Wake Me a Song!

Description

Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass, Piano, Violin — Wake Me A Song was written for a concert celebrating Kay Owens' 41 years in music education. The piece was premiered by a student and alumni choir of singers from Martin High School in Arlington, Texas, where Kay served as a choir director from 1999 until her retirement in 2024. Over the course of her distinguished career, she influenced many students and mentored many choral directors, including the composer. The text of the piece was selected specifically to commemorate the music that Kay inspired in so many lives during her years of teaching.  Abram Joseph Ryan (1838-1886) wrote the poem Wake Me A Song, which serves as the primary basis of the text and is included below in its entirety. Out of the silences wake me a song,Beautiful, sad, and soft, and low;Let the loveliest music sound along,And wing each note with a wail of woe:Dim and drearAs hope's last tear;Out of the silences wake me a hymn,Whose sounds are like shadows soft and dim. Out of the stillness in your heart --A thousand songs are sleeping there --Wake me a song, thou child of art!The song of a hope in a last despair:Dark and low,A chant of woe;Out of the stillness, tone by tone,Cold as a snowflake, low as a moan. Out of the darkness flash me a song,Brightly dark and darkly bright;Let it sweep as a lone star sweeps alongThe mystical shadows of the night:Sing it sweet;Where nothing is drear, or dark, or dim,And earth-song soars into heavenly hymn. Wake Me a Song, composed by Farnell and inspired by Abram Joseph Ryan’s evocative poem, is a stirring tribute to Kay Owens’ remarkable 41 years in music education. This heartfelt piece celebrates the enduring impact of educators who inspire a lifelong love of music. With lush harmonies and lyrical beauty, the work captures the power of song to awaken the spirit, evoke emotion, and connect us all.

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