Noah Luna - Widespread Orchestra

for Chorus & Cello

Written and recorded in isolation during the Pandemic, this setting of Mighty Mike McGee's "Widespread Orchestra" is an expression of both the longing for connection, and the joy and fulfillment we have in solidarity with others' collective simultaneous solitude.

Commissioned by Town Hall Seattle, featuring Joshua Roman and an international community chorus who donated their recordings to be part of this production.

WIDESPREAD ORCHESTRA
Today, I dance knowing
someone somewhere dances with me
Us, cutting two different rugs
that would look great together
if given the chance to sync
This morning
in the shower and the garden
I sang off-key, but somehow
it was in harmless harmony
with someone somewhere else
This afternoon I wept as I did the dishes
a tear disappeared into the soapy water
but I know it will go to meet others
it will add to the upright rivers
and oceans weeping with me
into their own dirty dishes
and dirty laundry
so much to clean
so much time to do it
Tonight, I write this poem-song-biography
by candlelight
a group effort of somehow from
a widespread orchestra
of me and you
and someone, everyone
everywhere else

© 2020 Mighty Mike McGee (17 March 2020)