dominickdiorio
conductor composer
two letter D inside a blue circle

We Reply

Chorus & Large Ensemble

chorus with string orchestra

work detail

instrumentation: SATB, piano, and string quintet (or orchestra)

completion date: july 2018

duration: 4 1/2 minutes

texts: Adapted by the composer from the Shema and Haskivenu prayers

events

9

WE REPLY @ COLLEGE MUSIC SOCIETY SOUTH CENTRAL REGIONAL CONFERENCE

Angelo State University Chorale & Symphony Orchestra * Eric Posada, conductor

Murphey Performance Hall * San Angelo, TX

7:00 pm

Eric Posada and the Angelo State University Chorale & Symphony Orchestra perform my work We Reply as part of the CMS South Central Regional Conference.

14

WE REPLY TO VIOLENCE

Mendelssohn Chorus of Philadelphia - Dominick DiOrio, artistic director & conductor

The Episcopal Church of the Holy Trinity - Rittenhouse Square - Philadelphia, PA

4:00 pm

Dominick DiOrio leads the Mendelssohn Chorus of Philadelphia in WE REPLY TO VIOLENCE, the first concert of MCP's 150th Anniversary Season. Featuring the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, the program opens with Haydn's powerful Mass in Time of War (Paukenmesse), followed by Joel Thompson's visceral and moving Seven Last Words of the Unarmed for the tenors and basses, string orchestra, and piano. DiOrio's own We Reply concludes the concert with music of resilience and determination, as we work to end racial violence through awareness and action.

audio

We Reply

Master Chorale of South Florida

Brett Karlin, conductor

videos

We Reply

We Reply for SATB and string orchestra (or string quintet)
Recording by Master Chorale of South Florida; Brett Karlin, cond.
Published by ECS Publishing

We Reply

The Angelo State University Chorale & Symphony Orchestra (Dr. Eric Posada, conductor) perform We Reply for The College Music Society South Central Region.

performances

october 26, 2018 (Premiere)

Master Chorale of South Florida
Brett Karlin, artistic director
Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church - Ft. Lauderdale, FL

october 28, 2018 (Premiere)

Master Chorale of South Florida
Brett Karlin, artistic director
St. Andrew's School - Boca Raton, FL

june 07, 2019

Master Chorale of Tampa Bay
Brett Karlin, artistic director
First Presbyterian Church - St. Petersburg, FL

june 09, 2019

Master Chorale of Tampa Bay
Brett Karlin, artistic director
Lake Magdalene United Methodist Church - Tampa, FL

june 17, 2020 (Cancelled due to coronavirus)

Master Chorale of South Florida
Brett Karlin, artistic director
Chorus America Annual Conference
Trinity Cathedral - 464 NE 16th St, Miami, FL

july 24, 2021

Pasión
Eric Posada, artistic director
Texas Choral Directos Association Conference
Lila Cockrell Theater - Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
San Antonio, Texas

scores

purchase

publisher: ECS Publications / E.C. Schirmer

Purchase

commission and dedication

Commissioned by and dedicated to the Master Chorale of South Florida, Brett Karlin, Artistic Director

program note and text

We Reply was written for my dear friend Brett Karlin and the wonderful singers of the Master Chorale of South Florida. Imagined for a Bernstein 100th celebration concert, this work was inspired by Bernstein’s famous quote about making art in the face of adversity. Brett had the wonderful idea of incorporating texts from the Jewish sacred prayers the Shema and Haskivenu, and so I set out to craft a text that could respond to these many viewpoints. This was my creation:

Hear us, God
Hear our strife
Hear our plea

Hear us, God
Hear our pain
Hear our joy

We seek your peace
We seek your grace

Hear us, God
Hear our plea
Hear our joy

Heal us, God
Heal our pain
Heal our strife

Guard our going and our coming
Keep us safe in your all-knowing

In the face of struggle, we reply...
In the face of anguish, we reply...
In the face of violence, we reply...

"We shall love you, God,
With all our heart
With all our voice
With all our soul
With all our joy

Now and forever."

