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Product Description for SSAA and piano Refuge sets a powerful Sara Teasdale poem by the same name, which perfectly captures the healing power of singing: 'For with my singing I can make a refuge for my spirit's sake, A house of shining words, to be my fragile immortality'. Quartel uses musical structure to complement the poem'snarrative, opening and closing with music marked 'resilient and strong', with a central section that is 'warm and hopeful', as expressed by rich harmonies and soaring melodic lines. The piano underpins this expressive setting with steady continuous quaver motion, and provides characterful harmonicmoments. About the Author Sarah Quartel is a Canadian composer and educator known for her fresh and exciting approach to choral music. She celebrates the musical potential of all learners by providing singers access to engaging repertoire and transformative musical experiences. Deeply inspired by the life-changing relationships that can occur while making choral music, Sarah writes in a way that connects singer to singer, ensemble to conductor, and performer to audience. Although she has been a full-time composer since 2017, Sarah chooses to remain connected to her past as a music educator and is a guest teacher in her hometown of London, Canada. Sarah continues to work as a clinician and conductor at music education and choral events at home and abroad.
How can musical composition translate the thematic essence of Sara Teasdale’s poetry into a functional choral performance? Sarah Quartel, a Canadian composer and educator, utilizes the text of Teasdale’s poem to explore the intersection of vocal expression and emotional resilience. The work provides a structured framework for SSAA ensembles, balancing technical piano accompaniment with expressive, harmonic vocal arrangements to interpret the concept of refuge through song.
What You Will Find
Experts and choral conductors frequently identify Quartel’s work as a standard for modern educational and performance repertoires. The text is noted for its accessible yet emotionally resonant structure, making it a frequent selection for intermediate to advanced choral ensembles.
Page Count:
12
Publication Date:
2021-07-29
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0193552272
ISBN-13:
9780193552272
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