A Vision Unfolding-Kyle Pederson

The VocalEssence Chorus, Ensemble Singers, and Singers Of This Age featuring Shanelle Gabriel, spoken word artist, Ernest Bisong, violin, Joe Hazlett, trumpet, Jeff Bina, snare drum, and Casey Rafn, piano, conducted by G. Phillip Shoultz, III perform "A Vision Unfolding" by Kyle Pederson.
1. REACH DOWN, LORD
Reach down, Lord.
Reach your justice down.
When we walk on the broken road,
Reach your justice down.
If we stumble into the pit
And the dark is all we see,
Reach below and lift us up;
Reach your justice down.
Reach down, Lord.
Reach your justice down.
When we walk in the shadow of death,
Reach your justice down.
-Robert Bode
2. BEAT! BEAT! DRUMS!
Beat! beat! drums!-blow! bugles! blow!
Through the windows-through doors-burst like a ruthless force,
Into the solemn church, and scatter the congregation,
Into the school where the scholar is studying,
Leave not the bridegroom quiet-no happiness must he have now with his bride,
Nor the peaceful farmer any peace, ploughing his field or gathering his grain,
So fierce you whirr and pound you drums-so shrill you bugles blow.
Beat! beat! drums!-blow! bugles! blow!
Over the traffic of cities-over the rumble of wheels in the streets;
Are beds prepared for sleepers at night in the houses? no sleepers must sleep in those beds,
No bargainers’ bargains by day-no brokers or speculators-would they continue?
Would the talkers be talking? would the singer attempt to sing?
Would the lawyer rise in the court to state his case before the judge
Then rattle quicker, heavier drums-you bugles wilder blow.
Beat! beat! drums!-blow! bugles! blow!
Make no parley-stop for no expostulation,
Mind not the timid-mind not the weeper or prayer,
Mind not the old man beseeching the young man,
Let not the child’s voice be heard, nor the mother’s entreaties,
Make even the trestles to shake the dead where they lie awaiting the hearses,
So strong you thump O terrible drums-so loud you bugles blow.
-Walt Whitman
3. ALL OF ME
Look at my skin.
Do you see only skin, or the soul within… do you see what’s true?
Look who I love.
Do you view me as less, like none of the rest of me matters to you?
Turn off the talk on the air,
and the voices who seem to just care about dividing and hiding us where you won’t see.
Look at my faith.
Do you see my creed, and choose to believe that’s all of me?
Look at my vote.
On that alone are you likely to show contempt for me?
You don’t have to see.
But if you take the time to look at me, you’ll see the same fears and a good heart, and the same tears that tear you apart.
See the same love, the same hope,
the same need, the same joy.
So look at my skin.
See the skin and the soul within. See what’s true.
Look who I love.
And see my faith and my vote, but not those alone,
seek to know me, too.
Turn up the voices of truth. Learn to let mercy through. Love will guide us to
a world where we see.
All of me.
Turn and see. Will you see? All of me.
-Kyle Pederson
4. LIGHT TRANSFORMS THE DARKNESS
Light transforms the darkness, so go…go and let your light out. Love is what we harness, so go…go and live your love out.
We are all unified by the way our heart beats
What you feel, I feel
Different palettes and hues and variety The Creator’s tapestry
We need to see the light
Don’t let the darkness hide our humanity
This is a calling.
We’ve been blinded by hate we were taught to believe That’s not how it should be
If my brother or sister is chained
There’s no way I can say I’m free
We are the change we need So that equality can be reality
spoken:
Calling you to set your heart ablaze
Raise the torch, pave the way
So all can say I am free
Calling for all to have the ability to dream To see ourselves in every being
I want you to be free
For all to find home
Wherever they may go
Step into action, words no longer hollow We will fight for you to be free
Called to stand for all races, abilities, religions, identities
No matter who you love You are worthy
You deserve to be free
I will fight for you to be free
This is our calling
We are invited into each other’s life We are called to live love
Called to be that light
-Shanelle Gabriel
5. I DREAM A WORLD
I dream a world where one
No other one will scorn,
Where love will bless the earth
And peace its paths adorn
I dream a world where all
Will know sweet freedom’s way,
Where greed no longer saps the soul
Nor avarice blights our day.
A world I dream where black or white,
Whatever race you be,
Will share the bounties of the earth
And every one is free,
Where wretchedness will hang its head
And joy, like a pearl,
Attends the needs of all humankind-
Of such I dream, my world!
-Langston Hughes
VocalEssence Chorus, Ensemble Singers, & Singers Of This Age
Chanelle Gabriel, spoken word artist
Ernest Bisong, violin
Joe Hazlett, trumpet
Jeff Bina, snare drum
Casey Rafn, piano
G. Phillip Shoultz, III, conductor
Audio Recording by John Scherf and Videography by Novart Media
Recorded at Ted Mann Concert Hall in Minneapolis, MN on Friday, May 3, 2024