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About the Composer
Timothy C. Takach
Timothy C. Takach Publications
Together, Unafraid
Takach’s touching piece is created from students’ shared feelings of connection with others, self-doubt, the responsibility on their generation to fix a broken world, and a strong hope for the future.
SSA, piano
Your treble choir will love singing this touching piece created from students’ shared feelings of connection with others, self-doubt, the responsibility on their generation to fix a broken world, and a strong hope for the future. Poet William Reichard used conversations and writing prompts with the singers to craft a poem that reflects their own hopes and fears for this world and the society they inherit. Timothy C. Takach has set the text beautifully in “Together, Unafraid” with repeating melodic figures and motives while also using the structure of the piece to push forward and move from doubt to unity and hope as “A road emerges through the fog. We move forward, together, unafraid.”
Composer’s Notes
So many times when I consider the text for a new piece it’s either a solitary decision on my own, or a collaborative effort between the conductor and myself. Most of the time the decision is simply which existing poem suits a particular project. In “Together, Unafraid,” the whole process hinged upon the students in the choir.
I received a grant from the MN State Arts Board that allowed me to work with the students throughout the process. In our first step the students chose the poet they wanted to work with out of 3 Minnesota poets. We read anonymous samples of their work, and after a lengthy discussion the students chose to work with William Reichard. I wanted to write a piece that reflected what they wanted to say, what they wanted to sing, so I had them talk with Bill, sharing responses to many discussion prompts that he gave them. “Together, Unafraid” includes some of their shared feelings of connection with others, self-doubt, the responsibility on their generation to fix a broken world, and a strong hope for the future.
– Timothy C. Takach, 2023
From the Poet:
Creating this text was a new experience for me. Though I’ve collaborated with Tim Takach several times, this was the first time that I collaborated with him and with the high school choir that commissioned the piece. Tim and I agreed, from the start, that we would both talk with the students in the choir before we attempted to write/compose anything for them. Our goal was to create lyrics and music that accurately reflected their hopes, dreams, fears, and visions. After meeting with the students, I made a first draft of the lyrics. Tim looked at them, offered a critique, and over the next few days we traded drafts back and forth. In the end, I think we came up with the right words and music, a piece that offers an accurate reflection of the students themselves.
– William Reichard, 2023
Text
In sleep, my shadow, lost like a bird,
pushes against the night’s unbroken seams.
It tries to fly out of the darkness
but finds no path to follow.
As I wake, I praise all those I love.
The dawn releases me from my burden of dreams.
You look at me, silently, your eyes filled with light.
We clasp hands and our love is bright as the sun.
We pass through a quiet grove, your hand in mine.
I love the world’s beautiful imperfections.
As autumn days grow shorter, I’m filled with doubt.
The darkness becomes an affliction.
The torn world demands all of my attention,
but I dream of a mended planet, a lasting peace.
I hear music from unseen rooms.
When I open my hands, light blooms like a flower.
Surrounded by uncountable stars,
our shadows meld and we grow radiant.
We move more beautifully through each day,
and we forgive every sorrow.
A road emerges through the fog. We cannot see its end.
We move forward, together, unafraid.
– William Reichard, commissioned for this piece. Used with permission.
$2.15 per licensed PDF
Music from Timothy C. Takach Publications
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Back to the Heart
Difficulty: 1Duration: less than 3 min. -
Ghosts
Difficulty: 2Duration: less than 3 min. -
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