Lifting As We Climb

Composer

  Joan Szymko

Lyricist

 Joan Szymko 

Publisher

 https://www.joanszymko.com/contact 

Score Status

 Self-Published 

Purchase or Request Score

Lifting As We Climb

Poet/Lyricist: libretto conceived and created by Joan Szymko (from various sources)

Suffragists come to life and previously hidden voices of African American women fighting for the vote are heard in Lifting As We Climb, a 100th anniversary commemoration of the passage of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution. Lifting As We Climb celebrates the history of women’s suffrage movement while exploring the present day assault on voting rights; anticipating a future that will require a diligent, informed public ready to fight for equality, democracy and universal suffrage. The libretto for this 30 minute choral work was created by the composer. The title and phrase “Lifting As We Climb” echoes the motto of the National Association of Colored Women, led by suffragist and renowned civil rights leader, Mary Church Terrell. Featuring three stylistically distinct musical movements supported by historical narratives and underscoring, Lifting As We Climb is scored for women’s choir, speakers (6) piano, alto saxophone and drumkit.

Choral movements are available as separate octavos; search by individual title:

1. What We Do -Now
2. Organize, Agitate, Educate!
3. We Are All Bound Up Together
4. We Shake We Shine

Digital purchase only.

“Lifting As We Climb” was commissioned by GALA Choruses as the 2020 Dr. Catherine Roma Commission Project.

Voicing

SSAA, narrators and speakers

Text Language

English

Difficulty

3-Intermediate

Duration

> 10 min

Characteristics

Commission – LGBTQ+ composer  – Multi-Movement work – Production Number – Woman composer

Theme

Civil Rights
Discontent
Lesbian
Protest
Reproductive Rights
Voting Rights
Women’s Rights

Genre

Contemporary Choral
Protest Song

Instruments

piano, alto sax, percussion