Requiem and Reckoning: The Gun Mass
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Do they sicken you? They sicken me, and have done for years.
I am a musician by training, a poet by accident, and Anglo-Catholic by creed. Following the slaughter at Robb Elementary School in May of 2022, I was no longer content merely to wring my hands, and what we are now calling The Gun Mass was born.
Background
During a pre-COVID stint with The Arcadian Singers of Oxford, I was fortunate to befriend composer and musical director Jamie Powe. You can read up about Jamie and his work here:
We have written a new choral work. Jamie has set my text—a mass of lament for those who have perished in American school shootings—for SATB double choir and soloists. Any artist releasing new work unavoidably releases it to interpretation, but this piece is not intended to be a political statement. It is an expression of deep mourning, a liturgical and artistic response to hatred and violence, and a human response to shattering loss of life.
What's Happening
An international collaboration, The Gun Mass is set to debut with the Arcadian Singers of Oxford and the Conservatory Choir of Shenandoah University in the spring of 2023, with premieres occuring on both sides of the pond. The mass runs about 16 minutes total and consists of 5 movements, functioning as a Missa Brevis. Both concerts will host a donation space for gun violence charities.
If you are interested in the text, you can also find it in the Dublin Periodical, Cassandra Voices
About the Choirs
'Founded in 1976 as a madrigal choir, the Arcadian Singers is Oxford’s premier independent chamber choir, providing a platform for young singers and excellent music-making.' Read more about the Arcadians here: http://www.arcadiansingers.co.uk/?fbclid=IwAR3yiUwSOprPB3zn2j-dTgp8Pm9QxUfNoAkkH1Y7urXcsDOZneEXA69uKDA
'The Conservatory Choir is Shenandoah University’s premier chamber choral ensemble, specializing in a cappella vocal music from the Golden Age of the European Renaissance to the most cutting-edge contemporary choral compositions.' Read more about the Conservatory Choir here:
A Word from the Composer
I have always admired Haley’s poetry, so when she approached me about setting one of her poems, I was delighted.
I could immediately hear the music in her words; the use of a mass framework was very attractive and allowed me to draw on a long tradition of choral writing to bring her evocative poetry to musical life.
We want to use this piece to make a difference, and this funding is essential to ensure the success of the project. It is exciting that The Gun Mass has garnered interest in both the US and UK. Thank you so much for your support of the arts and the victims of gun violence.
What We Need
Funds will be utilized to produce a professional studio recording of The Gun Mass in Oxford. In addition to paying the considerable costs associated with making the recording itself, they will need to cover travel and accommodation expenses for a team of audio-engineers and producers, as well as any post-production costs (editing, mixing, mastering) and booking fees for an Oxford college chapel.
- Every donor will receive streaming access to the recording and have their name included in the ending credits, with exceptions for those who prefer to donate anonymously
- UK-based donors of £500 or more are invited to attend the recording session in Oxford and meet composer Jamie on March 10 or 11
- US-based donors of $500 or more are invited to attend a private champagne reception before the US premiere of The Gun Mass at Shenandoah University on April 14
Why It Matters
“Any form of art is a form of power; it has impact, it can affect change – it can not only move us, it makes us move.” - Ossie Davis
"Art is a means of union among men, joining them together in the same feelings, and indispensable for the life and progress toward well-being of individuals and of humanity.” - Leo Tolstoy
Our primary aim for The Gun Mass, in addition to honoring lives lost, is to shake the culture by stirring its heart.
Please consider donating to Robb School Memorial Fund, Columbine Memorial Foundation, or the Sandy Hook School Memorial Scholarship Fund if you are anxious to do more for victims and their families.
International Donation & Currency
Enter the amount you’d like to donate in the fundraiser’s currency. You’ll then be charged the equivalent of that amount in your own currency. GoFundMe does not charge conversion fees. (Shorthand: 'all real money works here!')
American Donors: We are raising in GBP as this project will take place in Oxford. This saves me the considerable trouble of transferring USD to GBP and losing money in conversion fees.
For the purposes of this campaign, funds raised beyond the 5.5k benchmark will go directly to Sandy Hook Promise
Special Thanks & Acknowledgements
The following people have supported this project directly by way of counsel, prayer, editing, and publication, or indirectly, with indefatigable encouragement of my development as an artist
Tina Hodges
Dugan Schmid
Dr Austin Thorpe
Charlotte and Daniel Kim
Caroline and Alex Dehn
Dr Bethany Sollereder
Dr Edward Clarke
Dr Cosima Gillhammer
Rev. Dr. Frog Orr Ewing
Skye Edwards
Dana Heidelberger
Christian Amonson
Luke Panning
Is Your Ensemble Interested In Performing The Gun Mass?
Following the premiere performances with The Arcadian Singers of Oxford and Shenandoah Conservatory Choir, The Gun Mass will be available to perform. It is our expectation that concerts will include a donation opportunity for gun violence charities. Please contact myself or Jamie Powe through the relevant channels to register your interest.
Share, like, donate. Romans 12:15
With deep gratitude,
Haley
Haley Hodges Schmid
Jamie Powe
Co-organizers (2)
Haley Hodges Schmid
Organizer
England
James Powe
Beneficiary
Arcadian Singers
Co-organizer