The Path You Walk Upon

Description

The Path You Walk Upon is a Celtic-style blessing which uses nature as a guide, combining timeless harmonies and melodies.

Text

May the path that you will walk upon
be free of roots and stones.
May your days be filled with laughter
and the rain wash away your tears.

May your path lead you through forest dark
and the river still your mind.
May the mountains be your highest hope
as your dreams ever urge you on.

May the earth hold you in beauty
and the sun’s warmth fill your soul.
May the starshine be your guiding light
as your heart finds its way back home.

Program Notes

The Path You Walk Upon was originally written for the Northern Lights Children’s Choir to be performed in honor of graduating seniors. While working on the lyrics, which were to send the seniors along their “paths”, I was drawn to use images from the natural world in the tradition of an Irish Blessing. The SATB arrangement was created for White Bear Unitarian Universalist adult choir who included it in their 2005 CD Walk in Beauty

Performances

Premiere:

SATB Choir Premiere: White Bear Unitarian Universalist Adult Choir, Thaxter Cunio, director;
SSA Choir Premiere: Mahtomedi Women’s Choir: Rob Pontious, director;
SA Choir Premiere: OH Anderson Choir, Brett Smith, director

SSA, Piano and Violin

*Mahtomedi High School Women’s Chorus, Robert Pontious, conductor (Mahtomedi, MN) – listen above – World Premiere
Artemis Singers, First Church Unitarian (Littleton, MA)
2013 National American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) Reading Session (Dallas)
Three Sopranos, First Unitarian Society (Madison, WI)
St. Catherine University Women’s Choir, Patricia C. Connors, conductor (Collegeville and St. Paul, MN and West Coast Tour)
2014 North West American Choral Directors Association (NW-ACDA) Summer Conference Reading Session (Oakhurst, CA)
Harmonia (Mahtomedi, MN)
Northwest American Choral Directorsw Association (NW-ACDA) Summer Conference Reading Session

SA and Piano

*O.H. Anderson’s 5th Grade Choir, P. Brett Smith, conductor (Mahtomedi, MN) – World Premiere, listen above
Bel Canto Singers, Margaret Sabin, conductor (Champlin, MN)
Voices of the Heart, Linda Kachelmeier, conductor (South St. Paul, MN)
High School Girls Choir, Peg Oswald, conductor (Grand Junction, CO)
Mother/Daughter Choir, Linda Kachelmeier, conductor (St. Paul, MN)
Voices of Hope, Shakopee Women’s Preson Choir, Amanda Weber director (Shakopee, MN)

SATB, Piano and Violin

*White Bear Unitarian Universalist Church Choir, Thaxter Cunio, director (Mahtomedi, MN) – World Premiere
*From Age to Age, Peter Durrow, conductor (Virtual Performance) – watch and listen above
CorVoce, Karin Barrett, conductor (St. Paul, MN)
Honor Choirs Festival, David Bauer, conductor (University of Nebraska Kearney; Kearney, NE)
Caldwell University Chorale, Laura Greenwald, conductor (Montclair, NJ)
Arlington Street Church Choir, Mark David Buckles, conductor (Boston)
Sometime Quartet, Patrick Scofield, conductor (Portland, OR)
Schola Cantorum on Hudson, Dr. Deborah Simpkin King, conductor (Manhattan)
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh Choir, Jed Holland, conductor (Nashua, NH)
The First Unitarian Church of Hamilton Choir, Rachel Derry, conductor (Hamilton, Ontario, Canada)
Walden Hill Vocal Ensemble, Joseph Mish, conductor (Rochester, MN)
Unitarian Universalist Church of Chattanooga Choir, Kate Briere, conductor (Chattanooga, TN)
Unitarian Universalist Church of Vancouver, Patrick Scofield, director (Vancouver, WA)
2010 Unitarian Universalist Musician’s Network (UUMN) Reading Session (Madison, WI)
Congregation Choir, Connie Jahrmarkt, conductor (Phoenix, AZ)
Eliot Chapel Chamber Choir, Jan Chamberlin, conductor (Kirkwood, MO)
The Chancel Choir, Fern Jennings, conductor (Shaker Heights, OH)
Unitarian Universalist Church of Washington County Choir, Allison Wilski (Hillsboro, OR)
Unitarian-Universalist Church of Nashua Choir, Jed Holland (Nashua, NH)
8 VA, Karen Baumen, director (Duluth, MN)
Peterborough Unitarian Universalist Church Choir, Maria Belva, conductor (Peterborough, NH)
Unitarian Universalist Church of Minnetonka Choir, Robert Reed, conductor (Minnetonka, MN)
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Gainesville Choir, Ruth Lewis, conductor (Gainesville, FL) – 11th Annual International Festival of Women
Unitarian Universalist Church of Charlotte Choir, John Herrick, conductor (Charlotte, NC)
Chalice Choir, Ruth Lewis, conductor (Gainesville, FL)