Join Our Consortium!
We’re commissioning Reginal Wright and Joshua Shank to write new pieces for Graphite, and we want you to be involved! Reginal is a rising star and our 2024 cover story of Take Note. Josh is one of our longest running and successful artistic partners since the beginning of Graphite Publishing in 2006.
Key details
SATB no divisi and piano
4-5 minutes
Medium Difficulty: Ideal for high school and community groups! Limited divisi, unaccompanied, or with independent accompaniment (voice parts not doubled), many chromatics, phrases of varying lengths, more contrapuntal textures, moderately complex rhythms, some difficult intervals (disjunct motion), moderately difficult/challenging ranges, extended techniques are potentially challenging, and some sustained singing.
Dates and deadlines
- The deadline to sign up has passed.
- Delivery of both pieces along with rehearsal tracks: August 15, 2025
RIGHTS
The commissioning members of this consortium have the exclusive rights to perform these pieces through June 2026. Beyond that date, conductors have the non-exclusive right to program these works with the commissioning ensembles in perpetuity.
Pricing
$325 (buy-in for both pieces). Includes practice tracks.
Texts
“Alchemy” by Tony Silvestri
To be set by Reginal Wright
We live in a world of endless need;
Safeguard your inner light,
Lest its shadows consume you.
Learn to use wisely your sacred fire,
So the world knows only your joy.
Stir the embers of possibility,
The ashes of yesterday’s failure.
To conjure takes an act of courage,
To set alight a fragile new song.
Tend the flames carefully.
Lift intention ever higher!
Feed and tend the sacred fire!
Act upon your heart’s desire
And heal the broken world.
Into the nothing pour your heart!
Use your power, make a start!
Manifest your bliss, your art,
And fill the world with beauty!
“In shadows, wisdom” by John Grantham
To be set by Joshua Shank
Athena turned ’round her head
like a night owl on the sly
and looked up behind her
as gold Apollo crossed the sky,
riding with his four coursers’
flying gilded manes and hooves.
Their silver flanks and quarters
thunder across the earth’s blue roof.
The rhythm of their beat
stamps a lyric all their own,
blood coursing with the heat
of the sun-disk they all towed.
The she-god of the wise
observes this cloud-streaked scene,
the man-god shining out,
casting shadows ’round Athene.
Apollo’s path is sinking low
as the winter months advance.
The frost now blurs his glow
and bare forests fall into trance.
It’s in this creeping night
that Athena finds her time.
She draws her wisdom in twilight,
no need for blinding light up high.
For she shines not with a sun.
Instead she lights her own pathway.
By her craft and wits she’ll run
her own trail she blazed today.
FAQs
Can I perform these pieces in 2027 instead?
You can perform these pieces whenever you’d like! Commissioning ensembles have no obligation to perform the piece during the exclusivity period.
Can I buy in for just one of the pieces in the consortium?
At this time, this opportunity is structured to support both works. Two pieces provide you with more programming options and opportunities for premieres!
How should we define “premiere?”
This is the first ever performance of a work in your community whether that be regional or city-based. We cannot guarantee proximity of other premieres of these works, so we encourage you to use the term “local premiere” in your marketing efforts.
Is the consortium fee refundable?
The consortium fee is non-refundable; please take that into account when you sign the agreement.
Is it possible to workshop with the composers as a part of this consortium?
We would be happy to connect you directly to Reginal and Josh to inquire about availability and details. Additional costs would be negotiated directly with the composers.
Have another question that hasn’t been answered here? Please reach out to info@graphitepublishing.com.
