Conventional Wisdom
for SATB chorus, oboe, and percussion
text and music by ZMH
Three short character pieces on humorous poems, based upon and inspired by the numerous maxims in the English language that have similar meanings or use similar language to make contradictory claims. Each of the three pieces loosely imitates a genre or style of choral music. If, then is buoyant and energetic, bouncing along like an English Christmas carol. So they say is stark and minimalist, and should be sung with a pure, round tone. Last word(s) is akin to a folk song: warm, nostalgic, and a bit clichéd,like the aphorims that comprise its lyrics.
Featured at the 2014 West Chester University Choral Symposium, the 2014 Rodney Eichenberger Conductor's Clinic, and the 2014 New Mexico All-State Choral Reading Session.
Commissioned for the choirs of Chapel Hill (NC) High School, Jeremy Nabors, director.
