I Dream a World
I Dream a World
Kyle Pederson (2023)
Movement V of A Vision Unfolding
SATB, Music by Kyle Pederson
Text by Langston Hughes
Instrumentation: piano, with optional snare drum, violin, and trumpet
Text:
I dream a world where one
No other one will scorn, Where love will bless the earth And peace its paths adorn
I dream a world where all
Will know sweet freedom’s way, Where greed no longer saps the soul Nor avarice blights our day.
A world I dream where black or white, Whatever race you be,
Will share the bounties of the earth And every one is free,
Where wretchedness will hang its head And joy, like a pearl,
Attends the needs of all humankind— Of such I dream, my world!
Commissioned by:
Sponsoring Members
Festival Singers of Florida, directed by Dr. Kevin Fenton
Tennessee Tech University, directed by Dr. Craig Zamer
University of Dayton, directed by Dr. Steven Hankle
Participating Members
VocalEssence, directed by Philip Brunelle and G. Phillip Shoultz, III
University of Mississippi, directed by Dr. Donald Trott
Northwest Missouri State University, directed by Dr. Adam Zrust
Florida State University, directed by Dr. Kevin Fenton
PROGRAM NOTE:
Very few texts cast as beautiful a vision for society as this iconic Langston Hughes poem: I dream a world where none are scorned, where love will bless the earth and peace its paths adorn. The primary melody is shared by all voice parts throughout the piece and is stated one final time in unison— representing a unified commitment—building to a thunderous conclusion that invites us all to say, “yes...that’s a vision I want to help make real.”
Optional Spoken Word:
This piece is the fifth and final movement in A Vision Unfolding, and is preceded by a spoken word prologue.