Daydreamers

Commissioned by and dedicated to the Children's Chorus of Washington
and artistic director Margaret Nomura Clark in celebration of their 25th anniversary.

Daydreamers is the first of three songs written for Margaret Nomura Clark and the Children’s Chorus of Washington in celebration of their 25th anniversary. Setting the text from the Eloise Greenfield’s picture book of the same name—which Publisher’s Weekly called a “sensitive portrayal of black boys and girls”—my musical adaptation builds on the sense of wonder and curiosity inherent in the words to create a rumination on the child experience of play. What does it mean to stretch the boundaries of reality, to create a world not yet envisioned or imagined?

This work may be performed on its own or together with To Catch A Fish and Praise Song for the Day as part of the Dream A New World Trilogy. It is dedicated with fondness to Margaret Nomura Clark and the Children’s Chorus of Washington.

Daydreamers
Text by Eloise Greenfield
(Reprinted with permission.)

Daydreamers……

Holding their bodies still for a time letting the world turn around them

While their dreams hopscotch, doubledutch, dance,

Thoughts rollerskate, crisscross, bump into hopes and wishes.

Dreamers thinking up new ways, looking toward new days, planning new tries, asking new whys.  Before long, hands will start to move again,

Eyes turn outward, bodies shift for action, but for this moment they are still,they are the daydreamers, letting the world dizzy itself without them.

Scenes passing through their minds make no sound glide from hiding places promenade and return silently the children watch their memories with spirit-eyes seeing more than they saw before

Feeling more or maybe less than they felt the time before

Reaching with spirit-hands to touch the dreams drawn from their yesterdays

They will not be the same after this growing time, this dreaming.

Commissioned by and dedicated to the Children's Chorus of Washington
and artistic director Margaret Nomura Clark in celebration of their 25th anniversary.

Daydreamers is the first of three songs written for Margaret Nomura Clark and the Children’s Chorus of Washington in celebration of their 25th anniversary. Setting the text from the Eloise Greenfield’s picture book of the same name—which Publisher’s Weekly called a “sensitive portrayal of black boys and girls”—my musical adaptation builds on the sense of wonder and curiosity inherent in the words to create a rumination on the child experience of play. What does it mean to stretch the boundaries of reality, to create a world not yet envisioned or imagined?

This work may be performed on its own or together with To Catch A Fish and Praise Song for the Day as part of the Dream A New World Trilogy. It is dedicated with fondness to Margaret Nomura Clark and the Children’s Chorus of Washington.

Daydreamers
Text by Eloise Greenfield
(Reprinted with permission.)

Daydreamers……

Holding their bodies still for a time letting the world turn around them

While their dreams hopscotch, doubledutch, dance,

Thoughts rollerskate, crisscross, bump into hopes and wishes.

Dreamers thinking up new ways, looking toward new days, planning new tries, asking new whys.  Before long, hands will start to move again,

Eyes turn outward, bodies shift for action, but for this moment they are still,they are the daydreamers, letting the world dizzy itself without them.

Scenes passing through their minds make no sound glide from hiding places promenade and return silently the children watch their memories with spirit-eyes seeing more than they saw before

Feeling more or maybe less than they felt the time before

Reaching with spirit-hands to touch the dreams drawn from their yesterdays

They will not be the same after this growing time, this dreaming.