It is our deeply felt privilege to invite you, the choirs of the original Rolling Requiem, to become part of a second global tribute to honor those swept away by the tsunami as well as those who remain.
This time, our vision is for all the choirs of the world to sing at the same time. We plan to broadcast the tribute globally.
The music will begin at the moment of the tsunami's impact, one year later. In Banda Ache, Sumatra, Indonesia, where the tsunami first struck, it will start at 8:30 AM on December 26th, 2005. In Europe and Africa, it will commence in the quiet hours just after midnight on December 26th. In the Americas, it will begin on Christmas evening. A chart at this link will show you what time it will be in your time zone.
As one of the 205 choirs that made up the original Rolling Requiem, you are the first to receive an invitation. We will also be inviting any and all additional choruses around the globe to participate. We request your help to find and contact them.
The music for the global tribute will include three pieces, which will take about an hour to sing. The first two are memorials:
Mozart's Requiem, excluding the solo parts.
Mozart's Ave Verum Corpus.
The third piece, Beethoven's Ninth, excluding the solo parts, is an anthem to rebirth and joy. We include it as a song of hope.
The Details of the Tsunami Tribute
The choirs of the world will come together as one when the downbeat for the music is given by a Master Conductor to each of the chorus conductors via live television and Internet broadcasting. Gerard Schwarz, Music Director of the Seattle Symphony, will serve as the Master Conductor.
The conductor-relay system will be simulcast using a variety of media, including satellite and cable television and live broadband Internet streaming. You will tune in to the Master Conductor through whatever medium works best for their location.
When you register your choir to participate in the Tsunami Tribute at the rollingrequiem.org website, we will ask you to fill out a short survey regarding your technology capabilities. This will allow us to establish the best possible connections to the Master Conductor.
We suggest that, if possible, you hold your tribute in a concert hall, church, or other location that has the ability to connect with broadband Internet, cable or satellite TV. You will need to have a small television or laptop computer system for your conductor to view as he or she conducts your tribute. If you prefer to use a big screen, that will also work.
If your choir would like to participate but does not have the ability to link to the Master Conductor, then, we invite you to take part by beginning to sing when it is 8:30 AM on December 26th, 2005 in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. Clicking here can access a chart showing you what time it is in your time zone.
Fundraising for Tsunami Rebuilding
While the tribute broadcast is underway, we intend to raise funds for the tsunami rebuilding effort. Throughout the one-hour program, we will use a printed line at the bottom of the screen to announce the opportunity to make donations. We will also provide both a web address and a toll-free telephone number for donations.
We will work with a global relief organization to coordinate the fundraising for the event.
If your choir would like to raise tsunami relief funds, please do so. You will be able to donate them to the global aid agency with whom we will be working or to the aid organization of your choice.
Instructions for Becoming A Rolling Requiem Tsunami Tribute Choir
Commit your choir to sing. Please register your choir by clicking on this link as soon as possible. While registering, fill out the technology survey so that we can help you make the best possible connection to the Master Conductor.
Feel free to join other choirs in your area in one grand performance, if this seems appropriate.
We will send you the Master Conductor's notes for each piece of music as soon as they are available. The music for our tribute will not include the solos in either Mozart's Requiem or Beethoven's Ninth.
You should obtain copies of each of the three pieces of music for your choir members. We suggest the following editions:
- Mozart's Requiem - Barenreiter editionAve Verum CorpusBeethoven's Ninth
To Prepare For Your Tribute
Please make the following arrangements for your tribute:
1. Reserve a place for your concert and arrange for appropriate accompaniment, conductor and technology.
2. Work with your local police and/or government to establish security for your tribute.
3. Decide whom to invite to your concert. If it is the general public, develop a publicity plan.
Security
It is important for every one of the Rolling Requiem choirs to perform with the knowledge that their concert is safe. We urge you to discuss security with your local police and/or government to ensure that your concert is secure. In the United States, every state now has an Office of Homeland Security. Contact your governor to request support from your state’s Homeland Security office. Outside the United States, go to the appropriate office in your government to ask for help.
Help Us Invite Other Choirs to Join the Rolling Requiem
The Rolling Requiem is open to all choirs. We urge you to extend an invitation to other choirs to participate. If you would like for us to invite choirs, please send an email to invite@rollingrequiem.org to let us know who they are and how to contact them. Include the following information:
1. The name of the choir.
2. A contact person with an email address and a telephone number.
Thank you for helping us to spread the word in your community and around the world!
Website
We will provide additional information and regular updates on the Tsunami Tribute through at rollingrequiem.org. Go there to:
- Register your choir.
- Find translations of the text of the music.
- Access the Master Conductor’s notes for each piece of music.
- Talk to other participating choirs.
- Ask questions regarding the Rolling Requiem.
- Receive regular updates.
Welcome Back
Each of us feels deeply moved to be working with you a second time on the global tsunami tribute. We extend a warm welcome back to our extraordinary Rolling Requiem family. We cannot imagine that you will not participate. We look forward to sounding a common chord of healing, love and rebirth.
If you have questions, please send them to questions@rollingrequiem.org Thank you. We look forward to your participation in the second global Rolling Requiem tribute.
Sincerely,
Madeline Johnson
Chairwoman, The Rolling Requiem
