May 21, 2014:  In a concert of firsts, the Bronxville High School Chorus will perform the world premiere of senior Chris Landy's "In Time of Silver Rain" on Thursday, May 22, at 7:00 pm at the Sommer Center for Worship and the Performing Arts on the campus of Concordia College.

Written for SSATB chorus, the song is based on the poem of the same name by Langston Hughes and celebrates the arrival of spring. Landy, a senior in Bronxville High School, was inspired by the lyrics for their deeper significance--a celebration of life and new beginnings, especially for students about to embark on new journeys.

Choral director Pamela Simpson asked Landy to compose a piece specifically for the chorus after hearing one of his choral compositions a year ago. "This is not an easy a cappella piece--it modulates several times and has wonderful dissonances and intricacies between parts. Chris challenged himself in writing it, and now the students are pushing themselves to learn it, led by peers in small groups. As they move from working in sections to piecing together the whole song, they begin to understand the interconnection of the ensemble. They have a special appreciation for this piece, knowing that Chris composed it, and are working very hard. I love challenging my students to grow in this way and own their accomplishments."

The piece itself demanded over 200 hours of time over a five-week period to complete. While Landy feels honored to have the chorus perform his piece, he said the process of composing "is exhilarating, yet can be frustrating at times. Following the rules of voice leading and counterpoint and solving harmonic puzzles are all part of the process." Yet, "in the end, there is nothing more thrilling than when the work finally comes together."

"It is absolutely incredible and a surreal experience when I hear people sing something that I have written. I am so grateful to Ms. Simpson and every member of the chorus for working so hard to learn the piece."

Displaced by auditorium renovations, the high school chorus will premiere Landy's piece in concert at Concordia College's Sommer Center for Worship and the Performing Arts, a first for the chorus and a complete circle for Landy, who has studied music composition with Dr. Matt Van Brink at Concordia Conservatory of Music & Art for the past three years and attended Concordia's Songwriting and Composition Intensive, a two-week summer program, for two summers.

Landy also studies voice at Concordia Conservatory with Kathleen Suss and will be a part of the Bronxville High School Chorus in the premiere of his work.

The 55-voice chorus, led by Pamela Simpson and accompanied by pianist Jonathan Faiman, will perform a mix of pieces including the challenging a cappella counterpoint of Palestrina's "Sicut Cervus" and Barber's lyrical canon "Sure on This Shining Night," set to the poetry of James Agee, two pieces from The Lion King that follow from the chorus's participation in a Broadway workshop this year, and the senior class choice piece "All of Me" by John Legend.

Also performing that evening will be the 80-voice-strong eighth-grade chorus, under the shared baton of Pamela Simpson and Lindsey Blackhurst, with selections including a Tuskegee Indian song and songs from Sweeney Todd and Newsies. This is one of the largest eighth-grade choruses in the school's history.

The ten-voice select boys' middle school ensemble, the B Sharps, will sing Jason Mraz's "I Won't Give Up" and "Rhythm of Love" by Plain White T's.

The concert will conclude with the school tradition of inviting alumni to the stage to join in "Danny Boy" (Joseph Flummerfelt arrangement).

There is a reception following the concert, and parents are invited and encouraged to meet the composer and performers.

Authors' note:  Landy is a winner of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME)'s 2014 Student Composers Competition, which includes both a monetary award and the distinction of having his winning piece, Airplane Food, a woodwind quartet for flute, clarinet, baritone saxophone, and contrabassoon, featured at the Young Composers Concert at the NAfME National In-Service Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, in October of 2014.

He will attend Northwestern University in the fall, where he will have the honor of being the first person accepted into a newly formed dual-degree program between the Bienen School of Music and the School of Communication. He will pursue a BM in music, majoring in music composition, and a BA in communication, majoring in radio/TV/film.

Pictured here (rotating): Christopher Landy; Bronxville School's eighth-grade chorus.

Photo of Christopher Landy courtesy Mr. Landy; photo of eighth-grade chorus by Nancee Adams-Taylor