by Jed Scott, ACDA Executive Board Webmaster/Editor
Social Media – the joy and bane of 2016, no? One of the reasons I stay with it is because of things like this: it was through Facebook that I heard about Andrea Ramsey’s recently completed commission, “But A Flint Holds Fire.”
It was conceived as a work of humanitarian social protest and a way to raise awareness (and money) for the Flint Water Crisis. Composed for a Chorus America consortium project, it is set for 2-part treble and piano, combining text from Christina Rossetti and from students in Flint and Flint Township schools.
Having read the manuscript score with tears in my eyes, I can tell you that Dr. Ramsey has succeeded tremendously in alchemizing the tragedy into a work of art that will hopefully speak to many, many people.
Andrea agreed to an interview discussing the piece, her process, and inspiration, as well as some broader points about the music of protest.
Hi Andrea, thanks so much for agreeing to this interview. Can you give a brief description of “But A Flint Holds Fire” and how it came to be commissioned?
Andrea Ramsey
Sure. It’s pretty hilarious, actually. It was composer-barter. Paul Caldwell had arranged with Sean Ivory a feisty little Cuban tune called “A Pescar Camaron” that was voiced for SSA. I approached him to consider revoicing it for SATB so I could use the tune with the Eastern Division ACDA JH/MS honor choir in Boston last year. He said he would revoice the work for me at no charge if I’d agree to donate a work for Chorus America’s commissioning fundraiser, for which he had the responsibility of finding a composer willing to write a piece for free. I really wanted to perform that piece in Boston, so I took the deal!
Through this project with Chorus America, choirs have the opportunity to join the commission by paying a fee. The amount is much less than the cost of commissioning a new work on one’s own, the money goes to benefit Chorus America, and in exchange, participating choirs are able to premier the work a year in advance of the public release and have their organization’s name acknowledged in the score.
What inspired you to craft a piece about the Flint Water Crisis?
The Flint Water Crisis has weighed on my heart since it began. I lived in Michigan from 2010-2013 while working on my Ph.D. at Michigan State, and even though it all began after I left the state, I watched closely. I remain stunned that over 100,000 people have been living since April 2014 without usable running water, and that the government has yet to replace a single pipe for the mess they created. People have died. Thousands are living with the effects of lead poisoning, for which there is no cure. I don’t recognize this situation as something that could happen in the United States of America. I don’t understand how nothing has been done. Everyone deserves access to clean running water.
For the longest, I felt incapable of helping. It wasn’t until May of this year that the light bulb went off and I realized maybe I could do something. I was searching for a poetic text for the Chorus America tune when it hit me that there would be many choirs in a vast array of geographical regions buying into this commission. Perhaps some of these communities are unaware of things in Flint? The media attention has waned. After President Obama visited and drank the water, I think many people assumed it was over. It is far from over for the people I’ve spoken with who still have eroded pipes leaching toxic water into their walls. Many of the choirs involved in the Chorus America commission are tuition-based community children’s choirs—and some in very affluent areas. I thought if I could write an effective work about Flint, we might be able to generate awareness, show people how to help, and do a great deal of good for a community that has been abandoned.
What do you think is an appropriate role of choral music in raising issues like this?
Art has always and will always seek to highlight injustice. Of course, this often goes hand in hand with controversy.
I wish I could say I dove into this fearlessly, but the early feelings were much more tremulous. My inner critic screamed at me, “What might happen if you do this?” and “How on earth do you think you are going to write an aesthetically pleasing piece of music about a water crisis?” I also worried people might think I was trying to be political, so in my notes in the front material of the score, I emphasize that the work is not intended as a political commentary, but as an honest artistic response to a humanitarian crisis. If we can’t sing music for the benefit of humanity, for what can we sing?
I don’t presume to suggest that every composer needs to tackle such issues, but I can say that finishing this piece felt like one of the most meaningful things I’ve ever done. For me, it was the right issue to highlight through music.
Do you feel like social justice issues have increased or decreased in prominence in the choral world?
This is a fun question to ponder. I perceive an increase in social justice issues being raised through choral performances, but what do I know? Maybe I just wasn’t paying attention decades ago, but I’m dialed in right now? Maybe I haven’t explored enough historical choral repertoire to see that this has been happening for much longer than I realize? From my limited perspective though, it does seem that there are more social justice-oriented choral works being sung today than at any other time I can recall.
As a conductor/composer, are you ever concerned about programming pieces about social justice with the varied opinions that will be present in any choir?
Of course. Discomfort is tricky, but with an open mind, discomfort can encourage fresh thought. My hope is to encourage thought and discourse, not division or conflict.
One Flint student shared gut-level advice for me at the outset of the project. She wrote, “I think you should include the facts: corrupt government who think little of the residents, paying for water we can’t use…there is no cure for lead poisoning. No need to sugar coat it. You can make it poetic and artistic, but include the facts.”
