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I Will Give You Rest

Choral, SSAATTBB, unaccompanied
Text, Psalm 34:17, 18; Matthew 11:38

In 2015, I read a news article regarding a private Christian University in Michigan. The news article was about how a student organization wanted to raise money to feed LGBTQ youth who had been abandoned or forced out of their homes. The university administration refused their request stating that it was against their policies. I was effected immensely by these statements and because they were claiming their actions were a part of their Christian belief.

I wanted to write a piece that captured the loving Christian spirit that I believe exists and to portray the beauty and acceptance of God as seen through Biblical texts. I wanted to write a piece of love in response to this terrible act.

This piece contains a lot of dissonance that I used to to represent the struggle and heartache that so many LGBTQ individuals face when they are part of a religion that does not accept them. The feeling of the piece changes completely to one of love, warmth, and acceptance when the words, “I will give you rest” appear.

Run Time and Level

This piece runs at about 4 minutes 20 seconds. Its written for a collegiate or professional choir.

Audio Sample

Photo by Brandon Mattingly on Unsplash