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Tracy Wong
Tracy Wong Series
Kira!
This playful composition for 3-part treble choir and percussion is a nod to Malay folk songs that merge counting/play (common in some childhood games) and sage advice.
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Kira!
3-part treble, percussion (any hand drum available to the choir).
Download includes audio pronunciation track.
Movement is optional for this piece. If interested, do reach out to the composer about movement suggestions! Please contact Tracy Wong (info@tracywongmusic.com) if you have any questions about the music!
Composer’s Notes
Kira = count
This playful composition for 3-part treble choir and percussion is a nod to Malay folk songs that merge counting/play (common in some childhood games) and sage advice. It also celebrates elders in my larger Malaysian community who impart life teachings to young people in a fun and accessible way. I am drawn to this tradition for its beauty in having music as a form of intergenerational community building.
The work features word and vocal play merged with folkloric elements – quartal harmonies, dance-like rhythms, and shifting tonality – that are spun through a musically-contemporary lens. Besides counting-singing from one to eight in Malay, the text is based on a few well-known Malay proverbs.
I am grateful to the Colorado Children’s Chorale and Emily Crile (Artistic Director) for commissioning me to create this work for their Spring 2023 concert – Time to Shine. It is an honour to be a part of this meaningful collaboration.
– Tracy Wong, January 2023
Text
Satu, dua, tia, empat, lima, enam, tujuh, lapan
[satu duwa tɪga əmpat limə ənam tudʒɔh lapan]
One, two three, four, five , six, seven, eight
Sediakan payung sebelum hujan
[sədijakan pajʊŋ səbəlʊm hudʒan]
prepare your umbrella before it rains
Bersusah-susah dahulu, bersenang-senang kemudian
[bərsusah susah dahulu bərsənaŋ sənaŋ kəmudijan]
Hardship now, ease later (your struggles now will pay off in the future)
Yang bulat tak datang menggojlek, pipih tak datang melayang
[yaŋ bulat ta’ dataŋ məŋgolɛk, yaŋ pipɪh ta’ dataŋ məlajang]
Work hard for what you want.
Round things don’t roll by themselves, flat and thin things don’t fly by themselves.
– Tracy Wong / Malay Proverbs
For the performance of this piece, words with * indicate that singers should sustain on the consonant instead of a long vowel (eg. lapan*, payung*). Please refer to the composer’s sung recording of this piece.
$2.50 per licensed PDF
