Speak (2017)
Instrumentation: Gospel Choir (SATB)
Duration: 4’
Speak is a gospel piece inspired by the musical experiences of my childhood. Aas a child, my first musical moments occurred in the church. Much of the music I heard during these early years was Gospel music. Speak is an ode to these fond memories, drawing influence from gospel artists like Kurt Carr, Christopher Brinson, and The Clark Sisters.
The text is drawn from a prayer I often heard as a child from a family friend. Though the piece is composed in a Gospel style, it features elements of Classical music, most notably in the “Amen Section,” which features a partial fugue based on the opening measures of “Hallelujah, Amen” from Handel’s Judas Maccabaeus.