Clare Shore - Maya's Song

Clare Shore's Maya's Song
for mezzo-soprano/actress, synthesizer and percussion

Date of completion: September, 1988; Approximate Duration: 97'

Program Notes

Maya's Song consists of excerpts gleaned form the autobiographical writings of Maya Angelou (I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,
Gather Together in My Name, Sining' and Swingin' and Gettin' Merry Like Christmas, The Heart of a Woman, All God's Children
Need Traveling Shoes, and Poems) and subjected to a musical-theatrical treatment.

The music, like Ms. Angelou's life story, is greatly varied in style and substance. In addition to authoring the aforementioned works,
Maya Angelou has produced, directed, and starred in various roductions, including Cabaret for Freedom and The Blacks, has adapted
Sophocles' Ajax, written and produced a TV series on African traditions in American life, written the screenplay and musical score for
the film Georgia, Georgia, as well as the television screenplays I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and The Sisters.

In the sixties she was Northern Coordinator for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference under Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Ms.
Angelou has received numerous honorary degrees, and has lectured at the major American universities. She now holds the Reynolds
Professor of American Studies chair at Wake Forest University, a lifetime appointment.

Maya's Song was premiered on the AMERICAN COMPOSERS: THEIR MUSIC AND THEIR MUSES
series at Strathmore Hall Arts Center, Bethesda, Maryland, on October 7, 1988, by Marilyn Boyd DeReggi,
mezzo-soprano/actress; David Perry, guitar synthesizer; and Michael Wingo, percussion.

Publisher

Watchfyr Music
call 561-252-0987

Listen to excerpts from Maya's Song

Reviews

WASHINGTON POST, Joan Reinthaler: "'Maya's Song' had moments of real humor
and considerable power...Shore has an ear for wonderful poetry" (10/11/88)

Biography Reviews Works Recordings Listening Room Publisher Info Links Main Page

design by Watchfyr Productions
(561) 252-0987shoreclare@gmail.com