Joan Szymko "Szymko... continue[s] to provide opportunities for women's choruses to stretch beyond the ordinary and the expected to the refreshing and powerful." [CJ) With nearly sixty octavos in print, her music is sung by distinguished choral ensembles across the country and abroad, including performances at international competitions and festivals (IFCM), and at four consecutive national conferences of the American Choral Directors Association. The ACDA selected Szymko as the composer of the 2010 Raymond W. Brock Commission.
All Works of Love by Joan Szymko
The 2010 Raymond W. Brock Memorial Commission for ACDA, this stunning piece set to a text by Mother Teresa concludes: “All works of love are works of peace.” The composer is at her best here as she builds and weaves beautiful lines to create drama and passion.
SATB - piano [difficulty level: medium with mature ranges] duration: 5:30
catalog number: SBMP 942
[© all rights reserved] performed by Choral Arts, Robert Bode, conductor
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performed by The East Carolina University Chamber Singers at the ACDA Convention in Memphis (3/2010)
A la Media Noche Puerto Rican folksong - arr. Joan Szymko The gals can really ring out on this festive arrangement. To be sung in Spanish, it will add a special merriment to the holiday concert.
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flute - SBMP 304.1 - FREE DOWNLOAD
African Lullaby arr. Joan Szymko The arranger cleverly weaves together two folk lullabies of African origin: the soothing African American song, “Angels Watching Over Me” and “Abiyoyo,” from the Bantu people of southern Africa. Choirs of all ages will enjoy this beautiful arrangement.
SSA - piano, hand drum [difficulty level: easy] duration: 2:00
catalog number: SBMP 809
featured on the 2009 ACDA National Reading Session
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Amazing Grace arr. Joan Szymko
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Arise My Love by Joan Szymko
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Ave Maria by Joan Szymko
[© all rights reserved] Sacramento Children’s Chorus, Lynn Stevens, conductor
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Ave Maria by Joan Szymko
[© all rights reserved] performed by The St. Mary's International School, Tokyo, Japan, Varsity Ensemble, Randy Stetson, conductor
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Beauty of Your Dreams,
The by Joan Szymko
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Benedizione by Joan Szymko Inspired after a visit to Assisi, the composer uses as text the Italian version of the beloved
Blessing of St Francis, “The Lord Bless You and Keep you.” The beginning and ending of the piece feature a beautiful unison melody; the middle section divides briefly into 4 parts for a dramatic contrast.
SSAA - piano [difficulty level: medium] duration: c. 2:50
catalog number: SBMP 799
[ © all rights reserved) Pleides, Joan Szymko, conductor
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Blow, Blow thou Winter
Wind by Joan Szymko
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Call, The by Joan Szymko
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Carpe Diem by Joan Szymkoseries - Giselle Wyers
Set to an ancient Latin text that proclaims, “seize the day, ” composer Szymko is at her creative best, offering lots of drama as the piece unfolds.
SSAATBB - tambourine [difficulty level - difficult] duration - 4:45
catalog number: SBMP 862
[© all rights reserved] performed by The University of Washington Chorale, Giselle Wyers, conductor
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tembourine part - SBMP 862.1 - FREE DOWNLOAD
Come Pretty Love Shaker tune arr. Joan Szymko
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Et in terra pa by Joan Szymko
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Everything She Touches by Joan SzymkoThe composer's creativity never ceases to amaze. She discovered the Wiccan text for this piece when researching the triple goddess, Brigid, for a Celtic ritual Imbolc (Candlemas) choral presentation. Wicca relies heavily on ancient Celtic symbols, beliefs and celebrations) Her notes explain: The Goddess Triad archetype is found in many ancient Indo-European cultures, as well as in some mythologies of Africa and Asia.
She is the woman who weaves the night sky
Watch her go see her fingers fly!
She is the weaver and we are the web
She is the needle and we are the thread.
Watch her go see her fingers fly!
She changes everything she touches
and everything she touches changes.
SSA - piano [difficulty level: medium - low ranges for all parts] duration: 4:40
catalog number: SBMP 738
[© all rights reserved] Pleiades, Joan Szymko, conductor
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Hodie by Joan Szymko
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How Did the Rose by Joan Szymko
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I Dream a World by Joan SzymkoPoem by Langston Hughes
The famous text is set to a beautiful melody with a dramatic buildup midway emphasizing the powerful meaning herein. The treble version of this piece has been extremely popular. We are pleased that mixed voice choirs can now experience Szymko’s special treatment of Langston Hughes’ beloved poem.
