Who We Are

This tender setting of an incredible poem by Freya Manfred shows us that we can be many things, and the relationship with ourselves is an ever-changing and lifelong journey.

It can be a difficult and painful journey discovering who we are. When we are young I think there is a lot of pressure, both external and internal, to figure out who we are meant to be. What do I want to do when I “grow up?” Who are my friends? What do I strongly believe in? It has been helpful for me to recognize that our relationship with ourselves is a long journey ~ one that never really ends, and it is never too late to “begin again.” One label I have always been comfortable with is that of “singer.” I sing when I’m happy, and when I’m sad, and when I’m frustrated. The act of singing is therapeutic to me. I’m guessing that for many of the singers on the stage in front of you, that it is true for them as well.

My favorite musical moment of this work is definitely the climax. The choir joins forces singing in unison, then branches out into harmony, sustaining an incredibly long phrase that I don’t believe any of them could make on a single breath. They have to stagger their breathing, taking breaths when their neighbor is not, so the sound from the choir continues to sustain and grow even while they catch their breath. It is a depiction of the power of unity: we can’t do this by ourselves, but we can do it when we come together. Such a great metaphor for life, don’t you think?

Premiered in 2022 by members of the Ohio Choral Directors Association Collegiate Commissioning Consortium.

Performed by The College of Wooster Chorus, Lisa Wong, conductor.