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Mari Esabel Valverde
Mari Esabel Valverde
Wondrous Glow
Inspired by the shining galaxy, we acknowledge that we, too, are made of “stardust” and that in our various colors and shades, we, too, inspire.
for SATB chorus a cappella (div.)
Beginning with a call to action, “Wondrous Glow” carries listeners through sonic portraits, invoking images of divinity and incandescence, and concludes in a feeling of wonder. Inspired by the shining galaxy, we acknowledge that we, too, are made of “stardust” and that in our various colors and shades, we, too, inspire.
Composer’s Notes
Beginning with a call to action, “Wondrous Glow” carries listeners through sonic portraits, invoking images of divinity and incandescence, and concludes in a feeling of wonder. This work features a variety of choral textures from polyphonous entanglements to soulful solos soaring above harmonically rich homophony. Inspired by the shining galaxy, its message is a declaration of self-love that encourages us to acknowledge that we, too, are made of “stardust” and that in our various colors and shades we, too, inspire.
Winner of their 10th Annual Commission Competition, it was commissioned by Boston Choral Ensemble, under the leadership of Andrew Shenton, for their program “Rainbow Connection” in celebration of Pride Month 2018.
-Mari Esabel Valverde
Text
today collect the dazzling shelter of flowers
stitch a crown large enough for the globe
fragrant enough for satellites to lift their noses
take the prayer of night into your arms
as she sleeps, breathe with her
breathe with the night
there are times when there is nothing
left to do, but create
form the unseen into a tangible communion
of stardust, place the galaxy on your tongue
let your mouth be a wondrous glow
your words a beacon
when everything is lost
imagine yourself as more than an earth-
quaking body a gift
the streaking tail of a comet
become that which holds your eye
that which makes you gasp
-Amir Rabiyah
“Grand Design” Copyright © 2014. Used with Permission of the Author.
About the poet:
Amir Rabiyah is a queer, trans, mixed race, disabled poet, educator, and librarian currently living in Central Pennsylvania. They are the author of Prayers for My 17th Chromosome, published by Sibling Rivalry Press in November 2017, and co-editor of Writing the Walls Down: A Convergence of LGBTQ Voices, published by Trans-Genre Press in October 2015. Amir writes about living with chronic pain and illness, war, trauma, spirituality, healing, redemption — and speaks on silenced places. Their other works have been published in Mizna, 580 Split, Flicker and Spark: A Contemporary Queer Anthology of Spoken Word and Poetry, Enizagam, Troubling the Line: Trans and Genderqueer Poetry and Poetics, The Asian American Literary Review, Kweli Journal, Sukoon, Collective Brightness: LGBTIQ Poets on Faith, Religion and Spirituality and more. Amir is a three-time VONA (Voices of our Nations) fellow. They were a finalist in the 2008 Joy Harjo Poetry contest, the 2012 Enizagam poetry contest, and the Atlanta Review’s 2013 poetry contest.
Amir has travelled extensively all over the United States leading workshops and sharing their stories and poems. In 2009, Amir had the privilege of being an STP with June Jordan’s Poetry for the People program at UC Berkeley where they supported emerging poets develop their craft and deepen their voice. Amir has participated in residencies at the Kimmel Nelson Harding Center in Nebraska, the Guapamacátaro Center for Art and Ecology in Michoacán, Mexico, and more. For more information or to contact Amir, visit www.AmirRabiyah.com.
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Look Down, Fair Moon (SSA)
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Winter Ride
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