Edition No. 7
In this Edition
Arts and Culture
Journey around the globe through song with a complete performance of Christopher Tin’s Grammy®-winning masterwork for orchestra and voices, Calling All Dawns.
Community and Family
Enjoy a look back at The War Memorial’s 2020 Veterans Day celebration. And as we approach the holiday season, consider the multitude of ways you might support and uplift our nation’s heroes.
Our American Values
For years, concession speeches have been an integral part of the election process. Read how gracious concession statements allow for a peaceful transition and keep America moving forward.
Calling All Dawns by Christopher Tin
Live at the 70th Annual Llangollen International Musical Eistedfodd in Wales
Christopher Tin’s 2009 choral masterwork, Calling All Dawns is a song-cycle in three parts: day, night, and dawn. Each part corresponds to a different phase of life — life, death, and rebirth — with songs of joy, mystery, and hardship reflecting the complexity of our mortality. There are songs of the deepest, darkest sorrow to accompany us through death. And finally, there are songs of triumph and exultation that bring us roaring back to life, beginning the cycle anew.
Of the 45-minute piece, Tin said, ”Calling All Dawns was born from the desire to turn my popular piece Baba Yetu into a full album-length work, that celebrated different languages, cultures, and religions, and celebrated the commonalities that connect people to one another.”
The Inspiration for Calling All Dawns
Baba Yetu, the piece that both inspired and features heavily in Calling All Dawns, was originally composed as the theme song for the 2005 video game Civilization IV. Upon its 2009 rerelease as part of Calling All Dawns, Baba Yetu became the first piece of video game music to be nominated for — and to win — a Grammy® Award.
The Swahili baba yetu translates in English to “our father,” and the full text is a direct translation of the Lord’s Prayer, popular within many Christian denominations.
Calling All Dawns is comprised of twelve individual pieces, each sung in a different language. Many of the lyrics find their sources in important pieces of world literature, including excerpts of long works such as the Hebrew Bible; the Bhagavad Gita; the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam; as well as smaller verses such as the Maori proverbs, Japanese haiku, and, of course, the Lord’s Prayer. The work features a similarly diverse set of vocal idioms, including opera, Irish keening, and African choral music.
To hear a particular movement, please click or tap the links below.
Part 1: Day
Movement I: Baba Yetu (Swahili)
Movement II: Mado Kara Mieru (Japanese)
Movement III: Dao Zai Fan Ye (Mandarin)
Movement IV: Se É Pra Vir Que Venha (Portuguese)
Movement V: Rassemblons-Nous (French)
Part 2: Night
Movement VI: Lux Aeterna (Latin)
Movement VII: Caoineadh (Irish)
Movement VIII: Hymn Do Trójcy Świętej (Polish)
Part 3: Dawn
Movement IX: Hayom Kadosh (Hebrew)
Movement X: Hamsáfár (Farsi)
Movement XI: Sukla-Krsne (Sanskrit)
Movement XII: Kia Hora Te Marino (Maori)
Movement XIII: Finale (Baba Yetu Reprise) (Swahili)
A Look Back
Veterans Day 2020: A Thankful Community
In years past, The War Memorial has hosted an Annual Veterans Day Breakfast, filled with camaraderie between 200 local veterans and their family members. The morning typically includes the presentation of thank-you notes handmade by local students, an uplifting medley of service songs, remarks from regional and national dignitaries, and a gourmet breakfast.
However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, The War Memorial made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s breakfast. In place of the annual event, but in a similar spirit of solemn thankfulness, we unveiled a new short film, Veterans Day 2020: A Thankful Community, as tribute to the brave individuals who selflessly served our nation.
Often, the most profound, generous, and moving words come from the voices of children. That is why The War Memorial turned to the wisdom of our local youth to extend sincere gratitude to those who so selflessly defended our freedoms. While not a full breakfast, this short film filled with joy, enthusiasm, and an infectious innocence, is The War Memorial’s most sincere way of saying thank you for your service.
As we move past this year’s Veterans Day, we must remember that veterans come from all walks of life. They are our sisters, brothers, mothers, and fathers. They are our friends, neighbors, and coworkers. As of 2018, 18.2 million living veterans have served in at least one war. With the holidays upon us, The War Memorial encourages our community to find ways to thank and support our veterans, far beyond the eleventh day of November. Consider donating to an organization that supports Michigan veterans returning from war. Or perhaps provide food and comfort for a veteran and their family. Maybe spend time supporting and learning the benefits of service dogs to veterans. And never forget the impact a simple handmade thank you card can have. However you choose to support a veteran, know that they are the brave heroes defending justice, freedom, and human integrity. And for their courage and patriotism, we must express our utmost gratitude.
The 2020 Election in Historical Context: Concession and Transition
In an article at the link below, Gillian Brockell from the Washington Post considers how several other recent Presidential campaigns, including the highly-contested 2000 race, ended. She focuses on how gracious concession speeches or statements from losing candidates and defeated incumbents of both parties helped heal divisions and keep our American experiment on track and moving forward.
The losing candidates featured in her article were: Adlai Stevenson, Al Gore, John McCain, Bob Dole, Hillary Clinton, and Richard Nixon (in 1960). Defeated incumbents considered included: Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, and Michigan’s own Gerald Ford. Read the full article here (subscription may be required).
Inspired Thoughts is a collection of highly curated content that embraces the spirit and purpose of The War Memorial: arts and culture, community enrichment, leadership, and patriotism.
Derived from the notion that learning from others is the key to success, Inspired Thoughts is meant to shine a light on those making a difference in the world around them. This collection features artists, poets, writers, architects, and every thought leader in-between. Inspired Thoughts is the strongest reflection of what The War Memorial stands for, and what we aim to be.
The content featured on Inspired Thoughts is curated by War Memorial leadership — we also look forward to featuring special guest curators in the near future. If you are interested in providing content for Inspired Thoughts, please email our Community Engagement team at bhoste@warmemorial.org.