New Canon Project Works Ready For Your Next Concert

With $100,000 in grant support from the Sphinx Venture Fund, ACDA, Rising Tide Music Press, and the American String Teachers Association, have partnered together, over the last two years, to focus on commissioning up to 24 new works by Black and Latinx composers for the orchestra and choral classrooms.

Choral composers were selected in two cohorts and have been working since 2023 to bring these works to life. Our composers are:

Cohort #1:
Brian Harris, Jr.
Taleya Jordan
Cristian Larios
Marina Quintanilla
Khyle B. Whooten

Cohort #2:
Jorge Andres Ballesteros
Evan Blaché
Juan-Carlos Mackay
Hugo Madera
David García Saldaña

At the heart of the project has been commissioning partnership, involving Black and Latinx composers working with mentors – either composers who are already successful in the school ensemble market or pedagogues in choral and string music who can assist with writing works that match student skill levels – and with a school classroom ensemble. Composers were financially compensated for their creative work and time spent with the project. Composers were supported over a year, with professional development opportunities and workshops provided by Rising Tide Music Press, as well as, one to one mentoring and peer support. Additionally, composers had the ability to try out drafts of their new works in school classrooms, including direct feedback from the teacher and students; and support in revising their work for publication. Upon completion, the pieces have been published as a collaboration of Rising Tide Music Press, the American String Teachers Association, and the American Choral Directors Association and are now ready to be added to your music library!

You can purchase these works directly from Rising Tide Music Press or through our partnership with ArrangeMe, a Hal Leonard Company.

The choral works available are:

An Instrument by Kyle b. Whooten; SSA + piano with optional Violin
Dreams by Evan Blaché; SSA + piano
Dreams of Home by J. Andrés Ballesteros; SB +piano
Farewell by Taleya Jordan; SSAA + body percussion
I Am Home by Hugo Madera; SATB + piano
Nada Te Turbe by Juan-Carlos Mackay; SAB + piano
Night Song at Amalfi by Marina Quintanilla; SSAA + piano; vocal reduction available
Our Land by Cristian Larios; SATB + piano
Parangaricutirimícuaro by David García Saldaña; SSA +piano or jazz trio
To the Road by Brian Harris, Jr.; SATB + piano

We encourage you to take a look at these new works and consider adding them to your repertoire for your upcoming concert sessions.

Rising Tide Music Press is the flagship program of Rising Tide Music & Arts, a non-profit organization supporting dialogue, collaboration and innovation across creative communities. Through the Press, we partner with artists, educators and organizations to create career pathways and dedicated spaces for BBIA composers to be heard. www.risingtidearts.com