Piano Archives - Bluedog Music

Tiny Letters: Anonymous Letters to God Written by Children

cachefix — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 21:23:12 +0000

Sunset
Imagine a child seeing the colors of a radiant sunset for the first time. The beauty they absorb in that moment is often taken for granted in our adulthood. Take a moment and go see a sunset; each is a unique gift, crafted by nature every day.

New Shoes
I’m not gonna lie; even as an adult, I still get very excited about new shoes! But kids … they cannot wait to show you their new shoes, especially if they light up! This movement is jazz-inspired, and incorporates repetition, because if you’ve ever been around an excited child, they do not just tell you once.

The Kiss!
As a child, kisses are taboo and gross (if you were raised Southern Baptist, anyways). Imagine seeing a kiss happen in a wedding right there in front of God!

Borders
This movement begins with an innocent question. Who (does) draw the borders around the countries? The emotion of the piece changes from innocence to rage as I imagine families fleeing persecution, seeking refuge, or simply trying to live, only to be limited by the imaginary construct of borders we have drawn on this planet.

Do Unto Others?
Isn’t it hard to be kind to those who are not kind? I’ve always found a sort of “catch-22” with the “do unto others” rule.

I Think About You
In our lives, prayer is one way to be connected to God. Another is to simply be thankful and to live out the principles of the faith you follow.

The post Tiny Letters: Anonymous Letters to God Written by Children appeared first on Bluedog Music.

Sweet Little Jesus Boy, Emmanuel

cachefix — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 21:06:18 +0000

The post Sweet Little Jesus Boy, Emmanuel appeared first on Bluedog Music.

The Gift for the Lowly

g.gurss — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 18:13:11 +0000

Original Works

Details:

Text: Psalm 8, composer

Voicing: SATB

Theme: Sacred

Orchestration: Cello, piano

Listen:

To purchase:

Please contact me to purchase this piece!

The post The Gift for the Lowly appeared first on Bluedog Music.

The Gift to Sing

g.gurss — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 18:08:11 +0000

The post The Gift to Sing appeared first on Bluedog Music.

Tom and Dean

g.gurss — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 18:00:55 +0000

Original Works

Details:

Text: Dean Schlaak, Tom Degree, composer

Voicing: TTBB, youth soloist

Theme: Queer-Specific

Orchestration: Piano, acoustic guitar

About:

Tom and Dean are a Twin Cities couple who have been together since the year 2000. In 2019, Tom was involved in a critical car accident, after which, he spent six weeks in the hospital recovering from serious internal and external injuries. Tom would wake up to the news that his right leg was amputated below the knee. But with his husband, Dean, by his side, Tom made a successful recovery and is adjusting well to life in a somewhat-different body.

Recently, I sat down with Tom and Dean at a local diner where they shared their story with me. From their words, I was inspired to write this piece — based on their perseverance, the strength of their hope, and of course, their love for each other. Because of his reckless courage (akin to that of a child who has not yet learned that life comes with limitations), Tom is portrayed by his younger self. Dean’s story is told in the present.

Listen:

To purchase:

Please contact me to purchase this piece!

The post Tom and Dean appeared first on Bluedog Music.

Fairy Tale Blues

g.gurss — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 17:47:47 +0000

Original Works

Details:

Text: Composer

Voicing: SATB

Orchestration: Piano, bass, percussion

About:

What happens when we are stigmatized for the way our bodies look? The Big Bad Wolf, Tooth Fairy, and Wicked Witch tell you all about it.

Listen:

To purchase:

Please contact me to purchase this piece!

The post Fairy Tale Blues appeared first on Bluedog Music.

Joy to the World

g.gurss — Mon, 01 Jan 2024 21:46:32 +0000

The post Joy to the World appeared first on Bluedog Music.

Go Rest High on that Mountain

g.gurss — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 17:29:58 +0000

The post Go Rest High on that Mountain appeared first on Bluedog Music.

I Look to You

g.gurss — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 17:26:41 +0000

The post I Look to You appeared first on Bluedog Music.

Stigmata

g.gurss — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 16:53:33 +0000

Prologue
Text from composer

What If Monsters
Text — Composer and anonymous member of TCGMC.
About — After receiving a positive HIV diagnosis, the “what ifs’ arrive. This movement explores them using the metaphor of being haunted as if they were a child’s monsters who live under the bed.

Crucifixus
Text — M. Wilberg.
Translation — crucifixus: crucified/pierced
About — Ms. Wilberg is a woman whose husband was imprisoned, got HIV, and transmitted to her. Her in-laws would not accept her and forced their son to kick her out of the house. She now works for an HIV/AIDS housing nonprofit.

Vinea mea electa
Text — Francisco Martins (1628-1680)
Translation — O vineyard, my chosen one. I planted thee. How is thy sweetness turned into Bitterness. O crucify me and take Barabbas in my place? I protected thee.
About — Work inspired by the Lenten motet by Poulenc. Drawing from more crucifixion imagery, the piece is about how queer folk can turn on other queer folk so quickly once they learn they are HIV positive. The same people fighting to work for equality and justice are then spat upon and degraded by their own. It is the worst betrayal.

Hallelujah, I’m Clean!
Text — Composer
About — This hoe-down is a satire of the ugliness found in communications inside gay dating apps. Many times, one can read, “clean only,” or be asked, “Are you clean?” While that question can be broad – wanting to know that the person with whom they desire to have intimate relations is free of STIs, it generally refers to asking if the person is HIV negative. The notion of clean implies the other: dirty, as if there was an entire untouchable caste system class reserved for those who are HIV positive. As the song states, “some folks are just plain stupid.”

Clara’s Song (Earth’s Loveliness)
Text — Tim Seelig and Michelangelo
About — Corianna Seelig-Gustafson (1977-2018) was an ally who had a passion for erasing HIV stigma. She loved every person and was not afraid to hug them, when they needed human touch. Her daughter is Clara. The song is sung about Corianna form the perspective of Clara. Clara’s grandfather is Tim Seelig, a prominent figure in American choral music. Seelig has worked hard to erase HIV stigma through his openness about his own status from the podium to audiences everywhere.

15 Minutes
Text — Composer and David Anderson (TCGMC member)
About — Many gay men of a certain age can tell you about the 2-week wait time between getting tested and receiving the result. Those two weeks were agonizing and made you question your worth as a gay man. The fear and shame would haunt you into disability. Today, one can learn their status in 15 minutes or less. That convenience can be a contributing factor to more people getting tested. Testing leads to awareness and knowledge. With knowledge comes faster medical response which can prevent people form developing AIDS. This movement is not only about advocacy but also about what happens when someone finds out they are HIV+.

And I Believe
Text — Christopher Harris (StoryCorps) and the composer
About — Oddly, this last movement was written first. It was a stand-alone piece written for TCGMC to commemorate World AIDS Day in 2028. Upon finishing this movement, I knew I wanted to begin the quest to write the larger work, Stigmata. As is my admittedly dangerous tradition, I listen to NPR’s StoryCorps every Friday morning – sometimes right before going into the gym, which is awkward, because one cannot go into the gym crying. I heard Christopher’s story, and I was overcome with sadness for this man who lived in a time when receiving a positive HIV diagnosis was a death sentence. I was also worried that an entire new generation of gay men would never know the cost of their sexuality in a different time and how much people today take for granted medications like “Prep.” Finally, I was moved by how Christopher’s painful experience was used in a touching story to help others learn and feel less alone.

The post Stigmata appeared first on Bluedog Music.