“US”
“US” was inspired by Richard Haass’ book “The Bill of Obligations”, published in 2023, which asserts that most Americans understand their rights, but they do not have a similar understanding of their obligations as citizens. To keep our democracy strong, we must adopt these obligations as habits of citizenship. Through the music, we introduce the challenge and the hope of democracy’s promise. We then name 10 obligations and define each one through quotations by famous and not-so-famous Americans, from founding fathers to contemporary citizens. The piece concludes with a call to citizenship, for US—we the people, each one of us in these United States—to join together and make the full promise of our democracy a reality.
About the Composer
The award winning music of Michael Bussewitz-Quarm engages singers and audiences through the soulful exploration of social and environmental themes around the world. Michael is passionate about effecting change through choral music, addressing topics ranging from art in post-civil war Raleigh-Durham, to gun violence, to the global refugee crisis. Ms. Bussewitz-Quarm won The American Prize in Composition (major works) in 2021 and made her Carnegie Hall debut in 2023 featuring her work, "Where We Find Ourselves". Her latest project, “The Unarmed Child” will be performed at Lincoln Center, New York, in March 2024.