Her words galvanized me to represent the situation honestly, even if that is a bit uncomfortable for some. So, with the help of Dr. Mitchell Robinson at Michigan State University, we crafted a one-page narration to be read before the work is performed. And with the help of Laura MacIntyre, sociology lecturer at the University of Michigan-Flint, we vetted the narration with grassroots organizations on the ground in Flint to be sure we weren’t misrepresenting things or leaving out important components. The narration was designed to provide “the facts” in a timeline of what has transpired since that fateful water supply switch in April of 2014.
I wanted to steer away from the political realm, but there is simply no way to talk about what happened in Flint without addressing the government’s role. It is an unavoidable and central part of the narrative: the discrediting of figures who spoke up, the ignoring of clear signs, the misleading of the public, and the current horror of the Michigan populace footing Governor Snyder’s over $3 million legal bill for his criminal defense fees while not a single pipe has yet to be replaced by the state. The crisis was born in government, and to omit that portion would be dishonest.
Describe the text. How did you find the Rossetti text, and how did you collect the words from Flint students?
Early on, I didn’t have a text at all. I just had a big hopeful idea and zero direction. My first inclination was to look for a poet from Flint, so I went to the Internet to do some research. I pursued a few leads, but was having trouble making a connection. I did, however, notice that every time I entered the search terms “Flint” and “poet”, I kept getting returns mentioning Christina Rossetti. Eventually my curiosity got the best of me and I clicked on the link. I was slack-jawed when I read the poem. It is a beautiful poem from the 1800s with wildly haunting relevance to Flint being overlooked and underestimated, yet powerful.
Text
An emerald is as green as grass;
A ruby red as blood;
A sapphire shines as blue as heaven;
A flint lies in the mud.
A diamond is a brilliant stone,
To catch the world’s desire;
An opal holds a fiery spark;
But a flint holds fire.
-Christina Georgina Rossetti (1830-1894)
As beautiful as the poem is, it is a picture of brevity. I knew it was too short, and that is when I brainstormed an idea to elongate the work by reaching out to Flint residents and gathering their words to include in the piece. After I posted the idea to Facebook, Dr. Karen Salvador (associate professor of music education at UM-Flint) reached out to me to see if she could help and in talking with her, she was able to connect me with choir students at high schools in Flint and Flint Township. It seemed especially powerful to use the words of choir students.
Together, Dr. Salvador and I crafted four or five questions for the singers. We asked them how the water crisis impacted their lives and their family. We asked what good things they wished more people knew about Flint, and we shared the poem by Christina Rossetti to see what they thought of it. Dr. Salvador collected the writings and scanned and sent them to me. It was a very last-minute effort. I think we caught the students on their very last week of school before they left for the summer! I am so grateful for her help. When I finally read the students’ responses, I just sat in my living room and cried. Every time I felt stuck while working on the piece, I would go back and read them for another dose of courage.
Do you have any specific hopes for how this piece might affect the listener?
I hope listeners respond with action. My greatest hope is that people will listen, be moved, and act. My greatest fear is that people will listen, be moved, and do nothing. Twenty-one choirs from the United States and Canada have signed on for this commission. Multiply 21 by the number of audience members attending each choir’s concerts and that is a sizable population of listeners. On the final page of the score, I’ve included a reproducible QR code and link to www.flintrising.com and I’ve suggested that conductors include the link and code in their concert programs to encourage audience members to donate and help. I hope we raise money for forgotten families. I hope (perhaps naively) that there are powerful people in these audiences—people with financial resources, or with government connections. And I hope they are moved enough to use their power and resources to act on behalf of a population in need.
Singing has been a mode for protest throughout history. How does this new work tie into the history of protest music throughout the world? Are there any politically active composers that have served as an inspiration in your approaches to writing this piece?
Paul Caldwell and Sean Ivory’s Beneath the African Sky opened my eyes to this possibility. They brought awareness to the Rwandan genocide through a beautiful two-part choral work with piano and oboe. I love programming that work for honor choirs because of the discussions that emerge.
I don’t know if I’m bold enough to think that this work is on the same parallel as the many great historical and musical protests throughout the world, but I have an aching hope that it opens eyes and changes hearts and helps to get something done.
You have said that you found yourself profoundly changed by the journey of creating this piece. Can you describe how you think that change might manifest itself in future compositions?
I do feel changed. Working closely with Laura MacIntyre (sociology lecturer, UM-Flint), who lives in Flint and whose activism and courage is inspired—I learned much about the people of Flint: the media highlights (and betrayals), the frustrations of the citizens with celebrities and power figures who used Flint to further their image (or even exploit the residents) only to abandon them later, and the inaction of the government—or perhaps just as bad, the wildly inexplicable decisions by government leaders to spend money on image and surface issues rather than tending to the real problems of the crisis. Who needs a billboard on nutrition after lead poisoning when you still have eroded pipes that are leaking toxic water into your home? It was enlightening and infuriating, and more than anything lit a fire under me to do what I could to try and help.
