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About the Composer
Jocelyn Hagen
JH Music (Jocelyn Hagen)
Who We Are
An emotional piece that allows us to see the wonder and freedom in who we are.
SATB divisi choir, piano
This tender setting of an incredible poem by Freya Manfred shows us that we can be many things, and the relationship with ourselves is an ever-changing and lifelong journey.
Composer’s Notes
It can be a difficult and painful journey discovering who we are. When we are young I think there is a lot of pressure, both external and internal, to figure out who we are meant to be. What do I want to do when I “grow up?” Who are my friends? What do I strongly believe in? It has been helpful for me to recognize that our relationship with ourselves is a long journey ~ one that never really ends, and it is never too late to “begin again.” One label I have always been comfortable with is that of “singer.” I sing when I’m happy, and when I’m sad, and when I’m frustrated. The act of singing is therapeutic to me. I’m guessing that for many of the singers on the stage in front of you, that it is true for them as well.
My favorite musical moment of this work is definitely the climax. The choir joins forces singing in unison, then branches out into harmony, sustaining an incredibly long phrase that I don’t believe any of them could make on a single breath. They have to stagger their breathing, taking breaths when their neighbor is not, so the sound from the choir continues to sustain and grow even while they catch their breath. It is a depiction of the power of unity: we can’t do this by ourselves, but we can do it when we come together. Such a great metaphor for life, don’t you think?
-Jocelyn Hagen
Text
The more you say you don’t know who you are,
the more I know you are.
Part rock, part river, part tree.
Part roots of grass, seeking beyond you and me.
Part earth, sky, and raging sea.
Part yolk and part shell.
Part moon’s scars and sun’s burnt glory.
Part word, part page, and part book.
Part inner space and part outer space.
Part first breath, and last.
Part you, and me, and all of us, moving as one.
But call out the names of everyone and every thing
and there will always be one thread, one fiber,
that is forever you —
a flavor, or color, a tick of the tock,
often unseen or unheard,
a single musical note, a song and a summons.
~ Freya Manfred (Loon in Late November Water)
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