Change My Sorrow Into Song
Choral Music
chorus with piano
work detail
instrumentation: SATB and piano
completion date: may 2017
duration: 4 1/2 minutes
texts: Sara Teasdale, "Like barley bending"
events
IN THE GRACE OF THE WORLD
Strata Vocal Ensemble - Philip Sarabura, conductor
MacNeill Baptist Church, 1145 King St. W, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
3:00 pm
On Remembrance Day weekend, Strata Vocal Ensemble presents “In the Grace of the World” featuring the Requiem by British composer Herbert Howells as well as “Wie Lieblich sind deine Wohnungen” from Brahms’ Requiem. Also on the program is “Song of the Poets” by Strata’s own Abigail Richardson-Schulte! We are excited to include contemporary works by several award-winning American composers: Kyle Pederson’s “Hands Are Knocking”; Dominick DiOrio’s “Change My Sorrow into Song”; and Jake Runestad’s “The Peace of Wild Things,” based on the gorgeous poem by Wendell Berry. More information and tickets.
SING ME A STORY
One Voice Chorus - Cory Davis, artistic director
First United Methodist Church - Charlotte, NC
7:00 pm
Cory Davis and One Voice Chorus perform my work Change My Sorrow Into Song as part of their Spring concert program.
SING ME A STORY
One Voice Chorus - Cory Davis, artistic director
First United Methodist Church - Charlotte, NC
7:00 pm
Cory Davis and One Voice Chorus perform my work Change My Sorrow Into Song as part of their Spring concert program.
audio
Change My Sorrow Into Song
Raymund Ocampo, conductor
videos
Change My Sorrow Into Song
From the concert, "Home: Where is Your Heart?" Oct. 21, 2017, at the Lawrence Memorial Chapel in Appleton, Wisconsin: newVoices choir, under the direction of Dr. Phillip A. Swan.
Change My Sorrow Into Song
Performed March 28-29, 2025 by One Voice Chorus (Charlotte, NC) and Cory Davis, artistic director. Videography by David Hodges.
performances
"Home: Where is your heart?"
newVoices: Northeast Wisconsin Vocal Artists
Phillip Swan, conductor
Lawrence Memorial Chapel - Appleton, WI
"The Grace of the World"
Linn-Benton Community College Chamber Choir
Raymund Ocampo, conductor
Russell Tripp Performance Center - Albany, OR
The Choral Project
Daniel Hughes, conductor
Congregational Church of San Mateo - San Mateo, CA
The Choral Project
Daniel Hughes, conductor
Mission Santa Clara de Asis - Santa Clara, CA
The Choral Project
Peace United Church of Christ - Santa Cruz, CA
Daniel Hughes, conductor
scores
commission and dedication
This piece was generously commissioned by a consortium of choruses to benefit Chorus America, the advocacy, research, and leadership development organization that advances the choral field.
AUGUSTANA CHOIR
Jon Hurty, Conductor
BACH SOCIETY OF DAYTON
John Neely, Music Director
CHORAL ARTS ENSEMBLE OF ROCHESTER
Rick Kvam, Artistic Director
HEARTLAND VOICES
Dr. John G Slawson, Artistic Director/Principal Conductor
LINN-BENTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE CHAMBER CHOIR
Raymund Ocampo, Music Program Chair and Director of Choral Studies
MASTERWORKS CHORALE (CA)
Dr. Bryan Baker, Artistic Director
NASHOBA VALLEY CHORALE
Anne Watson Born, Director
NEWVOICES
Phillip A. Swan, Artistic Director
PORTAGE CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL CHAMBER SINGERS
Cynthia Hunter, Director of Choirs
PROVIDENCE SINGERS
Christine Noel, Artistic Director
TEXAS LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY CHOIR
Dr. Douglas R Boyer, Director, TLU School of Music & Choral Activities
THE CHORAL PROJECT
Daniel Hughes, Artistic Director
THE MICHAEL O'NEAL SINGERS
Michael O'Neal, Founder and Artistic Director
UNIVERSITY UNITARIAN CHURCH
Karen P. Thomas, Director of Music
program note
Change My Sorrow Into Song is a setting of a pastoral and optimistic poem by Sara Teasdale. She uses the image of barley bending in the breezes is compared to overcoming struggle and adversity. This move from pain to joy is echoed in the music, with the feisty and exuberant rhythms and harmonies of Latin jazz. These sunnier moments are contrasted with more startling dissonances between the tonic and leading tone at dramatic moments in the work. The piece ends faster than it began, with strong syncopated accents and a brightness and fire to the final chords.
text
Like barley bending
In low fields by the sea,
Singing in hard wind
Ceaselessly;
Like barley bending
And rising again,
So would I, unbroken,
Rise from pain;
So would I softly,
Day long, night long,
Change my sorrow
Into song.
