The Michigan Choral Commission Consortium has been a labor of love for me for four years – during which time we have commissioned nearly 10 new choral works from a remarkable and diverse group of American composers.
When the Stay-at-Home order hit in Michigan, I offered my services for one extra labor of love – a virtual choir open to all members of the consortium, singing one of the works we commissioned this year, I Have Loved Hours at Sea by Z. Randall Stroope.
In the end we received 48 videos from nine high schools across Michigan. It was a joy to work to mix together these different voices and create this choir of people, many of whom never met.
Thank you to the conductors, to Dr. Stroope, to all the consortium members for commissioning this work, to my lovely wife Mandy Mikita Scott who created the virtual conducting video guide, and most of all to the brave 48 singers who joined this project without really knowing what would come out of it.
Please enjoy this labor of love, and share it widely!