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About the Composer

Joan Szymko

Joan Szymko is widely regarded as an outstanding composer of choral music in America today. With a catalog of over 100 choral works in print, her music is sung regularly at choral festivals and competitions across North America and abroad and for nearly two decades has been heard on stage or in sessions at every...

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Joan Szymko Music

Finding Her Here

Name: Finding Her Here
SKU: JS-007
Availability: InStock

Joan Szymko

The opening line serves as an ostinato through much of this finely wrought celebration of women for women's chorus.

Choral

treble choir

a cappella

fall, secular, spring, summer, winter

Difficulty: 4

Duration: 3-5 min.

JS-007

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SSAA a cappella

Jayne R. Brown’s delightful, soulful ode to finding herself older and wiser and precious—just as she is, has been widely anthologized for good reason: It is an antidote for the daily bombardment of marketing messages and cultural pressure that tell women that they are “not enough.” The opening line, “I am becoming the woman I’ve wanted” serves as an ostinato through much of this finely wrought celebration of women for women’s chorus.

Text

I am becoming the woman I’ve wanted,
grey at the temples,
soft body, delighted,cracked up by life
with a laugh that’s known bitter
but, past it, got better,
knows she’s a survivor that
whatever comes,
she can outlast it.
I am becoming a deep
weathered basket.
I am becoming the woman I’ve longed for,
the motherly lover
with arms strong and tender,
the growing up daughter
who blushes surprises.
I am becoming full moons
and sunrises.
I find her becoming,
this woman I’ve wanted,
who knows she’ll encompass,
who knows she’s sufficient,
knows where she’s going
and travels with passion.
Who remembers she’s precious,
but knows she’s not scarce who
knows she is plenty,
plenty to share.