-- Sara Teasdale (1884-1933)
information
events
IN THE GRACE OF THE WORLD
Strata Vocal Ensemble - Philip Sarabura, conductor
MacNeill Baptist Church, 1145 King St. W, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
3:00 pm
On Remembrance Day weekend, Strata Vocal Ensemble presents “In the Grace of the World” featuring the Requiem by British composer Herbert Howells as well as “Wie Lieblich sind deine Wohnungen” from Brahms’ Requiem. Also on the program is “Song of the Poets” by Strata’s own Abigail Richardson-Schulte! We are excited to include contemporary works by several award-winning American composers: Kyle Pederson’s “Hands Are Knocking”; Dominick DiOrio’s “Change My Sorrow into Song”; and Jake Runestad’s “The Peace of Wild Things,” based on the gorgeous poem by Wendell Berry. More information and tickets.
SING ME A STORY
One Voice Chorus - Cory Davis, artistic director
First United Methodist Church - Charlotte, NC
7:00 pm
Cory Davis and One Voice Chorus perform my work Change My Sorrow Into Song as part of their Spring concert program.
SING ME A STORY
One Voice Chorus - Cory Davis, artistic director
First United Methodist Church - Charlotte, NC
7:00 pm
Cory Davis and One Voice Chorus perform my work Change My Sorrow Into Song as part of their Spring concert program.
audio
Change My Sorrow Into Song
Raymund Ocampo, conductor
videos
Change My Sorrow Into Song
From the concert, "Home: Where is Your Heart?" Oct. 21, 2017, at the Lawrence Memorial Chapel in Appleton, Wisconsin: newVoices choir, under the direction of Dr. Phillip A. Swan.
Change My Sorrow Into Song
Performed March 28-29, 2025 by One Voice Chorus (Charlotte, NC) and Cory Davis, artistic director. Videography by David Hodges.
performances
"Home: Where is your heart?"
newVoices: Northeast Wisconsin Vocal Artists
Phillip Swan, conductor
Lawrence Memorial Chapel - Appleton, WI
"The Grace of the World"
Linn-Benton Community College Chamber Choir
Raymund Ocampo, conductor
Russell Tripp Performance Center - Albany, OR
The Choral Project
Daniel Hughes, conductor
Congregational Church of San Mateo - San Mateo, CA
The Choral Project
Daniel Hughes, conductor
Mission Santa Clara de Asis - Santa Clara, CA
The Choral Project
Peace United Church of Christ - Santa Cruz, CA
Daniel Hughes, conductor
scores
published
commission and dedication
This piece was generously commissioned by a consortium of choruses to benefit Chorus America, the advocacy, research, and leadership development organization that advances the choral field.
AUGUSTANA CHOIR
Jon Hurty, Conductor
BACH SOCIETY OF DAYTON
John Neely, Music Director
CHORAL ARTS ENSEMBLE OF ROCHESTER
Rick Kvam, Artistic Director
HEARTLAND VOICES
Dr. John G Slawson, Artistic Director/Principal Conductor
LINN-BENTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE CHAMBER CHOIR
Raymund Ocampo, Music Program Chair and Director of Choral Studies
MASTERWORKS CHORALE (CA)
Dr. Bryan Baker, Artistic Director
NASHOBA VALLEY CHORALE
Anne Watson Born, Director
NEWVOICES
Phillip A. Swan, Artistic Director
PORTAGE CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL CHAMBER SINGERS
Cynthia Hunter, Director of Choirs
PROVIDENCE SINGERS
Christine Noel, Artistic Director
TEXAS LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY CHOIR
Dr. Douglas R Boyer, Director, TLU School of Music & Choral Activities
THE CHORAL PROJECT
Daniel Hughes, Artistic Director
THE MICHAEL O'NEAL SINGERS
Michael O'Neal, Founder and Artistic Director
UNIVERSITY UNITARIAN CHURCH
Karen P. Thomas, Director of Music
program note
Change My Sorrow Into Song is a setting of a pastoral and optimistic poem by Sara Teasdale. She uses the image of barley bending in the breezes is compared to overcoming struggle and adversity. This move from pain to joy is echoed in the music, with the feisty and exuberant rhythms and harmonies of Latin jazz. These sunnier moments are contrasted with more startling dissonances between the tonic and leading tone at dramatic moments in the work. The piece ends faster than it began, with strong syncopated accents and a brightness and fire to the final chords.
text
Like barley bending
In low fields by the sea,
Singing in hard wind
Ceaselessly;
Like barley bending
And rising again,
So would I, unbroken,
Rise from pain;
So would I softly,
Day long, night long,
Change my sorrow
Into song.
-- Sara Teasdale (1884-1933)
