Another Requiem for the Innocent

“Another Requiem for the Innocent” was written in the autumn of 2001. Television footage of children in war-torn Sarajevo weighed heavily on my mind. The Columbine school shooting struck home as well; at the time, I was teaching elementary school children every day. The Oklahoma bombing was particularly difficult to see because of the children attending the daycare there. The events of September 11 , 2001 precipitated the creation of this piece of music.

Human history is filled with tragedy. Natural disasters occur in their own natural rhythms. Often though, catastrophic events are caused by humans; sometimes accidentally, often intentionally. The impacts on families, loved ones, and survivors are devastating. Innocent lives are lost or changed forever.

“Another Requiem for the Innocent” gives us a few moments to reflect on the fleeting and fragile nature of human existence, and on tragedies that have shaped our own lives. It also reminds us of our remarkable human resilience. Somehow, survivors muster their strength and courage to pick up the pieces and move forward. Even though the emotional and physical toll remain with us for the rest of our lives, we pull together to rebuild and carry on, vowing to create a better future for our children.

I hope that “Another Requiem for the Innocent” will give performers and audience members the opportunity to reflect on what we can learn from the past, and how we can nurture younger generations to build a kinder, more equitable future for all.

This score is available for purchase directly from the composer using the Contact page. Please order a copy for each choir member, plus one for your conductor and one for your accompanist.

Full score (pdf with license): $2.00 / copy
Printed scores: order through J. W. Pepper
A free score (with some redactions) is available for preview
Instrumental parts are also available; please Contact the composer for details.