A recitative from Act I, scene 2, of The Repugnant Tap, in which three evil sorcerers create an oracle to tell them how to get their magic back.

The Repugnant Tap

A Repugnant Tap

Selections from "Dao De Jing," a new 14-movement piece for SATB chorus with computer-generated voices, namely movements 3 (Qi An Yi Chi or "Peace Is Easy to Maintain") and 6 (San Shi Fu or "Thirty Spokes").

Qi An Yi Chi

A capella choral piece with original German lyrics that translate to:

When we are young, everything is new, so everything is different. We do not fear difference until we stop welcoming the new.

in fog, in smoke, in cloudy new-moon darkness, we do not see, so we do not see difference

I keep my eyes on the ground, others stare at their phones, so we only see different people in our dreams

Someone’s difference vanishes upon learning someone’s name and story over a shared meal

Difference

From "Requiem for the Decimated," a work-in-progress requiem dedicated to all the gay men who died of AIDS while the Reagan administration laughed at and ignored our losses, because AIDS, at first, principally killed only gay men and drug users.

The first movement is traditionally the "Requiem Aeternam." I have used the traditional Latin lyrics: 

Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine.
Et lux perpetua luceat eis.
Te decet hymnus, Deus, in Sion,
Et tibi reddetur votum in Jerusalem
Exaudi orationem meam
Ad te omnis caro veniet.

Requiem aeternam dona defunctis, Domine.
Et lux perpetua luceat eis.
Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine
Et lux perpetua luceat eis.

(Essentially: Grant our dead eternal rest, Lord, and let your everlasting light shine on them. God in Zion, we sing hymns to you. A debt is owed to Jerusalem. Hear my prayer. All flesh shall come before you.)

Requiem Aeternam

Second movement, "Kyrie eleison," from my work in progress "Requiem for the Decimated. It is dedicated to all the gay men we lost during the 1980s and 1990s because Reagan wouldn't even try to save us.

The lyrics are simply:

Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison (Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy).

Kyrie Eleison

Not your traditional "Dies Irae." The words in Latin in this case are:

Dies irae, dies iudicii,
Desperandum est nomen loci.
Impii sunt flores desiccatas
Con nullas umbras occultatas.

Quantus ustio est futurus,
Cum incendis ille malus.
Audire gratiam victimae suae:
“Vivite plene vitae tuae!”

Which in English essentially translates to: 

On the day of wrath, the day of judgment, desperation is the name of the place. The wicked are dried-out flowers with no shade to hide them. How much burning there will be in their future when the conflagration consumes their evil. Listen to the gratitude of their victims: "Live your lives fully!"

Dies Irae

A capella piece for soprano solo and mixed chorus. The lyrics:

(No air)
I cannot breathe until I see you standing there
(No air)
My breathing fails me, but I don't think you're aware
(No air)
Not knowing if you love me, or if you even care
(No air)
And at this precious moment, between us there should be
No air

(No sound)
I want to hear that music, but I can't. You're not around.
(No sound)
I want to tell you something, but no courage can be found.
(No sound)
I hear that our relationship's about to run aground.
(No sound)
You say we have no future. I only see your terror.
No sound
(No sound)
(No air)

No Air

First draft of an a capella mixed chorus piece I wrote about the tedium and frustration of repeatedly starting over after breaking up with someone I was dating

Starting Over

Cha - Cha Pereira

composer of vocal and orchestral music, jazz, blues, soundtracks

TaoistToast

Popular tracks