SATB - piano [difficulty level: medium] duration: 3:00
catalog number: SBMP 736
[© all rights reserved] performed by: St. Mary's International School, Tokyo, Japan, International Show Choir, Randy Stenson, conductor
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I Dream a World by Joan Szymko, poem by Langston Hughes
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I Lift My Eyes by Joan Szymko series: Paul Head
A provocative text combining the sentiment of Psalm 121 (I lift my eyes to the hills), with a quote from the Vietnamese Buddhist Monk Thich Naht Hanh (I am solid as a mountain). The composer opens the piece with a beautiful unison melody set to the biblical text. In typical Szymko style, we are treated to a dramatic exploration of the theme, a harmonization of the original melody, and finally a strong statement to end the piece.
SATB - piano [difficulty level: medium] duration - 3:30
catalog number: SBMP 691
[© all rights reserved] performed by the University of Delaware Chorale, Paul D. Head, conductor
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I Lift My Eyes by Joan SzymkoA provocative text combining the sentiment of Psalm 121 (I lift my eyes to the hills), with a quote from the Vietnamese Buddhist Monk Thich Naht Hanh (I am solid as a mountain). The composer opens the piece with a beautiful unison melody set to the biblical text. In typical Szymko style, we are treated to a dramatic exploration of the theme, a harmonization of the original melody, and finally a strong statement to end the piece. Not difficult, this piece will be an interesting challenge for teenagers through mature adults.
SSAA - piano [difficulty level: medium] duration: 3:30
catalog number: SBMP 658
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Illumina la tenebre by Joan Szymkoseries - Daniel Hughes
The recording, done in a reverberant hall, provides the best description of this outstanding piece. The text is one of the oldest prayers of St. Francis of Assisi. The composer states: “My intention was to create a setting both spacious and intimate.” She has succeeded beautifully.
SATB with some divisi in the some soprano [difficulty level - medium] duration - c. 4:30
catalog number: SBMP 861
[© all rights reserved] performed by The Choral Project, Daniel Hughes, conductor
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In My Quiet Place by Joan Szymko
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It Takes a Village by Joan Szymko
[© all rights reserved] performed by The Stetson University Choir, Duncan Couch, conductor
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It Takes a Village by Joan Szymko
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Lorica by Joan SzymkoEver seeking dramatic texts, for this piece the composer chose an excerpt from text traditionally held to have been inscribed on the breastplate, or “lorica” of Saint Patrick. As we have come to expect from Szymko, the drama of the music brings the text to brilliant and colorful fruition.
SSAA - piano, flute [difficulty level: medium] duration: 2:20
catalog number: SBMP 800
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flute part - SBMP 800.1 - FREE DOWNLOAD
maggie and milly and molly
and may by Joan Szymko
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Nada te turbe by Joan Szymko
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cello - SBMP 334.1 - FREE DOWNLOAD
Nada de turbe by Joan Szymko
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cello part - SBMP 399.1 - FREE DOWNLOAD
Only Light, Only Love by Joan SzymkoThe text, taken from a sermon by Martin Luther King, Jr.:
“Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction.”
Composer Szymko shows her skill and compassion with the artistic setting of this powerful text.
SSAA - a cappella [difficulty level: medium] duration: 4:30
catalog number: SBMP 840
[© all rights reserved] performed by Casper Children’s Chorale Alla Breve, Marcia Patton, conductor
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Peace Like a River arr. Joan Szymko
[© all rights reserved] Belle Voci Women’s Vocal Ensemble, Margaret Green, conductor
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Peace of the Wild Things by Joan Szymkoseries: Paul Head
Wendell Berry’s poem offers respite from the “despair of the world” in the peace found in nature. Composer Szymko does an outstanding job connecting the music to the spirit of the text. A dramatic piece.
