We're getting excited for our next AfterGlow Chorus concert in March 2020 in Oakland called "Love and All That."
"Love and All That" is a fun, post-Valentine's Day concert in Oakland, CA featuring music around both the highs and loves of the universal emotion of love.
The fun program includes a wide range of composers and genres for both a cappella choir as well as with accompaniment.
One of the beautiful songs that we'll be performing is a relatively recent masterpiece for chorus called "Amor De Mi Alma" by Z. Randall Stroope. Stroope is one of the most highly-regarded choral composers in the 21st century.
This gorgeous piece for choir is set to a stunning love poem, which translates to "You are the Love of my Soul". It was written in the early 1500s by Spanish author Garcilaso de la Vega.
A deeply emotive a cappella composition, the piece contains an incredibly expressive, harmonic language and melodic lines for all the voice parts (i.e, soprano, alto, tenor, and bass).
Here is a translation of these heartfelt and profound lyrics:
"I was born to love only you;
My soul has formed you to its measure;
I want you as a garment for my soul.
Your very image is written on my soul;
Such indescribable intimacy, I hide even from you.
All that I have, I owe to you;
For you I was born, and for you I live,
I want you as a garment for my soul.
And for you I must die,
And for you I give my last breath.
For you."
While this piece can be challenging even for the most experienced of choirs and singers, we are eagerly looking forward to performing this. This is the kind of song that choruses love to sing as it touches the deep emotions of their very souls.