EXPLORE THE SCORE | Ramadan 20 vs COVID 19 by Andrew Staniland
Part of a series introducing our readers to works commissioned by Sparks & Wiry Cries, published through E. C. Schirmer.
Ramadan 20 vs COVID 19 is an art song cycle for soprano and piano, with recorded mixed media, composed by Andrew Staniland on texts by jessica Care moore. The piece was commissioned by Sparks in 2021, and was written for soprano LaToya Lain and pianist Erika Switzer. The cycle received its world premiere virtually in 2021 as part of sparksLIVE, which occurred entirely online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Andrew Staniland was commissioned to compose the music alongside poet and activist jessica Care moore, who wrote the text specifically for this piece. The work speaks to a particular moment in world history: the confluence of the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing quarantine with Ramadan, and the beginning of Black Lives Matter protests after the murder of George Floyd by officer Derek Chauvin during the summer of 2020. According to the composer, the work reacts to this recent history, in its “overwhelming overlapping realities of social outrage, political strife, and staggering health and welfare concerns”. 1
The first movement, INTROIT VS DETROIT, begins with a sense of frustration, unease, and turbulence. This atmosphere is instantly created by the pianist rhythmically striking the metal frame of the piano with a firm gong mallet while holding the sustain pedal down. The resulting effect is resonant and chilling, evocative of both a ticking clock and a gunshot. (An alternative to this extended technique is provided for pianists who are not able to strike the inside of the piano with a mallet.)
“The work reacts to this recent history, in its “overwhelming overlapping realities of social outrage, political strife, and staggering health and welfare concerns””
The second movement, the shortest overall, is painterly and evocative, with the piano evoking the distant bird calls that emerge early in the morning during the summer months, regardless of what else might be happening in the world. This poetic theme continues in the third movement, which states, “Even when we decide it is over/ when humanity is finally white flagged/ and all the oxygen from the Amazon is bottled and taxed like new shoes/ the magnolia tree will still blossom/ the same time every year in the backyard.”
The piece's final movement contains a devotional Muslim prayer for the singer and accompanying recorded material performed by the poet. The score gives cues to aid the performers in coordinating with the recorded material and information about mixing the work for live performance. The electronic media of the spoken word recording by the poet is available for purchase, along with the score, for use in rehearsal and performance.
This score, along with our other innovative commissions, is available on our Score Store and through E. C. Schirmer.
Ramadan 20 vs COVID 19: A Song Cycle for Soprano Voice and Piano with Recorded Mixed Media (2022)
Andrew Staniland (b. 1977), on poetry by jessica Care moore (b. 1971)
Vocal range: C4-A5
Duration: 17:30
Ramadan 20 vs COVID 19
1. INTROIT VS DETROIT
2. Songbirds begin at 4 A.M.
3. Strange Fruit and magnolia trees
4. The call to prayer is louder than the deathtoll
Electronic Media of spoken word recording by the poet available separately.
June 20, 2025
- Walt, Peggy. "Ramadan 20 vs. COVID 19." Canadian Music Centre, February 17, 2021, https://atl.cmccanada.org/ramadan-20-vs-covid-19. ↩