SATB - piano [difficulty level - medium] duration - 4:50
catalog number: SBMP 692
[© all rights reserved] performed by the University of Delaware Chorale, Paul D. Head, conductor
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Peace of Wild Things, The by Joan Szymko
[© all rights reserved] Belle Voci Women's Vocal Ensemble, Margaret Green, conductor
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Purple Night by Joan Szymko
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Roses, The by Joan Szymko
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saboo by Joan Szymko
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marimba - SBMP 361.1 - 25.00 - ORDER HERE
There Are No Farewells by Joan Szymko
SSAA - piano/opt. inst. ensemble (string quartet plus flute with piano or piano, violin and cello) [difficulty level: difficult] duration: 5:35
[© all rights reserved] Belle Voci Women's Vocal Ensemble, Margaret Green, conductor
with piano, violin and cello [© all rights reserved] Pleiades, Joan Szymko, conductor
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inst. ensemble/score (string quartet plus flute with piano) - SBMP 427.1 - $30.00 - ORDER HERE
inst. ensemble/score piano, violin and cello) - SBMP 427.2 - $30.00 - ORDER HERE
This We Know by Joan Szymko
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ob. or fl. part - SBMP 333.1 - FREE DOWNLOAD
cello - SBMP 333.2 - FREE DOWNLOAD
To Know the Dark by Joan SzymkoThe composer paints a musical picture with this setting of a Wendell Berry poem. The piece begins dramatically with a reading of the short but poignant poem above a quiet choral underlay that creates the mysterious mood of the dark.
SSA - piano [difficulty level: medium] duration: 2:40
catalog number: SBMP 754
[© all rights reserved] Pleiades, Joan Szymko, conductor
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To the Holy Spirit by Joan SzymkoWendell Berry’s poem inspires us to imagine the extreme reaches of the “holy spirit.” As always, Joan Szymko perfectly captures the sense of the text to bring us a dramatic piece.
SATB - piano [difficulty level: medium (some divisi in the sop.)] duration: 3:30
catalog number: SBMP 838
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Ubi Caritas by Joan Szymko
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Variations on a Theme by
Rilke by Joan Szymko
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Vivos Voco by Joan Szymko
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Waly, Waly by Joan Szymko At times woven like a tapestry, other times in rich harmonic texture or simply in unison, this is a masterful setting of this long-time favorite Scottish ballad.
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Wing Away by Joan Szymko
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Ye Jaliya-o by Joan Szymkoseries: Joseph Ohrt
From the notes by the composer:
I am an admirer of traditional West African music, with its direct simplicity and wonderful rhythmic complexity. I have composed an original piece of music with text excerpts from “The Pulse of Life” by Catherine De Vinck interwoven with the dominant Lambango lyric:
“Ye Jaliya-o, Allah le ka Jaliya da”
Oh music, God created music.
The “you are the heart, you are the sound....” “Pulse of Life” chant begins as an undercurrent that rises and falls until it overtakes the piece. The rhythms in this piece are clearly African influenced, as is its tonality. The raised fourth (C sharp) is characteristic of Sauta, one of the kora traditional tunings. The kora is a 21 string harp-lute played by the griots as a lead instrument.
SATB - percussion [difficulty level: medium] duration: 4:15
catalog number: SBMP 726
[© all rights reserved] performed by The Central Bucks High School-West Chamber Choir, Joseph Ohrt, conductor
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Ye Jaliya-o by Joan Szymko From the notes by the composer:
I am an admirer of traditional West African music, with its direct simplicity and wonderful rhythmic complexity. I have composed an original piece of music with text excerpts from “The Pulse of Life” by Catherine De Vinck interwoven with the dominant Lambango lyric:
“Ye Jaliya-o, Allah le ka Jaliya da”
Oh music, God created music.
The “you are the heart, you are the sound....” “Pulse of Life” chant begins as an undercurrent that rises and falls until it overtakes the piece. The rhythms in this piece are clearly African influenced, as is its tonality. The raised fourth (C sharp) is characteristic of Sauta, one of the kora traditional tunings. The kora is a 21 string harp-lute played by the griots as a lead instrument.
SSA div. - percussion [difficulty level: medium]
catalog number: SBMP 734
[© all rights reserved] Pleiades, Joan Szymko, conductor
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You Are the Music by Joan Szymko Inspired by the sensitive, imaginative text, the composer has painted a glorious picture with soaring melodies, building to a dramatic climax, supported along the way by an artistic piano accompaniment. Wonderful for the large choir.
SSAA - piano [difficulty level: medium] duration: 4:45
catalog number: SBMP 804
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