Performed by the Harvard University Choral Fellows
Edward Jones, conductor

"Daylight Finds the Sky", 2010
music by Mark Popeney
text by Heather Green

Before I even began to compose Daylight Finds the Sky – at that point, it had a different name – I knew exactly the kind of piece I wanted to write. The choral repertoire – especially the sacred choral repertoire – is full of beautiful pieces. My choral repertoire is full of beautiful pieces. I was eager to write something that utilized the most powerful tool of the choir – I was going to make a piece that was fun. Exciting. And short. This was a combination that could endure – what better way to rouse the congregation than something brief yet energizing, invigorating but to the point? Beautiful yes, I would try –
how could I not? - but this Sunday morning alarm-clock was more what I had in mind.

Like in all the best stories, this righteous mission of mine encountered a significant roadblock midway through the composition. There was difficulty in securing permission to use the text that had been selected, and a good deal of music had already been written (lesson learned, trust me). Fortunately, my friend and previous collaborator,
the poet Heather Green, admirably stepped in to save the day – composing a new set of
text to fit the tone and direction of the music I had already written. Like in all the best stories, this setback only made the protagonist (the composition!) stronger. Ms. Green was able to craft a text that, in my opinion, beautifully captures the essence of the desired message – the beauty and godliness of the moment, the value of the small things in life, and all the optimism and glory necessary for a devotional piece such as this. Thus, we now find Daylight Finds the Sky. It has grown a lot over the past months, but I hope it is still exciting, and even a bit pretty.

Daylight Finds the Sky (chorus, organ)

into wisdom, lapse to grace (Hang Gliders), 2020
music by Mark Popeney
text by Rhina P. Espaillat ("Hang Gliders")

Voices:
Angela Amico
Minhua Chen
Sofia Padilla Garcia
Ba Pham
Riikka Pietilainen-Caffrey
Mark Popeney
Joshua Rajman
Patricia Seun
Louis Steptoe

Strings:
Yaman Akdogan
Cindy Fong
Jaehee Ju
Louis Steptoe
Angel Valchinov

into wisdom, lapse to grace (Hang Gliders)(chorus, strings)

Michael Matsuno, flute
Alison Balbag, harp

>4, 5-3-10

Pas de Deux for flute and harp

text by Edwina Gately
Peabody Southwell, voice, Han Na Lee, piano

DMA Recital 9-18-11

Hush (voice and piano)

SATB arrangement of the art song "Hush"
Text by Edwina Gately
vocals on demo by Minhua Chen and Mark Popeney

Hush (SATB Choir, Demo recording)

for SATB Chorus
text by the composer

THE ALARM
Oh! What?
That sound!
The alarm!
It burns me!
Too early!

With one heavy arm,
I reach for silence, sleep,
But quiet never comes,
With two heavy eyes,
I search for something,
Anything that will bring me peace.

Oh! But wait!
Is it time?
The alarm! My alarm!
It calls me!
Is it too late?

With two heavy legs,
I rise for the past, the future,
Will the time never come?
With one heavy heart,
I search for something,
Anything that will bring a just peace.

voices on the demo by Minhua Chen and Mark Popeney

The Alarm (SATB Choir Demo)

text by the composer
for SATB Chorus

The warmest winter of my life,
Was the one we spent together,
Despite the snow and barren branches,
We could feel the days grow longer,

Perhaps our bones still remember,
A cursed, icy spring,
When dread and isolation,
Joined with loss and mourning,

But now, as then, we have each other,
We may have changed, but what of the others?
I owe to you my heart and sanity,
And pray the world finds warmth such as this.

voices on the demo by Minhua Chen and Mark Popeney

The Warmest Winter (SATB Choir, Demo)

Chika Inoue, soprano saxophone
Alexander McKee, alto saxophone
Chris Bartz, tenor saxophone
Ben Sorrell, baritone saxophone


Promenade, and Circles (saxophone quartet)

text by Heather Green
Peabody Southwell, mezzo
Chelsea Green, guitar

Songs for Agatha - I - The New Stages of Grief (gtr, voice)

Songs for Agatha - II - The Sea Approaches (gtr, voice)

Songs for Agatha - III - Aggie (gtr, voice)

Peabody Southwell, mezzo-soprano
UCLA Philharmonia
Neal Stulberg, artistic director
text by Josephine Preston Peabody

Harvest Moon (mezzo and orchestra)

USC Thornton Symphony, Donald Crockett, conductor

Day 0:  It finally happened. At least I think so. I've always been a bit of a cynic, so I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised. Actually, I'm not entirely sure what happened.  No sirens or anything, just panic. As everyone else headed for their cars, I figured I'd head down instead. I heard a few big noises (bombs?), and then... nothing. As creepy as it is down here, I should probably camp out for a bit. I hope to God she's alright. She's smart, she must have found some shelter.

Day 6: I need to get as far away from the city as possible. There's something disturbing about this wind, and there's something very unwholesome about this kind of rain, especially in July. I don't feel well. My hopes of ever seeing her again become fainter by the minute. Still, I head inland. Back home. 

day 26: I dont remember this desert. dessert? Desert. It's very beutiful though. Like our honeymoon, she says. God, she's gorgess. Just like when we first met.                  Its quiet. Where is everybody? maybe they all went to the beach.       I think         Actualy, didnt something happen? Something loud?            I                  she           

day27 the most amazng thing hapend today! music! we were taking a walk threw town, and we herd it. that song our song. playing on an old 33. amazeing We danced made me tired tho.
                          where did she go? did she turn off the musc?            real       tired

mpopeney

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