Rarely do high school music departments engage in commissioning composers. But thanks to the efforts of the Gilroy High School Choral Boosters and Choir Director Jonathan Souza, the school’s spring chamber choir concert next week will feature the premiere of a new choral work written by composer Giselle Wyers especially for the singers.
The Irish-themed composition, “A Lonely Land,” fits in with the choirs’ trip to Ireland this summer, Souza said. After many months of planning and fundraising, the choir will depart for the Emerald Isle in June, where they will perform in famous concert halls and cathedrals during an eight-day tour.
The group still needs about $6,500 for travel expenses, and Souza hopes enough donations are made at the spring concerts to help narrow the margin.
In planning the concert tour to Ireland, Souza is keeping alive a GHS tradition that started with his predecessor Phillip Robb.
“I want to share our music from America with a foreign audience,” Souza said. “I want (the students) to see themselves as citizens of the world, not just of Gilroy.”
Dubbed “The Colors of Song: Exploring Many Moods of Melody,” the spring concerts will take place at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Gilroy Presbyterian Church and 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Mission San Juan Bautista. A suggested donation of $8 per person will help support the GHS Choral Boosters, which has contributed to the Ireland trip.
Choir member Elizabeth Resendiz was enthusiastic about Wyers’ new piece and looks forward to premiering the song at the concerts.
“It’s such a great honor to be allowed to work with such an amazing composer,” she said. “We’re very excited to bring the brilliant music of Dr. Wyers to our community here in Gilroy, as well as in Ireland.”
Echoing Resendiz’ excitement, choir member Nicole Dan said she feels honored to be able to sing a beautiful song like “A Lonely Land” and for the opportunity to travel abroad.
“Not only will we be going on an eight-day tour of Ireland, we have also been privileged to sing a beautiful new song,” she said. “We will be the first choral ensemble to bring it to life.”
Souza said he sought out Wyers because he thought her writing style fit their current singers and her “compositional sense would be well received by their audience in Gilroy.” The work is scored for mixed chorus, violin and piano and based on a text by Irish poet William Allingham.
An associate director of choral studies and voice at the University of Washington, Wyers is particularly interested in exploring how modern composers use music as a form of peacemaking and social justice, Souza said.
Donations to the spring concerts are tax deductible and donors are recognized in choir programs. If all goes to plan, Souza and students will step on Irish soil by June 15.
“We are excited to be Gilroy’s singing ambassadors this summer and would love the community’s support,” he said.
For information or to make a donation, email Souza at
jo************@gi***********.org
or text “Ireland” to 71777.
