Weather: Stand The Storm (Chamber Ensemble): Choral Instrumental Pak
By Rollo Dilworth
Item: 35-PK01416807
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Description
Historically, the arts have always fulfilled the dual roles of responding to change while at the same time creating change. "Weather" is a poem that gives voice to the voiceless, especially those who have been and continue to be marginalized because of difference. It responds to and reflects realities that are both culturally specific and humanly universal. Professor Claudia Rankine challenges all of us (no matter our background or lived experience) to know better, to do better, to take action, and to become agents of social justice and social change. This work for choir, narrator, and piano with optional Wind Symphony or Chamber ensemble, is to be a learning and growing experience for the singers, the audience, and the conductor/teacher in all ways emotional and intellectual . There is a companion resource for "Weather" intended for students, educators, conductors, and audiences to learn more about the social, political, and historical context of this work. This guide offers an opportunity for everyone to deeply engage with "Weather" and understand its critically important social and historical context. The guide, created by Dr. Colleen Sears, Professor of Music at The College of New Jersey, encourages us to honor the intent of Claudia Rankine's poetry and Rollo Dilworth's music; to become better citizens in our communities and to bridge divides through our shared humanity. Score: 11" x 17"; Parts: 8.5" x 11"
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Additional Details
Publisher:
Hal Leonard
SKU:
35-PK01416807
More about this title
About the Composer: Rollo Dilworth
Rollo Dilworth is a composer, arranger, and educator whose choral works span classical, jazz, spiritual, and contemporary idioms. His compositions consistently demonstrate a commitment to amplifying voices that have been historically marginalized in concert music, infusing sophisticated harmonic language with social purpose. Dilworth's work as both creator and mentor has shaped how music educators think about repertoire selection as an act of cultural responsibility.
Why we love this
This work refuses to let singers or audiences remain passive. By pairing Claudia Rankine's poetry with ensemble writing that builds from intimate to powerful, Dilworth creates space for genuine emotional engagement alongside intellectual growth. The inclusion of the companion educational guide means you're not programming a piece in isolation; you're opening a semester-long conversation about whose stories our concert halls tell.
What to expect
The music moves between quiet intimacy and collective voice, reflecting the journey of a poem that addresses both individual and shared humanity. Harmonies shift beneath lyrical moments, never allowing comfort; instead they ground the piece in the reality of what the text describes. By the final section, the ensemble becomes a single statement of resilience and demand.
Who it's for
This work belongs in any high school, college, or community ensemble that takes both artistry and citizenship seriously. It demands singers who can handle text with intention and audiences ready to listen, but it repays that investment with a performance experience that changes everyone in the room.
How to get the most out of it
- Build the relationship between narrator and choir gradually. Early moments should feel like the narrator is discovering the poem alongside the ensemble rather than delivering it to them.
- Balance clarity of text with musical line. The words carry the weight here, so resist the urge to add extra expression on top of what Rankine's language already provides.
- Work the optional wind ensemble or chamber ensemble parts into rehearsals early if you're using them. These instrumental voices expand the emotional landscape considerably and need time to settle into the choral texture.
- Schedule a reading or discussion session with students before full rehearsals begin. Understanding the poem's context and intent makes the musical choices make sense rather than feeling imposed.
How to use it
Consider making this the centerpiece of a concert rather than one item in a longer show. Pair it with a pre-concert discussion, the companion educational materials, and perhaps a post-performance community conversation. This work expands what a concert can accomplish when you give it proper context and breathing room.
Skills your students will build
- Interpreting poetry and understanding how music serves a text rather than overshadows it
- Balancing ensemble cohesion with individual vocal expression
- Coordinating with a narrator across multiple rehearsals and performances
- Engaging with social and historical context as essential to musical understanding
- Reading and responding to harmonic shifts that reflect emotional content