The process of writing “But a Flint holds Fire” has emboldened me. I’m know from here forward I will be more active in seeking opportunities to use my music to highlight injustice where I can.
Beyond the piece, is there any message you want to send to the citizens of Flint?
I want them to know there are people who stand with them—to know that other people all over the U.S. care, and share in their frustration at how the government has failed them. I don’t want them to feel alone.
Where can the piece be heard?
Twenty-one choirs across the US and Canada will hopefully perform it, but for Michiganders, there will be a couple of nearby opportunities to hear it. Kyle Zeuch and the Michigan State University Children’s Choir will perform it in January at the Michigan Music Conference, and Mandy Scott’s Rockford High School Advanced Women’s Ensemble will perform it at the ACDA-Michigan Fall Conference on October 28.
List of Consortium Members
Jointly commissioned by a consortium of choruses to benefit the programs and services of Chorus America.
BOSTON CHILDREN’S CHORUS
Anthony Trecek-King, President and Artistic Director
BOULDER CHILDREN’S CHORALE
Kate Klotz, Artistic Director
BUFFALO NIAGARA YOUTH CHORUS
John Fleischman, Jr., Artistic Director
CANTABILE YOUTH SINGERS
Elena Sharkova, Artistic Director
CANTARE CHILDREN’S CHOIR
Catherine Glaser-Climie, Founder / Artistic Director
CANTARE CON VIVO
David Morales, Artistic Director
CENTENNIAL CHILDREN’S CHORUS
Sheri McKelfresh, Artistic Director
CHEYENNE ALL-CITY CHILDREN’S CHORUS
Marilyn Collins, Artistic Director
CHILDREN’S CHORUS OF MARYLAND
Susan Bialek, Artistic Director
CHILDREN’S CHORUS OF WASHINGTON
Margaret Nomura Clark, Artistic Director
CINCINNATI CHILDREN’S CHOIR
Robyn Lana, Managing Artistic Director
COLORADO CHILDREN’S CHORALE
Debbie De Santis, Artistic Director
COMMONWEALTH YOUTHCHOIRS
Steven Fisher, Artistic Director
CRESCENDO COMMUNITY CHORUS
Sharon Rodkey Smith, Artistic Director
GEORGIA CHILDREN’S CHORUS
Carol Reeves, Artistic Director
GREENSBORO YOUTH CHORUS
Ann K. Doyle, Founder and Artistic Director
LAKE SUPERIOR YOUTH CHORUS
Bret Amundson, Artistic Director
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY CHILDREN’S CHOIR
Kyle Zeuch, Director of Children and Youth Choirs
NEW JERSEY YOUTH CHORUS
Tara Postigo, Director, Sola Voce
NEW ORLEANS CHILDREN’S CHORUS
Cheryl Dupont, Executive/Artistic Director
OBERLIN CHORISTERS
Jennifer Call, Artistic Director
OMAHA CHILDREN’S CHOIR
Amanda Stevenson, Founder & Artistic Director
PARKER MIDDLE SCHOOL 7TH GRADE GIRLS CHOIR
Kelli Falls, Vocal Music Instructor
PENSACOLA CHILDREN’S CHORUS
Alex Gartner, Artistic Director
PITTSBURGH YOUTH CHORUS
Shawn Funk, Artistic Director
PORTLAND SYMPHONIC GIRLCHOIR
Roberta Jackson & Deb Burgess, Co-Conductors
ROCKFORD HIGH SCHOOL ADVANCED WOMEN’S ENSEMBLE
Mandy Scott, Conductor
SOUNDING JOY
Barbara Hall, Founder and Conductor
TEXAS LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY CHOIR
Dr. Douglas R Boyer, Director, TLU School of Music & Choral Activities
Laurie Jenschke, Director, TLU Community Music Academy Choirs
THE GIRL CHOIR OF SOUTH FLORIDA
Wallis Peterson, Artistic Director
THE NORTH SHORE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL LOWER SCHOOL CHORUS
Linda Kiracibasi, Lower School Music Teacher
THE OAKVILLE CHILDREN’S CHOIR
Dr. Sarah Morrison, Artistic Director
THE ST. LOUIS CHILDREN’S CHOIRS
Barbara Berner, Artistic Director
YOUNG NAPERVILLE SINGERS
Angie Johnson, Artistic Director
YOUNG VOICES OF COLORADO
Jena Dickey, Founder / Artistic Director
About Andrea Ramsey
Dr. Andrea Ramsey is a composer, conductor, and music educator. Her teaching experiences range from work with adolescent and children’s voices to frequent guest conducting of all-state and honor choirs, to her current position as the Associate Director of Choral Studies at the University of Colorado Boulder. An ASCAPlus award-winning composer, Andrea has over 70 published choral works in print. A native of Arkansas, she is an active member of ACDA, ASCAP, and NAfMe, and believes strongly in the positive impact created through the performance of meaningful choral music.
