OurSong Atlanta, directed by Robert Glor

 

SATB, One Voice Mixed Chorus, Jane Ramseyer-Miller, Artistic Director

SSAA by Atlanta Women’s Chorus, Melisa Arasi, Artistic Director

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Boxes

$2.25

Using a variety of Broadway musical styles, this upbeat piece questions societal boxes while dreaming a world in which we are all free to be who we’re meant to be.

Mixed Voices, SSAA or TTBB and piano

Text: Catherine Dalton

Moderate

Commissioned by American Choral Director Association (ACDA) Minnesota for the 2020 9th-10th Grade SSAA Honor Choir

SSAA Premiered by the Atlanta Women’s Chorus, Melissa Arasi, Artistic Director

SATB Permiered by One Voice Mixed Chorus, Jane Ramseyer-Miller, Artistic Director

As part of the lyric writing process, I connected with three friends around the topics of gender and boxes. Transcripts of our conversations can downloaded here. I believe these conversations expand the reach and depth of the song. Thank you Rossi, Erika and Theo for sharing your stories with us. Note: Permission granted to print one copy for personal use or as many as needed for educational purposes. For any other use, contact Catherine for permission.

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Description

Using a variety of Broadway musical styles, this upbeat piece questions societal boxes while dreaming a world in which we are all free to be who we’re meant to be.

Read More About How Choral Music Can Embrace Inclusivity at My Blog.

Text

Boxes

Boxes, boxes, boxes.
Everywhere!
Boxes, boxes, boxes.
Stacking us up!
Boxes, boxes, boxes.
Check, check!

Why are we put into boxes?
Boys, girls,
girls, boys.

Why are there only two options?
Girls, boys
boys, girls.

And why are the things we buy categorized gender-wise?

Boxes for pink, boxes for blue.
Boxes for me, boxes for you.
All of these boxes to check.
Boxes right up to our necks.

Boxing us in, kicking us out.
Where does it stop?
We wanna shout,
“Let us out. Let us out!”
We want out!

Stacking us up against each other.
Stacking us up against the norm.
And why does the norm inform so many decisions?
We see a lot of division.

But what if being me means coloring outside of the lines?
What if being me means breaking boxes open?
What if being me means living my dream to be who I’m meant to be?
True to myself, true to the world, true to me.

Stacking us up against each other.
Stacking us up against the norm.
And why does the norm inform so many decisions?
We see a lot of division.

We want to live in a world where you can break boxes open.
We want to live in a world where you can color outside of the lines.
We want to live in a world where no one has to hide who they are inside.

In this new world we are all free.
In this new world to be who we’re meant to be,
whoever that may be.

Catherine Dalton

© 2021 Catherine Dalton, ASCAP
All Rights Reserved

Program Notes

“Boxes” is about wanting to live in a world where we can all “be free to be who we’re meant to be” – a world where we can be “true to ourselves, true to the world.” I worked on the lyrics with friends of mine who know a lot about cultural gendered boxes, but some of the words also came from my own experiences of feeling boxed in by clothing options, gendered language, and societal expectation. My friends who helped with the lyrics were also brave enough to be interviewed and allow their interviews to be included in the score.

Performance Notes

Performances

  • Atlanta Women’s Chorus, Melissa Arasi, conductor (Atlanta, GA) – World Premiere (SSAA)
  • One Voice Mixed Chorus, Jane Ramseyer-Miller, conductor (Minneapolis & St. Paul, MN) – World Premiere (SATB)
  • Voices Rising, Leora Zimmer, conductor (Cambridge and Newton, MA) – Northeast SSAA Premiere
  • MUSE Cincinnati Women’s Chorus- SSA (Cincinnati)

Critical Acclaim

Reviews

  1. Gail Diez –

    Terrific and amazing Cathy

    • Catherine Dalton (store manager) –

      Awe… thank you, Gail!

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