And for these words, I composed a music that bursts forth with rhythmic energy and momentum. Its harmonies clash with the threat of violence, but also surge with an inevitable optimism, propulsion, and joy. Yes, we shall make music unabashedly, even when the walls seem to be closing in all around us. And our song will echo on long after we are gone.

-- Dominick DiOrio, July 2018

information

events

9

WE REPLY @ COLLEGE MUSIC SOCIETY SOUTH CENTRAL REGIONAL CONFERENCE

Angelo State University Chorale & Symphony Orchestra * Eric Posada, conductor

Murphey Performance Hall * San Angelo, TX

7:00 pm

Eric Posada and the Angelo State University Chorale & Symphony Orchestra perform my work We Reply as part of the CMS South Central Regional Conference.

14

WE REPLY TO VIOLENCE

Mendelssohn Chorus of Philadelphia - Dominick DiOrio, artistic director & conductor

The Episcopal Church of the Holy Trinity - Rittenhouse Square - Philadelphia, PA

4:00 pm

Dominick DiOrio leads the Mendelssohn Chorus of Philadelphia in WE REPLY TO VIOLENCE, the first concert of MCP's 150th Anniversary Season. Featuring the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, the program opens with Haydn's powerful Mass in Time of War (Paukenmesse), followed by Joel Thompson's visceral and moving Seven Last Words of the Unarmed for the tenors and basses, string orchestra, and piano. DiOrio's own We Reply concludes the concert with music of resilience and determination, as we work to end racial violence through awareness and action.


audio

We Reply

Master Chorale of South Florida

Brett Karlin, conductor


videos

We Reply

We Reply for SATB and string orchestra (or string quintet)
Recording by Master Chorale of South Florida; Brett Karlin, cond.
Published by ECS Publishing

We Reply

The Angelo State University Chorale & Symphony Orchestra (Dr. Eric Posada, conductor) perform We Reply for The College Music Society South Central Region.


performances

october 26, 2018 (Premiere)

Master Chorale of South Florida
Brett Karlin, artistic director
Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church - Ft. Lauderdale, FL

october 28, 2018 (Premiere)

Master Chorale of South Florida
Brett Karlin, artistic director
St. Andrew's School - Boca Raton, FL

june 07, 2019

Master Chorale of Tampa Bay
Brett Karlin, artistic director
First Presbyterian Church - St. Petersburg, FL

june 09, 2019

Master Chorale of Tampa Bay
Brett Karlin, artistic director
Lake Magdalene United Methodist Church - Tampa, FL

june 17, 2020 (Cancelled due to coronavirus)

Master Chorale of South Florida
Brett Karlin, artistic director
Chorus America Annual Conference
Trinity Cathedral - 464 NE 16th St, Miami, FL

july 24, 2021

Pasión
Eric Posada, artistic director
Texas Choral Directos Association Conference
Lila Cockrell Theater - Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
San Antonio, Texas


scores


press


commission and dedication

Commissioned by and dedicated to the Master Chorale of South Florida, Brett Karlin, Artistic Director


published


program note and text

We Reply was written for my dear friend Brett Karlin and the wonderful singers of the Master Chorale of South Florida. Imagined for a Bernstein 100th celebration concert, this work was inspired by Bernstein’s famous quote about making art in the face of adversity. Brett had the wonderful idea of incorporating texts from the Jewish sacred prayers the Shema and Haskivenu, and so I set out to craft a text that could respond to these many viewpoints. This was my creation:

Hear us, God
Hear our strife
Hear our plea

Hear us, God
Hear our pain
Hear our joy

We seek your peace
We seek your grace

Hear us, God
Hear our plea
Hear our joy

Heal us, God
Heal our pain
Heal our strife

Guard our going and our coming
Keep us safe in your all-knowing

In the face of struggle, we reply...
In the face of anguish, we reply...
In the face of violence, we reply...

"We shall love you, God,
With all our heart
With all our voice
With all our soul
With all our joy

Now and forever."

And for these words, I composed a music that bursts forth with rhythmic energy and momentum. Its harmonies clash with the threat of violence, but also surge with an inevitable optimism, propulsion, and joy. Yes, we shall make music unabashedly, even when the walls seem to be closing in all around us. And our song will echo on long after we are gone.

-- Dominick DiOrio, July 2018


dominick smiling and looking out