New for unison or 2-part treble choir: The Promise of Liberty

Announcing a new work for unison or 2-part treble choir: The Promise of Liberty, an adaptation of the sonnet The New Colossus by Emma Lazarus (1883) ("Give me your tired, your poor ..."). The Larazus sonnet was written to raise money for the construction of the Statue of Liberty's pedestal and has graced the entrance to the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor since 1945. The chorus of The Promise of Liberty is adapted from the Lazarus sonnet, while the verses are new.

The Promise of Liberty is designed for flexibility:
--It may be sung unaccompanied or with piano or guitar accompaniment.
--An mp3 of the piano accompaniment is available on request.
--All verses are unison.
--The chorus may be sung in unison or 2-part harmony.
--The final chorus has an optional descant.
--The conductor may invite the audience to join in the final chorus.

Jenny Price, Washington State ACDA Repertoire & Standard Chair, Children's Choirs, says the piece "provides many performance options, as well as many teachable moments. From learning to recognize an AB form, following 1st and 2nd endings, repeat signs, duple rhythms, descant and other young choral vocabulary words, your kids will learn to read a choral score and learn about compositional form, not to mention the history of the Statue of Liberty. Add the variations to the chorus and other performance options, and you have a great new patriotic number for audiences to enjoy."

Abigail Ramstad, elementary music teacher in Everett, Washington, says, "The Promise of Liberty is a beautiful piece with a wonderful message for children. The unique setting will be interesting for audiences and a 'good learn' for your students."

The complete text and a demo recording are available on my website (gregbartholomew.com). Interested choral directors should request a pdf perusal copy of the score.

--Greg Bartholomew