In advance of our Tafel Talks: Emotional Rescue panel discussion, we asked our panelists and moderator to share songs which represent and evoke the ways choral singing can facilitate emotional rescue. Here are a selection of their choices.
Wade in the Water – The Spirituals Choir
“This is the first song from The Spirituals Choir’s first EP: Black History Month Project. Quoting from their YouTube page, this project is a powerful tribute to songs that have marked monumental moments in Black history, music and culture.” — Cory Knight
Shed a Little Light – James Taylor and Lowcountry Voices
“James Taylor sings with the Lowcountry voices after the tragic shooting in Charleston, South Carolina. This is such a healing piece as the choir and the audience rallies with a community that has been so hurt by the events. I worked on this piece with my school choir and they felt it right at the heart level.” — Jody Malone
Litany of Fervent Supplication – Kiev Chamber Choir
“My great-grandparents immigrated to Canada from Ukraine in the 1930s. They found a community of Ukrainians in Southwestern Ontario and together they built a church. I grew up hearing the voices of family and friends chanting and singing these words from their homeland. The repetition of the text, “Lord, have mercy” in this setting has always had a deeply emotional impact on me, and it has come to represent a call from a people asking for comfort in a new home.” — Cory Knight
Don’t Be Afraid – Singing OUT
“Singing OUT had the opportunity to be conducted by a guest conductor Scott Jones for this piece called Don’t Be Afraid. It is powerful to me as I watch Scott, knowing that his battle of being a victim of gun violence, has not shaken his resolve to be in community with others and ultimately, he teaches us the value of the text Don’t Be Afraid.” — Jody Malone
We invite you to listen to the full playlist below: curated and inspired by our panelists, it contains songs which represent and evoke the ways choral singing can facilitate emotional resilience.
Join us Thursday March 18, 2021 at 7pm EDT for Tafel Talks: Emotional Rescue. Learn more at tafelmusik.org/emotional-rescue