New Music - "America Belongs to Us"
Donation protected
What does it mean to be an American?
Let's start a conversation.
The Holland Chorale , Ars Voce , and the West Michigan Flute Orchestra are commissioning a new piece of music that asserts "America Belongs to Us." Yes, all of us... no matter our ethnicity, skin color, religion, or gender. With text by Latino American, Oliver Mayer, and music by Los Angeles-based composer, Jenni Brandon, this piece will be a powerful ending to our series of concerts Music of the Americas: a Musical Travelogue. To our knowledge, this is the very first piece written for flute orchestra and chorus!
Our event will be three performances in three cities:
- October 16, 7:30 p.m. in Battle Creek
- October 17, 7:30 p.m. in Holland
- October 18, 3:00 p.m. in Grand Rapids
The concerts will include a soundscape of the Americas - music from North, Central, and South America and will conclude with 75 voices and 50 flutes! Latino community organizations will attend and participate in the conversation.
We need your help in making this vision a reality. Our original goal was $4500 for this project. We have already raised $1500! Will you help? Any donation is appreciated.
Please read the beautiful text by Oliver Mayer written for us:
America belongs to us (America nos pertenece a nosotros)
Every day we make it ours
Sweat and skin (Sudor y piel)
The tax we pay
Midnight tears (Lagrimas)
The mortgage due
We form a human bridge (un puente humano) across The scar that separates us (a traves de la cicatriz)
Each time (Cada vez) we cross the Wall
Comes down (un poco mas) a little more
Each year (Cada anyo) our roots extend
A little more on either side (un poco mas)
Wherever we were born (Donde nacimos)
Wherever we have been (Donde vivimos)
Leaving love behind
We find new love
Leaving roots behind
We grow new shoots
Our family tree grows down
And up (arriba y abajo), un-bordered, free
Until, no longer foreigners,
We call home here
No longer immigrants
We make this ours
Do not forget our history (no debemos olvidar nuestra historia)
Do not forget our mystery (no debemos olvidar nuestro misterio)
America is more than walls
America is more than scars
America’s a living thing
America belongs to all of us
- Oliver Mayer (12/26/2014)
Join us and join the conversation.
Let's start a conversation.
The Holland Chorale , Ars Voce , and the West Michigan Flute Orchestra are commissioning a new piece of music that asserts "America Belongs to Us." Yes, all of us... no matter our ethnicity, skin color, religion, or gender. With text by Latino American, Oliver Mayer, and music by Los Angeles-based composer, Jenni Brandon, this piece will be a powerful ending to our series of concerts Music of the Americas: a Musical Travelogue. To our knowledge, this is the very first piece written for flute orchestra and chorus!
Our event will be three performances in three cities:
- October 16, 7:30 p.m. in Battle Creek
- October 17, 7:30 p.m. in Holland
- October 18, 3:00 p.m. in Grand Rapids
The concerts will include a soundscape of the Americas - music from North, Central, and South America and will conclude with 75 voices and 50 flutes! Latino community organizations will attend and participate in the conversation.
We need your help in making this vision a reality. Our original goal was $4500 for this project. We have already raised $1500! Will you help? Any donation is appreciated.
Please read the beautiful text by Oliver Mayer written for us:
America belongs to us (America nos pertenece a nosotros)
Every day we make it ours
Sweat and skin (Sudor y piel)
The tax we pay
Midnight tears (Lagrimas)
The mortgage due
We form a human bridge (un puente humano) across The scar that separates us (a traves de la cicatriz)
Each time (Cada vez) we cross the Wall
Comes down (un poco mas) a little more
Each year (Cada anyo) our roots extend
A little more on either side (un poco mas)
Wherever we were born (Donde nacimos)
Wherever we have been (Donde vivimos)
Leaving love behind
We find new love
Leaving roots behind
We grow new shoots
Our family tree grows down
And up (arriba y abajo), un-bordered, free
Until, no longer foreigners,
We call home here
No longer immigrants
We make this ours
Do not forget our history (no debemos olvidar nuestra historia)
Do not forget our mystery (no debemos olvidar nuestro misterio)
America is more than walls
America is more than scars
America’s a living thing
America belongs to all of us
- Oliver Mayer (12/26/2014)
Join us and join the conversation.
Organizer
Meredith Y. Bowen
Organizer
Holland, MI