings about voting – amazement at the idea of voting, disconnection before she was able to take part in elections, joy and recognition of its grave importance upon receiving citizenship. I hope I did her words justice!

Lyrics

I was six years old
When I first realized that one day
I could vote

I’ll never forget that day, November 1
When I watched my parents get ready
To go to vote

They said, “Election day is a very special day
It’s when each one of us, each ordinary person
Can express our desire to make our country better”

When I came to America
I missed the right to vote
I didn’t feel like I was part of this great country
Without the right to vote

I heard my parents say, “Election day is a very special day
It’s when each one of us, each ordinary person
Has a chance to make our country better”

I finally became a citizen of America
As I took the citizenship oath
My heart bursting with pride and joy
I felt I was part of this great country
I had the right to vote

“Election day is a very special day
It’s when each one of us, each ordinary person
Can do our part to forge the destiny of our country

— Ivete Souza

Score & Recording

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