mar 26, 2015 - Program: Living Water

Description:

Lauren McCall (b1986)
Living Water
Living Water is a three-movement work for solo soprano, piano, and electronics. The first movement “River Flow” was created to present part of the story of what happened as the beginning of the Flint Water Crisis unfolded, the second movement “She doesn’t trust the water” was created to express the frustration community members felt, and the third movement “Living Water” was created to inspire a call to action. Each movement of Living Water begins with electronics as a way to mirror the experiences of the community members of Flint and others who have gone through hardships. Oftentimes we cannot control what life brings to us, but we must keep responding and working to make those situations better.

I.
River flow, a story to tell
Little did we know what you contain;
Turn of a switch, a toast to change,
—but at what cost?

Winter of ‘14, summer of ‘15,
we suspect there’s poison in the water.
Fall of ‘14, spring of ‘15,
What will it take to be heard?

River flow, a story to tell
Little did we know what you contain;
With the signing of a pen, our lives were changed.
Why does it come to this cold hard cash?
Can you hear our cries?
Fall of ‘14, spring of ‘15,
What will it take to be heard?

Winter of ‘14, summer of ‘15,
we suspect there’s poison in the water.
What does it take? What will it take to be heard?

River flow, a story to tell,
Leaching lead into our bones

II.
She doesn’t trust the water.
Weariness echoing, like my voice within.
“I don’t want it, mama.”
Is that her voice or the one inside?

Days roll by, but still
I remember how officials say it’s clean;
Still my baby struggles to breathe.

She doesn’t trust the water.
Weariness echoing, like my voice within.
“I don’t want it, mama.”
Is that her voice or the one inside?

Days roll by, but still
I remember how officials say it’s clean;
Still my baby’s so ill.

I don’t trust officials, or the water.
This is my voice, same as the one within
We want clean water. Our voices sing as one.

Time passes by but still I remember.

III.
Let it start with my steps, let it begin.
I will walk beside you through the troubles and pain.
Let us walk Living Water, strength never failing;
Fountains will never run dry;
A reckoning Living Water, strength never failing;
Inequity, rectified.

Let our lives be redemption to the neglect.
Let our lives speak volumes, our actions justice provide
Let us walk Living Water, strength never failing;
Fountains will never run dry;
A reckoning Living Water, strength never failing;
Inequity, rectified

Your struggles, your pain
will no longer be ignored,
we’ll keep walking ‘till justice is restored.

Let us walk Living Water, strength never failing;
Fountains will never run dry;
A reckoning Living Water, strength never failing;
Inequity, rectified.

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