Sing On

In June of 2025, I was killing time on social media and came across a post from one of my dear friends. A student in her advanced high school ensemble wrote a poem for the ensemble as an end of the year gift, and my friend shared it on her social media. The text immediately captivated me and music began to emerge from these powerful words. I reached out to my friend about the possibility of collaborating with both her ensemble and the student poet, and the rest is history. “Sing On” is a setting of text by Jack Downing, a current student in my friend’s choir. His poignant words describe the bonds formed from and the healing abilities of choral music. The work is in three sections: the first section features a unison vocal melody, followed by a restatement with a countermelody; the second section is a cappella, and explores the deeper emotional power of singing; and the third section is a restatement of both melodies, ending a half-step higher than where the piece began. The piece was commissioned by the 2025/26 Providence High School Providence Singers, and their conductor, Marisa Rawlins-Bradfield.