Poet, Emily Dickinson has a strong message of love that is particularly poignant for our times. A small amount of love is better than a large amount of "Hate" or "enmity." In this piece, I've tried to emphasize her "Because". There's no reason for HATE and it is so all consuming to dwell on "enmity" in our short life time.  Likewise, Dickinson stresses "But since", the "little toils of Love" are enough and she chooses this over hate. Cypress Choral Music: https://cypresschoral.com/composers/gerda-blok-wilson/ 
YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcWqM1ELSvI

I Had No Time To Hate Vancouver Chamber Choir

My inspiration for ‘A Homely Blessing’ was voluntary work with the Faith In Action Homelessness Project in Merton, South London. A place that is homely and safe makes such a huge difference to individuals and should never be taken for granted. The musical setting of my words is by Helen Sanderson White and the pianist on the studio recording performing with me is David Barton.

A Homely Blessing
(Eleanor Ruth Carlyle, 2021)

May your heart sing as you enter	
	The place where you belong.
May you be yourself most fully
	Here, where memories throng.

May there be food at your table,
	With always some to share.
May strangers find your welcome warm
	And leave as friends who care.

May the place where you rest your head
	Be ever safe and dry.
May dreams charm but never haunt you,
	As days and years go by.

A Homely Blessing - Helen Sanderson White, 2022

The traditional 15th Century text, LULLAY, MY LIKING is woven into a new hauntingly beautiful piece with expressive textures as it unfolds. The gentle lyrics have such a positive message. A great SATB selection for good community choirs and professional groups at seasonal winter concerts. Available at Cypress Choral Music: https://cypresschoral.com/composers/gerda-blok-wilson/lullay-my-liking/. gerdablokwilson.ca 

The composition was recorded by the Elora Singers (2021), Mark Vuorinen, conductor: https://www.elorasingers.ca/radiant-dawn-cd/

“Vancouver-based Gerda Blok-Wilson’s Lullay My Liking is a refreshingly new setting of the very old favorite.” David Vernier ClassicsToday.com

https://gerdablokwilson.ca/

The Elora Singers

Lullay My Liking

Commissioned by the Modern Sound Collective, 2022
Composed By: Sami Anguaya
Text By: Sami Anguaya & Tom Robinson 
Performed By: The Concreamus Chamber Choir, April Concert 2023

Waiting: 

Rise the dream is over now
Come and face the light of day
Bright, Blinding 
Awakened dreamer, come and face the light 

In dreams I lie awake, waiting
Like a turtle on a deadhead just
Taking in rays, taking in rays 

Waiting
like a hummingbird at a feeder

Awake,
I lay low 
Waiting
like a fossil by a roadside
Waiting 
To be picked up

Lying Awake, Waiting

Composer: Gerda Blok-Wilson
Poet: Emily Dickinson
Performance: Vancouver Chamber Choir
Director: Kari Turunen
Publisher: Cypress Choral Music Inc

visit https://cypresschoral.com to study the score while you listen

I Had No Time To Hate - by Gerda Blok-Wilson

The Vancouver Chamber Choir premiered the piece September 22, 2023. You can hear their beautiful live performance.

I discovered "Today, Under Darkened Skies, I Watched the Water Breathe" in Dr. Jeanette Gallant's November 2022 Facebook post. 
The poem's deep reflection on beauty, resilience, hope, and our bond with nature struck me, especially upon learning it was inspired by her battle with cancer. It's a testament to how art can heal and inspire, especially through nature's lens.

I tried to weave the poem's structure, imagery of nature's rhythms, and emphasis on finding beauty amidst darkness into the music.

For the SATB, SSAA, TTBB scores, contact Cypress Music Publishers: https://cypresschoral.com/

Today, Under Darkened Skies

Composer: Gerda Blok-Wilson
Poet: Dr. Jeanette Gallant
Performance: Vancouver Chamber Choir
Director: Kari Turunen
Publisher: Cypress Choral Music
visit https://cypresschoral.com to study the score while you listen

Today, Under Darkened Skies - Gerda Blok-Wilson

"A Dried Up River" was inspired by Alice Dunt's poem. The beginning describes a struggling river - murmuring until it is finally a dried up river with "no fish to the sea". YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3qP9bWC0A0

I began “A Dried Up River” during Covid in 2021 and it was inspired by Alice Oswald's  poignant poem 'Dunt: a poem for a dried up river’   (https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/90863/dunt-a-poem-for-a-dried-up-river). '  

This summer, with the scorching, desert-like conditions in Western Canada,  severely impacting our water sources such as ponds, lakes, and rivers and  exacerbating the dire forest fire situations, I revisited the piece.  Alice Oswald's poem revolves around a fragile Roman water nymph figurine,  crafted from bone, portraying erosion, damage, and exhaustion. 

