for the University of Mississippi
WHO I AM Text by Martin Luther King Jr. Music by J Reese Norris This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
Composer J. Reese Norris is director of choirs at Hernando Middle School and is co-founder and co-artistic director of CoroRio, both in Northwest Mississippi. Norris received degrees from Delta State University and Florida State University and in 2005 was named Delta State University Music Alumnus of the year. Norris was the recipient of the 2017 MMEA's Music Educator of the Year, the Ernestine Ferrell Lifetime Achievement Award given by the Mississippi Chapter of ACDA, and the Delta State University Educator of the Year Award. Norris has served in several leadership capacities for state-level NAfME and ACDA and at the division level for ACDA. Choirs under his direction have performed in five European tours, in Carnegie Hall, at the National Conference for Middle School Choirs, twice for Mississippi ACDA's State Conference, twice for ACDA's Southern Division Conference, and at the OAKE National Conference. Norris has been honored to serve as guest clinician and presenter across the Eastern United States. His compositions and arrangements have been performed across the United States at festivals, honor choirs, state and regional conferences, and are published by Lawson-Gould, Santa Barbara, Colla Voce, G. Schirmer, and MusicSpoke.
Martin Luther King Jr. was born in 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. King, a Baptist minister and civil-rights activist, had a seismic impact on race relations in the United States, beginning in the mid-1950s. Among his many efforts, King headed the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Through his activism and inspirational speeches he played a pivotal role in ending the legal segregation of AfricanAmerican citizens in the United States, as well as the creation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. King received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, among several other honors. He was assassinated in April 1968, and continues to be remembered as one of the most influential and inspirational African-American leaders in history. -biography.com
In honor of the teaching career of Debra Spurgeon upon the occasion of her retirement from the University of Mississippi. Dr. Debra Spurgeon retired from an extensive teaching career as a choral music educator in spring/2018. During her time teaching in Bentonville, Arkansas, Southwest Oklahoma State University, and at the University of Mississippi, she has enriched the lives of thousands of students. Her dedicated service to the choral art and education has made a profound impact on the future of choral music in America. This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
In honor of the teaching career of Dr. Debra Spurgeon upon the occasion of her retirement from the University of Mississippi
Who I Am Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
J Reese Norris
q = 65
b &b b
Oboe
SOPRANO
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me,
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This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
∑
2 18
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want to be,
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can do,
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This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
3
° b S1 & b b w 32
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S2
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who I want
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This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
œ
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4 Narration*
41
b &b b
∑
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p
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oo p
b &b b
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oo p
b &b b
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∑
∑
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∑
w oo p
b &b b ˙ ‹
˙
œ
me, me,
? b œ̇ ¢ bb
œ
˙˙
{
? bb b = 48 b &b b
œœœ ™™™ œ œ œ œ œ ˙˙˙ ˙ œ œ œ ˙
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er, pur - pose,
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for a great - er
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for a great for a great - er
me,
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great-er
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than than
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my my -
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self. self.
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w
self.
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oh
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This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
œ
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5 54
b &b b œ œ ˙
Ϫ
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œ
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∑
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∑
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w
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ah
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4 4
∑
ah
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sub. p
2 4
ah
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oh
me,
sub. p
2 4
∑
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ah
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ff
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b ˙ & b b ˙˙˙
Œ
ff
U w w ww
2 4
∑
4 4
∑
U w w w
2 4
∑
4 4
∑
= rit. tenor or soprano solo - freely, in the syle of free recit. 3 ‰ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ™
S
° b &b b ˙ b &b b ˙ God,
T
B
b &b b w ‹ God, ?b w ¢ bb w God,
Œ œ œ ˙
p To serve one on- ly needs a heart full of grace,
Ó
God,
A
œ œ ˙
œ œ œ œ ˙
˙
w
use
oh
God,
œ œ ˙
me,
˙
use
∑ ∑
œ ˙
œ w
me,
of
w
w
God,
˙
˙
w
me,
oh
God,
Ó
˙
w
oh
God,
w
Œ œ œ œ œ œ
and a soul
w
ge - ne - ra ted by
w
love.
U w
use
me.
w
U w
w
use
me.
w
U w
w
use,
w
U w
w
me.
w
use
U w w me.
in this section, the conductor should facilitate chord changes to align with soloist
This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
About the song: Choosing the teaching career is essentially the act of instructing and inspiring. A failure to accomplish any of these daily (hourly) tasks is tantamount to major shortfall in the world of choral music. A teacher, in the truest and most altruistic form, is one who lives to enjoy the accomplishments of others. In fact, the measure of that teacher is generally gauged not in their own success, but in the success of their students. This deep-seated sense of service to others is the fuel that generates a life of teaching. When choosing text for this song, I was quickly drawn to the inspirational words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He had a powerful perspective on life that describes the essence of a life-long teacher. He viewed life as an opportunity to take sum of all that is good within us, and use it for others and for greater purposes than even we can see. In fact, this could be considered an anthem for those who teach.
Performance Notes: The oboe solo provides an effective contrast in timbre to the singers and piano. If, however, a player is not available, the part could be covered by an excellent soprano soloist singing on a neutral syllable. Measures 47 - 58 provide a great opportunity for a powerful spoken word to be set on top of the choir. For example, if the song was chosen to be part of an MLK program, an impassioned local pastor could be brought in to deliver a portion of a famous MLK speech during this section, with a powerful crescendo to the fermata. If this song was chosen to be part of program on service, the choir could be polled for quotes on service with singers delivering some of those lines during these measures. Perhaps an orator could be found to provide a dramatic reading of a poem. The possibilities are limitless. Be creative!
Other J. Reese Norris Compositions: SA/SSA/SSAA
THIS IS YOUR TIME, Santa Barbara PAPER CRANE, MusisSpoke RISE ABOVE, MusicSpoke MISERICORDIA, Santa Barbara LOS CRISTALES TURBIOS, Santa Barbara WE SING OF LOVE, Santa Barbara PRECIOUS LORD, Lawson-Gould A REQUIEM OF HOPE, Colla Voce
TTB/TTBB
THE WARRIOR, MusicSpoke WORDS OF WAR, Colla Voce
SATB
TWO STRANGE WORLDS, MusicSpoke THE CROSSING, G. Schirmer AN OLD IRISH BLESSING, Colla Voce COME THOU FOUNT, MusicSpoke SWEET WILL BE THE FLOWER, MusicSpoke WALK HUMBLY, MusicSpoke FAITHFUL, MusicSpoke HEALING WATERS, MusicSpoke I SHALL NOT LIVE IN VAIN, MusicSpoke
This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.