The symbolic  attempts to beckon a river, traditionally a symbol of life, growth, and movement  back to life.  In my composition, I aimed to create a transformative journey, starting from a state of being 'nearly dried up' to the tragic state of being 'dried up'. Mirroring the heartbreaking reality of once-thriving rivers (for example the Mackenzie River –Northwest Territories:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYKuV4tEW2o&t=34s ) reduced to feeble remnants,  profoundly affecting life and nature.  I welcome any improvisational sounds from the choir  with a particular focus on the expressive dynamics, tone, and texture interwoven throughout the lyrics, percussive sounds, music, and imagery.  

I hope works like this can find a meaningful place within choral programs so they can serve as a ways to shed light on critical environmental and social issues.

A Dried Up River - Gerda Blok-Wilson

A new composition for SATB a cappella by Gerda Blok-Wilson. Poem by Bliss Carman (1861 -1929). The awakening of the earth after a long winter. Youtube Demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dC-T7SqOhGw Sheet Music Plus: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/flute-of-spring-digital-sheet-music/22119852 and Sheet Music Direct:https://www.sheetmusicdirect.com/en-US/se/ID_No/882341/Product.aspx

The Flute Of Spring

"The Wind Will Carry My Song" by Canadian composer Gerda Blok-Wilson.

Performed live by the Eastern Horizon Chamber Choir in February 2020. Eastern Horizon is conducted by Christina Murray and Jack Bennet, and are based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. They are one of three choirs that form Choirs for Change Association, a registered non-profit arts organization whose mission is to support social change movements through innovative choral events.

The Wind Will Carry My Song (Blok-Wilson) | Eastern Horizon Chamber Choir

*Summerfield Studio Recording* 3 June 2020

This reflective carol presents a light of hope in times of uncertainty. The words and music were written by David Barton https://soundcloud.com/david-barton-music and published by Paraclete Press https://paracletesheetmusic.com/product/carol-of-the-light/. It was composed for Unison voices, but is sung here as a solo by Ruth Carlyle with the composer, David Barton, at the piano.

The illustration is by Nic Carlyle.

Depending on your setting, click on the wave of the line of music or the arrow to listen.

Carol of the light - David Barton, 2016 - Studio recording

Gerda earned a Bachelor of Music (UBC), Professional Teaching Certificate (UBC), Kodály Teaching certificate (VAM), Master of Education (U of Calgary)-Kodály music. 

She is founding director of the 110 member Vancouver CanSing Choirs (Youth/Adult), conductor for SelfDesign home schooling choir, Artist-in-Residence for St Patrick’s Chamber Choir and provides support for grade 8-12 choir.    

 Recently, Gerda offered choral development for Simon Fraser, Lord Tennyson Choirs, original musical theatre at General Wolfe, and conducting development for the BC Kodály Association-Douglas College.

 Gerda’s career has included performance tours in England, New York, across Canada, commissioned choral pieces by Raminsh, Telfer and Bosma and performance honours at Carnegie Hall (Missa Brevis by Raminsh), Ottawa (Unisong Festival), Musicfest Canada (Calgary/Vancouver/Ottawa), Performing Arts BC and National Festivals.  She has conducted the BC Music Educator’s Honour Elementary Choir and her choirs have been   demonstration choirs at festivals including Musicfest Canada and BC Performing Arts Festival.

Gerda was conductor for the award-winning Bel Canto Choirs (Prince George), PG Jazz, Cantata Singers, PGSSHigh School choir.  She served as Music Resource Teacher for SD#57 and taught summer music education courses at UNBC.  She has 4 mini-musicals published by THEMES AND VARIATIONS and continues to arrange and compose music for choirs. 

Lullay My Liking

Gerda Blok-Wilson

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